Troy High sports review, through May 2

 Fittingly, on Kentucky Derby weekend, Section II is in the homestretch of the spring season, with 2 weeks remaining for most sports.

Flag football:

Current record: 9-1 (or is it 10-1, as the Daily Gazette & MaxPreps insist?):

Those media outlets claim the March 27 blowout win over Saugerties was a regular season game. Troy AD Paul Reinisch, however, maintains it was a scrimmage, albeit a 1-sided one, between the two teams.

Anyway, Troy continues to roll with 2 games remaining, dispatching Niskayuna, Ravena, & Mohonasen this past week.

Next: Troy visits Columbia tomorrow.

Softball:

Current record: 9-3 (7-1 Colonial Council):

Sean Geisel's club saw their 7 game winning streak snapped by Ichabod Crane on Wednesday. So what happened? They took it out on Albany Academy, mauling the Bears, 20-3, in 5 innings, on Friday. Some jobroni got the result of Monday's game over LaSalle backward, claiming LaSalle won, when they did not.

Next: A road trip starts at Guilderland on Monday, followed by a visit to Voorheesville on Tuesday. The Lady Horses return home to play Cohoes on Thursday and Lansingburgh on Friday.

Women's lacrosse:

Current record: 5-5.

Unless we hear differently, we have to assume the Lady Horses completed a season sweep of Schenectady-Mohonasen-Schalmont on Friday. The score has not been reported as of press time, but we will update when we get the information.

Next: The ladies visit Ichabod Crane on Tuesday, and Greenwich-Cambridge on Thursday.

Men's lacrosse:

Current record: 3-7.

1st year coach Zach Gill has his work cut out for him as we near the end of the season. The laxmen picked up a rare win in completing a season sweep of Hoosick Falls-Tamarac on Friday, completing a 2-part receipt from last year.

Next: The guys are idle until they play Johnstown on Wednesday at home, then a rematch with Stillwater-Mechanicville on Friday.

Baseball:

Current record: 4-9.

Troy started the week losing to LaSalle---again---, then beating Ichabod Crane before dropping two in a row to Mohonasen & Ballston Spa to end the week.

Next: The road trip continues at Voorheesville on Tuesday before returning home to play Cohoes on Thursday. After that is a road trip outside of Section II at Lakeland on Saturday.

Thursday's high school scores, 4/30

 Women's lacrosse:

Columbia 17, Burr & Burton 10.

Bethlehem 13, Niskayuna 5.

Greenwich-Cambridge 13, Ichabod Crane 0.

Voorheesville 17, Hoosick Falls-Tamarac 8.

Shenendehowa 10, Colonie 9.

Shaker 17, Burnt Hills 6.

Cohoes 13, Troy 9.

Men's lacrosse:

Niskayuna 14, Bethlehem 8.

South Glens Falls 23, Amsterdam 5.

Shenendehowa 15, CBA 2.

LaSalle 14, Colonie 13.

Burnt Hills 9, Shaker 8.

Ballston Spa 11, Saratoga 10.

Schuylerville 16, Scotia 3.

Baseball:

Cobleskill-Richmondville 14, Galway 3 (5 innings).

Softball:

Berne-Knox-Westerlo 14, Catskill 1 (5 innings).

Queensbury 35, Gloversville 0 (5 innings).

Albany 8, Cohoes 5.

Ravena 8, Holy Trinity 6.

Berlin-New Lebanon 13, Germantown 12.

Schalmont 24, Schenectady 3 (5 innings).

Schoharie 11, Northville 0 (5 innings).

OESJ 5, Cherry Valley-Springfield 0.

News & notes

 After getting on the soapbox yesterday to stump for the ol' alma mater (Troy High), Wednesday's results brought a sobering dose of reality.

Troy softball saw their 7 game winning streak come to an end at the hands of Ichabod Crane, 14-3, leaving the Lady Riders as the only undefeated team left in the Colonial Council. Troy drops to 6-1 in league play, 8-3 overall. The Lady Horses will play host to Albany Academy tomorrow.

Baseball will also host Academy after beating Ichabod Crane, 7-0, to snap a 2 game losing streak. Keegan Armstrong twirled a no-hitter, and struck out 13 to lead Troy.

Flag football just rolls on, blowing out Ravena, 33-6, for their 7th straight win. Next up is a road trip to Mohonasen tomorrow, followed by a showdown with Columbia on Monday.

Men's lacrosse dropped an 8-7 decision to Greenwich-Cambridge. Next up is a road game at Hoosick Falls-Tamarac tomorrow. The Panthers will be looking for revenge after losing to Troy earlier this season.

