News & notes

 Contrary to what we wrote yesterday, the Belmont Stakes Festival at Saratoga opens with a 10 race card today, and the 1st race goes off at 12:35, instead of the traditional 1 pm. 

The Albany Times-Union has discontinued its annual handicapper's challenge series with Capital Region OTB, and instead welcomed a new reporter to the racing beat in Matt Donato, whose picks appear alongside those of Sam Hollingsworth beginning today.

The Tri-City ValleyCats opened their homestand with a 12-5 blowout over Sussex County on Tuesday at Bruno Stadium. The 'Cats scored 10 runs in the 7th & 8th innings, highlighted by a David Glancy grand slam, to put the game away. Game two is just getting underway as we write this morning.

Averill Park needed 6 innings to advance in the Class A softball state regionals after blowing out Peru, 12-0, on Tuesday. The Golden Knights await the winner of New Hartford vs. Gouverneur, taking place today, with the quarterfinal set for Lansingburgh on Saturday.

Meanwhile, we now have the pairings for the Class AAA & AA baseball & softball state regionals:

Softball:

Class AAA:

Saratoga vs. Cicero-North Syracuse at Carrier Park, Friday @ 5 pm.

Class AA:

Columbia vs. Fayetteville-Manilus, also at Carrier Park, Friday @ 5 pm.

Baseball:

Class AAA:

Saratoga vs. Liverpool at Onondaga Community College, Saturday @ 6 pm.

Class AA:

Bethlehem vs. West Genesee at Onondaga CC, Saturday at 3 pm.

News & notes

 The last sectional titles in Section II were decided Monday night. Now, it's on to state play.

Troy was the center of the Section II universe, with softball finals at Lansingburgh High, and baseball across town at Joe Bruno Stadium.

Monday's results:

Softball:

Class AA final:

Columbia 5, Queensbury 4.

Class AAA final:

Saratoga 10, Shenendehowa 8.

Baseball:

Class AA final:

Bethlehem 6, Mohonasen 3. The Eagles win their 2nd title in 3 years.

Class AAA final:

Saratoga 3, Colonie 1. The Blue Streaks repeat as champions.

State regional pairings:

Baseball:

Class AAA:

Saratoga vs. TBA, site TBA.

Class AA:

Bethlehem vs. West Genesee, Saturday at 3 pm at Onondaga Community College.

Softball:

Opponents for both Saratoga & Columbia will be finalized tomorrow.

Oddsmakers are treating Saratoga native Cherie DeVaux like she was related to Rodney Dangerfield.

DeVaux's horse, Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo, is the 3rd choice for Saturday's Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, with opening odds of 9-2. Instead, Renegade, who finished 2nd in the Preakness, is the morning line favorite for trainer Todd Pletcher, followed by Chief Wallabee, who was 4th in the Derby, then, Golden Tempo. Chief Wallabee's trainer, Bill Mott, won last year's Belmont with Sovereignty. Post time for the Belmont is set for just after 7 pm on Saturday night.

Even though he finished his college career at Florida State, the local press still treats ex-UAlbany star Jared Verse like he was one of us.

So, it was a shock to learn Monday that Verse, the 2024 Defensive Rookie of The Year, was traded, along with draft picks over the next three years, to Cleveland for Myles Garrett, who broke the single season sack record last year, surpassing Michael Strahan & TJ Watt. This speaks to the "win now" mentality with the Los Angeles Rams, who decided to give up Verse, swapping potential for veteran experience.

Prediction: The Rams will make the playoffs with Garrett. Verse will miss the postseason. 

News & notes

 Sunday's sectional scores:

Women's lacrosse:

Class A final:

Shaker 13, Shenendehowa 8.

Class B final:

Queensbury 10, Bethlehem 8.

Class C final:

Burnt Hills 14, Glens Falls 2.

Class D final:

Schuylerville 12, Voorheesville 9.

State regional pairings:

Class A:

Shaker vs. Plattsburgh, Friday at 4:30 pm  @ SUNY Plattsburgh.

Class B:

Queensbury vs. Potsdam, Friday at 5 pm @ SUNY Potsdam.

Class C:

Burnt Hills vs. Massena, Saturday at 10 am @ SUNY Potsdam.

Class D:

Schuylerville vs. Canton, Saturday at 12:15 pm @ SUNY Potsdam.

Men's lacrosse:

Class A:

Shaker vs. Plattsburgh, Friday at 5 pm @ SUNY Plattsburgh.

