Thursday, November 30, 2023

News & notes

 A quick reminder that the Albany FireWolves will open their season on the road on Friday at Las Vegas. WNYA (Spectrum cable channel 1215) will have the game live at 10 pm. The home opener is December 9 at MVP Arena vs. Buffalo.
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UAlbany christened the renamed Broadview Center Wednesday with a 86-72 win over Boston University in front of 3103 fans.

Tyler Bertram led Albany with 20 points. Sebastian Thomas added 16, Jonathan Beagle (Hudson Falls) & Amare Marshall had 14 each, and Marcus Jackson (Albany Academy) had just 3 points in 15 minutes. The homestand continues Saturday vs. Dartmouth. Tip time is 8 pm, following the women's Albany Cup.
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Other college action:

The College of St. Rose's women's basketball team downed Franklin Pierce, 63-50, on Wednesday. Payton Graber (Schalmont) & Maddisyn Mahoney (Shaker) led the Lady Knights with 19 points each. The men completed the sweep with a 93-84 win. Tristan Jeffries led 5 Golden Knights in double figures with 18 points. Adam Myers, a freshman from LaSalle, scored 2 points in 8 minutes of limited action. The two squads will travel to Southern Connecticut State for a doubleheader on Saturday.\
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High schools:

Women's basketball:

Hoosick Falls 62, Berlin-New Lebanon 8. The hosts were down, 31-4, at halftime, and didn't score again until the 4th quarter.

Greenville 56, Ichabod Crane 14. Graduation took away a lot of the Lady Riders' talent depth, and it showed. Emma Holmberg had 12 of the 14 points for Ichabod Crane.


Wrestling:

Suburban Council:

Shenendehowa 60, Guilderland 7.

Men's bowling:

Wasaren League:

Hoosick Falls 5, Saratoga Catholic 0.

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

News & notes

 We were wrong about Averill Park hosting a men's basketball tournament.

What actually happened was that on Tuesday, AP and Mohonasen traveled to the North Country to play South Glens Falls & Queensbury, respectively. A very unusual scheduling arrangement, one that didn't work in favor of Averill Park or Mohonasen.


That being said, let's get to the scoreboard:

Men's basketball:

Queensbury 47, Mohonasen 45.

South Glens Falls 50, Averill Park 46.

Fort Edward 55, Waterford 38.

Greenwich 75, Hadley-Luzerne 50.

Women's basketball:

Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons 47, Hartford 37.

Fort Ann 25, North Warren 23.

Hockey:

Saratoga 3, Adirondack 2 (OT).

Men's bowling:

Colonial Council:

Voorheesville 26, LaSalle 6.

Cohoes 20, Mohonasen 12.

Patroon Conference:

Maple Hill 5, Coxsackie-Athens 0.

Suburban Council:

Columbia 26 1/2, Shaker 5 1/2.

Guilderland 23, Colonie 9.

Women's bowling:

Colonial Council:

Mohonasen 24, Cohoes 8.

Suburban Council:

Columbia 32, Shaker 0.

Men's swimming & diving:

CBA/Troy/Columbia def. Albany.
Saratoga def. Niskayuna.
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake/Scotia-Glenville def. Queensbury.
Shenendehowa def. Bethlehem.
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After bringing back Brian Beaury to coach their men's basketball team, and signing Will Brown to lead the women's team, and with the women's soccer team closing in on a national title, the College of St. Rose is in debt, and could be forced to close, according to the Albany Times-Union. The board of trustees at St. Rose has reached out to the state and other agencies for emergency funding, but, as of now, none is coming. Any state aid that could help is at least months away, according to a state lawmaker.

Stay tuned.
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Tuesday's college scoreboard:

Men's basketball:

Cobleskill 90, Eastern Nazarene 77.
Russell Sage 76, MCLA 56.

Women's basketball:

Williams College 53, Skidmore 50.
Merrimack 67, Siena 64 (OT).

Tuesday, November 28, 2023

News & notes

 Averill Park High will not be streaming their sports events on YouTube anymore.

Instead, the school has switched to Hudl, and, to be honest, I don't think they'll be the only ones, as other Section II schools get in on the action.

The Hudl stream will get a workout this week, beginning with the men's Tip-Off tournament in basketball, which started last night, with Averill Park hosting Mohonasen (Colonial Council) and a pair of Foothills Council schools, Queensbury & South Glens Falls, the latter of which had sent their women's teams to AP for the Tip-Off tournament the last two years, finishing last & 2nd, respectively.

Tonight, Averill Park will play South Glens Falls in the title game, while Mohonasen & Queensbury meet in the 3rd place game. The doubleheader starts at 4:30 pm.

Last night's results:

South Glens Falls 45, Mohonasen 44. Brady Smith led the Bulldogs with 14 points.

Averill Park 57, Queensbury 54 (OT). Ethan Nardacci had 19 points, and Jacob Phelps added 13 to help AP rally after the Spartans had taken a 4th quarter lead.


Also in Section II on Monday:

Men's bowling:

Colonial Council:

LaSalle 16, Cobleskill-Richmondville 12.

Suburban Council:

Averill Park 22 1/2, CBA 9 1/2.

Women's bowling:

Suburban Council:

Averill Park 30 1/2, Niskayuna 1 1/2.
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Colleges:

Men's basketball:

Sunday:

RPI 65, Cohleskill 55.
Union 76, SUNY Maritime 69.

Women's basketball:

Cobleskill 68, Russell Sage 51.
Middlebury 68, Union 50.

Monday, November 27, 2023

Sunday's college scoreboard, 11/26

 Men's hockey:

Northeastern blew away RPI, 9-2, in front of just over 1500 fans at Houston Field House Sunday afternoon. The Huskies carried over the momentum generated from winning Saturday's game in a shootout, and ran the Engineers virtually out of their own rink, scoring 4 goals in the 1st period, and 5 in the second, before RPI's defense finally shut them down in the 3rd period.

Up next for RPI: ECAC action resumes Friday at home vs. Quinnipiac, and Princeton will be in on Saturday. Union plays those same teams in reverse order.

Women's basketball:

Will Brown and the College of St. Rose squared their record at 2-2 (1-1 Northeast 10), blowing out Bridgeport, 63-25. Maddisyn Mahoney (Shaker) led the Lady Knights with 13 points. Syrita Faraj (Tamarac) added 11 points.

In California, UAlbany saw their 3 game win streak end at Stanford in a 79-35 loss. The Lady Danes (4-2) were held to 11 points in the 2nd half by the Cardinal (7-0). Kayla Cooper led Albany with 16 points. Meghan Huerter (Shenendehowa/Providence) added 9. Lilly Phillips (Cambridge) & Abby Ray (Saratoga) were held scoreless.

