News & notes

Union College's hockey team is off to an 0-4 start after losing to Northeastern, 2-1, Friday night. RPI's ECAC squad fell, 5-3, to UMass-Amherst, also on Friday. Sounds like when the two local rivals get together, there might be a shift in the balance of power in the 518.....
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Let's take a look at the Class AA football standings after week 6, courtesy of the Albany Times-Union:

Conference: Class AA

	Conference					Overall
Team	W	L	T	PCT		W	L	T	PCT
Shaker	5	0	0	1.000		6	0	0	1.000
Shenendehowa	5	1	0	0.833		5	1	0	0.833
Guilderland	4	2	0	0.667		4	2	0	0.667
Bethlehem	3	2	0	0.600		4	2	0	0.667
CBA	3	2	0	0.600		4	2	0	0.667
Schenectady	2	3	0	0.400		3	3	0	0.500
Colonie	1	4	0	0.200		1	5	0	0.167
Saratoga Springs	1	4	0	0.200		1	5	0	0.167
Niskayuna	0	6	0	0.000		0	6	0	0.000

After losing to Shenendehowa last night, CBA ends up falling into a tie for 4th place, a half game behind Guilderland in the conference. The downside is that Bethlehem owns the tie-breaker over CBA, and, in turn, Guilderland owns a tie-breaker over Bethlehem, having beaten the Eagles earlier this season. The top two teams, Shaker & Shenendehowa, appear to be locked in to their slots for the semi-finals in week 9. As outlined last night, CBA will close with Shaker & Guilderland, and will need to win at least one of the two to stay in contention. As you can see, we erred last night when we said Saratoga hadn't won a game this season. Just the same, the Blue Streaks, along with Colonie & Niskayuna, have already been eliminated from playoff contention, even though they could play spoiler against Shen in two weeks.

High School Fridays: Beached in The Dark (CBA @ Shenendehowa, 10/11/19)

With Troy High having played last night, our attention turns again to Spectrum News' Friday Night Matchup, and a Class AA bout between Christian Brothers Academy and Shenendehowa. Last year, the Plainsmen blew away CBA, 55-7. Would tonight be any different?

Um, no, not really.

CBA took the opening kickoff, but Fred Smith, a late sub at QB to start the game, couldn't move the offense very far. Shen's first possession started deep in CBA territory, and just three plays later, Billy Beach burst through the middle and raced 11 yards for the score. After the extra point, Shen had a 7-0 lead.

Less than a minute later, Smith was intercepted by Shen's Duncan Hill, who found an opening and sprinted 18 yards to paydirt. Shen led, 14-0, after the first frame.

On CBA's next possession, sophomore Andrew Pemrick, who was supposed to start, relieved Smith, but lost two fumbles in as many possessions, and, as the second quarter began, coach Joe Burke went back to Smith, who got the Brothers on the board with a 9 yard toss to Dylan Jones. Owen Naith added the extra point, and the Plainsmen's lead was sheared in half at 14-7, going into the break. Shen could've added another score before halftime, but Tyler Fort, no longer in the QB mix after getting concussed vs. Troy three weeks ago, picked off Brady Vincenzi near the goal line.

The third quarter was all Shen.

Beach started the scoring again, just two plays into the frame, with a 60 yard gallop that extended the lead to 21-7. Just 70 seconds later, Smith was picked off again, this time by Davonte Terrelonge, who went 19 yards to the end zone. However, the PAT was no good, and Shen was suddenly up, 27-7.

Five minutes later, it was Pemrick's turn to give up a pick-6, as Brandon Fahr picked him off, and rumbled 26 yards for a score, making it 34-7. Beach could've had a third score, but it was taken away by a combination of a holding penalty and an unsportsmanlike conduct call, both on Shen, and it seemed as though the latter was on Beach for taunting. With just over a minute left in the quarter, Trevon Joyner put the game away with a 49 yard run, giving Shen a 41-7 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

On Shen's first possession of the fourth quarter, Michael Decker took over at QB, but Michael DiRenzo fumbled, and Dylan Jones scooped it up in stride to pick up his second touchdown of the game, going 44 yards to the end zone. With the extra point, the score was now 41-14. With under a minute to go, Jameer Austin scored from three yards out for the last score of the night.

