News & notes

 This first item went under the radar, under-reported, back in July, but it's another body blow to the Capital Region bowling scene.

Tom Walsh, Jr., former manager at Uncle Sam Lanes, passed away in a drowning accident back in mid-July at 62. Walsh was regarded as one of the top players in the 518, but his reputation took a hit several months back, when he was relieved of his duties at USL for accosting a homeless loiterer.

I don't recall seeing an obit in the papers, so it was either kept private, or published only in El Cheapo Media's papers.

Rest in peace, Tom.

==================================================

Wednesday's high school scoreboard:

Men's cross country:

Berne-Knox-Westerlo def. Duanesburg, Cobleskill-Richmondville, and Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons in a 4-team meet.

Women's cross country:

Cobleskill-Richmondville def. Berne-Knox-Westerlo, Duanesburg, & Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons in a 4-team meet.

Men's golf:

LaSalle 169, Troy 174.

Women's golf:

Guilderland 177, Bethlehem 206.

Voorheesville 99, Emma Willard 105.

Men's soccer:

Argyle 4, Hadley-Luzerne 0.

Corinth 3, Hartford 2.

Bolton-Warrensburg 3, Granville 2.

North Warren 4, Fort Ann 2.

Mohonasen 3, Amsterdam 2.

Broadalbin-Perth 2, Scotia 1.

Schuylerville 3, Glens Falls 2.

Queensbury 9, Gloversville 0.

South Glens Falls 7, Hudson Falls 0.

Greenville 1, Maple Hill 0.

Mayfield 5, Doane Stuart 0.

Catskill 7, Germantown 1.

Coxsackie-Athens 6, Watervliet-Heatly 2.

Middleburgh 2, Mekeel Christian 1.

OESJ 5, Fonda-Fultonville 0.

Schoharie 4, Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons 2.

Cobleskill-Richmondville 2, Loudonville Christian 1.

Canajoharie-Fort Plain 1, Galway 0.

Greenwich 7, Stillwater 0.

Cambridge-Salem 3, Hoosick Falls 1.

Women's soccer:

Coxsackie-Athens 14, Watervliet-Heatly 0.

Tennis:

Queensbury 7, South Glens Falls 0.

Volleyball:

Troy 3, Ballston Spa 0. The Lady Horses are now 10-0, and will continue with a string of non-league matches vs. Albany tomorrow, with Averill Park coming in on Monday.

===================================================

UAlbany has released its full 2025-6 women's basketball schedule:

November:

4 Home opener vs. Marist.

7 @ Syracuse.

10 Dartmouth.

15 @ Rhode Island.

19: Women's Albany Cup vs. Siena.

22 @ St. Bonaventure.

26 RPI.

December:

1 @ Bucknell.

3 @ Sacred Heart.

8 @ Colgate.

13 Boston University.

18 @ Vanderbilt.

21 Hofstra.

January:

1 Vermont.

3 UMass-Lowell.

10 @ Bryant.

15 @ Binghamton.

17 @ Vermont.

22 Maine.

24 New Hampshire.

29 @ NJIT.

31 @ UMBC.

February:

5 Bryant.

7 @ UMass-Lowell.

14 Binghamton.

19 NJIT.

21 UMBC.

26 @ Maine.

28 @ New Hampshire.

Game times will be announced at a later date.

News & notes

 It was a good Sunday for Albany Academy at Siena College.

First, the women's basketball team knocked the Academy of Holy Names out of the ranks of the undefeated, 71-45. Holy Names was held to just 15 points in the 2nd half.

Then, it was the men's turn to shine, as Academy defeated CBA in the nightcap, 67-39. We don't have attendance figures for the doubleheader at UHY Center, but even though CBA's fan base travels well, the cold weather may have kept some folks away.

==================================================

24 hours after their women's team fell to Iona, Siena's men's team lost a heartbreaker to the Gaels, 74-73, in front of 5225 fans at MVP Arena in the 2nd of 10 games scheduled to air on WNYA. Niskayuna's Brendan Coyle led Siena with 20 points, while Major Freeman added 10, and Justice Shoats had 16. The Saints are idle until Friday, when they travel to Quinnipiac for a matinee at 2 pm.

===================================================

For those of you reading the Albany Times-Union this morning, the times for LaSalle's men's basketball games this week are in reverse order.

As you already know, the Cadets' trip to Mechanicville on Friday to play Catholic Central is the WNYA game of the week at 7 pm (tip time closer to 7:05-7:10)., but is listed at its original starting time at 6:30. You'd think Rodger Wyland would've given James Allen, who visits with Wyland on Fridays on WTMM, a heads-up, but the T-U can't be bothered to correct their schedules at all.

Tuesday's game at Troy, listed as at 7, is actually at 6:30. 