Men's basketball:

Back in Albany, mindful of letting a halftime lead escape in last year's game, UAlbany destroyed Siena, 86-51. Amare Marshall led all scorers with a season high 33 points. Jonathan Beagle (Hudson Falls) added 13 points. Michael Eley returned to the lineup for Siena, and led the Saints with 20 points. Mason Courtney (Shen) had just 1 basket for 2 points in 14 minutes. Worse, Siena radio analyst Andy Grazulis got Courtney's name flipped in one instance. Siena has now lost 5 in a row, and returns to MVP Arena Friday for the start of MAAC conference play against Rider.

Broadview Center (formerly SEFCU Arena) will have its official grand reopening Wednesday at UAlbany faces Boston University.

The College of St. Rose dropped a 86-72 decision to Felician College on Sunday in front of just 100 fans, a sharp contrast to the Albany Cup, which lured over 7600 customers to downtown Albany.



Sunday, November 26, 2023

Saturday's high school & college scoreboard, 11/25

 And, then, there were two.

Bob Burns' quest for a state football title for Christian Brothers Academy was stymied again Saturday. A 2nd half comeback against Carmel fell short, and CBA was eliminated, 35-27, in the nightcap at Middletown High.

The Brothers finish 11-2, and saw a glimpse into their immediate future as sophomore quarterback Archie Jones engineered the offense in the 2nd half. Archie's brother, Donald, and Jake Iaccobaccio are seniors, and played their last game for CBA. Carmel will play either CBA-Syracuse or Olmstead at the JMA Wireless Dome (formerly Carrier Dome) in Syracuse next Saturday.

Gary VanDerzee hoped to end his coaching career with a state title. Rye had other ideas, upsetting the Class B champs, 24-10.


Class C champ Fonda-Fultonville will join Class D winner Stillwater in Syracuse after unseating defending state champion O'Neill, 33-7. Fonda will play Waverly, next Saturday.

Officially, OESJ's pre-season tournament is the Coach Cutspec Memorial, and Duanesburg won the title game, 85-34, over host OESJ, on Saturday. Schoharie won the 3rd place game, defeating Fort Plain, 53-33.

College results:

Men's hockey:

Northeastern & RPI skated to a 3-3 tie through overtime. The Huskies won the game by winning a shootout, 1-0. The two teams meet again today at Houston Field House at 3 pm.

Union 4, Stonehill 0.

Skidmore 3, Tufts 1.

Football:

Johns Hopkins 39, Union 17.  The Garnet Chargers finish 10-2 in Jon Poppe's 1st season as coach.

Men's basketball:

Union 92, Elms 81.

Saturday, November 25, 2023

Friday's high school & college scoreboard, 11/24

 With their football team in Baltimore to play Johns Hopkins this afternoon, Union College's men's hockey team opened a 2 game home series vs. Stonehill on Black Friday in front of nearly 1300 fans at Messa Rink. The Garnet Chargers (5-5) downed winless Stonehill (0-13), 5-2. The two teams will meet again today at 4 pm at Messa Rink.
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Friday's high school scores:

Men's basketball:

OESJ pre-season tournament:

OESJ 47, Fort Plain 36.
Duanesburg 76, Schoharie 31.



Football:

Class A:

Somers 21, Niskayuna 7. Somers once again blocks a Section II team from advancing to Syracuse. The Tuskers forced 4 Nisky turnovers, including three Ethan Gilson interceptions. Niskayuna, between penalties and turnovers, squandered an early 7-0 lead.

Class D:

Stillwater 21, Haldane 20. Stillwater's James Cocozzo broke up an attempted 2 point conversion to send Stillwater to their first state final, where they'll play the top Class D team in NY, Tioga, next Saturday.

Friday, November 24, 2023

News & notes

 Could this year's Turkey Trot have been a warmup for next summer's Olympics in Paris?

In Troy, 10K winner James Withers of Utica, and 5K champion Jonathan Aziz of Colorado are hoping that is the case. Both have plans for a Olympic Trials marathon on December 3.


Photo courtesy Albany Times-Union.

Meanwhile, Schenectady's Amanda Chambers repeated in winning the 5K for the women, while Karen Bertasso Hughes of Selkirk won the women's 10K. Like Withers & Aziz, Hughes will be heading to the California International Marathon on December 3. Aziz, a Guilderland native, ran track in high school at Bishop Gibbons, and collegiately at Syracuse.

There were other races, too.

Hometowner Fritz Knecht won the Cambridge 5K. Brittany Denton of Greenwich won the women's race.

Chris Senez of Baldwinsville captured the Cohoes Turkey Trot. Cameron Schwartz of West Sand Like won the women's race.

Niskayuna grad Louis Serafini won the men's 5K in the Schenectady Cardiac Classic. Kerry Flower, 7th overall, was the women's champion.

Ballston Spa's Shaun Donegan won the Christopher Dailey 5K in Saratoga. Tara Peck of Gansevoort was the women's champion.
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UAlbany's women's basketball team is now 4-1 after beating Cornell, 57-45, on Wednesday afternoon. Helene Haegerstrand led the Lady Danes with 17 points. Lilly Phillps (Cambridge) added 10. Meghan Huerter (Shenendehowa) had just 3 points, and Abby Ray (Saratoga) did not score. Colleen Mullen's club heads west to Stanford on Sunday.

Wednesday, November 22, 2023

News & notes

 UAlbany snapped a 2 game losing streak Tuesday in besting Army, 62-59, at Cool Insuring Arena. In what was supposed to be a sort of homecoming for Hudson Falls product Jonathan Beagle, the sophomore was held to just 6 points in 32 minutes. Sebastian Thomas led Albany (2-3) with 17 points, while Aaron Reddish & Amare Marshall added 16 each. Marcus Jackson (Albany Academy) had just 5 points.

On the upside, Albany has momentum going into Sunday's game at Siena, which is more than can be said for the struggling Saints.

Siena finished dead last in the Sunshine Slam as the losing streak was extended to four with a 61-59 loss to Milwaukee, on a last second basket. Mason Courtney (Shenendehowa) got his 2nd straight start, and had just 5 points.


Sunday's game has a 5 pm tipoff at MVP Arena.
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It was good news for Albany in football, too, on Tuesday.

Freshman running back Griffin Woodell (Glens Falls) was named CAA Rookie of The Year on Tuesday. Dylan Kelly was named Defensive Player of The Year. Greg Gattuso earned his 2nd Coach of The Year nod, having led the Great Danes into the post-season for the first time in four years. Gattuso was also Coach of The Year in 2019, the last time Albany made the postseason.
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Dev Holmes (Troy High/UAlbany) was named the Northeast-10 Offensive Player of The Year Tuesday after New Haven was eliminated from the Division II tournament by losing to Charleston (West Virginia), 52-44, on Saturday. New Haven finishes 8-3. Holmes, a graduate student, caught 8 passes for 114 yards and 2 TD's on Saturday. He finishes with 39 catches for 583 yards and 11 TD's.
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The rest of Tuesday's college action:

Men's basketball:

Keuka 91, Cobleskill 71.

