News & notes

 The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Albany & Averill Park finished 1-2 in the Suburban Council Grey division in women's basketball this season, and the division title has always come down to these two teams since the Falcons entered the league, along with Troy & Schenectady, in 2015.

On Friday, both teams were holding up title trophies.

Averill Park won its 9th straight Class A title, outlasting Catholic Central, another former Big 10 school now in the Colonial Council, 62-49. Taylor Holohan was named tournament MVP.

In the nightcap, Albany avenged a regular season loss to Blue division champion Bethlehem, downing the Eagles, 57-49. Kim Wise's Eagles have enough talent to return to the finals next year, but the Falcons, motivated by not only the revenge factor, but the hunger to repeat as Class AA champs, led from the start, and never looked back.

The day began at Hudson Valley Community College with Greenwich unifying the Class C/CC titles in beating Duanesburg, 51-43. 

State play starts next week.

In Glens Falls, Duanesburg won its first Class C men's title, outlasting Hoosic Valley, 58-49. They'll play Class CC champion Chatham, which beat Stillwater, 58-56, tomorrow at Cohoes High.

The Cool Insuring Arena will host a quadruple-header of title games starting at 11 am this morning, weather permitting. The lineup:

Class D: North Warren vs. Northville.

Class B: Catholic Central vs. Glens Falls. 

Class A: Troy vs. Amsterdam.

Class AA: Green Tech vs. CBA.

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Speaking of Green Tech, two of their alumni returned to the Washington Avenue Armory as members of the Albany Patroons Friday night. You know that Derrick Rowland, Jr. is playing for his father, Derrick, Sr., and has been reunited with Jamil Hood, Jr., whose father coached the Soaring Eagles to the 2014 Class AA title.

Unfortunately, the reunion tour got off to a bad start, as Albany lost to Syracuse, 115-108.

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518 Alumni Watch:

It has not been a good start to the season for Brett Young (Siena/Albany Academy/Virginia Commonwealth) at George Washington. The Colonials are 2-7 after a 2-0 loss to McNeese State on Friday. Young went 0-4, dropping his season average to .182 through nine games.

Anthony Germinerio (Averill Park/UAlbany) has not yet seen the field to pitch for GWU, which says he may be injured.

Siena's softball team is spending the weekend in Northern California, and swept a doubleheader on Friday, beating Alabama State, 6-3, and host UC Davis, 1-0. Ava Fitzmaurice (Greenville/New Haven) went 2-7 at the plate on the day, and has a .391 batting average heading into today's action. McKenzie Swinson, who transferred from UAlbany, was 2-4 on the day, and has a .438 average. The Averill Park grad is the Saints' leadoff hitter. Angelina Stile (Ballston Spa) was 1-5 for the day, batting .294.

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WWE will make its 1st trip to Albany on Memorial Day, May 29, for Monday Night Raw and the online-only Main Event. Tickets will be on sale at MVP Arena, if not already, within a week.