=====================================================

Some sad news to report.

Local hoops legend Barry Kramer, who later became a state Supreme Court judge, passed away over the weekend at 82. Kramer starred for Linton in the 60's, was drafted by the San Francisco (now Golden State) Warriors in 1964, and played 1 season with the Warriors & Knicks before retiring to go to law school.

During his off-time in 1965, Kramer was part of a local team that was sponsored at different times by Wedekind Motors and Schaefer Beer. He would return to the pros and play for the then-New York Nets during the 1969-70 ABA season.

Rest in peace.

News & notes

 Dog racing hasn't been a thing 'round these parts since Green Mountain in Vermont closed its doors for good a few years back, ending a run of greyhound racing at the fabled track.

This week, the Altamont Fair is experimenting with dog racing, but not with greyhounds. Instead, they're racing corgis, cute little dogs who will attract the kids as well as parents. These races are not for pari-mutual betting, unlike the greyhound or horse races, but, rather, for the entertainment value it brings.

Well, it's better than dog fighting......!

=============================================

Saratoga native Dylan Davis has been rolling, even though he won't catch Irad Ortiz, Jr. for the riding title at Saratoga.

Davis picked up a winning mount with She's Got Will, trained by Mark Casse, in the 6th race on Thursday. She's Got Will returned $24 on a $2 win ticket. Davis now has 20 winners on the season, with 2+ weeks remaining.

Meanwhile, Mountain Twist, a 2 year old trained by Todd Pletcher, and owned by a consortium that includes WROW's Ben Patten, was a winner in Thursday's opener. Ridden by Jose Ortiz, Mountain Twist led wire to wire, and returned $6.70 on a $2 win ticket. 

================================================

The Tri-City Valleycats' game at New England was cancelled by rain on Thursday, and will not be made up. A previous rainout at the NY Boulders in Paloma will be made up this afternoon as the first half of a single admission doubleheader. First pitch at 5:05 pm. That means Jake Reinisch (Shen/Wake Forest) will have another opportunity to torment the 'Cats. 

Now, if only one of those teams could get a cable TV contract......!

==================================================

At least one Olympian from the 518 is getting his flowers.

Melique Garcia (Watervliet) was given a day in his honor Thursday by the Cannoneer City. Garcia raced for Honduras in the Olympics, but finished 5th in a 100 meter heat nearly 2 weeks ago. Garcia will be back in the Olympics. He'll likely return in Los Angeles in 2028.

====================================================

A sad note to close.

Troy High is mourning the passing of former soccer coach & physical education teacher Bill Barr, who passed away on August 8.

Barr taught at THS for 37 years (1971-2008), and in 27 of those years was the head coach of Troy's men's soccer team. He also was the women's varsity coach for a time, and was an assistant basketball coach as well, at the freshman & junior varsity levels. Under Barr, the Flying Horses were perennial contenders in the Big 10 in men's soccer in the 70's & 80's.

Rest in peace.

News & notes

 I can't speak to any ratings numbers just yet, but you have to believe the Albany FireWolves had a difficult time finding viewers Sunday night for a primetime road game at Saskatchewan (airing on WNYA) opposite Sunday Night Football.

The bottom line? Albany enters 2024 4-0 on the young NLL season after going to overtime to beat the Rush, 11-10. Check the highlight reel from the NLL YouTube channel:

Like, it was a happy bus ride back to Albany, eh?

========================================================

We're going to take some time to note a pair of passings in local sports over the last two weeks.

Right before Christmas, Paul "Butch" Lilac, patriarch of one of the most successful sports families in Section II, passed away at 81. Lilac was a two-sport star at Stillwater, where son Bruce is the current men's basketball coach, and grandson Lukas plays for his father after a successful football season. Butch teamed with his brother, Mike, to lead Stillwater to a state basketball title in 1988. He then led Stillwater to a state baseball title 10 years later, then retired. He spent his final years coaching in AAU, and also working as a referee.

Local bowlers are mourning the passing of one of their own on New Year's Day.

Ed Zepf was known to many from his years tending bar at Alpha Lanes while also bowling in leagues at the now-defunct Lansingburgh venue. He also spent 44 years working at RPI before retiring a few years back.

In recent times, Ed had relocated to downtown, but failing health led to hospitalization in the fall of 2023, and Ed passed away on Wednesday at 77.

Rest in peace, gentlemen.

Remembering Joe Hogan (1936-2023)

 This one is filed under, "Oh, you didn't know?".

My only link to former Siena & Watervliet coach Joe Hogan, who passed away last week at age 87, was he was a client of my daytime employers. His sister was a co-worker of mine until her retirement a few years back.

Photo courtesy Siena College.

