One semi-final matchup is now set, and the other will be after tonight's action.
#1 Shenendehowa 7, #8 CBA 2. Gavin Cronin had 2 goals to lead the way for the defending champions, who await the winner of tonight's Hawks-Saratoga game.
#2 Burnt Hills-Ballston Spa 8, #7 LaSalle 2. The Cadets end their season having lost six of their final seven games. Stats are not available at press time.
#3 Adirondack 5, #6 Bethlehem 1. The Rivermen & Spartan Scotties will meet on Wednesday night in the semi-finals.
The finals, we should note, will take place March 2.
Tonight starts the Division 1 quarterfinals in Section 2 hockey. We caution ahead of time, however, that due to inclement weather, the games might not be played, since all three of tonight's games are scheduled for Saratoga & Warren Counties.
Tonight:
CBA @ Shenendehowa. Scheduled puck drop is at 7:20 pm. The question is whether or not the Brothers can sustain momentum from Wednesday's win over Guilderville to score a major upset. CBA has just 5 wins on the season, counting Wednesday, as it has not been a good year. It's about to end.
Pick: Shen.
Bethlehem @ Adirondack. Scheduled puck drop is at 7:30 pm. The Rivermen won 3 in a row to close the regular season, including spoiling Senior Night for LaSalle a week ago. That same night, Bethlehem defeated CBA to gain momentum. An upset here would help Bethlehem break the gridlock the North Country has on the league. It then becomes a question of who's hungrier.
Pick: Bethlehem in an upset.
LaSalle @ Burnt Hills-Ballston Spa. Scheduled puck drop is at 8 pm. The Cadets snapped a 5 game losing streak in destroying the CD Jets on Tuesday. The Spartan Scotties have won 4 straight. If LaSalle can turn in another performance like they did on Tuesday, with only 4 minutes in penalties, it'll be a bonus. And, then, there's the matter of payback for Burnt Hills winning their regular season meeting.......
Pick: LaSalle in the other upset.
Saturday:
Hawks @ Saratoga. The Blue Streaks limp into the postseason on a 5 game losing streak of their own. Nothing would motivate them more than seeing an opportunity to play arch rival Shen in the semi-finals. And if LaSalle can get rid of their losing streak, so can Saratoga.....
Siena will be without its leading scorer in women's basketball for the rest of the season.
Freshman Francesca Schiro has been sidelined with a broken wrist. She averaged just over 17 points a game this season. Schiro is considered a favorite to win the MAAC Rookie of the Year award at the awards ceremony next month in Atlantic City.
The last spot in the CDHSHL quarterfinals was set Wednesday with CBA beating the Guilderville Storm, 5-4. The Storm finish with a 4-15-1 overall record. CBA will play Shenendehowa tomorrow night.
The sad saga of the 2025-26 Capital District Jets reached its end Tuesday, as the winless club absorbed a 9-3 beating at the hands of LaSalle in the 1st round of the CDHSHL playoffs.
Danny Wiese led the way for LaSalle with 4 goals & 2 assists. The Jets finish 0-21, a testament to the fact that the play-in tournament in the CDHSHL amounts to handing out participation trophies to the underachieving teams at the bottom of the standings. The league would be better served just going with the top 8 teams, and not bothering with the play-in format.
LaSalle moves on to play Burnt Hills-Ballston Spa on Friday at 8 pm. The other play-in game sees CBA hosting the Guilderville Storm today at 2:45 pm.
UAlbany men's lacrosse is off to a slow start after losing to Penn, 15-10, on Tuesday. The Great Danes (0-2) travel to Philadelphia to play Drexel on Saturday.
UAlbany softball fans can mark the final weekend of March on their calendars----weather permitting, of course----as that will be when Troy High grad Olivia DeCitise returns with the UMass-Lowell River Hawks for a weekend series. The schedule calls for a doubleheader on Saturday, March 28, and a single game on the 29th. The Lady Danes will return the favor April 25-26.
Tuesday's high school basketball scores:
Women:
Shenendehowa 73, Averill Park 19.
Bethlehem 65, Saratoga 55.
Albany 67, Voorheesville 34.
Guilderland 54, LaSalle 39. Kate Gilooly had 21 points, but little support as LaSalle dropped its 3rd straight, and has lost 9 of 12.