Niskayuna is looking for a new football coach.

Brian Grasdorf stepped down after leading Nisky to a Section 2 class A title in November. Grasdorf, the head man for Nisky for 9 seasons, is leaving to spend more time with his family.

Photo courtesy Albany Times-Union.

Burnt Hills is planning on a new multi-purpose field for football, soccer, field hockey, & lacrosse, to be built next door to the current field, Centennial Field. It'll be a turf field, which would cut down on concerns about rain. 

It won't take long for Gerry McNamara to see some "old friends" next season.

It was announced today that UAlbany will take a road trip to Syracuse as part of both schools' non-conference schedules, per the Albany Times-Union. Date has not been finalized as of press time.

This season, the Orange began a series of ads with Harding Mazzotti law firm. Imagine if ex-Siena players Francis Folefac and Gavin Doty appear in those ads next season. 

We have to close on a somber note. I'd imagine flags at UAlbany are at half staff today in memory for Richard "Doc" Sauers, who passed away earlier this week at 96. If it was possible for the school to memorialize Sauers next season, I don't think anyone would object.

Rest in peace, "Doc".

Here we go again: Troy High gets dissed by the Times-Union

 Each week, the Albany Times-Union releases its weekly rankings of the top teams in Section II in baseball, softball, lacrosse, & flag football. You would think Troy High would be among the tops in softball as well as flag football.

Nope.

The baseball & softball rankings were released online on Monday, and appeared in Tuesday's print editions. Lacrosse is in today's print editions, and flag football tomorrow.

Of the four sports, Troy only appears in the flag football rankings.

At number 5.

Like, seriously?

Entering play today at home vs. Ravena, the Lady Horses have won six in a row, and their path to the top is blocked by teams from-----wait for it----the Suburban Council. The political bias couldn't be more obvious. Troy beat Niskayuna on Monday, 27-12, for their sixth straight win. The excuses are obvious. The strength of schedule argument comes into play, considering that Troy blew out Lansingburgh and KIPP Tech Valley, both 1st year programs in flag football, and their lone loss was a 1 point heartbreaker to Holy Trinity.

Through 8 games, the Lady Horses have outscored their opponents, 310-66, averaging just over 8 points allowed per game, while averaging just shy of 40 points a game. Those are numbers more closely associated with the men in tackle football.

As of press time, Tuesday's women's lacrosse match at Albany Academy hadn't been reported. Both teams went into the game at 4-3. Neither made the rankings. We're hoping there's something in the paper tomorrow.

Softball has won seven in a row going into today's game at Ichabod Crane, easily the class of the Colonial Council after blowing away Mohonasen last Friday. Again, strength of schedule is an argument keeping Sean Geisel's ladies out of the top 5. Their only losses were to Suburban Council contenders Colonie & Averill Park. Troy & Mohon are the only Class AA teams in the Colonial, and both are getting the Rodney Dangerfield treatment.

We have no argument for the men's lacrosse & baseball teams, as they've been struggling this season. Their poor records justify their absence from the rankings. In what has been a phenomenal season for the women at Troy, it is political bias, regardless of what they say to the contrary, just like in volleyball during the fall.

To Michael Kelly and the sports staff at the Times-Union, I say this. Do better.

News & notes

 While Albany Academy alum Kennedy Swedick has finished her sophomore season for Virginia, another prodigy is developing in the 518.

Mario Vilardi is just 10. His father began taking him golfing when Mario was 5, and, earlier this month, Vilardi finished 2nd in the Putt, Drive, & Chip event preceding the Masters in Augusta. I think we'll be seeing more of Mario down the road.

Time to take a look at some weekend scores:

High schools:

Softball:

Friday:

Colonie 4, Niskayuna 3.

Averill Park 11, Albany 4.

Columbia 11, Shaker 0 (5 innings).

Ballston Spa 11, Saratoga 10.

Bethlehem 7, Guilderland 4.

Burnt Hills 5, Shenendehowa 1.

Ichabod Crane 9, Schalmont 6.

Mechanicville 18, Cambridge 0 (5 innings).

Duanesburg 22, Schenectady 0 (5 innings).

Hudson Falls 11, Gloversville 2.

Ravena 19, Voorheesville 4 (5 innings).

Mayfield 24, Middleburgh 1 (5 innings).

Tamarac 16, Greenwich 4 (5 innings).

Holy Trinity 13, Academy of Holy Names 4.

South Glens Falls 12, Broadalbin-Perth 0 (5 innings).

Canajoharie-Ft. Plain 10, Cobleskill-Richmondville 4.

Berne-Knox-Westerlo 7, OESJ 5.

