Winter sports in the stretch run

Two weeks remain in the regular season for Troy High basketball. Both the men's & women's teams sit at 8-8 overall with four games to play before sectionals begin the week of February 17.

Women:

Section II has been exceptionally cruel to the Lady Horses, with Senior Night having come & gone, sending second year coach Ryan Meikle and Troy off on a five game road trip, which started badly with a 48-45 loss to Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake on Friday.

Upcoming: Troy will attempt again to earn their first win vs. Bethlehem on Tuesday. A lot has changed since the December 3 non-league season opening doubleheader (the boys won, the girls lost). Bethlehem's women sit near the bottom of the Blue Division after getting wrecked by Shenendehowa on Tuesday. Troy knows what that's like, having lost to the Lady Plainsmen earlier this season.

In fact, there's only one seemingly winnable game left, and that's another non-league tilt, February 8, at Whitesboro. Troy beat Whitesboro at home last year, and if they somehow can even the score with the Eagles this Tuesday, that momentum could be drained, because in between is the annual meeting with Averill Park. Sean Organ's Warriors have won five straight from Troy, including the 2016 Class A final at Hudson Valley Community College.

The season closes on Valentine's Night with a visit to Catherine "Dolly" Cairns and Saratoga. See what I mean about the schedule makers being cruel?

Projected finish: 10-10. Troy can't seem to win on Fridays anymore, but they can catch the slumping Eagles to even the season series.
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Boys:

Thanks to Columbia's inconsistency, Greg Davis' squad is back in first place in the Gray division after beating Burnt Hills. However, it won't be easy getting to the sectionals.

The guys remain home to play Bethlehem & Averill Park this week. As noted earlier, Troy snapped a five game losing streak to A. G. Irons' Eagles in December, but the Eagles have flipped the switch, and sit in third place in the Blue division behind Shen & Saratoga. If Troy can complete the sweep on Tuesday, first place in the Gray division will be on the line when Dave Pugilese will try for his first win vs. the Flying Horses on Friday. If Troy beats both Bethlehem & AP, they could put themselves in position for their 3rd division title in five years, and second straight.

But, the following week could be a buzzkiller. The Horses go to CBA for their only meeting with the Brothers this season, then return home for Senior Night vs. Saratoga. Troy only has one senior (Makai "Don't Be" Cruel), leading a core of juniors that includes football teammates Alex Wolfe & Nasir Dawud-Soto, who missed the Burnt Hills game with an injury. CBA, though, hasn't been the hazard of past years, as Troy has had the better of the Brothers since entering the Suburban Council, even though they now play just once a year.

Projected finish: 10-10, same as the women. Figuring Bethlehem will collect a receipt, and Saratoga could spoil Senior Night.

I should be used to a .500 record. Troy played .500 ball under Joe Geiger & Jack Moser during my student days.
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LaSalle hockey:

Someone should consider sending coach Tim Flanigan some rosary beads.

The Troy grad, now in his 20th season as LaSalle coach, is experiencing his worst season in recent memory. The Cadets have dropped 10 in a row, heading into a rematch at Albany Academy on Wednesday. LaSalle won the first round of the Battle of The Cadets in December at Conway Arena, and Dave Rider's club has improved since then. LaSalle still has to make up a home game vs. Adirondack, postponed from January 29, but not scheduled as of press time. They'll be at CBA before returning home for Senior Night February 15 vs. "Guilderville", another improved club.

I spoke with a person employed by HVCC the other day, and she shared the feelings of a lot of fans when she suggested that Flanigan might need to consider giving some of his underclassmen, the ones who haven't seen a lot of ice time, a chance to show what they can do, as he'll be looking to fill three roster spots next season after graduation. Injuries and inconsistent defensive play have doomed these Cadets.

Projected finish: I don't even want to think about it. Coach Flanigan and his staff should be in the chapel learning their Novenas, Hail Mary's & Our Father's.