Troy High then & now, conclusion

While spring sports have been put on hold until after Easter at the earliest, now's a good time to revisit Troy High's past in baseball, softball, & track.

Notice I didn't mention lacrosse, because the sport wasn't added until sometime in the mid-80's, long after ye scribe graduated, so we have nothing to compare last season's team to.

We'll start with track & field. In 1981, the men's team finished 10-2 in the Big 10, while the women, with a shorter schedule, limped home at 1-5. Today? The Flying Horses haven't won a meet since entering the Suburban Council during the 2015-6 season. Not only that, but despite having superstar talent like football hero Dev Holmes (now with UAlbany) on the men's team, Troy doesn't get enough ink in the sports pages anymore.

The men's tennis team, like the women, haven't been able to buy a win since forever. Per the 1981 yearbook, there was a misprint, as they forgot the Class A league wasn't around anymore, and the Troy men placed second in the Big 10 in '81 with a gaudy 14-3 ledger. The lack of success in recent years can be attributed to diminished talent and the unpredictable weather patterns in Section II, throwing the schedule into disarray. Like the track team, results are spotty in the press.

Troy softball in recent years has had up and down seasons in the Suburban Council, and haven't yet won a division title. Then again, there is that rivalry with Averill Park that doesn't get as much play as it should in the press with territorial bragging rights and all. Current coach Sean Geisel (please don't call him Dr. Seuss) begins his 4th season at the helm after a strong 2019 campaign. Geisel has been more than up to the task of succeeding George Rafferty, whose temper cost him his job (now at Hudson Valley Community College) a few years back. In 1981, under coach Aileen Berberich, Troy posted a 9-5 record in the Big 10, good for 3rd place, which is right about where Troy has finished in the Suburban Council Grey division lately.

Assuming there is a season this spring, Chris Strack will begin his 3rd season as baseball coach at Troy, after replacing Will Whitty (Mohonasen) following the 2017 season. Troy came close to .500 last year, though not all the scores were reported to the press, a recurring trend. In 1981, under Bill Schnellenbacher, Troy finished 9-13, eliminated by Catholic Central in the sectionals. Now, if they can just put an extra public address system on that side of the sports complex........!

While the addition of electronic scoreboards for baseball & softball have been great, it'd be even better to add the PA and programs for fans. While lights for baseball/softball are unlikely, since parents would rather be home to watch the pros or colleges after high school play ends, it wouldn't be a bad idea to improve the product on campus. That also means adding some extra tarp to cover the fields when it rains or snows. Just sayin'.