Tuesday, January 9, 2024

Anticipation of inclement weather leaves its marks

 We have compiled a list of postponements of tonight's games and meets in anticipation of inclement weather. We may see the same thing on Friday. 

Men's wrestling:

Corinth vs. Cambridge-Salem. No make-up date set.

Schuylerville-Greenwich @ Mechanicvlle-Stillwater. Rescheduled for Thursday, January 11.

Tamarac @ Albany. Rescheduled for January 11.

Men's bowling:

Stillwater @ Hoosick Falls. No make-up date set.

Troy @ Saratoga. Rescheduled for Wednesday, January 10.

Schenectady @ Ballston Spa.

Guilderland @ Burnt Hills. 

Men's swimming & diving:

Burnt Hills-Scotia-Glenville @ Shenendehowa. No make-up date set.

Troy-CBA-Columbia @ Guilderville.

Ballston Spa @ Niskayuna.

Men's basketball:

Troy @ Saratoga. Rescheduled to January 22 due to repairs on the Saratoga gym floor.

Waterford @ Greenwich. Rescheduled to January 17.

Saratoga Catholic @ Hoosick Falls No make-up date set.

Ballston Spa @ Schenectady. Rescheduled for January 22.

Ravena @ Ichabod Crane.

Women's basketball:

Ichabod Crane @ Ravena.

Saratoga @ Troy.

Schenectady @ Ballston Spa.

Information was obtained from the websites of the Colonial Council & Wasaren League, and the Aktivate pages of Suburban Council member schools.



News & notes

 Former UAlbany QB Reese Poffenbarger has found a new home.

Poffenbarger is transferring to Miami, and will challenge for a starting job during spring football, which begins around March or April.
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A quick reminder that tonight's Troy High men's basketball game at Saratoga has been postponed to January 22. No reason was ever given for the change.


But, there is some good news to report for a change.

The Troy women snapped a 4 game losing streak in thrashing Salem, 57-33, on Monday night. The Lady Generals, out of the Adirondack League, took a lead early on a 3-pointer by Sierra Phillips, but after Troy's Amaya Harris answered that with one of her own, it was all Troy after that. As of press time, the score has not been submitted to the press for whatever reason, and we're hoping to get full stats tomorrow.

The Lady Horses (2-7 overall), still looking for their first league win, host Saratoga tonight before going back on the road tomorrow at Emma Willard and on Friday at Schenectady.

Update, 1:25 pm: Aktivate has taken tonight's game off the schedule. No make-up date has been set. Also, today's Troy/CBA/Columbia swim meet at Guilderville has been postponed. Again, no make-up date has been set. Both postponements are likely due to anticipated inclement weather.
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While we don't have all the information, Sunday's men's varsity game between Troy & Albany Academy is the nightcap of a doubleheader at Zotto Gym. Two other Suburban Council teams (Academy is in the Colonial Council), Shaker & Bethlehem, will tip off at 12 noon. The Bison host the Eagles tonight in Latham.
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The rest of Monday's action:

Men's bowling:

Colonial Council:

Cohoes 31, Schalmont 1.

Suburban Council:

Saratoga 23, Averill Park 9.
Troy 27, Schenectady 5. The Flying Horses are back to .500 at 4-4.

Women's bowling:

Colonial Council:

Schalmont 25, Cohoes 7.

Suburban Council:

Niskayuna 26, Ballston Spa 6.
Columbia 31, Bethlehem 1.

Men's volleyball:

Cairo-Durham 3, Taconic Hills 2.

Women's basketball:

Foothills Council:

Queensbury 62, Broadalbin-Perth 48.
Glens Falls 61. Gloversville 30.
South Glens Falls 76, Johnstown 22.

Wasaren League:

Mechanicville 47, Hoosick Falls 35.
Tamarac 55, Waterford 30.

Western Athletic Conference:

Berne-Knox-Westerlo 71, Canajoharie 46.

Men's basketball:

Colonial Council:

LaSalle 64, Schalmont 55.

Western Athletic Conference:

Berne-Knox-Westerlo 73, Canajoharie 39.
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Columbia graduate Kevin Smith is moving closer to home.

