News & notes

 Just a couple of months ago, Malik Henry led the Carolina Cobras to the National Arena League title game, only to lose to Jacksonville.

This week, he's an Albany Firebird.

Henry was signed by coach-GM Damon Ware earlier this week to direct the Firebirds' offense when they take the field next spring in the revamped Arena Football League, one of 30 players already under contract with the 'Birds, including former Albany Empire players Darius Prince & Trevon Shorts, who return to Albany after the debacle that was the 2023 season for the now-defunct Empire.

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

Reading James Allen's column in today's Albany Times-Union, one gets the feeling that Section II has been singling out private schools such as CBA & LaSalle for violations. We've said for years that high schools have been reluctant to publicize coaching changes or other moves in the press, keeping things in house, unlike in colleges, where everything is under greater scrutiny due to ridiculous television contracts with the "Power 5" conferences.

Then comes word that Saratoga is dealing with issues regarding bullying on some of their teams. Slowly, high schools are finding out that the veils of secrecy are being rent asunder.

One other case is at Troy High.

After being eliminated from the Class A state tournament in March, and given the keys to the city, Troy's men's basketball team quietly made a coaching change.

A friend had asked back in April about coach John Killian, as she'd heard a friend of her husband mention that Killian was being let go. On Tuesday, she sent me a copy of a social media post Killian made in April, acknowledging that, yes, he had parted with Troy after 2 productive seasons, including a sectional title. WNYT's Rodger Wyland had actually broken the story on X (then known as Twitter) on March 25, a couple of weeks after Troy lost in the state quarterfinals.

Wyland also reported that former LaSalle star and UAlbany assistant Josh Pelletier was leaving UMBC to take over for Killian. Pelletier will debut December 1 vs. Columbia.

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

Tuesday's high school scoreboard:

Cross country:

Fonda-Fultonville swept the Western Athletic Conference championships for men & women.

Over in the Wasaren League, Berlin-New Lebanon won the men's title, while, Mechanicville won the women's title.

Field hockey:

Class C:

Hoosick Falls 7, Schuylerville 0.

Johnstown 5, Granville 1.

Men's soccer:

Class AAA:

Saratoga 3, CBA 1.

Shaker 1, Shenendehowa 0.

Class AA:

Niskayuna 2, Bethlehem 1.

Guilderland 2, Columbia 0.

Women's soccer:

Class A:

Broadalbin-Perth 3, Ravena 1.
Schalmont 2, Scotia-Glenville 0.

Class C:

Stillwater 3, Berlin-New Lebanon 0.

Maple Hill 1, Hoosick Falls 0 (OT).

Chatham 4, Greenwich 1.

Waterford 9, Mayfield 0.