Shen runs its winning streak to five in a row in comfortable fashion, 41-21. Up next for the Plainsmen will be a two game road trip, as this was both Homecoming & Senior Night at Shen, starting at Averill Park, which beat Amsterdam tonight, and then at winless Saratoga. Unfortunately for CBA, now 4-2 overall, they have to play Shaker, which blasted Schenectady, 55-6, then Guilderland, which could move up in the Class AA standings after winning tonight.

News & notes

Nearly 25 years after leading the Albany River Rats to the Calder Cup, coach Robbie Ftorek is being inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame in January during AHL All-Star Weekend. Congratulations to Ftorek, who also coached the parent New Jersey Devils during his coaching career.
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Troy High clinched the Class A Capital Division Thursday night, beating Columbia, 21-6. Xavier Leigh scored all three Troy touchdowns, as the Flying Horses clinched their fifth straight division title between Classes A & AA under coach Bob Burns. Blue Devils coach Bob Treacy, now 0-3 against Burns & Troy, can credit his defense for keeping the score as low as it was, as Troy only led, 7-0, at halftime.

While we're at it, let's take a look at the Class A standings as of now, courtesy of the Albany Times-Union:

Capital Division
Troy	5	0	0	1.000		5	1	0	0.833
Averill Park	4	1	0	0.800		4	1	0	0.800
Amsterdam	3	1	0	0.750		4	1	0	0.800
La Salle	2	2	0	0.500		3	2	0	0.600
Green Tech	1	3	0	0.250		1	4	0	0.200
Columbia	1	4	0	0.200		2	4	0	0.333
Albany	0	5	0	0.000		0	5	0	0.000
Grasso Division
Queensbury	4	0	0	1.000		5	0	0	1.000
Burnt Hills	4	1	0	0.800		4	1	0	0.800
Ballston Spa	3	1	0	0.750		3	2	0	0.600
Scotia	2	2	0	0.500		3	2	0	0.600
South Glens Falls	1	3	0	0.250		2	3	0	0.400
Mohonasen	1	4	0	0.200		1	4	0	0.200
Gloversville	0	4	0	0.000		0	5	0	0.000

Troy holds the tie-breaker over Averill Park by virtue of their win last week. They also hold a tie-breaker over Amsterdam, whom they beat in week 2. Should the Rams beat Averill Park tonight, they'd move into second place in the Capital Division, holding a tie-breaker over the Warriors. Amsterdam closes with LaSalle next Friday night, while Averill Park hosts Shenendehowa. However, Green Tech could play spoiler should they beat LaSalle tonight at Bleecker Stadium. An upset over the Cadets would not completely eliminate LaSalle, but stranger things have happened.

Over in the Grasso Division, Queensbury can all but lock up the division title tonight with a win at South Glens Falls, heading into the Battle of The Spartans with Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake on October 19. Burnt Hills is at Scotia-Glenville tonight. Another loss would knock Matt Shell's club down to third place, since Ballston Spa owns a tie-breaker over them from a couple of weeks ago. This could get crazy.

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Troy's soccer troubles continued Thursday with shutout losses to Averill Park. The men dropped a 1-0 decision at Picken Field, while the women fell, 4-0, at Averill Park. The ladies have a week off before finishing at Saratoga next Thursday, while the guys will have Senior Night vs. the Blue Streaks.

News & notes

Troy High's women's soccer team snapped a five game losing streak Monday night, shutting out Hoosic Valley, 5-0. Abby Burns led the way with a pair of goals, giving her a team high 10 for the season. Troy is now 3-11 overall, and are off until Thursday, when they begin a season-ending road trip in Averill Park.