Smith, who played with Oakland last year, but had a difficult time offensively (he managed a hit or two vs. the Mets, for example). On Monday, he signed a minor-league contract with the Yankees, and will be at spring training next month. The Yanks are in need of some infield help after letting Isiah Kiner-Falefa walk after the 2023 season (Toronto). Smith joins Tommy Kahnle (Shaker) as 518 alumni on the Yankee roster.

Sunday, January 7, 2024

News & notes

 UAlbany opened America East play on Saturday by handling the New Jersey Institute of Technology, 79-73.

Jonathan Beagle (Hudson Falls) finished with 19 points and 16 rebounds as the Great Danes (9-7 overall) exceeded their win total from last season.


Albany gets a week off before returning home to play Binghamton next Saturday.
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Ahniysha Jackson (Albany) had a career high 31 points to lead the Siena women past St. Peter's, 64-45 at UHY Center. The Lady Saints improve to 2-2 in the MAAC (5-7 overall). Next up is a Kids' Day matinee vs. Niagara Thursday at 11 am.
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UAlbany's women downed NJIT, 77-36. Albany (13-2 overall, 2-0 America East). Helene Haegerstrand led the Lady Danes with 15 points. Meghan Huerter (Shen) added 14 points, Lilly Phillips (Cambridge) added 9, and Abby Ray (Saratoga) chipped in with 4. They will travel to Binghamton next Saturday.
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We promised some stats on Friday's Albany Academy-LaSalle women's basketball game. Kate Gilooly was the only LaSalle player in double figures with 11 points. In contrast, the Bears placed 4 players in double figures as they dominated from start to finish.

The men's game also went to Albany Academy, 55-42.

On the ice, round 1 of the Battle of the Cadets went to Academy as well, 5-4, as LaSalle falls back to .500 in league play, and a game under .500 overall. LaSalle travels to Shenendehowa Friday before returning home for Cadets For Vets vs. the CD Jets.
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As for the Guilderland-Troy men's game, Nico Santabarbara led all scorers with 16 points. Stetson Merritt led Troy with 11 points. The Troy men are idle until Friday due to their game at Saratoga being postponed until January 22. No reason was given for the schedule change.
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In addition, an indoor track meet scheduled for this morning was postponed due to weather, and the announcement was made before the storm hit. A meet scheduled for Union College next Sunday has been cancelled outright. No make-up date has been set for today's event.

Saturday, January 6, 2024

News & notes

 Chase Rose registered a hat trick to lead LaSalle past the Mohawks, 7-3, Friday at Frear Park. The win gets the Cadets back to .500 overall (4-4), and to 2-1 in CDHSHL play. Battle of The Cadets, part 1, is at Albany Academy this afternoon at 1 pm.

When LaSalle returns to Frear Park next Saturday for Cadets For Vets, the annual alumni hockey game has had its start time moved from the traditional 1 pm to 4 pm, clearing some room for public skating. This way, LaSalle has the run of the rink until after their game with the CD Jets.
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The rest of Friday's high school hockey:

Guilderville 3, Mohawk Valley 0.
Notre Dame-Batavia 6, Queensbury 3.
CBA 2, North Rockland 1.
Clarkstown 6, Adirondack 4.
Saratoga 8, Burnt Hills-Ballston Spa 0.
Bethlehem @ Shenendehowa was postponed. No make-up date set.
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Siena's men's basketball team has dropped 7 straight after losing to Fairfield, 93-69, before nearly 5,000 fans at MVP Arena on Friday. Michael Eley was held to just 8 points. Mason Courtney (Shenendehowa) contributed 3 points.
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Troy High's women's basketball team is still looking for their first Suburban Council win of the season after dropping a 52-40 decision to Guilderland at Zotto Gym on Friday. Meanwhile, the Dutchmen completed the sweep by beating the Troy boys, 56-42.

Check the video on the boys' game:



Guilderland also prevailed in a Thursday bowling match, 21-11, ending Troy's winning streak at 2.
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Albany Academy handed LaSalle's women's basketball team arguably their worst loss to date in a 71-41 blowout on Friday. Full stats tomorrow. 
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The RPI ECAC hockey team was happy to be back home Friday, but not so much after dropping a 2-1 decision to Yale. They'll swap opponents with Union, as per normal, as Yale travels to Schenectady tonight, while Brown comes in for game 2 of a 4 game homestand for the Engineers.

