News & notes

 We are entering the final weekend of the regular season in hockey and for some basketball leagues in Section II.

The Colonial Council isn't one of those leagues. LaSalle, which has already wrapped up the Liberty Division title, crushed Mohonasen, 79-46, on Thursday night. Unfortunately, no one bothered to send a box score to the local press. Greg Davis' Cadets, who have rebounded nicely after losing a non-league game to Green Tech on February 27, remain perfect in league play (7-1 overall) with three games remaining. They're giving Schalmont a rematch tomorrow, then will host Watervliet on Tuesday before closing on the road at Albany Academy on March 13.

The future is now for LaSalle basketball.

================================

The skating Cadets, meanwhile, will close the home portion of their schedule for the regular season this afternoon with the first half of a home & home series with CBA. Playoff position is on the line. If CBA beats LaSalle in both games, they'll move into 2nd place in the CDHSHL's South division, and would open quarter-final play vs. Burnt Hills, 3rd place in the North division, while LaSalle would fall to 3rd in the South, and play Saratoga (2nd in the North). If LaSalle can sweep the series, they'd get a rematch with Burnt Hills, and CBA would renew their rivalry with Saratoga. We'll know for sure by the end of play on Saturday.

=================================

For Rich Hurley & Troy High, all they need to do is win tonight vs. Shaker, and the Gray division in the Suburban Council will really be theirs. Second place Schenectady celebrated Senior Night by beating Burnt Hills on Thursday to get within 1 1/2 games of the idle Flying Horses, but they close at Shenendehowa tomorrow while Troy is at Bethlehem. The only mystery remaining would be where Troy would be seeded in the league tournament that starts Monday at Shen. As for the women, they need to maintain the momentum from blowing out Ballston Spa on Wednesday night when they visit Shaker today before coming home to play Bethlehem Sunday afternoon.

Common sense says the men would be at least a #2 seed overall (#1 out of the Gray division, of course), while the ladies would be a little lower. We'll see after Sunday's game.

==================================

Apparently, the CDHSHL is looking for a new site for the playoff finals, taking place on March 13.

The tournament was originally set to be at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls starting March 11, but then it was cut down to Cool Insuring hosting the finals only. Now, the arena is apparently out of the picture altogether, as the sites are now all TBA (to be announced), with quarterfinal play now stretched across two days (March 10-11). The pairings, subject to change, as of right now. They could be altered after play tomorrow:

CD Jets @ Shen.

LaSalle or CBA @ Saratoga.

Adirondack @ LaSalle or CBA.

Burnt Hills @ Bethlehem.

2 quarter finals would be played Wednesday, with the other two on Thursday, then the semi-finals next Friday before the finals on the 13th.

No reason has been made public for the change in venues. Seems the league would like to have the finals be played at Union College, as they traditionally would, but that isn't the case this year. At least, not now. Stay tuned.