Women's basketball:

College of St. Rose 62, Assumption 55. Payton Graber (Schalmont) led the Golden Knights (1-1) with 17 points before fouling out.

RPI 100, SUNY-Delhi 27. Delhi did not crack double figures in any quarter, as this one was over by halftime. Delhi is 0-6, while RPI is 3-3 (3-0 Liberty League).

Tuesday, November 21, 2023

News & notes

 Ever since Michael Eley went down with an ankle injury, the Siena men's basketball team has not won a game. While coach Carmen Maciarello preaches the next man up mentality to his team, there's still a psychological barrier to overcome.


Monday in Daytona, during the Sunshine Slam, the Saints found out they'd also be without sophomore Zek Tekin (concussion). That gave Mason Courtney (Shenendehowa) his 1st career collegiate start, and Courtney responded with 13 points in 35 minutes of game action. However, Siena dropped its 3rd straight, 70-56, to Central Michigan, and will play Milwaukee tonight (8:30 pm, JAMZ 96.3), looking for some positive momentum before the Albany Cup game vs. UAlbany on Sunday at MVP Arena.

Speaking of UAlbany, their final tuneup will be at Glens Falls' Cool Insuring Arena tonight vs. Army (7 pm, ESPN+, WTMM 104.5 FM), looking to snap a 2 game losing streak.
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UAlbany's football team, meanwhile, earned a 1st round bye in the FCS playoffs, and will await the winner of a game between Richmond & North Carolina Central. The Danes have earned at least one more home game at Casey Stadium, which now sets up a football/basketball tripleheader on campus on December 2.

The previously scheduled basketball doubleheader has had their start times moved back. The women's Albany Cup between UAlbany & Siena will tip at 5 pm, followed by the UAlbany men vs. Dartmouth at 8 pm at Broadview Center.

There could be some hardware awaiting the football Danes, too.

Coach Greg Gattuso is up for Coach of the Year in the Colonial Athletic Conference and the Eddie Robinson Award, named for the Grambling legend, for FCS Coach of the Year.

Reese Poffenbarger is up for Offensive Player of the Year.

Griffin Woodell could follow Poffenbarger as CAA Rookie of the Year.

Dylan Kelly is up for Defensive Player of the Year.

It's been that kind of year for the Great Danes.
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High school bowling season has begun.

The first match reported comes from the Colonial Council, where Cohoes blasted Catholic Central, 30-2, on Monday in what used to be a more territorial battle until CCHS moved to Latham. Jackson Felt led the way for the Tigers with a 624 triple. Apparently, the Crusaders will go co-ed this year, as Cayla Schubmehl was their high scorer with a 552 triple.

Women's basketball begins tonight in the Adirondack League, as Warrensburg visits Fort Ann.
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The only other college basketball game on Monday saw Cobleskill defeat MCLA in women's action, 78-33.

Monday, November 20, 2023

News & notes

 Saturday was not a good day for Shenendehowa.

Both of the school's volleyball teams were eliminated in state play, the men losing at the Albany Capital Center, the women eliminated in Glens Falls at Cool Insuring Arena.

Then, the football team, the #2 team coming out of Section II in Class AA, dropped a 28-14 decision to Carmel.

The upside, of course, is that those who also play basketball now get a head start on the winter, as winter sports will get underway either this week or next.
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Section II did take home some hardware in volleyball on Sunday.

Burnt Hills (who else?) won its 9th title in the last 21 years, defeating Williamsville South, 3-1, at Cool Insuring Arena, to claim the NYS Class A title. Coach Gary Bynom will begin his 3rd season as women's basketball coach, hoping to add some more trophies to the school's collection.
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The College of St. Rose had earned a 1st round bye in women's soccer, and earned their way into the round of 16, defeating Southern New Hampshire, 2-0, with both goals scored in a 90 second span late in the second half.


We'll know by this time tomorrow at the earliest when the Golden Knights' next game will be.
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Here's this week's high school state semi-final schedule:

Friday:

Class A: 

Niskayuna vs. Somers, 6 pm.

Class D:

Stillwater vs. Haldane, 3 pm.

Saturday:

Class AA:

CBA vs. Carmel, 6 pm.

Class B: 

Ravena vs. Rye, 3 pm.

Class C:

Fonda-Fultonville vs. O'Neil, 12 noon.

All 5 games will be played at Middletown High, the final stop before the state finals in Syracuse. The schedules in Classes AA & A suggest that had Shen & Averill Park won, they could've gotten rematches with CBA & Nisky, respectively.
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The rest of Sunday's college action:

Men's basketball:

Quinnipiac 85, UAlbany 82. Jonathan Beagle (Hudson Falls) had 11 points, and Marcus Jackson (Albany Academy) tallied 7 in a losing cause for Albany, which has lost two in a row.

Women's basketball:

Penn 85, Siena 79. Siena suffers its first loss. Valencia Fontanelle-Posson (Guilderland) had 15 points, while Ahniysha Jackson (Albany) finished with 10 for the Saints (2-1).

Vermont 60, College of St. Rose 44. Syrita Faraj (Tamarac) led the Golden Knights with 14 points. Payton Graber (Schalmont) added 12. Maddisyn Mahoney (Shaker) chipped in with 5 points.

Saturday, November 18, 2023

News & notes

 20 years ago, UAlbany entered the Colonial Athletic Alliance for football only, since America East doesn't have football.

This afternoon, the Great  Danes claimed a share of the league title with an emphatic, dominant 41-0 shutout of Monmouth on Senior Day at Casey Stadium.


Reese Poffenbarger threw four touchdown passes, two of them to Julian Hicks, who caught a 3rd TD on a halfback option in the 1st quarter. Dylan Kelly became the all time single season tackler for the Danes (9-3, 7-1 CAA). Albany dominated on both sides of the ball, punching their ticket to the postseason. Where they'll play next will be announced tomorrow.
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Union College has advanced to the next round after beating Delaware Valley, 24-16, extending their current winning streak to 4 in a row. The Garnet Chargers will head to Baltimore next Saturday to play Johns Hopkins, ranked #7 in Division III.
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When state regional play in football began on Friday, Section II had 7 teams for the first time since classification play began 30 years ago.

As of press time, two are playing, and four have advanced.

The lone team eliminated was Class A runner-up Averill Park, which ran up against Section II's collective Kryptonite, Somers, which beat Zach Gobel's club, 31-7, on Friday.

Meanwhile:

Friday:

Class A:

Niskayuna 49, Cornwall 14.

Class C:

Fonda-Fultonville 22, Governeur 0.

Saturday (so far):

Class AA:

CBA 25, Middletown 16.

Class D:

Stillwater 28, Moriah 20.