Class B:

Niskayuna vs. TBA, Saturday at 12 noon @ Cicero-North Syracuse.

Class C:

Burnt Hills vs. Massena, Saturday at 2:30 pm @ Potsdam High.

Class D:

Schuylerville vs. Potsdam, Saturday at 5 pm at Potsdam High.

Baseball:

Class A:

Averill Park vs. Peru, Wednesday at 4 pm @ Northeastern Clinton.

Class B:

Taconic Hills vs. Northeastern Clinton, Wednesday at 4 pm @ Plattsburgh High.

Class C:

Saratoga Catholic vs. Chapel Field Christian, Saturday at 11:30 am @ Lorenz Field, Saugerties.

Class D:

Duanesburg vs. TBA, Saturday at 1 pm @ Plattsburgh High.

Softball:

Class A:

Averill Park vs. Peru, tomorrow at 4:30 pm @ Plattsburgh High.

Class B:

Chatham vs. Saranac, Wednesday at 4:30 pm @ Plattsburgh High.

Class C:

Galway vs. Ticonderoga, Friday at 4:30 pm @ Plattsburgh High.

Class D:

Fort Ann vs. Crown Point, Saturday at 1 pm @ Plattsburgh High.

State pairings for Classes AA & AAA in softball & baseball should be finalized in the next 24-36 hours.

The NY Phoenix ran their winning streak to 5 in a row on Sunday, and finally defeated Eastern Conference leader Capital, 110-105. The Phoenix will be back at M & T Bank Arena on Friday.

News & notes

 The Tri-City ValleyCats closed out a week's run in Mississippi by splitting a doubleheader with the Mud Monsters on Saturday.

The 'Cats won the opener, 6-3, with Arlo Marynczak (Bethlehem/Siena) picking up his 2nd save. However, Mississippi won the nightcap, ending Tri-City's modest 3 game winning streak, 15-5. The 'Cats return home on Tuesday.

The Albany Firebirds came out of the bye week, and it was business as usual, as they thrashed Oceanside, 69-33, at MVP Arena Saturday night, opening a 3 game homestand.

Katie Izzo captured the Delightful Run For Women in roughly 15 1/2 minutes Saturday morning. The weather wasn't as much of a factor as had been assumed, as it was mere sprinkles for much of the morning.

Saturday's high school scoreboard:

Flag football:

Class C:

Northeastern Clinton 7, Catskill 0.

This leaves Class A champ Shaker as the only Section II team left, and they'll play Penfield at Homer High next Saturday at 9:30 am.

Softball:

Class A final:

Averill Park 13, Glens Falls 1 (6 innings).

Class B final:

Chatham 7, Hoosick Falls 0.

Class C final:

Galway 10, Greenwich 7.

Class D final:

Fort Ann 3, Argyle 1.

Baseball:

Class AA championship, best of 3:

Mohonasen 9, Bethlehem 0. Series tied at 1 game each.

Class AAA championship, best of 3:

Saratoga 11, Colonie 3. Series tied at 1 game each.

Men's lacrosse:

Class A final:

Shaker def. Guilderland.

Class B final:

Niskayuna def. Ballston Spa.

Class C final:

Burnt Hills def. Averill Park.

Class D final:

Schuylerville def. Stillwater-Mechanicville.

News & notes

 The Tri-City ValleyCats made it two in a row over Mississippi on Friday, taking a 10-7 slugfest. I'd think the return of Jake Reinisch (Shenendehowa/Wake Forest) may have been the catalyst for the 'Cats' recent offensive surges.

The series concludes with a doubleheader this afternoon.

Meanwhile, back at Joe Bruno Stadium, the Class AAA & AA championship series began in earnest Friday afternoon, with no rain in sight.

In Class AA, Bethlehem shut out Mohonasen, 9-0. In the nightcap, Colonie outlasted Saratoga, 14-6.

Game 2 in both series takes place today. Bethlehem vs. Mohonasen at 4 pm, and Colonie vs. Saratoga at 7 pm. A reminder that they will not accept cash payments for tickets.

However, the 'Cats will accept cash for the 518 Futures Game, taking place June 11, so some of these same players may be back for the Section II all-star game.

Now, let's turn our attention to the state tournaments in flag football:

Class A:

Shaker 32, Syracuse East 7.

Class B:

Fayetteville-Manilus 26, Columbia 0.