Hoosic Valley 23, Waterford 1 (5 innings).

Fort Edward 10, Warrensburg 4.

Fort Ann 17, North Warren 0 (5 innings).

Salem 8, Granville 7.

Cohoes 6, Lansingburgh 2.

Queensbury 14, Schuylerville 1 (5 innings).

Whitehall 3, Lake George 1.

Northville 7, Germantown 5.

Galway 21, Fonda-Fultonville 0 (5 innings).

Argyle 9, Corinth 2.

Saturday:

Niskayuna 9, Mechanicville 8.

Mayfield 10, Hartford 8.

Averill Park 11, Queensbury 4.

Chatham 10, Saratoga 5.

Clarence 8, Shaker 6.

Frontier 8, Shaker 0.

Northville 22, Middleburgh 7 (5 innings).

LaSalle 14, Stillwater 0 (5 innings).

Cobleskill-Richmondville 4, Taconic Hills 1.

Albany 8, Saratoga Catholic 3.

Saratoga Catholic 14, Scotia 10.

Saugerties 7, Albany 0.

Coxsackie-Athens 12, Johnstown 0 (5 innings).

Fonda-Fultonville 7, Watervliet 0.

Whitesboro 5, Guilderland 2.

Guilderland 10, Rome Free Academy 2.

St. Anthony's 9, Shenendehowa 7.

Mepham 7, Burnt Hills 4.

Colonie 14, St. Mary's-Lancaster (PA) 3 (5 innings).

Cicero-North Syracuse 4, Colonie 2.

Sunday:

Burnt Hills 7, Watkins Glen 0.

Burnt Hills 1, Clarkstown South 0.

Shenendehowa 3, Pine Plains 1.

Deposit-Hancock 10, Colonie 8.

Shenendehowa 7, Burnt Hills 2.

Women's lacrosse:

Friday:

Schylerville 20, Scotia 0.

LaSalle 8, Albany 4.

Cohoes 13, Greenwich-Cambridge 2.

Corning-Painted Post 15, Queensbury 7.

Saturday:

Shenendehowa 12, Bethlehem 11.

Columbia 25, Averill Park 13.

Saratoga 12, Guilderland 8.

Rush-Henrietta 17, Queensbury 5.

Sunday:

Irondequoit 17, Queensbury 4.

Men's lacrosse:

Friday:

Schenectady-Mohonasen-Schalmont 14, Broadalbin-Perth 1.

Voorheesville 15, Troy 8. Confirms what I had suspected about this game.

Guilderland 8, Ballston Spa 7.

Johnstown 17, Greenwich-Cambridge 9. The Sir Bills host Troy tonight.

Cicero-North Syracuse 14, Shenendehowa 5.

Saturday:

Fordham Prep 14, Guilderland 5.

Saugerties 9, CBA 5.

South Glens Falls 23, Red Hook 3.

Palmyra-Macedon 17, Voorheesville 2.

Schuylerville 10, Mechanicville-Stillwater 7.

Fayetteville-Manilus 12, Shaker 11.

Auburn 10, LaSalle 2. 

Victor 9, Niskayuna 6.

Baseball:

Saturday:

Watervliet 17, Catskill 2 (5 innings).

Germantown 6, Greenville 2.

Saratoga Catholic 12, Hoosick Falls 0 (5 innings).

Greenwich 4, Stillwater 3.

Fonda-Fultonville 11, Johnstown 3.

Port Jervis 14, Chatham 4 (5 innings).

Ballston Spa 6, LaSalle 4.

Saranac 7, Fort Ann 5.

Niskayuna 11, Ichabod Crane 3.

Richfield Springs 10, Canajoharie-Ft. Plain 7.

Burnt Hills 5, Queensbury 3.

Utica Proctor 27, Guilderland 3 (5 innings).

Colleges:

UAlbany:

Baseball won 2 of 3 from NJIT, with a 6-0 loss on Sunday preventing a sweep.

Softball won 2 of 3 from UMass-Lowell, defeating Olivia DeCitise and the RiverHawks, 4-3, on Sunday. DeCitise (Troy) pitched back-to-back complete games for Lowell, going 1-1, to run her season record to 15-9.

Men's lacrosse closed its regular season with a 9-8 win over NJIT.  The Great Danes host UMBC in the America East tournament Thursday night.

Siena:

Baseball won 2 of 3 from Sacred Heart, winning Sunday's game 10-2.

Women's lacrosse advanced to the MAAC semi-finals after beating Mount St. Mary's, 9-8.

Softball salvaged the final game of a weekend set vs. Merrimack with a 1-0 on Senior Day Sunday.