Hogan graduated from Siena in 1967, and returned to coach the women's basketball team 12 years later. In six seasons (1979-85), Hogan compiled a 119-51 record, and led Siena to the 1982 NYSIAW title, beating current MAAC rival Canisius, at the time the #7 team in Division II. Siena moved up from Division II to Division I in 1984, prior to Hogan's final season. Prior to his Siena coaching career, Hogan coached men's basketball at Watervliet from 1969-76, and taught social studies at 'Vliet until he retired after the 1990-1 season.

Rest in peace.

News & notes

 Once upon a time, Little Falls was home to a Mets minor league team.

Today, Little Falls is home to the Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs of the Perfect Game Collegiate League. The Dawgs have been in playoff contention, but then, the Albany Dutchmen decided to play spoiler, and beat the Dawgs, 6-4, Sunday. With less than two weeks left in the regular season, the Dutchmen have won four straight, building momentum toward possibly getting into the playoffs themselves.

==========================================

The Tri-City Valleycats needed just over 2 hours to defeat the Evansville Otters, 5-0, Sunday at Bruno Stadium. Dan Beebe went 7 2/3 innings to get the win, and has been another jewel in the 'Cats' developing rotation.

Tri-City heads back to Ottawa, Ontario, for a rematch with the Titans on Tuesday before coming home to play the NY Boulders this weekend, and the Joliet Slammers July 25-27.

===========================================

LaSalle grad Zach Remillard didn't play Sunday vs. Atlanta, but he did have an impact on Saturday, as the Chicago White Sox won both days, upsetting the NL East leaders. Remillard drove in a run on Saturday to get the ChiSox started.

Remillard and the White Sox will be in Queens starting tomorrow for a series vs. the Mets, so figure there'll be a contingent from the 518 to cheer on the former Cadet.

============================================

Prior to the pandemic, Raycom Sports had a syndication deal for Atlantic Coast Conference football & basketball. At the time, the games aired on WNYA, which is also home for selected Siena men's basketball games.

Starting in September, Raycom & ESPN will beam ACC football & basketball on the CW (locally, WCWN, Spectrum channel 1212). Siena fans know that WNYA picks up the feed from ESPN3 for home games at MVP Arena, so this is not too dissimilar.

The action starts September 9, and, hopefully, there will be no conflicts with the Mets, unlike last week, where WCWN chose a LIV golf tournament over a Mets game, likely on orders from corporate parent Sinclair Broadcasting.

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Some sad news to close this report out.

20 years ago, Funny Cide captured the attention and imagination of local racing fans by winning the Kentucky Derby & Preakness, but fell short of the Triple Crown, as Empire Maker exacted revenge for an earlier loss in winning the Belmont Stakes.

Funny Cide put Saratoga's Sackatoga Stables on the map, and won 11 races overall.

File photo courtesy The Daily Gazette.

On Sunday, Funny Cide passed away at 23 from complications due to colic. Funny Cide spent his final years on a stud farm in Kentucky. His passing was front page news in today's papers, and almost certainly, there will be tributes at Saratoga all this week.

The Fall of an Empire (Albany Empire 2017-2023)

 What had been built to uphold the legacy of arena football in the 518 was destroyed in three months by a former NFL player whose baggage only increased over those three months.

The Albany Empire is no more, thanks to Antonio Brown.

Brown, who, along with his father, arena legend "Touchdown" Eddie Brown, bought shares in the team in March, became majority owner just a few short weeks later, and it was becoming increasingly clear that this was all about Brown getting back in the headlines, and not what was best for the team. Brown had no clue about running a franchise, and was making personnel decisions on an almost weekly basis, usually on impulse because his meddling had destroyed the defending National Arena League champions from within.

Brown began claiming he'd suit up for the team, and actually practiced on Wednesday, but his disrespectful remarks toward Orlando's John Cheney prior to last Friday's game were, in the eyes of the league, the final straw. Albany had dropped six straight after beating Orlando on opening night (week 2 of the league season). Fans had been lured in for the last home game, thinking Brown would play, but he didn't.

Earlier today, the NAL announced that the Empire, a once proud franchise respected around the league, had been terminated because they weren't making monthly payments under league guidelines, and Brown was refusing to pay a fine for his remarks to Cheney. Couple that with remarks made by Brown to the Albany Times-Union about his admiration for embattled former president Donald Trump, and, well, the handwriting was on the wall, even if most folks didn't see it right away.

Brown's behavior was certainly cause for concern, considering his history of concussions while in the NFL, possibly coupled with either bi-polar disorder, or, disassociative identity disorder, which we used to refer to as schizophrenia. Like Trump, and another bi-polar patient, Kanye West, Brown came across as a narcissist, making himself the center of attention when most owners wouldn't do that. It became more about him than the team, and father Eddie didn't do much publicly to try to stop his son's destructive behavior.

