News & notes

 With a truncated 8 game schedule due to 6 teams leaving AF1, the Albany Firebirds may have had a path to the title made easier.

On Friday, in a game airing on VICE TV (Spectrum channel 133), Sam Castrunovo and the 'Birds put on a show of dominance vs. Southwest Kansas, which had won their two previous games. Albany spotted the Storm an early lead, then just ran amok. Castrunovo threw 7 touchdown passes, 4 of them to Duane Brown, who was with Billings last year, and ran one in himself. The defense added 2 pick-6's, and Albany cruised, 78-20.

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Black Friday is traditionally the biggest shopping day during the Christmas season.

For basketball in the 518 on Friday, it was a Black Friday of a different kind.

The day started with 10 Section II teams vying for state titles, either in semi-finals or finals. By the time the last horn sounded in Binghamton, just before 10 pm, Section II had claimed 1 state title on the men's side, with a chance for 2 more coming.

Friday didn't start so promising, however. as Loudonville Christian, the Class D champion, fell to Bridgehampton, 63-53. Later, Class C champ Berne-Knox-Westerlo routed Tuckahoe, 70-46, to advance to tonight's title game.

Homestanding Binghamton went to double overtime before ending Niskayuna's season, 75-61. That it went to double OT meant that Class AAA champ Shaker's game vs. Port Washington was delayed to about 8 pm. Didn't matter, as the Blue Bison won their first state title, 55-50.

Today's schedule at Binghamton:

Class A:

Wayne vs. Glens Falls, 3:15 pm.

Class C final:

Berne-Knox-Westerlo vs. Honeoye, 7:45 pm.

Meanwhile, back in Troy, Hudson Valley Community College turned into a house of horrors for the ladies of Section II, as 4 of the 5 teams representing the 518 were all eliminated.

The day started with Cold Spring Harbor, a Long Island town made famous by Billy Joel (it was the title of one of his albums) taking down Class B champ Voorheesville, 62-32. Long Island then made it 2 in a row over upstate, as Wantagh rallied to upset A champion Albany Academy, 58-51.

Class D champion Northville was denied a state title for the 2nd straight year, as they lost to LaFargeville, 43-37. However, it was what took place after the game that got the headlines.

Northville coach Jim Zullo, perhaps out of frustration, pulled the hair of his senior star, Hailey Monroe, during a post-game huddle. The worse news for Zullo is that it was with district officials present. By the end of the night, Zullo was fired after 2 seasons for his poor judgment.

Update, 3/22/25, 6:43 am: We have a quick video report from WTEN. Seems Monroe was crying over the loss before the medal ceremony.

In the nightcap, Class C champion Stillwater went down as well, losing to Frewsburg, 59-44. That leaves Class AA champion Catholic Central the lone Section II team left on the women's side, and they'll take the court at 10 am vs. Baldwin, hoping to salvage a lost weekend for the women.

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Siena's basketball season is over as well, as the Lady Saints went 1-&-done in the women's NIT, losing to Howard, 72-62. Ahniysha Jackson, in her final college game, and Teresa Seppala, led Siena with 17 points each. Siena finishes 17-14.