Over the past week, two coaches in Suburban Council women's basketball achieved career milestones, with one doing so at the expense of the other.
First, Albany's Decky Lawson moved into first place on the all time coaching wins list for women's basketball at the school, after the Falcons defeated Guilderland last Tuesday.
Three nights later, Colonie's Heather DiBiase became the Lady Wolfpack's all time leader in coaching wins for the school by beating Lawson & Albany.
Maybe someone should mention to WNYT's Rodger Wyland that DiBiase should be pronounced as it is spelled. During a recent broadcast, he repeatedly pronounced DiBiase as "DiByas". Unless that's how her family prefers it, which is possible, the more common pronounciation is closely associated with pro wrestler Ted DiBiase. Six of one, half a dozen of another, you know?
Congratulations to both coaches as they prep for sectionals.
The field is now set for the 2026 Section 2 hockey tournament, division 1. Queensbury plays in division 2 in the post-season, which I've never quite understood. Anyway........
Tuesday:
#10 CD Jets @ #7 LaSalle. Winner plays #2 Burnt Hills-Ballston Spa on Friday.
These two teams last met at the Knick on January 17, with LaSalle winning. The Cadets have dropped their last 5, but the Jets have had an epic nightmare, having not won a game in over a year. LaSalle should get their mojo back.
Pick: LaSalle.
Wednesday:
#9 Guilderville @ #8 CBA. Winner to play Shenendehowa on Friday.
This game has been set for a 2:45 pm start, meaning an early dismissal for the students from school. It also will mean a near empty arena, I'd think. The two teams have won 7 games between them this season, and the Storm won their last game, meaning they'll have some momentum. I think the Brothers will find it within themselves to advance, creating a marquee matchup with top seeded Shen.
Sectionals are right around the corner, with pairings for basketball to be announced on Friday, while play may likely also start Friday, and no later than February 24.
Women's basketball:
Final regular season record: 18-2 (14-0 Colonial Council). League champions.
Women's hoops hasn't been this hot at Troy since the 2012-3 team won the state title. 13 straight wins should produce a top 5 seed and a home game, but, knowing how Section 2 screwed the volleyball team back in November, nothing is guaranteed.
Men's basketball:
Current record: 12-7 (9-2 Colonial Council). League champions.
After beating Lansingburgh in a game marred by a brawl on Tuesday, Jamil Hood's club fell to Mohonasen on Friday, and it's not hard to fathom why. One, maybe two, players were suspended by the school, at least, for the fight. Still, Hood, in his 2nd year, delivered a division title to Troy.
Next: A non-league road game at Guilderland on Tuesday.
Unified bowling:
Current record: 2-0.
This is flying beneath the radar, as coach Don Poutre is only providing information via the daily announcements. Troy beat a pair of Wasaren League opponents in Waterford & Hoosick Falls this week. The schedule going forward is unknown.
Tomorrow, the coaches of the Capital District High School Hockey League (CDHSHL) will meet to finalize the pairings for this year's sectional tournament, a mere formality, since by the end of business tonight, we'll know the field.
Tuesday's play-in games have already been lined up, based on last night's action.
LaSalle finishes the regular season in 7th place after dropping a 5-1 decision to Adirondack on Friday in the season finale for both teams, spoiling Senior Night for Tim Flanigan's stumbling Cadets, who've dropped five in a row. Bethlehem trades places with LaSalle after beating CBA, 5-4.
But, if you think you've got it all figured out, you don't.
Burnt Hills-Ballston Spa, currently in 2nd, visits 4th place Saratoga, on a 4 game losing streak, tonight. A Blue Streaks win upsets the applecart, as they'd leapfrog into 2nd, with the Spartan Scotties dropping to 3rd, and Adirondack to 4th. A Burnt Hills win, and that would lock everyone into place.
The schedule, as of now:
Tuesday:
#10 CD Jets @ #7 LaSalle. The Jets rallied in the 3rd period last month before losing, 8-5. There won't be the hoopla of Cadets For Vets this time, but the stakes are higher, as the winner will play the winner of tonight's Burnt Hills-Saratoga game.