Bear in mind, too, that Brown came to Albany to escape legal issues. Once it was brought up that he owed child support to a girlfriend, he paid that bill. On the other hand, there is still pending litigation regarding a jeweler who filed suit against Brown shortly after the season began.

The league took its position, but instead of terminating the Empire, they should've taken it away from the mercurial, impulsive Brown, and put it in league stewardship for the rest of the season. Now, because of Brown, it'll be a long, long time before anyone thinks of putting another arena football franchise in Albany. When they do, Antonio Brown will be far, far away. He has to be, for his own good, and for the good of the sport.

News & notes

 For the first time since the best of 3 format was adopted, the Section II Class AA title will need a 3rd & deciding game Sunday night at Bruno Stadium.

That's because Shenendehowa forced that 3rd game by routing Saratoga, 10-2. Jason Clawson, son of Shen football coach Brian Clawson, led the way with 4 RBIs on a double and a 3 run triple in the home 6th that put the game away. Christian Mello, pitching on 3 days rest for Saratoga, was the hard luck loser. In all likelihood, the Blue Streaks will go to Michael Mack, also on 3 days rest, tomorrow night.

The game started about a half hour late due to the Class A title game between Albany Academy & Columbia going 10 innings before the Blue Devils scored 3 runs in the top of the 10th to upset the top seeded Cadets, 5-2.

Two more men's lacrosse titles were decided at Schuylerville on Friday. Not surprisingly, Shenendehowa was in the thick of that, too.

The Plainsmen took the Class A title home, beating Suburban Council rival Shaker, 8-7. Host Schuylerville won the Class D title, defeating Stillwater-Mechanicville, representing the Wasaren League, 13-4.

State regional pairings will be announced before the end of the weekend.

====================================================

The Tri-City Valleycats defeated the Washington Wild Things, 6-4, Friday night. The series continues tonight.

===================================================

The Albany Patroons blew away the Tri-State Admirals, 136-99, Friday at the Armory. The regular season finale is tonight vs. Syracuse in the rubber game of the season series between the two rivals, who have each won a game on the road. Game time is 7 pm, opposite the Albany Empire-Fayetteville Mustangs game down the hill at MVP Arena.

====================================================

When Troy High holds its commencement next month, the final farewells for senior star athletes such as Michael DiNardo & Olivia DeCitise, they'll also be saying goodbye to assistant principal Matthew Robinson, who is leaving to be the head man at Ballston Spa. Robinson reached an agreement last month to take the Ballston Spa job, as revealed on the school's Twitter account. Former women's basketball coach Ryan Meikle got on the job training as an assistant principal this season, so maybe Troy was planning ahead, just in case.

======================================================

We have to close with some sad news this morning.

Paul Bishop founded, if you will, Hudson Valley Community College's women's basketball program in 1971, and was its head coach for 28 seasons (1971-99), leading the Lady Vikings to a national junior college title in 1993. Bishop also launched the Lady Vikings' volleyball program, and was inducted into the HVCC Hall of Fame and the National Junior College Hall of Fame in 2003 and '04, respectively. He won over 350 games as a basketball coach, and over 270 in volleyball from 1971-88, winning 3 league titles.

On Tuesday, Bishop passed away at 88 while on vacation in his native North Carolina. He & his family had moved to Troy following a stint in the Army. A wake will be held Tuesday at Bryce Funeral Home on Pawling Avenue, and donations are being accepted at Joseph's House on Ferry Street. Most of us who live in downtown, and didn't know about Bishop's coaching career, became familiar with him as a bartender at a number of Troy clubs, including the Rolls Touring Company.

Rest in peace.

News & notes

 The soap opera surrounding the Albany Empire is getting weirder & weirder.

Correcting what was reported yesterday, former coach and offensive coordinator Damon Ware won't be returning, but instead signed with the Orlando Predators, per returning head coach Tom Menas at a Wednesday press conference.

The Albany Times-Union is also reporting that former NFL star Antonio Brown isn't the real majority owner of the team after all.

Instead, Brown is fronting for a trust based outside the country, and continues to insist he & the trust have 100% ownership. They have 95%. Brown also has business interests in Dubai, which is where all this actually started, one would suspect.

This doesn't even pass the smell test. To this writer, Brown is scrambling to cover his tuchis. Let's not forget the legal issues he's dodging in Florida.

If you think it's a scam, I don't blame you.

Meanwhile, QB Sam Castronova has signed with Jacksonville, and the Empire have replaced him with former USFL player Roland Rivers, who will debut Saturday vs. West Texas.

=========================================

Earlier this week, Albany Academy grad Andre Jackson, representing the NCAA men's basketball champions from Connecticut, threw out the first ball before the Mets' doubleheader vs. Atlanta at Citi Field. Up next is the NBA draft next month.

