News & notes

Three days after the game was supposed to be played, Cole Hedden checked Shenendehowa on just one hit, and Niskayuna defeated the Plainsmen, 3-0. The game was played as a home game for Nisky, after it was moved from Bruno Stadium.

Meanwhile, in Troy, Rensselaer blasted Doane Stuart, 13-0, and that game was played at Bruno Stadium, which is why Shen-Nisky was moved.
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Troy, meanwhile, was supposed to host Queensbury in a non-league baseball game, but it was either cancelled due to poor field conditions after morning rains, or it was played and not reported. A quick check of Queensbury's Twitter feed suggests the former.

However, Troy softball dropped an 8-6 decision to Ballston Spa, dropping the Flying Horses to 5-6 on the season. Troy is on the road today at Columbia, while the lacrosse team hosts the Blue Devils tonight.

News & notes

To borrow from U2, it was "a sort of homecoming" for Troy High grads Joe Casale & Dev Holmes Saturday, as UAlbany held their annual spring game at Picken Field, due to Bob Ford Field at Casey Stadium on UAlbany's campus being occupied with lacrosse. Casale is moving from safety to linebacker for his sophomore season. Holmes had a breakout season at wide receiver as a freshman. However, the defense downed the offense, 26-19. Casale has never tasted defeat at Picken Field. I've a feeling that they'll do this again next year if they have the same scheduling issues.
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The Albany Empire opened their season at Times Union Center in front of over 11,000 fans, and dispatched the Columbus Destroyers, 35-19. Tommy Grady threw four touchdown passes in the game, including one to last year's offensive player of the year, Malachi Jones.

Former Troy High star Jordan Canzeri did not re-sign with the Empire this year, which might've put a few extra fans in seats had he signed.
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As of this writing, it appears that the Coaches vs. Cancer doubleheader at Bruno Stadium was postponed again, this time because of cold weather. However, neither the Valleycats' website, nor the four schools involved (Tamarac, Green Tech, Shenendehowa, Niskayuna), updated any information, so no makeup date has been set yet.

Update, 12:08 pm: Shen vs. Niskayuna has been reset for tomorrow at 4:15 at Niskayuna. Tamarac vs. Green Tech has not yet been rescheduled.

Update, 6:51 pm: Per Tamarac's page on the Wasaren League website, their game with Green Tech likely won't be made up at all.
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Congratulations to former Bishop Maginn standout Derrek Thomas, who was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Seattle Seahawks. Thomas will report to the Seahawks' camp for initial workouts in about three weeks. Thomas played his college ball at Baylor. We'll see if he winds up on any trading cards when they come out in the next few weeks.

News & notes

With rain in the forecast all day today, the opening doubleheader in the Friday Night Lights Coaches vs. Cancer series has been postponed to tomorrow. However, rain is in the forecast all weekend, so it's a question of whether or not they'll try to play between the raindrops tomorrow afternoon. Stay tuned.
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Before Troy High entered the Suburban Council in 2015, they'd developed a pretty good rivalry in football with Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake. However, it seems the only sport the Spartans can't beat the Flying Horses in is basketball.

After the Spartans pummeled Troy, 22-2, in lacrosse on Tuesday, the two schools met in softball & baseball on Thursday afternoon, and swept the varsity & junior varsity games. In softball, Troy saw its two game winning streak end in a 2-1 loss after beating Lansingburgh, 5-3, in a non-league game on Wednesday. The Troy baseball club put up a fight before falling, 5-4.

By the way, the box score for the softball game tells us that Troy is now 3-4 in the Suburban Council, 5-4 overall, so it looks like they will advance to sectional play if they can win at least one more game.
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While Joe Bruno Stadium won't be hosting state baseball tournament play in June, teams from each of the classifications (AA-D) will take part in all-star games being sponsored by Built2Win & the Tri-City Valleycats on June 8. Exactly what times the games will be played will be announced at a later date. Bruno Stadium will also host sectional championship games in late May, as per usual.
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With Friday Night Lights pushed back a day, check with your schools to see if your teams will try to play today.

This much we know: Schuylerville @ Lansingburgh and Mohonasen @ Troy have both been rained out, per the Colonial Council web pages for their member schools. However, Schedule Galaxy has yet to acknowledge the postponement on Troy's page.

News & notes

With their backs against the wall, the Albany Patroons defeated Raleigh, 131-112, Tuesday to force a deciding game in their playoff series. Defending champion Yakima awaits the winner. If Albany wins tonight, the championship series could start as early as Friday at the Washington Avenue Armory, ahead of the circus. The only other option is to have all three games (if needed) at Yakima, if venue availability is an issue.