#9 Guilderville @ #8 CBA. The two teams have won six games between them this season, and half of CBA's wins came at the expense of LaSalle. The winner of this one would advance to play top-seeded Shenendehowa on Friday night.
Friday:
Should Saratoga defeat Burnt Hills, the Spartan Scotties would then host Bethlehem. Otherwise, it'll be the Eagles traveling to the North Country to play Adirondack. Plan B for the Rivermen would have them hosting the Hawks.
Senior night at Troy High for the women's basketball team. A perfect season in the Colonial Council on the line. Mohonasen provides the opposition, bent on avenging a loss last month on their court......
60-44 is the final score, as Troy completes its regular season at 18-2 (14-0 Colonial Council), and champions of the Colonial.
Meanwhile, the Mohon men collected a receipt from Troy, 57-53. Jamil Hood's club has one more game to play, at Guilderland, on Tuesday, now 12-7 on the season, and finish 9-2 in league play, but still good enough to be league champions.
For most, it is the final weekend of the regular season. Sectionals begin next week, so let's take a look at hockey & basketball.
Hockey:
Shenendehowa has clinched the regular season title in the CDHSHL. Juan De La Rocha's club is 6 points clear of 2nd place Burnt Hills-Ballston Spa heading into their season finale tonight, Senior Night vs. Queensbury.
LaSalle sits in 6th place, when you factor in that Queensbury will be in the Division 2 playoffs, and not in the D1 tournament with everyone else. Tonight is Senior Night for the Cadets, too, as they host Adirondack. The Rivermen are in 4th, and will also close the regular season with tonight's game. LaSalle is looking to snap a 4 game losing streak. Lose, and they drop to 7th, assuming Bethlehem wins their Senior Night game vs. CBA.
The league's coaches will meet Sunday to finalize the playoff pairings. We know that Guilderville (9th) & the winless CD Jets (10th) are in the play-in portion of the tournament. Six points separate teams 2-8 as of now. The results of tonight & tomorrow's games will decide the field.
Basketball:
Our focus is on the Colonial Council. Troy, in its 2nd season in the league, sits atop the standings in both men's & women's action.
Women--Troy holds the tiebreaker over 2nd place Albany Academy in the event that the Lady Horses lose to Mohonasen on Senior Night tonight at Zotto Gym. A season sweep of Mohon locks down the league title. When sectional pairings are announced a week from today, we shan't be surprised if Section 2 decides that its bias in favor of the Suburban Council denies Troy a #1 seed, just like in volleyball back in the fall. Mohonasen can't catch Troy for the Colonial crown, but if the old men in charge of Section 2 have their way, their seedings figure to be like this:
1. Columbia.
2. Amsterdam (Foothills Council).
3. Burnt Hills.
4. Troy.
5. Mohonasen.
Rightfully, it should be:
1. Troy.
2. Columbia.
3. Mohonasen.
4. Amsterdam.
5. Burnt Hills.
Strength of schedule? Don't make me laugh. You could say Columbia has a tiebreaker over Troy based on their win over the Lady Horses in December, and Troy lost a tough one to Glens Falls later that month. Those are the only losses going into tonight.
Men--Troy not only avenged their only league loss on Tuesday by beating Lansingburgh, but they clinched the league title in the process. They close at Mohonasen tonight & at Guilderland on Tuesday before sectional pairings are announced.
As far as Class AA is concerned, Troy currently is ranked #4 behind Amsterdam, Niskayuna, & Bethlehem. The January swoon for Jamil Hood's club put them in this position, and a win over Mohon tonight will strengthen their position. But, and this is important, if Troy were to lose to Mohon, and Columbia upsets Niskayuna, things change. Columbia, remember, defeated Troy recently, and would hold a tiebreaker, just like the women do.
Section 2 sees the Colonial Council as a weak sister next to the Suburban & Foothills Councils for whatever reason. That must change. Yesterday.
The Intercollegiate Men's Lacrosse Coaches' Association has announced the founding of a humanitarian award named in memory of the late Siena coach, Liam Gleason. One player from each of Division 1's 77 member schools will be eligible for the award at the end of the season.