==========================================

In the early years of the now-defunct Big 10 basketball league, the coaches were just as much stars as the players. Bill Telasky at CBA. Don Bassett at Catholic Central, and later, at Troy High. Gary DiNola at Mont Pleasant and later, Schenectady. Cal Wheeler coached Linton.

At the top of the deck, though, was Paul Lyons, the head man at Albany High.

In three decades at Albany, Lyons led the Falcons to 16 sectional finals, winning 9 titles, and 2 state titles. Current Albany women's coach Decky Lawson played for Lyons, and has kept the winning tradition going, although the men could use some help next season.

Lyons, 77, passed away a week ago. He returned home to Albany to take the Falcons' job in 1971, and never looked back, winning over 500 games in 3 decades of roaming the Albany sideline. A wake is being held today with the funeral on Friday.

============================================

Speaking of Troy, which we weren't, a tennis meet and baseball & softball games vs. Columbia were rained out Wednesday. They'll try again today, but rain is again in the forecast.

News & notes

 With rain in the forecast today, any early season softball games in Section II will likely be postponed today and/or tomorrow. Check with your schools.

======================================

The struggles of George Washington University's baseball team continued on Wednesday, dropping a 9-6 decision to Maryland out of the Big 10. Neither Brett Young nor Anthony Germinerio played in the game. Young found himself back on the bench after a 0-4 over the weekend as his struggles continue.

======================================

CBA graduate Jordan King may be looking to return to Siena, this time as a graduate transfer.

King, who's spent the last two seasons at East Tennessee State, is looking to return home to finish his college eligibility, according to the Albany Times-Union. He'll likely need a waiver from the NCAA to make the move as a graduate transfer, but it's all but assured he'll have a happy homecoming this winter.

========================================

Sad news to report from the boxing world in relation to the 518.

Dave "Ziggy" Zyglewicz, who once fought the legendary Joe Frazier for the world title, passed away Sunday at 79, one day before his hometown of Watervliet was to rename a street in his honor.

Photo courtesy Albany Times-Union.

After hanging up the gloves, Zyglewicz remained a fixture in Watervliet, where he owned a tavern, Ziggy's Corner. In recent times, Zyglewicz had suffered from stomach cancer & dementia.

Rest in peace.

==================================================

Wednesday's local college scoreboard:

Baseball:

Army 5, Siena 4 (16 innings).

St. Lawrence swept a doubleheader from Union, 2-1 & 8-5.

RPI 10, MCLA 8.

Men's lacrosse:

College of St. Rose 15, Dominican 6.

SUNY-Cortland 18, Skidmore 10.

Women's lacrosse:

Connecticut 20, UAlbany 12.

Union 19, Smith College 0.

Softball:

UAlbany swept a doubleheader from Siena, 4-1 & 8-4. Curiously, even though the games were on UAlbany's campus, Siena was designated as the home team in both games. Could be that the Saints' own field wasn't available.

Men's tennis:

Oberlin 5, Union 4.

Women's tennis:

Carleton 9, Union 0.

News & notes

 We only have partial results from Saturday's Averill Park Homecoming women's volleyball tournament. What we do know is that red hot Troy High defeated Schoharie in two straight sets, while the host Warriors were defeated in three by Bethlehem. Saratoga and Guilderland also defeated non-league foes Ichabod Crane and Fort Plain, respectively, in straight sets.

=====================================

We have learned that former UAlbany assistant head coach Jim Sweeney passed away Saturday night at the age of 60.

Sweeney played for the Jets and Pittsburgh during his lengthy NFL career.

Fittingly, the Jets & Steelers met at Heinz Field this afternoon, with the Jets winning on a late touchdown. UAlbany almost certainly will have a moment of silence for Sweeney at their next game.

====================================

We are awaiting the result of Saturday's non-league match between Troy & Catholic Central in women's soccer. You'd think with a morning start, they'd have had the results submitted to the local press in plenty of time, but, nope.

Meanwhile, the men's losing streak is now at three after a 4-0 loss to Guilderland in the nightcap of the men's & women's doubleheader at Picken Field. Troy will have a chance to end the streak with a match vs. Burr & Burton Academy tomorrow night.

Across town, Lasalle played to a scoreless tie with Mechanicville (Wasaren League) under the lights at Sutton Field.

News & notes

 It had been 18 years since indoor lacrosse had been played at what is now Times-Union Center, and will soon be MVP Arena. The Albany Attack later was sold and relocated to San Diego after a 3 season run, which included hiring on wrestler-author Mick Foley to do some TV commercials. Seems Mick played lacrosse in his youth.

Anyway, the Albany FireWolves, who relocated from Connecticut, played their home opener Saturday night in front of just under 5,000 fans. Those that chose to stay home watched the game on TV or listened on the radio.