Thursday, January 4, 2024

News & notes

 It didn't take long for Union College to find a new football coach.

Jon Drach was introduced at a presser on Wednesday as the new Garnet Chargers' coach, succeeding Jon Poppe, who left for Columbia. Drach spent six years at Wilkes, and was an assistant at Hobart for 11 years before that.
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The College of St. Rose's women's basketball team downed American International, 46-45, on Wednesday, their ninth straight win after losing their season opener. Syrita Faraj (Tamarac) led the Golden Knights with 14 points and 7 rebounds.

St. Rose heads to Massachusetts on Saturday to play Bentley.
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Wednesday's high school scoreboard:

Wrestling:

CBA 57, Mohonasen 18.

Men's bowling:

Colonial Council:

Ravena 26, LaSalle 6.

Women's bowling:

Colonial Council:

Schalmont 18, Mohonasen 14.

Suburban Council:

Niskayuna 17 1/2, Saratoga 14 1/2.
Averill Park 23, Ballston Spa 9.

Men's volleyball:

Colonial Council:

Ichabod Crane 3, Voorheesville 2.


Women's basketball:

Patroon Conference:

Greenville 74, Rensselaer 28.

Western Athletic Conference:

Mayfield 62, Schoharie 31.
Berne-Knox-Westerlo 53, Fonda-Fultonville 32.
OESJ 58, Canajoharie 32.

Non-league:

Colonie 53, Duanesburg 41.
Niskayuna 40, Schalmont 24.

Men's basketball:

Colonial Council:

LaSalle 74, Cobleskill-Richmondville 40.
Albany Academy 74, Lansingburgh 46. The Cadets will seek to complete a sweep of Troy teams when they visit Troy High January 14.

Suburban Council:

Ballston Spa 68, Saratoga 64.

Western Athletic Conference:

Fonda-Fultonville 62, Berne-Knox-Westerlo 37.
Fort Plain 46, OESJ 34.
Duanesburg 79, Galway 33.
Schoharie 48, Canajoharie 41.
Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons 70, Mayfield 61.

Non-league:

Columbia 80, Tamarac 59.
Glens Falls 96, Cohoes 61.
Mechanicville 56, Hudson Falls 45.


Wednesday, January 3, 2024

News & notes

 When Siena plays Fairfield on Friday at MVP Arena, it'll be a homecoming for Hudson Falls grad Peyton Smith.

Smith is currently averaging 8.8. points & 5 rebounds a game, and recently cracked the starting lineup. 

Tip time will be around 7 pm on Friday.
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The NY Racing Association has confirmed the date for the Belmont Stakes, taking place this year at Saratoga. 

The final jewel of the Triple Crown will be contested on June 8, and will air on Fox & OTB TV.
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Tuesday's high school scoreboard:

Men's bowling:

Patroon Conference:

Chatham 4, Rensselaer 1.

Women's bowling:

Patroon Conference:

Maple Hill 5, Coxsackie-Athens 0.


Men's basketball:

Western Athletic Conference:

Middleburgh 56, Northville 34.

Non-league:

Gloversville 51, Mohonasen 35.

Women's basketball:

Non-league:

Queensbury 62, Mohonasen 47.
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Colleges:

Men's basketball:

Russell Sage 77, Penn College 64. Noah Girard (Glens Falls) led the Gators with 23 points. Todd Williamson (Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons) added 12, and Jackson Brown (Catholic Central-UAlbany) added 10.

Harvard 76, UAlbany 71. Sebastian Thomas led Albany with 24 points. Jonathan Beagle (Hudson Falls) added 16. Marcus Jackson (Albany Academy) failed to score in 28 minutes. Albany has dropped 3 of its last 5.

Monday, January 1, 2024

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?
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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.

Wednesday's sectional scoreboard, 10/21

  Field hockey: Class A: Guilderland 5, Colonie 0. Shenendehowa 4, Niskayuna 3. Bethlehem 12, Columbia 0. Saratoga 2, Shaker 0. Next Wednesd...