In action now:

Carmel 14, Shenendehowa 7 (halftime).
Ravena 7, Peru 0 (1st quarter).
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The Tri-City Valleycats may have a new manager to replace Pete Incaviglia, who resigned after 3 seasons.

Incaviglia has since signed with the Cleburne (Texas) Railroaders, which will enable Incaviglia to be close to his home in Texas. Nephew Thomas is interviewing for various managerial positions. Pitching coach Brooks Carey joins Pete Incaviglia with the Railroaders. 

Valleycats GM Matt Callahan told the Albany Times-Union the team hopes to have a new manager in place around Thanksgiving.

Friday, November 17, 2023

News & notes

 The last two years, Troy High has opened its women's basketball season at Averill Park in the tip-off tournament. The results were not good. The Lady Horses finished 3rd in 2021, beating South Glens Falls in the consolation game, but were dead last in last year's tournament.

This year's Averill Park Tip-Off tournament, coming in 2 weeks, is an all-Suburban Council affair, as Guilderland & Bethlehem replace Troy & South Glens Falls in the field. The lineup:

December 1:

Averill Park vs. Columbia.

Bethlehem vs. Guilderland.

December 2:

Consolation & championship games.

All four games will be streamed on Averill Park's YouTube channel, as was the case the last two years.

Meanwhile, Troy will bring back the Holiday Classic for both the men & women December 28-30.

The only other teams announced so far are Ballston Spa, who will play the Troy women in a 12:45 matinee on December 29, and Shenendehowa, whose boys will make two trips to Zotto Gym, the first being on December 30. The rest of the fields have not been confirmed as of press time.

New Troy men's coach Josh Pelletier will have his first informal test Wednesday with a scrimmage vs. Albany Academy, with the regular season debut in a non-league game against Columbia December 1.
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The Albany Firebirds have announced their 2024 schedule, with 6 home games at MVP Arena. Strangely, the Philadelphia Soul, a team once owned by singer Jon Bon Jovi, will make two trips to Albany in a one month period, in weeks 4 & 7.

The Orlando Predators, who have returned to the Arena Football League after playing in the National Arena League the last couple of years, will open the season at Albany on April 27. Dates have not been firmed for weeks 2-10.


The schedule, as of now:

Week 1 (April 27): Orlando.
Week 2: Nashville.
Week 3: @ Minnesota.
Week 4: Philadelphia.
Week 5: Billings (Montana).
Week 6: @ Nashville.
Week 7: Philadelphia.
Week 8: Minnesota (home finale).
Week 9: @ Iowa.
Week 10: @ Orlando.
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UAlbany's women's basketball team won again Thursday, outlasting St. Bonaventure, 66-56. Kayla Cooper led Albany (3-1) with 21 points. Fatima Lee & Lilly Phillips added 11 each. Meghan Huerter had just 5 points. Abby Ray was held scoreless in 8 minutes.

Thursday, November 16, 2023

News & notes

 By this time next week, Fonda-Fultonville Central will reveal its new mascot and nickname for their sports teams, to take effect in September 2024 That means the Fonda teams will still be known as the Braves for the rest of the season.

WTEN's Christina Arangio explains:


I'm partial to Pioneers or Ravens myself.
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It was not a good night for the College of St. Rose on Wednesday.

The Golden Knights' women's basketball team dropped a 63-56 decision to Pace. Payton Graber (Schalmont/HVCC) led the way with 15 points for Will Brown's club. Maddisyn Mahoney (Shaker) added 6, and Syrita Faraj (Tamarac/Russell Sage) had 10 points. The Lady Knights will play Vermont on Sunday before returning home Tuesday to play Assumption.
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It was not good for UAlbany, either. 

Playing in front of a national television audience on FS1, the Great Danes (1-2) laid an egg in losing to Seton Hall, 96-71. Jonathan Beagle (Hudson Falls) had just 8 points. Marcus Jackson (Albany Academy) was held to 5. Albany's road trip continues at Quinnipiac on Sunday before playing Army at Cool Insuring Arena on Tuesday.

Wednesday, November 15, 2023

News & notes

 4 Section II teams have reached the state final fours in women's volleyball, with the championships to be decided this weekend at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls.


The lineup:

Class AAA: Shenendehowa vs. Massapequa, 8 am.

Class A: Burnt Hills vs. Mineola, 12:30 pm.

Class C: Galway vs. Millbrook, 5 pm.

Class D: Lake George vs. Tuxedo, 7:25 pm.

Meanwhile, Shen's men's team is the only one left in Section II, and will enter pool play Saturday at the Capital Center in downtown Albany. Pool play begins at 10 am.

We have the pairings for state regionals in football:

Friday:

Class A: 

Niskayuna vs. Cornwall at Goshen, 6 pm.

Averill Park vs. Somers at Mahopec, 7 pm.

Class C:

Fonda-Fultonville vs. Governeur at Ogdensburg Free Academy, 7 pm.

Saturday:

Class AA:

CBA @ Middletown, 12 noon.

Shenendehowa vs. Carmel @ Middletown, 3 pm.

Class B:

Ravena vs. Peru @ Mechanicville, 4 pm.

Class D:

Stillwater vs. Moriah @ Mechanicville, 12:30 pm.
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Tonight's UAlbany-Seton Hall game will air on FS1 (Spectrum channel 400) at 6:30 pm. The game can also be heard, of course, on WTMM (ESPN Radio 104.5 FM).
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In the lone game of local interest Tuesday, Skidmore College's women's basketball team defeated Oneonta, 63-32. Oneonta was held to just 14 points in the 2nd half.

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

Monday's college scoreboard, 11/13

 "Everybody wants to get into the act!"---attributed to Jimmy Durante.

UAlbany women's basketball coach Colleen Mullen emptied her bench Monday, as 12 players made it into the scorebook in a 118-27 laugher over Division III Sarah Lawrence.


Lilly Phillips (Cambridge) led 6 Lady Danes in double figures with 18 points. Fatima Lee & Gabriela Falcao added 16 each. Deja Evans had 13, Hailee Ford added 11, and Ida Allberg chipped in with 10.

Given some quality minutes, Abby Ray (Saratoga) and Meghan Huerter (Shenendehowa/Providence) had 6 points each. The Gryphons didn't reach double figures in any quarter. Heh, sounds like your typical high school blowout the last two seasons.

Former WNYT sports reporter Lexi Swatt and area vet Rich Becker, whose resume includes stops at WRGB, WXXA, and Spectrum (where he produces Friday Night Matchup during football season) were at the mics for the game, streaming on America East's website.

The Lady Danes open a 3 game road trip at St. Bonaventure on Thursday. Their actual home opener at Broadview Center will be the Women's Albany Cup game vs. Siena on December 2.
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Without Michael Eley in the lineup (ankle), Siena's men's basketball team lost its 2nd straight, 78-58, to American University on Monday. Zek Tekin led the Saints with 18 points in a losing effort. For Siena (1-2), the Sunshine Slam continues in Daytona next Monday vs. Central Michigan with a 11 am tip-off.
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Union's women's basketball team earned their first win Monday, downing Utica, 78-70. The Garnet Chargers are now 1-2 on the season. The Union men will be at Cobleskill tonight, while RPI's women are at USCGA. Both games start at 7 pm.