CBA captured the Class B men's bowling title at Boulevard Bowl on Monday. The Brothers' Angelo Garafalo & Mike Scaccia, Jr., son of Boulevard Bowl owner Mike Scaccia, Sr., finished 1-2 in individual competition to lead the way for CBA. Colonial Council champion Lansingburgh finished 2nd. Garafalo & Scaccia are now in position to make Section 2's small school composite team for state play.
A quick reminder that WNYA will close out its 2nd season of high school basketball coverage tonight with CBA at Niskayuna (7 pm). Spectrum Cable has not cooperated at all, as the games have not been listed on the program grids all season.
Monday's high school scores:
Women's basketball:
South Glens Falls 43, Queensbury 30.
Bethlehem 58, Saratoga 52.
Amsterdam 62, Schuylerville 39.
Mechanicville 70, Hoosic Valley 25.
Stillwater 79, Tamarac 14.
Broadalbin-Perth 68, Gloversville 18.
Glens Falls 48, Hudson Falls 21.
Hoosick Falls 60, Saratoga Catholic 31.
Cambridge 54, Emma Willard 16.
Greenwich 82, Waterford 30.
Men's basketball:
Warrensburg 66, Hadley-Luzerne 55.
Duanesburg 63, Hawthorne Valley 45.
Loudonville Christian 47, Mayfield 46.
Catskill 68, Coxsackie-Athens 47.
Middleburgh 73, Canajoharie 49.
Johnstown 51, Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons 40.
Green Tech 71, Utica Proctor 39.
With another, slightly smaller, snow storm heading our way, it wouldn't hurt to check with your schools to see if your teams are playing tonight. The forecast as of press time calls for a dusting to 2 inches in the tri-cities, up to 4 inches further north. If there are any postponements/cancellations, we will be tracking those.
While the spring 2026 flag football season officially begins in 4 weeks, some Section 2 schools quietly put together a winter season that went completely under the radar, as in, nothing was ever mentioned anywhere.
Then, Troy's Tara Anthony trumpeted the news this morning that the Lady Horses had won the initial winter league title, shutting out Shenendehowa, 24-0. Yes, they do play indoors in the winter, but this was kept so hush-hush, no one had a clue.
Congratulations to the Lady Horses.
It probably wouldn't have mattered where Siena & Manhattan's women's basketball teams played on Sunday.
The game was moved from the UHY Center in Loudonville to Draddy Gymnasium in Riverdale, with Siena designated as the home team. Nicole Melius led 4 Saints in double figures with 25 points, as Siena crushed the Lady Jaspers, 91-72. Siena has six games left, and is idle until Thursday, when they travel to Quinnipiac.
The lone high school game on Sunday saw Berne-Knox-Westerlo defeat Saratoga Catholic, 70-49. The Bulldogs (13-6 overall) snapped a 2 game losing streak, and will close the regular season with Senior Night vs. Schoharie on Friday. They're also playing an independent schedule, as opposed to playing in the Western Athletic Conference, where their women's team is still playing.
Bowling & swimming are pretty much over for the season. Indoor track is, too, but Troy has two runners in state competition next Saturday. Basketball sectionals are right around the corner.
Swimming:
Troy-CBA-Columbia finished 12th in Saturday's last chance meet at Ballston Spa, meaning the Flying Devil Brothers will not advance.
Bowling:
Troy finished 6th in the Colonial Council championships. It's unclear if they'll be taking part in sectionals, right back at Boulevard Bowl, tomorrow.
Women's basketball:
Current record: 16-2 (12-0 Colonial Council).
I have to correct myself from an earlier report, because I misread the final score of Thursday's game at Ballston Spa. Troy won, and, with the win Friday over Cohoes, have run their winning streak to 11 in a row.
Next: The Lady Horses are at Lansingburgh on Tuesday (weather permitting) before returning home for Senior Night on Friday the 13th vs. Mohonasen.
Men's basketball:
Current record: 12-5 (8-1 Colonial Council).
It was an up & down week for Jamil Hood's club. They beat Voorheesville, then lost to an improved Columbia team, then beat Cohoes.
Next: Senior night (weather permitting) vs. Lansingburgh on Tuesday. Troy needs to win to clinch the league title. If not, the Knights would clinch via tiebreaker. Then, it's on the road at Mohonasen, and finishing at Guilderland on February 17 before sectional pairings are announced on the 20th.
