News & notes

 Air quality issues caused by smoke wafting across the border from Canada, where they're having a series of wildfires not unlike what happens on the West Coast every year, forced some changes to Wednesday's schedule.

The Albany Dutchmen postponed their game vs. the Glens Falls Dragons, with no makeup date set, and I'd suspect the Perfect Game Collegiate League may be on pause until at least Friday or Saturday.

Then, the NYSPHSAA announced that Wednesday's men's lacrosse semi-finals, including a doubleheader at UAlbany, would be moved to Friday, and all outdoor practices were cancelled for today.

As of now, the baseball & softball state semifinals are still on for tomorrow, with the finals set for Saturday, but that could change if the air quality doesn't. Stay tuned.

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To the surprise of absolutely no one, Troy High senior ace Olivia DeCitise, named Suburban Council MVP last month, and player of the year on their all star team, was named Female Athlete of The Week by the Albany Times-Union.

DeCitise's numbers:

Pitching: 20-4, 1.40 ERA, 292 K's. Career total of 780 K's, so reaching 800 is possible if Troy reaches the finals.

Batting: .500 batting average, 8 HR's 38 RBI's.

UMass-Lowell would be wise to keep her in the circle next year. The last Troy pitching phenom, Hunter Levesque, was moved to the outfield at Pittsburgh, and never got in the circle.

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The Tri-City Valleycats' game at Evansville was moved up, as the game was already over by the time I checked their website Wednesday.

WROW morning host Ben Patten, in plugging the game, didn't realize it was a matinee. Tri-City won, 8-0, despite two rain delays.

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We can now confirm the dates for Section II football for this year.

Week 0, of course, will be Labor Day weekend (September 1-2). Troy High & LaSalle will open play September 8-9.

The updated schedule. Again, week 8 could change if Class A goes to a 4 team playoff, as it did the last two seasons.

Week 1 (Sept. 8-9):

Sept. 8: LaSalle vs. CBA.

Sept. 9: Troy @ Queensbury.

Week 2 (Sept. 15-16):

Sept. 15: Troy vs. South Glens Falls. LaSalle @ Burnt Hills.

Week 3 (Sept. 22-23):

Sept. 22: Troy @ Columbia. LaSalle vs. Amsterdam.

Week 4 (Sept. 29-30):

Sept. 29: LaSalle @ Troy.

Week 5 (October 6-7):

October 6: LaSalle @ Columbia. Troy Homecoming vs. Bethlehem.

Week 6\ (October 13-14):

October 13: Troy @ Amsterdam. LaSalle vs. Averill Park.

Week 7 (October 20-21):

October 20: Troy @ Averill Park. LaSalle @ Bethlehem.

Week 8 (October 27-28) (Subject to change):

October 27: Troy vs. Albany, LaSalle vs. Queensbury (Senior Night for both Troy & LaSalle).

Playoffs start November 3.

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For most schools, senior proms are this weekend. Troy & Shenendehowa, for example, have theirs on Saturday night.

Both schools' softball teams will be playing for state titles-----air quality permitting-----, but even if the games are pushed back, Shen AD Chris Culnan accepted the decision of seven seniors to bypass the state finals, should they get there, in favor of going home for prom.

In a way, I kind of get it. These young ladies want to be there in time for the start of the prom, and a long bus ride from Center Moriches runs the risk of being late. I'd guess all the usual accessories (gowns, limo & dinner reservations, etc.) had already been paid for far enough in advance.

No word as to whether or not Troy has the same problem. Probably not.