Monday, November 13, 2023

News & notes

 After reclaiming the Dutchmen's Shoes on Saturday, Union College was rewarded with a berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs.

Jon Poppe's Garnet Chargers will travel to Doylestown, Pennsylvania, on Saturday to play Delaware Valley. As for RPI, which lost, 13-7, to Union on Saturday, their season is over.
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The organizers of the Troy Turkey Trot have amended the course for the 5K race on Thanksgiving Day to include a detour over the Green Island Bridge, which they say gives the runners a more scenic-and safer-route. One circle over the bridge & back, the runners will move to River Street in North Central before turning back toward downtown. We'll see how this plays out next week.
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Soccer season is over in the 518, at least at the high school level.

The high school season ended Sunday, with Waterford earning a share of the women's Class C title after the Lady Fordians & Mount Academy played to a 2-2 draw after regulation and double overtime. No penalty kicks in the finals, folks. Chazy claimed a share of the men's Class D title the same way on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Guilderland fell short of the men's Class AA title, losing to Scarsdale, 4-2.
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On the college tip, the College of St. Rose won its 4th straight Northeast 10 women's soccer title on Sunday, disposing of Adelphi, 4-1. By the end of business today, the Golden Knights will know who they'll play in the NCAA tournament starting Thursday.

However, the men's basketball team failed to win its own tip-off tournament, losing the final to Post, 82-78. Alex Barnhill (Mekeel Christian) did not score in 3 minutes of court time. Adam Myers (LaSalle) has not yet played this season.
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Siena men's basketball coach Carmen Maciarello would like to burn the video of Saturday's loss to Richmond, a 90-48 blowout, the worst in 15 years.

What hurt the Saints (1-1) was the absence of sophomore star Michael Eley (ankle) whose availability is questionable for tonight's game at American University (7 pm, JAMZ 96.3 FM).



Less than 24 hours later, the Siena women improved to 2-0 with a 56-49 win over Dartmouth. Ahniysha Jackson (Albany) and Valencia Fontanelle-Posson (Guilderland) had 12 points each to lead the Lady Saints (2-0), who now have a week off before returning home to play Penn on November 19.
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The rest of Sunday's action:

Women's basketball:

Cobleskill 65, Western Connecticut State 56.

Women's volleyball:

University of Maryland-Baltimore County 3, UAlbany 0.




Sunday, November 12, 2023

News & notes

 During his tenure as Mayor of Albany, Thomas Whalen was a frequent guest on WPYX with Bill Sheehan and the late Bob Mason. Whalen's signature catchphrase, "It's a great day for Albany!", certainly rang true for UAlbany on Saturday.

First the Great Danes defeated Stony Brook in football, 38-20. The Seawolves remain winless at 0-10, while the Danes claimed the Golden Apple Trophy, and moved to 8-3 overall (6-1 in the Colonial Athletic Conference) with 1 game remaining. UAlbany closes with Senior Day vs. Monmouth next Saturday.


Then, the men's basketball team, powered by 24 points from Sebastian Thomas and 20 from Jonathan Beagle (Hudson Falls), escaped Columbia with a 78-75 win in a game broadcast on SNY. Marcus Jackson (Albany Academy) chipped in 5 points in limited action. The road trip continues Wednesday at Seton Hall.

Alas, UAlbany's women are also 1-1 after dropping a 66-63 decision to Fordham on Friday. Helene Haegerstrand led the Lady Danes with 14 points. Kayla Cooper added 13, and Meaghan Huerter (Shenendehowa/Providence) had 11. Lilly Phillips (Cambridge) chipped in with 5 points. Colleen Mullen's club returns home to play Sarah Lawrence. The game will be played at the College of St. Rose, as UAlbany wants to wait a little longer before officially reopening Broadview Center.
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Section II is down to 1 men's soccer team in state play.

Class AA champion Guilderland downed Clarence, 2-1, Saturday to earn a shot at the state title this monring vs. Scarsdale, which defeated Smithtown West, 4-1. Game time is 9 am.

Class D champ Loudonville Christian fell to Chazy on Friday. Saturday, Class B champion Mechanicville was eliminated in a 3-0 loss to Spackenkill. Waterford, the Class C champ, lost to Mount Academy, 4-2.

In woimen's soccer, Smithtown West defeated Columbia in Class AA, 4-1. Class AAA champion Shenendehowa was also eliminated, dropping a 3-0 decision to West Melville. Waterford remains alive in Class C, shutting out Holley, 3-0. The Lady Fordians are the only Section II team left on the women's side, as Fort Ann, the Class D champ, was shut out by Cincinnatus Central, 4-0. Waterford, by the way, will play for the state title today at Homer High vs. Mount Academy.
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The last of the football Super Bowls were decided on Saturday at Guilderland.

In Class B, it was Ravena winning its 3rd straight title, holding off Glens Falls, 35-27. In the nightcap, Niskayuna repeated as Class A champion, beating Averill Park, 28-7. As with Class AA, both Nisky & Averill Park advance to state play starting next weekend.
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The rest of the weekend college action:

Friday:

Men's hockey:

RPI 4, Clarkson 2.
Union 4, St. Lawrence 3.

Women's hockey:

Yale 3, Union 2 (OT).
Brown 3, RPI 2.

Saturday:

Men's basketball:

College of St. Rose, 85, Wilmington 73. Alex Barnhill (Mekeel Christian) chipped in 5 points in a winning effort. The Golden Knights are right back at it tonight against Post.

Cobleskill 74, Hartwick 60.
Russell Sage 63, Elms 60.
Oswego State 73, RPI 45.

Women's basketball:

Western New England 60, RPI 50.
Skidmore 59, Middlebury 42.
New Paltz 82, Union 61.

Women's hockey:

Yale 4, RPI 1.
Brown 2, Union 0.

Men's hockey:

St. Lawrence 6, RPI 3.
Clarkson 4, Union 1.

Men's swimming:

RPI 186, Vassar 93.

Women's swimming:

Rider 180 1/2, Siena 130 1/2.
Sacred Heart & Siena each had 150 points.

Women's volleyball:

Marist 3, Siena 0.
College of St. Rose 3, Southern New Hampshire 0.

Friday, November 10, 2023

High School Fridays, late edition: Super Bowl weekend, day 1, 11/10/23

 It is said that revenge is a dish best served cold.

The weather conditions today certainly suggested that old axiom would be a factor in the Section II Super Bowl tripleheader at Ed Picken Memorial Field at Troy High.