Coach Glenn Clark and his players felt they let the franchise and the city down after absorbing a 16-7 loss to Rochester, despite a hat trick from former UAlbany player Joe Resetaritis. It's understandable, although team president George Manias was encouraged by the turnout. Albany has three weeks before its next game, right back at home, this time vs. Saskatchewan.

======================================

Speaking of UAlbany, the Great Danes saw their 2 game winning streak in men's basketball end Saturday afternoon in a 66-58 loss to Niagara. De'Vondre Perry led the Danes with 14 points. UAlbany travels to Lehigh on Tuesday.
=======================================

This next item really hurts ye scribe personally.

I grew up watching local & national bowling telecasts such as ABC's Pro Bowlers Tour, and WRGB's TV Tournament Time, with the inestimable Howard Tupper at the mic. Les Douglas was a regular on the show in the 70's & 80's, one of the premier keglers in the 518.

For a few years, I had the privilege of being in the same bowling league, the now-defunct Troy Pro-Scoring League at Uncle Sam Lanes, with Douglas, though never on the same team. And, so, it hit me like a hammer when I read of his passing on Wednesday at 84. With this, I extend my condolences to Les' family, including his sons, Les III, Bill (sports editor at the Times-Union), and Dave.

Les Douglas was a legend in the 518, and he will be missed. Rest in peace.

==========================================

Saturday's college & high school basketball scoreboard:

Men's basketball:

At Hudson Valley Community College:

Loudonville Christian 50, Northville 42.

Middleburgh 54, Heatly 44.

Canajoharie 56, Greenville 48.

Mechanicville 71, Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons 62.

Fonda-Fultonville 48, Bethlehem 39.

Women's basketball:

Bishop Maginn 55, Hudson 22.

Colleges:

Men:

Goldey-Beacom 73, College of St. Rose 71. Shane O'Dell (Schalmont) led the Golden Knights with 18 points, and Adam Anderson (Saratoga) added 11 in a losing effort.

Cortland 94, Cobleskill 75.

Women:

College of St. Rose 52, St. Michael's 51. Nina Fedullo (Amsterdam) had 10 points, including the game winning basket at the buzzer.

News & notes

 Ernie Tetrault wasn't the only local personality to pass on this week.

Former Albany River Rats coach Dennis "Red" Gendron passed away on Friday after suffering a heart attack while playing golf in Maine. Gendron had spent the last 8 seasons as head coach for the University of Maine after spending 11 seasons in the New Jersey Devils organization, first as an assistant with New Jersey, then as an assistant to the late John Cunniff in Albany from 1996-2000. Albany qualified for the Calder Cup playoffs in each of those 4 seasons. Gendron returned as head coach in Albany from 2002-4, dismissed during the 2003-4 season, and replaced by Robbie Ftorek.

Rest in peace, Red.

=====================================

Friday's high school scoreboard:

Men's soccer:

Wasaren League:

Cambridge 2, Greenwich 0.

Waterford 3, Hoosick Falls 0.

Mechanicville 6, Tamarac 1.

Western Athletic Conference:

Northville 6, Fonda-Fultonville 0.

Mayfield 3, Canajoharie 1.

Women's soccer:

Colonial Council:

Cohoes 4, Ichabod Crane 0.

Catholic Central 3, Cobleskill-Richmondville 0.

Western Athletic Conference:

Mekeel Christian 3, Berne Knox-Westerlo 0.

Canajoharie 3, Mayfield 0.

Women's volleyball:

Suburban Council:

Columbia def. Troy, 3-2. Now we know the other reason it was a matinee. Jenalyse Alarcon was among the finalists for Homecoming Queen at Troy (1-8).

Averill Park def. Ballston Spa, 3-1.

Shenendehowa def. Bethlehem in straight sets.

Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake def. Colonie in straight sets.

Niskayuna def. Albany in straight sets.

Wasaren League:

Mechanicville def. Cambridge in straight sets.

Saratoga Catholic def. Berlin-New Lebanon, 3-2.

Football:

Class AA:

Shaker 40, Schenectady 0.

Class A:

Averill Park 41, Amsterdam 40.

Niskayuna 44, Scotia-Glenville 26.

Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake 55, Mohonasen 14.

LaSalle 44, Albany 0. The only way you'd know about this one is via WTEN:

For some reason, LaSalle is getting the Rodney Dangerfield treatment, even in football. The Cadets have won 2 in a row, and have a game yet to make up vs. Columbia. They're at Averill Park next week.

Class B:

Hudson 37, Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk 0.

Class C:

Hoosick Falls-Tamarac 45, Coxsackie-Athens 3.

Mechanicville 14, Johnstown 12.

Watervliet 56, Taconic Hills 22.

Class D:

Cohoes 6, Helderberg Valley 0.