Playing their 3rd game in 4 nights, Troy High welcomed Cohoes for their next to last home game of the regular season, coming off a tough win at Ballston Spa last night. The Lady Tigers, with just 4 wins total for the season, were looking for a receipt of their own after getting blown out of their own gym earlier in the season.
Yeah, good luck making that happen.
Whatever frustration Will Harris' club felt after going ice cold in the 2nd quarter vs. the Lady Scotties was taken out on Cohoes. Again.
With the 64-31 win, Troy has now won 11 in a row, with 2 games left. Meanwhile, in Cohoes, Jamil Hood's club completed a season sweep of their own, 66-38. The Troy men will be looking for their own receipt vs. Lansingburgh on Senior Night on Tuesday.
We would be remiss if we didn't get around to acknowledging Troy High having some success during last weekend's indoor track sectionals.
Freshman Shamiyah Banks won the 300 meter dash for women, while senior Julian Monk, who starred on the football team in the fall, won the men's 300 meters. He & Banks will advance to the state qualifier meet on Valentine's Day. Congratulations to both.
Thursday was a big night for Siena basketball.
First, the women defeated St. Peter's, 75-62 in New Jersey. Francesca Schiro led 3 Saints in double figures with 21 points. Valencia Fontanelle-Posson (Guilderland) did not play, as she may be injured again. We'll know when Siena hosts Manhattan tomorrow, doing their part for National Girls & Women in Sports Day (2 pm, WVCR, ESPN+).
Meanwhile, it was Coaches vs. Cancer Suits & Sneakers night at MVP Arena, as Gerry McNamara's Saints ran their winning streak to 6 in a row in gaining a split of the season series with Iona, 79-72. Gavin Doty had a game high 25 points to lead Siena. More than 5,000 fans packed the arena for a nationally televised game on ESPNU.
UAlbany's men completed a season sweep of Bryant, 65-63, on Thursday night. Isaac Abidde led 3 Danes in double figures with 19 points. However, the women continue to stumble, dropping a 50-44 decision to Bryant in a matinee at Broadview Center. Injuries have been plaguing Colleen Mullen's club, as she dressed only 7 players for the game. The Lady Danes are back on the road on Saturday at Lowell.
The women's bowling sectionals took place Thursday at Boulevard Bowl. Mohonasen took home the Class A title, with Cohoes winning Class B, and Middleburgh taking Class C.
Thursday's high school basketball scores:
Women:
Voorheesville 46, Ichabod Crane 44. The Blackbirds bounce back after losing to Troy on Tuesday.
Broadalbin-Perth 47, Queensbury 34.
Troy 64, Ballston Spa 52. Troy has now won 10 in a row, as they close their non-league schedule ahead of their game with Cohoes tonight.
While it is not yet publicly known who will take over Troy High's flag football program after the departure of founding coach Frank Rogers (Union College), what we do know is that for the 2026 season, Troy won't see any Suburban Council opponents. Instead, the schedule is filled with teams from the Patroon Conference, Foothills Council, and rivals from the Colonial Council.
To the surprise of, well, no one, Lansingburgh won the Colonial Council men's bowling title on Monday at Boulevard Bowl. Troy High placed 6th, while LaSalle finished 8th. Matthew Shanahan had a perfect game to take high single honors for the Knights, while John Lynch had a high triple of 728. Mohonasen won the women's title, with Lansingburgh finishing 5th.
Lansingburgh's Charles Hauser was named league MVP. As for the All-Stars:
1st team:
Gary Mills & Joshua Yando, Cohoes.
Hauser, Lynch, & Nate Herrington, Lansingburgh.
John Cook, Mike Viall, & Lucas Giardino, Mohonasen.
Charlie Hoffman, Schalmont.
Jamari Flowers, Troy.
Lucas Edson, Voorheesville.
2nd team:
Jonathan Szozda, Cohoes.
Josh Cavanaugh, Lansingburgh.
Alex Bombard, LaSalle.
Tyler Fowler, Zachary Zalud, Mohonasen.
Ryan Bedinotti, Ravena.
Caleb Hellinger-Rock, Schalmont.