For the 3rd straight year, Christian Brothers Academy and Shenendehowa would play for the Class AA championship in the nightcap. Both schools have large fan bases that travel well, ensuring that the bleachers on both sides of the field. The last time Shen played a game on the Picken Field turf, Bob Burns was the coach at Troy High. That was six years ago. Shen coach Brian Clawson hadn't beaten Burns' teams since then until last month at CBA. And, then, there is Burns' ridiculous won-loss record at Picken Field.

CBA won the coin toss, and, uncharacteristically for Burns at Picken Field, opted to receive. After an exchange of punts, the offense started to get rolling. On the Brothers' 3rd drive of the 1st quarter, Donald Jones caught a 14 yard pass from Jake Iaccobaccio. However, the point after failed, and CBA led, 6-0, after the frame.

Shenendehowa took its only lead of the night in the 2nd quarter as they drove the length of the field before Blake Mello punched it in from the 1. With the extra point, the Plainsmen led, 7-6. However, it didn't last. On CBA's next possession, Jones, on the halfback option, found seldom used Lorenzo Lanni all alone in the corner of the end zone. The PAT failed again, and the Brothers went into the break with a 12-7 lead.


If there was one big difference between this game, and last month's clash, it was the loss of Shen's star tailback, Ihsaan Aloize, who left the game with an ankle injury in the 1st quarter, and didn't return, continuing a disturbing trend throughout the tripleheader. QB Michael Whatley had a running back committee, including Mello and Anthony Diaz, behind him, but his biggest problem was throwing interceptions.

The biggest one of the night came just 2 1/2 minutes into the 3rd quarter as Jones----who else?-----picked off Whatley, and raced 96 yards to paydirt. Unfortunately, CBA still couldn't convert the extra point, even on a 2 point attempt. CBA led, 18-7, after 3 quarters.

Back came Shen. With under 5 1/2 minutes left in the 4th quarter, Mello punched in his 2nd touchdown of the night, then added the 2 point conversion to cut the lead to 3 at 18-15. Shen had one last chance with a couple of minutes left, but turned it over on downs, and it was Jones who did two kneel-downs to ice the game. For the 3rd straight year, CBA wins the Class AA title with a 18-15 victory.

CBA now awaits the Section 9 champion next week, while Shen, getting an at-large bid, will meet the Section 1 champ. Both games take place November 18, and there is the real possibility that these two teams could meet again, with Section 2 holding at large bids in Classes AA & A this season giving teams in the 518 an extra chance.

Earlier in the day, Fonda-Fultonville defeated Shenendehowa, 31-21, to claim the Class C title.

The opener saw Stillwater look to end the undefeated season of defending Class D champion Lake George-Warrensburg-Bolton-North Warren. As with the Class AA game, the bleachers on both sides of the field were nearly full for a change.

Late in the 1st quarter, Wolverines QB Caden Allen found Jack Welch for a 45 yard TD. However, the PAT failed, and the Wolverines had a 6-0 lead through the 1st quarter, despite losing lineman Max Hohman to a knee injury early in the quarter. Hohman didn't return, and, psychologically, that hurt the Wolverines more than Stillwater's defense did.

Stillwater took over in the 2nd quarter. Jaxon Mueller, son of former Stillwater 3 sport star and current UAlbany baseball coach Jon "Bam Bam" Mueller, punched it in from a yard out. After a Wolverines turnover, Mueller, Stillwater's answer to Donald Jones, hit Lukas Lilac for a 29 yard TD, putting the Warriors up, 14-6.

Lake George-Warrensburg QB Caden Allen brought the Wolverines closer with a 4 yard run, then hit Welch for the 2 point conversion to tie the game. However, Mueller rumbled in from 14 yards out on the Warriors' next possession, and Stillwater led, 21-14, at halftime.

In the 3rd quarter, Lilac scored on a 11 yard run. After an exchange of punts, the Wolverines were pinned back close to their goal line. Brady Burdo picked off Allen for what was credited as a 1 yard pick-six, and the Warriors began to pull away at 34-14, heading into the final quarter. More than halfway through the 4th quarter, Mueller scored his third rushing touchdown, another 1 yard drive. Defense took over the rest of the way, and Stillwater claimed the D title, 41-14.

High School Fridays, early edition: Super Bowl preview 2023

 Over the course of the next two days, Section II wraps up its football schedule for the season, as the 5 sectional champions crowned between today & tomorrow will begin state play next week.

Action begins today at Ed Picken Memorial Field at Troy High with the Class D Super Bowl. Kick time is around 11 am. 

The lineup:

Today:

Class D: Stillwater vs. Lake George/Warrensburg/Bolton/North Warren: The 4-school conglomerate known as the Wolverines are the defending champions. Stillwater moves down from Class C, where they had been among the elite for the last few years. For these teams, this is big time. To many observers, the Wolverines are still upstarts. Stillwater has been there, done that. Given how everything runs in cycles in high school sports, the better option is the better known team.

The pick: Stillwater in a mild upset.

Class C (3 pm): Schuylerville vs. Fonda-Fultonville: Fonda is another team that has risen the last couple of years. For the Black Horses, it may feel like, to borrow an old U2 song, a sort of homecoming for defensive assistant Jack Burger, who led Troy to their first two state titles in 1996 & '99. Burger returns to Troy after 10 years away (The Flying Horses could use him now), but can he help deliver a title to Schuylerville?

The pick: Schuylerville.


Class AA: CBA vs. Shenendehowa (7 pm, Spectrum News 1): Bob "The Builder" Burns also returns to Troy after bolting for CBA prior to the 2021 season. Burns is looking for a 3-peat as sectional champion with the Brothers, and his record at Troy High, where he coached from 2015-21, may be 2nd only to Burger in terms of winning percentage.

Shen won the last meeting, also on TV, last month, but there is something to Picken Field, and Shen vs. a Burns-coached team that says revenge. Brian Clawson's Plainsmen were 0-2 vs. Troy during the Burns era, both games at Troy. 

The pick: CBA collects payback.

Saturday:

Class B: Ravena vs. Glens Falls (11 am): The scene shifts to Guilderland for the Saturday doubleheader. Ravena coach Gary Vanderzee gave up being Section II football chairman after last season (former Saratoga coach Terry Jones has that gig), the better to focus his team on another title run. The transition in Glens Falls to their new nickname, the Black Bears, has served well, as it fits with the team being based in the North Country. This will be a good one.

The pick: Ravena. This one could go to overtime.

Class A: Averill Park vs. Niskayuna (3 pm, Spectrum News 1): Another rematch from last year, like the Class AA title game. Averill Park's mission, should they decide to accept it, is to give Nisky's defense a steady diet of Mr. Phelps. Jacob Phelps, that is. Coach Zack Gobel can't afford to coach like he's possessed by the ghost of George Gobel again in front of the cameras. That doesn't always work. If Nisky's defense can stop Phelps, the rest of the game will be mission impossible for Averill Park.