News & notes

 You might not have noticed him, but there was a player with a stint in the 518 on his resume at the Super Bowl on Sunday night.

The odd thing, though, is that Zach Triner, who was on special teams for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, played lacrosse, not football, at Siena. Go figure.

=================================

As more and more Section II teams are getting ready to play basketball, with the first games scheduled for tomorrow, we will keeping a close eye on the action, even though we will not be reporting live due to COVID restrictions. The first results will be up on Thursday.

=================================

Marshall Cassidy had the task of succeeding Dave Johnson as the voice of the New York Racing Association. While Johnson was calling the Triple Crown races and other major races for ABC, and later, NBC, if memory serves me correctly, Cassidy was hired by NYRA in 1979, and spent a decade in the booth at Saratoga, Belmont, & Aqueduct. He would also do some national work as well.

Cassidy, after retiring, made his home in Saratoga, where he passed away at 75. 

Rest in peace.

News & notes

 As of press time, Troy High's season-opening bowling match vs. Albany has not been reported. The Falcons are using Del Lanes in Delmar as their new home base, sharing the venue with Bethlehem. The match was live-streamed on the Falcons' Facebook page, but the feed shows only Albany players and no sign of any Troy bowlers.

Troy's home opener at Uncle Sam Lanes is Monday vs. Ballston Spa.

=========================================

Former Troy basketball star Daniel Buie, who moved to Gould Academy in Maine a couple of years back, is now a sophomore with Northwestern University. The Wildcats are off to a 6-1 start overall (3-0 Big 10). Buie is currently averaging 11.4 points a game.

You might recall that Daniel's brother, Taran, played his college ball at Penn State a few years back.

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To update our report on the Tri-City Valleycats from yesterday, the Albany Times-Union confirmed that, yes, the 'Cats will have to find a new manager all over again. Former 'Cat Wladimir Sutil didn't see the field as manager last year due to coronavirus forcing the cancellation of the 2020 minor league season. Sutil has since been reassigned by the Houston Astros.

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The baseball world is mourning the passing of former Los Angeles Dodgers manager and coach Tommy Lasorda, 93, who passed away earlier.

Lasorda took the Dodgers to four World Series, winning two (1981, 1988), after succeeding Walter Alston as the Dodgers' manager in the late 70's.

File photo obtained from Wikipedia.

Lasorda had ties to the 518, too. He pitched for the Schenectady Blue Jays of the Canadian-American League in 1948 before being signed away from the Philadelphia Phillies' organization by the then-Brooklyn Dodgers. Lasorda also had a comic side to him, playing the Dugout Wizard on the syndicated children's series, The Baseball Bunch, hosted by Cincinnati Reds star Johnny Bench.

The Dodgers most assuredly will wear black (or maybe dark blue?) armbands in memory of Lasorda when pre-season play begins in late February-early March.

Rest in peace.

News & notes

 According to the Albany Times-Union, WNYA (Spectrum cable channel 1215) has signed on to carry Siena College men's basketball home games once again, likely with Robert Lee again at the mic. Would that, in the interests of equal time, they would give the Siena women some opportunities as well.

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Siena has rescheduled their home series against Monmouth College and Canisius, which were postponed due to coronavirus issues.

Monmouth will be in town first, on January 3-4, with Canisius to follow on January 8-9.

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The NFL is mourning the passing of Hall of Fame linebacker Kevin Greene, who passed away on Monday. The cause of death remains unknown as of press time.

Greene, born in Schenectady in 1962, spent 15 seasons in the league from 1985-99 with the Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, Carolina Panthers, and San Francisco 49ers. In recent years, Greene was a defensive coach with Green Bay and the Jets.

Toward the end of his career, Greene dabbled in pro wrestling, appearing in a couple of WCW pay-per-views, including a match against former Chicago Bears star Steve McMichael, who made a smoother transition to the mat game.

Rest in peace, Kevin.

Remembering Joseph L. Bruno (1929-2020)

 Career politician. Lifelong sports fan. The late Senator Joseph L. Bruno was able to unite the two biggest interests in his life to bring Minor League Baseball back to the 518.

As the 21st century began, the closest thing to a minor league baseball team in the region was the independent Albany-Colonie Diamond Dogs, who'd taken over Heritage Park in Colonie a few years earlier after the Yankees moved their Eastern League (Class AA) team to New Jersey, despite the strong fan base the parent club had built for years.

Hudson Valley Community College converted its baseball field into a full-on, state of the art stadium, named for Senator Bruno, to welcome the Tri-City ValleyCats, formerly the Pittsfield Astros (and before that, the Pittsfield Mets) to the 518 in 2002. Despite Bruno's legal troubles in later years, he was still a welcome presence on opening day at the stadium.

