Sovereignty, who made it seem like he'd found a home at Saratoga over the summer, has been scratched from Saturday's Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar in California due to illness.
Sovereignty won the Belmont Stakes, Jim Dandy, & Travers at Saratoga between June-August.
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Shenendehowa frosh Julie Chichak made a little history Wednesday in Flushing Meadows, Queens when she won the NYSPHSAA women's singles title at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Chichak defeated 8th grader Gabrielle Alexa Villegas of Long Island in straight sets to bring the 2nd ever women's state tennis title home to Section II.
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I am begging for any restaurant in the 518 to have a plate of crow delivered to James Allen on Friday.
Allen will call Friday's Burnt Hills-Troy Class A playoff on Spectrum News 1 (kickoff sometime between 7:05-7:10), alongside Chris Watson. Spectrum made the announcement in the last 24-48 hours to send their cameras to Picken Field.
Given the history between these two schools, this could really be anybody's ballgame. This will be the first time Spartans coach Kevin DeBonis comes to Troy, if memory serves me correctly.
To remind, Allen had picked Troy to finish 3rd in the Capital Division, but the Flying Horses finished 2nd after knocking off Amsterdam last week.
Of course, should Troy volleyball, now more motivated than ever by being dissed by the Section II committee, win the Class AA title there, the committee should also be served some crow. With cheese sauce.
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Wednesday's college & high school scoreboard:
Colleges:
Men's soccer:
Siena 3, Marist 1.
Russell Sage 3, Hartwick 2.
Women's soccer:
Siena 4, Iona 0.
RPI 4, Bard 0.
High schools:
Lake George swept the Adirondack League cross country titles on Wednesday, just as Queensbury did the same in the Foothills Council on Tuesday. Fonda-Fultonville likewise swept the Western Athletic Conference titles.
Field hockey:
Class B semi-finals:
Queensbury 1, South Glens Falls 0.
Burnt Hills 7, Scotia 0.
Women's soccer:
Class A semi-finals:
Schalmont 3, Ravena 1.
Broadalbin-Perth 2, Averill Park 1 (OT).
Class B semi-finals:
Mechanicville 6, Greenville 2.
Schuylerville 1, Voorheesville 0.
Class A semi-finals:
Cohoes 2, Ichabod Crane 1.
Glens Falls 3, Schalmont 2.
Class C semi-finals:
Maple Hill 1, Waterford 0.
Berne-Knox-Westerlo-Duanesburg 2, Greenwich 1.
Class D semi-finals:
Northville 5, North Warren 0.
Middleburgh 3, Argyle 2.
Women's volleyball:
Class B play-in: Ravena def. Hudson.
Class C 1st round:
Coxsackie-Athens 3, Greenville 1.
Schoharie 3, Tamarac 1.
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As Class AA play starts tonight in women's volleyball, I'd like to take a moment to point out exactly why Section II misfired, using politics instead of common sense in formulating a 6 team field.
These are the teams, as ranked by Section II, with records included:
1. Bethlehem (14-2).
2. Columbia (12-4).
3. Queensbury (17-2).
4. South Glens Falls (11-3).
5. Troy (18-0!!).
6. Niskayuna (7-9).
If you go by records alone, as you should, and not pander to politics, this is the correct bracket:
1. Troy.
2. Queensbury.
3. Bethlehem.
4. South Glens Falls.
5. Columbia.
6. Niskayuna.
Of the 6 teams, Queensbury & Troy had played more than anyone else (19 & 18 matches, respectively). The Suburban Council has a 16 match schedule, and South High played the fewest games, but had a very good season. Tonight, Troy travels to South High, and Niskayuna visits Queensbury. You can argue that you can flip Queensbury & Bethlehem, dropping the Eagles to 2nd instead of 3rd seed, and you keep one matchup intact. Logically, it should be Troy & either Queensbury or Bethlehem getting the byes, and Columbia going to South Glens Falls.
Since Section II HQ is in Latham, somewhere in between Colonie & Shaker High Schools, you have to figure they're pandering to the Suburban Council. They should not. Ever.
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Because classes AA, B, & D still have a week of regular season play, they are spreading out their week 9 schedule, so it starts tonight, with 3 games each in Class AA & B.