The Troy boys, meanwhile, have a non-league road game today at Scotia-Glenville, hoping to end another losing streak of their own, looking to build momentum toward the sectionals. The guys will play host vs. Averill Park on Thursday night before closing on the road at CBA & Senior Night vs. Saratoga next week.
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A quick reminder that Troy's football game this week at Columbia is on Thursday night instead of Friday, due likely to a Jewish holiday, as they're marking Yom Kippur this week. A win against the Blue Devils will wrap up the Capital Division title for the Flying Horses.
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Glens Falls product Joseph Girard III took a break from classes at Syracuse to attend the Coaches vs. Cancer Basket Ball at Albany's Capital Center Monday night. Also on hand was Patrick McCaffrey, son of Iowa basketball coach (and former Siena coach) Fran McCaffrey, who has been buds with Joseph since childhood. The two will meet on the college hardwood this season as Iowa is set to take on Syracuse as part of the Big 10-ACC Challenge, coming up in December.

News & notes

RPI has posted back-to-back shutouts in football, the University of Rochester the latest victim, to run their winning streak to three in a row going into a two game road trip that starts this weekend at Hobart.

RPI blanked Rochester, 38-0, the same score by which they beat Anna Maria College a week earlier.

For what it's worth, RPI TV will only stream home games, but the radio feed from WRPI-FM (91.5) is available online.
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Meanwhile, hockey season has begun for the Engineers, who took down Brock College, 6-3, in a non-league exhibition on Saturday night at Houston Field House.

While we're all familiar with the Division 1 ECAC Engineers, RPI also has a team in the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA), which had their home opener Sunday vs. Roger Williams University.

However, there were way too many empty seats at Houston Field House, as RPI beat RWU, 4-2, after losing to UMass-Amherst on Saturday night.

The problem here is that the ACHA isn't as well known outside of its member schools, and doesn't get the publicity as the ECAC does.

For what it's worth, RPI's ACHA team will play Siena during the season, as the Saints have a club hockey program of their own. Sadly, the press will ignore these games, but since RPI has started streaming games on the internet over the last year, maybe Siena does, too.
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Former Troy High football standout Matt Ashley is no longer on the RPI football roster.

While we don't know why, whether it's personal, academic, or financial reasons, Ashley's departure from the football Engineers didn't create headlines the way ex-teammate Dev Holmes did when he left UAlbany a few weeks back. Something tells me there's more to this story being kept under wraps.....
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Troy High's soccer squads were shut out by Bethlehem on Saturday. The boys fell at home, 1-0, while the women dropped a 6-0 decision on the road. The women are home for Senior Night tonight at soggy Picken Field in a non-league game vs. Hoosic Valley. The guys are off until tomorrow.

High School Fridays: Feeling in the pink (Troy @ Averill Park, 10/4/19)

"Those that fail to remember history are doomed to repeat it."---George Santayana.

One year ago, Averill Park sat atop the Class A Capital division, undefeated, headed into a Senior Night game at Troy. Once that game ended, the Warriors coughed up the division and the game.

Thus, revenge was on the agenda of Averill Park as they hosted the Flying Horses on a cold, chilly night, where the penalty flags and chalk were pink in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. First place in the division was on the line again.

Troy took the opening kickoff. After a penalty moved them back before a play could be run from scrimmage, Xavier Leigh exploded through the defense, and raced 82 yards to the end zone. However, Jonah Griswold's extra point went nowhere, and Troy was up, 6-0.

But not for long.

Joe Milanese, who burned Troy for a long run last year, did it on the ensuing kickoff, rumbling 79 yards for the tying score. The conversion failed, here, too, repeating a theme from last year's game, and we were tied at 6 after the first quarter.

Things got quiet until the final two minutes of the half. Dan McShane put Averill Park in front with a 24 yard touchdown run, and after the extra point, the Warriors had a 13-6 lead.