Before the 2020 minor league season was scuttled due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Valleycats were among the leaders in attendance in the New York-Penn League every years, regardless of the team's record. Bruno had delivered a winner to Rensselaer County. The 'Cats won 3 NY-PL titles (2010, 2013, 2018), and several divisional titles, and have seen over 80 players move on to the major leagues, including current Houston Astros George Springer and Jose Altuve, White Sox pitcher Dallas Keuchel, Mets utility man J. D. Davis, and Phillies pitcher Vincent Velasquez.

However, the Valleycats will be playing in a different league in 2021, with Major League Baseball dissolving the NY-PL as part of a contraction plan, and, quite possibly, without MLB affiliation. In other words, the 'Cats could be an independent team, as the Diamond Dogs were before them before folding some years back.

It won't be the same next year, assuming the 'Cats will resume playing, with both Bruno and owner Bill Gladstone having passed on, but the memories of these men will be honored.

Rest in peace, Senator.

Remembering Joe Loudis

He appeared in 2 Little League World Series as a 2nd baseman from Schenectady Little League, whose teams were runners-up in 1953, then won it all the very next year. He played four sports at Mont Pleasant, and played basketball for a fellow area legend, Richard "Doc" Sauers at Albany State (now UAlbany). In fact, he'd be more closely associated with basketball for the rest of his career.

Joe Loudis would forge his own coaching legend in Section II, coaching at Cohoes & Mechanicville, leading the Red Raiders to three sectional finals.

In recent times, Loudis, now confined to a wheelchair, would be at courtside while son Eric coached at Schenectady and Lansingburgh, and was present when the Knights captured the Uncle Sam Holiday Classic in December, then came up short in the Class A final in Glens Falls a shade over two  months later, losing to Mekeel Christian.

Joe Loudis passed away Sunday at 78. Eric Loudis was quoted as saying he had a feeling last season would've been his father's last at courtside. The Daily Gazette led with the rememberance of Loudis' Little League title run.

Come December, assuming basketball season starts on time, we'll see if Loudis has the court rededicated in his memory at either Cohoes or Mechanicville.

Rest in peace.

A double whammy for the 518

Any chance of a spring high school sports season evaporated Friday when Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that schools across the state would remain closed for the rest of the academic season, which ends next month. This results in hundreds of seniors being unable to compete one final season in track, lacrosse, softball, & baseball.

The New York State Public High School Athletic Association confirmed later Friday that the spring season was cancelled, shifting the focus on keeping everyone healthy & safe as the warm weather settles in. There are warnings that there could be a second wave of COVID-19 in the fall, and we're hardly out of the woods now.
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While the Tri-City Valleycats, and the New York-Penn League in general, are hoping to start play next month, they will play with heavy hearts.

William Gladstone, 88, chairman and principal owner of the team, passed away Thursday from complications due to COVID-19. Gladstone purchased the Pittsfield Mets franchise in 1992, and shifted affiliations to the Houston Astros in 2001, a year before the Pittsfield Astros became the Valleycats.

Under Gladstone's stewardship, the Valleycats have won 3 NY-PL titles (2010, 2013, 2018) and a handful of division titles while remaining among the top draws in the league, even during lean periods. The 'Cats arrival in 2002 ended an 8 year period without minor league ball. During that time, the unaffiliated Albany-Colonie Diamond Dogs had been playing at now-defunct Heritage Park, and folded within a few years of the 'Cats' debut.

Gladstone is survived by two children and several grandchildren. Wife Millie passed away in 2018.

Remembering Bill Kirsch (1932-2018)

As I was growing up in the 70's, Siena College's athletic teams were then known as the Indians, and they were one of the first teams to change their name, before the hubbuh over the depiction of Native Americans became a national thing. They went without a team nickname for some time, including their first trip to the NCAA men's basketball tournament, if memory serves me correctly, nearly 30 years ago.

That tournament run represented a milestone in Siena history. They had made their first major inroads in Division 1 sports, and a lot of the credit goes to former player, coach, & athletic director Bill Kirsch, who passed away Sunday at 86.

As a Division 2 school, Siena bought airtime on WAST (now WNYT) for a weekly half-hour program with Coach Kirsch. It didn't survive the decade, and if memory serves me, UAlbany (then known as Albany State) did the same for their basketball coach, the late Dick "Doc" Sauers. It was seeing that Siena program that was my first memory of Kirsch and the school.

Kirsch was a star player at Siena in the 50's, a successful coach in the 70's, and as athletic director, oversaw the construction of the Alumni Recreation Center, the home for Siena's women's hoops team. It was just a few years ago that Kirsch was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame.

The current Saints will almost certainly dedicate the remainder of the season to Kirsch's memory. Lord knows they need some divine inspiration.

Rest in peace, coach.