Troy High sports review, through April 24

 As we approach the end of April, there are a couple of hot teams that should stay hot going forward.

Flag football:

Current record: 6-1.

The Lady Horses have won 5 in a row. Hudson was the latest victim, losing 31-6 at home to Troy on Friday. 

Consider this for a moment. Troy has outscored their opponents by a ridiculous margin of 283-54. Ouch, babe!! This averages out to Troy averaging 40+ points a game through 7 games while allowing an average of just under 8 points a game. If this sounds familiar, well, we've seen the men's tackle football teams be just as dominant over the years.

Next: The road trip continues at Niskayuna on Monday, before returning home to play Ravena on Wednesday, followed by a road game at Mohonasen on Friday.

Softball:

Current record: 7-2 (5-0 Colonial Council).

Mohonasen was the latest victim on Friday, as the Lady Horses won by mercy rule yet again, to the tune of 18-0. Yipes! Wednesday's game vs. Lansingburgh has been pushed back to May 8. A game vs. Holy Names that was supposed to have taken place earlier this month at home has been shifted to a road game at the NYS Correctional Facility (?) on May 15.

Next: LaSalle comes in on Monday. After that, it's a road trip to Valatie to play Ichabod Crane on Wednesday before hosting Albany Academy on Friday. Three tough opponents stand in the way of a perfect league record.

Baseball:

Current record: 3-6.

After snapping a 3 game losing streak in clipping Lansingburgh on Wednesday, Trevor McCarthy's club dropped a 10-3 decision to Mohonasen on Friday.

Next: Same schedule as softball. Home vs. LaSalle, which has owned the Troy boys in recent years, and Albany Academy, on the road at Ichabod Crane, plus a road trip to Ballston Spa on Saturday.

Women's lacrosse:

Current record: 4-3.

The winning streak ended Friday with a 19-4 thumping at the hands of Voorheesville.

Next: The ladies stay on the road at Albany Academy on Tuesday before returning home to play Cohoes on Thursday. Then, back on the road for a rematch with Mohon/Schenectady/Schalmont on Friday.

Men's lacrosse:

Current record: 2-5.

Not a good week. From what we can gather, the laxmen fell to Voorheesville as well on Friday night.

Next: The road trip continues at Johnstown on Monday, then back home Wednesday night vs. Greenwich-Cambridge before a rematch with Hoosick Falls-Tamarac on Friday at Hoosick Falls.

News & notes

 After winning a state title with CBA last month, JJ Osinski is changing schools and leagues.

Osinski, who will be a senior next season, is transferring to Albany Academy, now in NEPSAC. Brother Austin will stay at CBA, so the Brothers will be just fine.

Hudson Valley Community College is undefeated no more in baseball.

The Vikings split a doubleheader with Cayuga Community College Wednesday, losing the nightcap after extending their winning streak to 21 in a row in the opener. 24 hours later, HVCC swept Cayuga at Bruno Stadium. All four games went 7 innings except Thursday's opener, which went 5 due to the mercy rule.

I wonder if Cayuga plays the theme of native son Rod Serling's Twilight Zone at their ballpark........

Thursday's high school scores:

Women's lacrosse:

Guilderland 18, Ballston Spa 5.

Emma Willard 20, Voorheesville 4. The Jesters pick up their first win of the season.

LaSalle 10, Hoosick Falls-Tamarac 9.

Suffern 15, Burnt Hills 8.

Bethlehem 16, Columbia 5.

Johnstown 15, Academy of Holy Names 10.

Troy def. Mohonasen-Schalmont-Schenectady. Score has not been published as of press time. The Lady Horses have won 5 in a row.

Men's lacrosse:

Bethlehem 18, Columbia 3.

Niskayuna 17, Averill Park 5.

Glens Falls 15, Amsterdam 4.

South Glens Falls 22, Hudson Falls 0.

Burnt Hills 14, CBA 12.

Saratoga 11, Colonie 3.

Queensbury 10, Scotia 7.

Baseball:

Maple Hill 12, Berlin-New Lebanon 0 (5 innings).

Softball:

Amsterdam 14, Mayfield 2 (5 innings).

Ichabod Crane 14, Voorheesville 2 (5 innings).

Coxsackie-Athens 14, Catskill 6.

Chalk up another win for the NY Phoenix, as they defeated Reading, 111-105, at M & T Bank-Mohawk Harbor Arena on Thursday. The teams meet again Sunday at 3 at Mohawk Harbor.

A quick reminder that due to NFL draft coverage, tonight's Mets-Rockies game will be on WXXA (UFL football shifts to Grit for the night).