Aiden Couture, Jacob Hepp, & Sophia Short, Troy.
JP Halle, Voorheesville.
Honorable Mention:
Logan Yando, Cohoes.
Hunter Spann, Lansingburgh.
Cotton Haas, Zachary Gilbert, Mohonasen.
Shenendehowa alum Kevin Huerter is on the move again.
Anonymous sources are reporting that Huerter will head to Detroit as part of a 3-team trade among the Pistons, Chicago, & Minnesota. The deal is awaiting league approval. However, this could be a 4 month rental, with Huerter, averaging 11 points per game, set to be a free agent this summer.
Tuesday's high school scores:
Women's basketball:
Ballston Spa 58, Niskayuna 55.
Albany 58, Burnt Hills 38.
Mohonasen 80, Catholic Central 38.
Troy 64, Voorheesville 36. Make it 8 in a row for the Lady Horses.
Academy of Holy Names 67, Cohoes 32.
Albany Academy 71, Schalmont 30.
Greenville 59, Hudson 26.
LaSalle 55, Ichabod Crane 39.
Ravena 59, Lansingburgh 44.
Catskill 42, Watervliet-Heatly 31.
Shaker 66, Colonie 51. The Wolfpack suffers its 1st loss of the season:
Saratoga 56, Guilderland 48.
Shenendehowa 75, Bethlehem 36.
Columbia 58, Averill Park 52.
Men's basketball:
Columbia 43, Averill Park 37. The Blue Devils host Troy tonight.
Hudson 79, Greenville 51.
Lansingburgh 73, Ravena 39.
Catskill 66, Watervliet-Heatly 48.
Rensselaer 57, Cairo-Durham 33.
Maple Hill 63, Taconic Hills 47.
Schalmont 61, Broadalbin-Perth 55.
Troy 61, Voorheesville 52. Jamil Hood's club snaps a 2 game losing streak.
It looks as though Anthony Weaver (Saratoga/Notre Dame) will be returning to the team that drafted him 24 years ago, the Baltimore Ravens, as their defensive coordinator. All the head coaching vacancies in the NFL have been filled, but one day, Weaver will get his due.
Before the Super Bowl kicks off on Sunday night, Warner Bros Discovery presents the annual Puppy Bowl, which this year, from what we understand, will originate from Glens Falls, with 3 local puppies involved in the halftime show.
The fun starts at 2 on TBS, TruTV, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, and on Discovery+ & HBO Max.
Bowling & swimming will officially wrap up this week, but there's two more weeks of basketball left to go.
Women's basketball:
Current record: 13-2 (10-0 Colonial Council).
Will Harris' club has won 7 in a row after beating Albany Academy, 61-38, on Friday. Granted, the Bears had been in a trap game vs. Shaker earlier in the week, but soon discovered this wasn't the same Troy team they beat a year ago. Four league games remain over the two weeks.
Next: It's a 2 game road trip to Voorheesville (Tuesday) & Ballston Spa (Thursday) before returning home for a rematch with Cohoes on Friday. Speaking of trap games, B-Spa may very well be one.
Men's basketball:
Current record: 9-4 (6-1 Colonial Council).
It can be argued that Jamil Hood's Flying Horses fell into a trap, too, but it was a narrow loss to Berne-Knox-Westerlo, 69-68, on Tuesday night.
Next: Four games in six days, starting today at Duchess Community College for a tournament hosted by old nemesis Kingston. Then, the guys are back home Tuesday vs. Voorheesville, then back on the road for a two game stretch vs. Columbia (Wednesday) & Cohoes (Friday).
Swimming:
Final regular season record: 6-4.
Swimcloud and the local press were never given the results of this week's meets, so we reached out to Troy AD Paul Reinisch, who filled us in. Troy-CBA-Columbia lost to Burnt Hills-Scotia on Tuesday, then came home for Senior Day & beat Guilderville.
Update, 7:51 pm.: Swimcloud finally has the result of the Thursday meet, with the Flying Devil Brothers winning, 55-39.
Next: The league championships take place Saturday at Ballston Spa.
Bowling:
The Colonial Council championships take place Monday at Boulevard Bowl. Hopefully, the layoff will enable Don Poutre's club to shake off the rust after dropping their last four matches.
