News & notes

 The players in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) have gone on strike, and that takes the Adirondack Thunder off the ice for an indefinite period.

The players union voted to strike, citing the usual reasons for labor unrest. If you are familiar with work stoppages in the NFL, NHL, NBA, and Major League Baseball, you already have a working knowledge of why they took this step. The teams and their communities will lose trust in each other if the strike is prolonged over an extended period.

A cold winter in the north country just got colder.

Nearly two months after his passing, former Saratoga track coach Art Kranick, and his widow, Linda, have been banned by USA Track & Field amid allegations of emotional & physical abuse toward competitors. Like, couldn't they have handed down that decision before Kranick died in November?

I've heard of kicking a man when he's down, but this is morbidly ridiculous.

In more positive Saratoga news, the women's basketball program underwent a quiet transition during the offseason.

Robin Chudy stepped down in June after 11 seasons, and seeing her children graduate. Kevin Himmelwright was brought in to succeed Chudy, then hired one of her former star players, Catherine "Dolly" Cairns, as an assistant. With the Lady Streaks off to a dismal start, I'd suspect Cairns, a beloved fan favorite, may be a coach-in-waiting in case Himmelwright can't get things in the right direction. Just sayin'.

In Niskayuna, the women's basketball team is on its 3rd different coach in as many years, with George Monxhwedey as the new man in charge. All he has to do is see how Troy's Will Harris has progressed since he took over in 2023, and use that as a template. Unfortunately, Nisky is also off to a rough start in the Suburban Council.

Best wishes to both Monxhwedey and Himmelwright (and Cairns, too), as the calendar turns to 2026.

Friday's high school scores:

Men's basketball:

Poultney (VT) 71, Whitehall 46.

Men's hockey:

Plattsburgh & Guilderville played to a 3-3 tie.

LaSalle 4, CBA 3. Good bounce back for the Cadets after losing to Bishop Timon last week.

Northeastern Clinton vs. Burnt Hills-Ballston Spa was postponed due to weather. No make-up date has been set.

The Hudson Holiday tournament in women's basketball was postponed as well. Lansingburgh vs. Ravena has been rescheduled for this morning at 11:30 am, per Hudl, and host Hudson will play Hoosick Falls around 1 pm or so.