Catskill will play its first game tonight.

News & notes

 After losing the first two games of their series to Mississippi by identical 6-3 scores, the Tri-City ValleyCats finally won on Thursday, blowing away the Mud Monsters, 10-1. Jake Reinisch (Shenendehowa/Wake Forest) homered to help lead the 'Cats and winning pitcher Austin Dill. Aaron Whitley (Niskayuna) & Reinisch are tied for the team lead in RBI with 10 each.

Game 4 is tonight at 7:30 pm.

The old adage says that April showers bring May flowers. In the 518, major events are ruined by rain on a seemingly annual basis.

Guess what the forecast calls for on Saturday for the Delightful Run For Women? You got it. Rain. The course is being altered this year due to renovation on the Capitol, which has also caused traffic detours off & on.

Race time is 9 am. Rain or shine.

Russell Sage pitcher Matt Grimes (Shen) is getting some attention from pro scouts ahead of the July MLB Draft. Of course, it's been 10 years since the Anderson twins, Ben (Texas) & Ian (Atlanta) were drafted, and Shen is hoping for lightning in a bottle, via Sage.

Stay tuned.

Thursday's sectional scores:

Women's lacrosse:

Class B semi-finals:

Queensbury 24, Columbia 3.

Bethlehem 12, Niskayuna 7.

Class C semi-finals:

Burnt Hills 16, Averill Park 7.

Glens Falls 16, Cohoes 6.

Sunday at Siena:

Burnt Hills vs. Glens Falls, 4:30 pm.

Bethlehem vs. Queensbury, 2:15 pm.

Baseball:

Class A final:

Averill Park 2, Scotia 1.

Class B final:

Taconic Hills 3, Chatham 1.

Softball:

Class AAA semi-finals:

Saratoga 3, Colonie 2 (8 innings).

Shenendehowa 3, Guilderland 2.

Class AA semi-finals:

Columbia 3, Burnt Hills 0.

Queensbury 2, Bethlehem 0.

Wednesday's sectional scoreboard, 5/27

 Women's lacrosse:

Class A:

Shaker 12, Saratoga 9.

Shenendehowa 10, Colonie 7.

Class D:

Schuylerville 18, LaSalle 1.

Voorheesville 20, Hoosick Falls-Tamarac 11.

Sunday at Siena:

Voorheesville vs. Schuylerville, 7 pm.

Shen vs. Shaker, 12 noon.

Men's lacrosse:

Class A:

Shaker 9, Saratoga 6.

Guilderland 9, Shenendehowa 5.

Class B:

Niskayuna 20, South Glens Falls 2.

Ballston Spa 16, Bethlehem 5.

Class C:

Burnt Hills 27, Scotia 5.

Averill Park 8, Glens Falls 7.

Class D:

Schuylerville 19, Voorheesville 2.

Stillwater-Mechanicville 15, Johnstown 3.

Saturday at Siena:

Ballston Spa vs. Niskayuna 10:30 am.

Burnt Hills vs. Averill Park, 1 pm.

Shaker vs. Guilderland, 3:30 pm.

Schuylerville vs. Stillwater-Mechanicville, 6 pm.

Softball:

Class A:

Glens Falls 11, Ichabod Crane 8.

Averill Park 12, Schalmont 0 (5 innings).

Class B:

Chatham 2, LaSalle 0.

Hoosick Falls 3, Tamarac 1.

Class C:

Galway 10, Berne-Knox-Westerlo 3.

Greenwich 15, Schoharie 8.

Class D:

Argyle 13, Salem 0 (6 innings).

Fort Ann 9, Duanesburg 0.

Saturday at Lansingburgh:

Averill Park vs. Glens Falls, 11 am.

Hoosick Falls vs. Chatham, 1:30 pm.

Fort Ann vs. Argyle, 4 pm.

Galway vs. Greenwich, 6: 30 pm.

Baseball:

Class D:

Duanesburg 6, Hartford 5 (11 innings).

Class C:

Saratoga Catholic 2, Maple Hill 0.

The pairings have been announced for the state flag football championships.

Class A: Shaker will play a team to be announced tomorrow at 7 pm at SUNY-Morrisville.

Class B: Columbia will play Fayetteville-Manilus tomorrow at 5 pm at SUNY-Morrisville.

Class C: Catskill faces Northeastern Clinton Saturday at 6:30 pm at AuSable High.