The pick: Averill Park collects a little payback of their own, and this one's also headed to overtime.

Of course, I could be wrong.

Thursday, November 9, 2023

News & notes

 Siena's women's basketball team will open at Binghamton this evening at 6 pm. The game can be heard on WVCR-FM (The Saint), and can also be accessed through the Saints' website.
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Also at 6 pm tonight, the College of St. Rose welcomes Franklin Pierce for the Northeast-10 women's soccer semi-finals. Meanwhile, the Siena men host Rider this afternoon at 1 pm in the MAAC men's soccer semi-finals.
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Wednesday's college scoreboard:

Women's basketball:

RPI 81, Utica 53.
Cobleskill 73, Union 66.
Skidmore 71, Russell Sage 45.
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Registration has begun for the 2023 Turkey Trots in Troy, Cohoes, & Saratoga, set to go in 2 weeks on Thanksgiving Day.


File photo courtesy Troy Turkey Trot website.

The events will start at 8 am in all three cities. It's just too bad no one's willing to devote time for live television coverage.
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Wednesday's high school results:

Men's volleyball state tournament:

Division 2 subregional:

Burnt Hills 3, Eastchester 1. The Spartans advance to face Jamesville-DeWitt on Saturday at Liverpool High.

Women's volleyball state tournament:

Class B subregional:

Broadalbin-Perth 3, Beekmantown 0.

Wednesday, November 8, 2023

News & notes

 What a difference 24 hours makes for UAlbany's basketball teams.

On Monday, the women opened at Merrimack, and won, 58-55. Lilly Phillips (Cambridge) contributed 11 points, while Abby Ray (Saratoga) was held scoreless. Meghan Huerter (Shenendehowa), in her Great Danes debut, finished with 7 points.

Last night was a different story for the men. The pre-game hype surrounding a rematch vs. UMass painted the picture of a homecoming for UAlbany men's coach Dwayne Killings. It didn't feel that way by the end of the night, as the Minutemen raced out to a 10-0 start, then routed the Danes, 92-71. Jonathan Beagle (Hudson Falls) had 11 points for Albany, whose Saturday game at Columbia will air locally on SNY (Spectrum digital channel 320). The women travel to Fordham on Friday.
===================================================
We'll talk more about this over at The Land of Whatever, but WWE is moving NXT off USA Network come next fall. The 3rd brand will move to the CW, meaning locally it'll air on WCWN (CW-15, Spectrum channel 1212). starting in October 2024. Makes one wonder if NXT will begin touring outside Florida again....
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While we don't know if he's still affiliated with the Troy Fighting Irish in the off-season, Ryan Job is stepping down as head football coach at Watervliet-Heatly after 3 seasons.


The Cannoneers lost their final 8 games this season after a 2-0 start. According to the Albany Times-Union, Job pointed to a change in administration at Watervliet prior to this season, and a lack of communication as a result, as a reason for his resignation. Better to walk away than get pushed out the door, it would seem. Another factor was a number of players transferring to Shaker, a few clicks up the road from Watervliet's campus.

I shan't be surprised if Job resurfaces at another school before too long.

Tuesday, November 7, 2023

News & notes

 Siena's men's basketball team came out of the blocks fast, but had to hang on to defeat Holy Cross, 73-71, Monday at MVP Arena.

Michael Eley, the lone returning starter from last season, led the way with 24 points. Newcomers Zek Tekin and Giovanni Emejuru had 16 & 11 points respectively to help the Saints withstand a 2nd half rally by the Crusaders that saw Holy Cross take a brief lead late, only to lose it in the final minutes.


Siena hits the road Veteran's Day to play Richmond.
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If you were hoping to see Andre Jackson (Albany Academy/Connecticut) in action for Milwaukee against the Brooklyn Nets Monday, it didn't happen. Jackson didn't play as the Bucks picked up the win. I get that the Bucks are bringing him along slowly, as some rookies will, but if there's a rash of injuries, then Jackson will suit up.
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State regional soccer action resumes Saturday. The lineup is almost set, as Section II still has four teams in play.

As noted Loudonville Christian, the D champ, will play Chazy on Friday at 11 am at Goshen High. 

On Saturday, it'll be:

Class AA: Guilderland vs. either Clarence or Churchville-Chili at Middletown High at 10:45 am.

Class B: Mechanicville vs. Spackenkill at Goshen, 3:45 pm.

Class C: Waterford vs. Mount Academy at Goshen, 8:45 am.

On the women's side:

Class AAA: Shenendehowa vs. Ward-Melville, Saturday at 5 pm  at Tompkins-Cortland Community College.

Class AA: Columbia vs. Smithtown West, Saturday at 12 noon at Tompkins-Cortland CC.

Class C: Waterford vs. Holley, Saturday at 12 noon at Homer High.

Class D: Fort Ann vs. Cincinnatus Central, Saturday at 2:30 at Homer High.
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The College of St. Rose will open their basketball season on Saturday at home vs. Wilmington College with a pair of familiar faces to Section II fans on the court for the Golden Knights.

Freshmen Alex Barnhill (Mekeel Christian) & Adam Myers (LaSalle) figure to be in the mix for returning coach Brian Beaury. Women's coach Will Brown will also have some Section II alums on his roster when the women open November 15 at Pace University.

The roster includes sophomore Kaelah Carter (Shaker), freshman Jayla Tyler (Colonie), junor transfer Harmony Philo (Gloversville/Fulton-Montgomery Community College), sophomore Payton Graber (Schalmont, transfer from Hudson Valley Community College), and juniors Maddisyn Maloney (Shaker) and Syrita Faraj (Tamarac). Former Shenendehowa star Carly Boland is on board as Brown's assistant after playing her college ball at Binghamton. 

Monday, November 6, 2023

News & notes

 Twenty-four hours after their men's soccer team was eliminated, the College of St. Rose's women's soccer team advanced in the Northeast-10 tournament, shutting out Southern Connecticut State, 3-0.


The Golden Knights advance to the semi-finals vs. Franklin Pierce on Thursday, with a start time to be announced. 
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The rest of Sunday's college action:

Field hockey:

America East finals:

California 3, UAlbany 2.

Men's swimming:

New Hampshire 182 1/2, Siena 117 1/2.

Women's volleyball:

Quinnipiac 3, Siena 0.
New Hampshire 3, UAlbany 1.
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Local college basketball begins tonight. Siena opens at home against Holy Cross. Albany Broadcasting has shifted the Saints' on-air home to JAMZ 96.3 FM after airing on ALT 104.9 last season. 104.9 has since changed formats.

UAlbany's women's team opens at Marrimack. No radio coverage locally.
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Sunday's high school recap:

Field hockey:

Class B regional:

Burnt Hills 14, Our Lady of Lourdes 0.

Class C regional:

Hoosick Falls 2, Rondout Valley 1.