Back came Troy, and back came Leigh, who scored his second touchdown, this one for 63 yards off a hook & lateral pass from Nasir Dawud-Soto. The two point conversion failed, and Averill Park's lead was sliced to one at 13-12 at the break.

In the third quarter, the Warriors extended the lead as QB Anthony Childrose scored on a one yard keeper. With the extra point, the lead was now at eight at 20-12.

Then, Averill Park's defense went to sleep, or so it'd seem.

Troy came marching back, with Alex Wolfe hitting Soto for a 9 yard touchdown toss. Wolfe then hit Makai Cruel for the 2 yard conversion, and the game was tied again at 20, going into the fourth quarter.

At that point, it became the Xavier Leigh show.

After Matt Morin fumbled the ensuing kickoff after the Soto TD, Troy took advantage, and on the first play of the fourth quarter, Leigh ran in from five yards out. The conversion failed, and Troy had just a six point lead.

Cruel contributed on defense, picking off Childrose to set up Leigh for one more touchdown, this one a 69 yard run. Xavier Ward ran in for the 2 point conversion, and now, it was up to the Warriors to try to come back.

But they couldn't do it on their own. In front of television cameras again, Troy was plagued with penalties, mostly because of a continuing lack of discipline, but with under three minutes to go in the game, it seemed as though the officials were trying to help the home team. It didn't work, as Darius Holmes picked off Childrose in front of the end zone with just over a minute left to ice it.

In all, Averill Park had five turnovers to Troy's two, as both teams had trouble hanging on to the football on the cold, damp grass. But, just like last year, Troy leaves with a win and the division lead, 34-20.

Troy, though, will have just six days before their next game, as they'll move on to play Columbia next Thursday, while Averill Park plays Amsterdam. In week 7, both teams will have Senior Night, as Troy hosts winless Albany, while Averill Park entertains Shenendehowa, a 35-13 winner tonight over Guilderland.

Advantage----Troy.

News & notes

Albany Academy's Andre Jackson has made his decision on his college destination.

On Wednesday, Jackson announced he would be going to Connecticut to play basketball for coach Dan Hurley. The Huskies are returning to the Big East Conference, starting in 2020, and Jackson is in on the ground floor.

This means, of course, that Jackson will get more than usual press coverage when basketball season starts in Section II in December.
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Troy High knows attendance isn't that great for soccer.

So when the women's team has Senior Night on Monday vs. Hoosic Valley in a non-league game, the school is giving away free t-shirts to the first 60 people to arrive at Picken Field. Justin Haviland's club has a matinee at Bethlehem tomorrow following a 2-0 loss to Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake last night.

The boys were also shut out, 2-0, by the Spartans, and Mike Murnane's team has gone winless in their last four (0-3-1) in that span. The boys' season record now stands at 2-7-2, heading into a Saturday home game vs. Bethlehem (3 pm kickoff).
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Troy & Averill Park are joining forces to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Students and their families from both schools are encouraged to wear pink for tonight's football game, which will be seen on Spectrum News' Friday Night Matchup at 7 pm. With the Yankees in the American League playoffs, getting eyeballs on the game is going to be difficult, either at Averill Park, or for the folks who would rather stay home. It's AP's 1st appearance on Friday Night Matchup this season, and the 2nd for Troy, who opened the season with a 3 hour-plus slogfest vs. LaSalle. As was the case last year, first place in the Capital Division is on the line with these two teams.

Last year, the teams met at Picken Field on the final night of the regular season, and Troy came from behind to win the game, and clinch the division. The Warriors, you know, will be looking for revenge.
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Troy's volleyball team shut out Bethlehem in straight sets on Wednesday, which was Senior Day for the team. The two squads will be rematched at Bethlehem on October 28.
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While it is possible to play soccer in the rain, two Suburban Council matches were postponed on Thursday due to unplayable field conditions. Troy's tennis match vs. Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake was also postponed due to rain, and likely won't be made up. Troy remains winless on the tennis courts this season.