For what it's worth (not much), the announced attendance at the Armory Tuesday was just over 600 fans.
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Troy High's softball team won their 2nd game of the season Tuesday, shutting out Albany, 12-0, in a game called after 5 innings due to the mercy rule. Troy scored 8 in the 4th, and 4 more in the 5th. However, results of the tennis match and baseball game between the two schools were not reported as of press time.

The lacrosse team, meanwhile, dropped a 22-2 decision to Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake.
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I'm told it's up to the home teams to provide game results to the press. Some schools just aren't willing to cooperate, which explains why league standings are daily game results are so spotty. A better idea would be to have volunteers from both sides working together to gather information.

Then again, common sense is in short supply this time of year.

News & notes

The Albany Empire had most of their games on cable television last season, particularly the CBS Sports Network. This year, all of the Empire's home games will air on local television.

Starting with Saturday's home opener vs. Columbus, WNYA, which also airs a select number of Siena men's basketball games, will carry Empire football, per the Albany Times-Union. However, there has been no announcement of the broadcast team for the games. All we can say for now is, stay tuned.
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Last month, after Carmen Maciariello was promoted to head basketball coach at Siena, MAAC Rookie of The Year Jalen Pickett stated he was committed to staying at Siena.

Last week, Pickett decided to declare for the NBA Draft, coming in June, mostly for research purposes. Funny thing was, Kevin Huerter said the same thing last year after his sophomore season at Maryland, and then was drafted by Atlanta.

Pickett is exploring his options, and new NCAA rules allow players to hire an agent, but if they don't formally enter the draft, they then must sever ties with the agent before the next season to retain college eligibility. I guess it's a way to try to stem the tide of one-&-done's, most of whom usually wash out when the reality doesn't match the hype. For the sake of Siena and its fan base, Pickett should stay and play the full four years.
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The Albany Patroons, down 1-0 to Raleigh in the Basketball League playoff semi-finals, need to win tonight to save their season. As bad as attendance has been, per reports, having the game on a school night isn't the smartest of moves, but the Patroons have no choice. The Washington Avenue Armory has a circus coming in this weekend, forcing the Pats to play a mid-week playoff game tonight and likely also tomorrow if they win.

Like, what? The Capital Center wasn't an option? Then again, the Pats don't have the money to afford renting space in the city's newest venue........

News & notes

Sad news to report on Easter Sunday.

Former Troy High swimming coach & physical education teacher Richard Bartis passed away earlier this week at 89. Bartis was the men's swimming coach at Troy during the time I was there, and back then, Troy fielded competitive teams in every sport. The futility of some of today's teams would have frustrated Bartis to no end.
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Meanwhile, Troy couldn't stand the prosperity after their first win of the season in lacrosse, as the Flying Horses returned home Saturday, and were blown off the field by Shenendehowa, 16-4, amidst a mid-day rain storm. The game had been delayed a week due to weather, and the teams decided to take a chance. Got the result from Shen's Twitter feed. Troy? Fuhgeddaboutit!
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Thanks to the Troy Record's "Average" Joe Boyle, we find out, well after the season has started, that LaSalle changed coaches in lacrosse in another stealth change, just like they did in basketball.

CJ Squires is the new varsity lacrosse coach, replacing Shane Hendry, who didn't return for a 2nd season despite a winning record last year, and some of the same players returning from last year's team. Boyle filed his report three days after the Cadets defeated Central Valley, 17-11, in a non-league match on Thursday. Don't know the reason for the change in coaches.
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If you're like me, and you check the Albany Times-Union's website for lacrosse standings, it has to be embarrassing to see the charts this year. There is no page for Colonial Council standings, and the aforementioned LaSalle is listed as an independent. Like, seriously?

Then again, there are no standings charts for baseball & softball. Pathetic!

Shine a light on cancer

The Tri-City Valleycats held what has become an annual event, a press conference to announce the annual Friday Night Lights Coaches vs. Cancer series, which kicks off April 26 at Bruno Stadium. Weather permitting, of course.

The lineup:

April 26:

4 pm: Tamarac, representing the Wasaren (Washington-Saratoga-Rensselaer counties) League, vs. Green Tech (independent). The Eagles were pummeled by Troy on Thursday, and make their second visit to Troy in as many weeks.

7 pm: A Suburban Council matchup is the nightcap, as Shenendehowa plays Niskayuna.

May 3:

4 pm: Another Suburban Council game, as Christian Brothers Academy faces Guilderland.

7 pm: The Colonial Council takes over the spotlight, as Watervliet meets Mohonasen.

May 10:

4 pm: Homestanding LaSalle faces Cohoes in another Colonial Council match.

7 pm: The Suburban Council drops the curtain on the series, as Shaker plays Ballston Spa.

Tickets are $5 per night, and can be had at the Bruno Stadium box office or on the 'Cats website.