Sunday, November 5, 2023

News & notes

 Of the 4 Section II men's soccer teams in state regional play Saturday, three went home winners, advancing to the next round.

The lone blotch on the record belongs to Shaker, which fell to Baldwinsville in overtime, 2-1, in a Class AAA regional.


Meanwhile.......

Class AA:

Guilderland 2, CBA-Syracuse 1 ((OT).

Class B:

Mechanicville 2, Canton 0.

Class C:

Waterford 6, Brushton-Moira 1.

Class D champ Loudonville Christian now knows they'll play Chazy on Friday.
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Champions were crowned in the pool in Section II swimming & diving for women on Saturday. Host Shenendehowa rolled to a sectional championship in Division 1.by over 200 points over their closest pursuers, Bethlehem & Niskayuna. Troy-Averill Park-Tamarac finished 5th.

In Division 2, Burnt Hills' unified team with Scotia-Glenville won top honors. LaSalle finished 10th, while Emma Willard placed 3rd.
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Speaking of LaSalle, they closed out their football season Friday with a 33-12 crossover win over Saratoga. John Audino's club will go into the off-season wondering what might've been had it not been for a simple administrative error that took them out of the playoffs two weeks ago.
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The rest of Saturday's high school action:

Men's Cross country roll call of sectional champions:

Class A: Saratoga.

Class B: Burnt Hills.

Class C: Voorheesville.

Class D: Maple Hill.

Women's volleyball roll call of sectional champions:

Class AAA: Shenendehowa.

Class A:  Burnt Hills.

Class B: Broadalbin-Perth

Class C: Galway.

Men's volleyball:

Division 1 final:

Burnt Hills 3, CBA 0.

Women's soccer state regionals:

Class AAA: 

Shenendehowa 2, Cicero-North Syracuse 1.

Class AA:

Columbia 2, West Genesee 0.

Class A:

New Hartford 3, Schalmont 2.

Class C:

Waterford 4, Northern Adirondack 0.

Colleges:

Football:

UAlbany 24, William & Mary 8.
Hobart 31, RPI 21.
Union 43, Buffalo State 17.
Milford 28, Hudson Valley 20. The Vikings finish 5-5.

Men's hockey:

Union 5, RPI 1.

Women's hockey:

Clarkson 5, RPI 1.
St. Lawrence 6, Union 1.

Men's soccer:

Northeast 10 quarters:

St. Anselm 1, College of St. Rose 0 (OT).

Men's swimming:

Skidmore 175, Vassar 121.

Women's swimming:

Vassar 181, Skidmore 130.
St. Francis 176, Siena 86.

Women's volleyball:

Vassar 3, Russell Sage 0.
Fairfield 3, Siena 0.
Union 3, Plattsburgh 0.
Maywood 3, Russell Sage 1.
Morrisville St. 3, Cobleskill 0.


Saturday, November 4, 2023

News & notes

 If last night was any indication, tonight's hockey game between RPI & Union at Houston Field House will be off the chain as well.


RPI went into Messa Rink at Union, and escaped with an 8-6 win, snapping a 4 game losing streak. Puck drop tonight is at 7 pm.
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Heading into the final day of sectional competition in women's swimming & diving, Troy High's unified team with Averill Park & Tamarac is in 7th place in Division 1. Finals begin at 3 pm at Shenendehowa. Unsurprisingly, the host Plainswomen are in 1st heading to competition today.
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The rest of Friday's college action:

Field hockey:

America East semi-final:

UAlbany 8, Maine 1.

Women's hockey:

Clarkson 4, Union 1.
St. Lawrence 4, RPI 1.

Men's soccer:

Liberty League semi-final:

Hobart 3, RPI 2.
Ithaca defeated Union, 5-4, on penalty kicks after the two teams played to a scoreless draw through overtime.

Women's soccer:

Liberty League semi-final:

William Smith 7, RPI 0.

Women's volleyball:

Bentley 3, College of St. Rose 0.
Skidmore 3, Plattsburgh 0.
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Section II Class D men's soccer champion Loudonville Christian has earned an automatic bid into the state semi-finals. They'll await the winner of a match between Lisbon Central & Chazy. Loudonville Christian will play on Friday at Goshen High. Women's Class D champ Fort Ann also has an extended break, as they'll play Cincinnatus Central at Edmeston Central High next Saturday.
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Next Saturday's Super Bowl doubleheader at Guilderland is now set.

In Class B, it will be Glens Falls vs. Ravena at 11 am.

In Class A, it'll be a rematch of last year's final between Averill Park & Niskayuna at 3 pm. The game will be the season finale for Spectrum News 1's high school coverage.

On Friday, CBA & Shenendehowa will meet at Troy High, also on Spectrum, at 7 pm. Stillwater has advanced to the Class D title game that same day at 11 am against defending champion Lake George/Warrensburg/Bolton Landing. At 3 pm, Schuylerville & Fonda-Fultonville will meet for the C title. Tickets at both venues (Troy & Guilderland) will be $10, with a fee for GoFan.com included if you need to buy your ticket on-site.

Friday, November 3, 2023

High School Fridays: Feeling Jake (Shaker @ CBA, 11/3/23)

 For the 2nd time this season, Shaker traveled to Christian Brothers Academy, this time in a Class AA semi-final, with the winner punching their ticket to the AA Super Bowl next Friday at Troy High.

Shaker won the toss, and elected to receive. Just a couple of plays in, CBA's Jake Marra prescribed a turnover, as he forced a fumble, giving the Brothers the ball on the Shaker side of the field. CBA marched down the field, and Donald Jones finished the drive with a 11 yard run. A Teddy Giannella PAT gave CBA a 7-0 lead.

It would stay that way into the 2nd quarter. Jake Iaccobaccio called his own number, and the senior quarterback ran it in from 3 yards out. The PAT made it 14-0. Right before halftime, Jones, with Iaccobaccio on the sidelines with an injury, punched it in from the Shaker 1 to make it 21-0 Brothers at the break.


Defenses took over in the 3rd quarter. The period ended with CBA driving again, and less than a minute into the 4th quarter, Iaccobaccio, trying to be Aaron Rodgers, Rocky Balboa, and the late Willis Reed all in one, ran 26 yards for the final score of the game. CBA shut down Shaker the rest of the way, and Bob Burns will return to Picken Field at Troy next week, seeking his 3rd straight sectional title. CBA rolls, 28-0. Up next for the Brothers will be a rematch vs. Shenendehowa, which blew out Ballston Spa. Regardless of who wins the AA Super Bowl, both Shen & CBA will advance to state play, as Section II, for the first time, gets an at large bid into the state tournament.

Unfortunately, as of right now, rain is in the forecast for the Super Bowl. Again. Of course, the forecast could change between now & next week, but who knows?

News & notes

 We all know the 518 is largely Yankee country. Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro grew up a Yankee fan, and, today, leads the Royals ...