News & notes

 Yesterday was the coda to the 2022-3 high school sports season.

Section II had 5 teams between softball & baseball playing for state titles, so the chances were pretty good some championships were coming home.

We noted yesterday that Shenendehowa (Class AA) & Troy (Class A) were both shut out, denied their titles. The Plainswomen went 11 innings before falling to Clarence, 1-0, as Shen paid the price for their seniors choosing to stay home for prom. Troy, on the other hand, was stifled by Maine-Endwell, 4-0. After slugging a 3 run HR Friday against Webster Thomas, senior ace Olivia DeCitise was herself bitten by the home run bug, as Isabel Hunter took her deep for a 3 run shot in the home 6th to put the game away. DeCitise finishes her high school career short of 800 strikeouts (9 on Saturday after 6 on Friday). but UMass-Lowell is getting a blue chipper for next season.

That left it up to Ichabod Crane to bring home the softball bacon. The Lady Riders repeated as Class B state champions, thumping Marlboro, 7-1.

On the baseball side, Columbia ended a nearly 2 decade title drought, beating Walter Panas, 5-1, behind Elias Conway, who was born in 2004, the year the Blue Devils last won a state title, to claim the Class A title. Chatham repeated as Class C champion, coming back from a 6-1 deficit to beat Tuckahoe, 12-6. I believe up until yesterday, Tuckahoe might be best known as the setting for the 70's sitcom, Maude.

Don't worry about Troy High softball. They'll be back, as coach Sean Geisel has some core players, including Katie Pryor and Olivia Ashline, returning next season.

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We've talked before about the fact that some high schoolers will move to prep schools to enhance their chances of getting admitted into a Division 1 college.

Bethlehem's Eleanor "Ellie" Cerf is doing just that.

Cerf is transferring to Worcester Academy for her senior season, and posted her decision on Twitter. To hear it from a Bethlehem parent, Cerf didn't do her team any favors down the stretch this past season, taking on more of a me-first approach.

That same parent has said she heard that Troy's Ava Mamone is leaving the Flying Horses after a horrid 2022-3 campaign. Can't say as I blame her. Most of these young ladies play in AAU leagues in the offseason, so there's a community among these student-athletes.

In Troy's case, they need a housecleaning in the women's basketball program. Yesterday.

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The Tri-City Valleycats dropped as 13-7 decision to the Gateway Grizzlies Saturday to even the series. A late rally came up short, and now, the rubber game of the series takes place this afternoon at 2 pm (ET).

Meanwhile, the Albany Dutchmen split a Saturday doubleheader in Guilderland with Boonville. The Lumberjacks won the opener, 5-3, and Albany won the nightcap, 7-1. We should start seeing Perfect Game Collegiate League results in the paper very soon, along with the Albany Twilight League, now that high school season is over.