News & notes

 Have to apologize for not posting anything here yesterday, but, as it turned out, we hadn't received anything on any of the Thanksgiving races other than the Troy Turkey Trot.

Buffalo's Maxwell Hoffman won the men's 10K race, while Schenectady's Nicole Moslander won the women's 5K. Waterford's Amy Tortorello won the women's 10K, with Lou DiNuzzo winning the men's 5K.

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Not all of Friday's high school scores had been reported as of press time, either, but......

Men's basketball:

Duanesburg 77, Waterford 24.

Saratoga Catholic 72, Galway 27.

Women's basketball:

Afton 44, Schoharie 33.

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Friday's college scoreboard:

Men's basketball:

Siena 70, Longwood 63. Brendan Coyle led 4 Saints in double figures with 23 points.

Colgate 69, UAlbany 67. Amir Lindsey had 16 points to lead UAlbany (2-5), which plays Fordham today.

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As play continues today in state football semi-finals, Section II is down to 3 teams, and likely down to 2 in the next hour as we write.

Schuylerville currently trails Bronxville at last count, 28-0. On Friday, Greenwich fell to Tuckahoe, 13-7. Have to chalk that one up to the weather. Not only that, but WNYT's Rodger Wyland, writing in the Albany Times-Union, might have jinxed the Witches, saying on Friday that they had the best chance of the 4 Section II teams of winning. Nostradamus, he ain't.

News & notes

 It was billed as "Friendsgiving", and some places said it was an exhibition. A paid admission scrimmage was more like it.

RPI's women's basketball team was invited to "Friendsgiving" with UAlbany Wednesday afternoon, and the divide between Divisions 1 & 3 (or is it 2?) couldn't have been more obvious, as the Lady Danes rolled to a 96-43 victory before just under 1000 fans at Broadview Center. Amaya Stewart led 4 Lady Danes in double figures with 22 points.

Albany opens a 3 game road trip at Bucknell on Monday, while RPI returns home to play Utica.

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So close, yet so far, still.

Siena came as close as possible to its first win of the season in women's basketball, only to fall to Cornell, 49-47. Genevieve Wedemeyer was the lone Saint in double figures with 10 points. Valencia Fontanelle-Posson (Guilderland) played 20 minutes coming off the bench, but didn't score. Azera Gates (Albany) was likewise held scoreless in just 2 minutes.

The Lady Saints return home Tuesday to play New Haven (WVCR, 6 pm).

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Later this morning, the Troy Turkey Trot will step off with the 5K race, with the 10K taking place at 10 am.

Five years ago, however, it was a virtual event due to COVID-19, and the Troy Story podcast took a look back at those days with this video. Patrick Madden was the Mayor at the time. Benita Zahn, then still anchoring the news on WNYT, was the MC......

There are also races in Schenectady, Glens Falls, Cohoes, & Saratoga. Of those, only Glens Falls' Gobble Wobble has managed to attract publicity with a radio ad campaign. Results tomorrow.

News & notes

 While Bill Arsenault is doing his twice-weekly Campus Watch feature in the Albany Times-Union, the spotlight has yet to find Bethlehem grad Kaitlyn Robbins, a freshman forward at Bentley University.

Robbins has appeared in just 2 games so far, coming off the bench, logging a grand total of 8 minutes, as she's being gradually worked into the rotation for the Falcons. She scored 4 points in 6 minutes in a win over Georgian Court, then was held scoreless vs. Southern New Hampshire. Robbins didn't play last night vs. the College of Staten Island, where the Falcons ran their win streak to 3 in a row, 64-41. Bentley plays in the Northeast 10 league, formerly home to the now-defunct College of St. Rose.

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It's not exactly the same as the Albany Cup, but UAlbany will host RPI this afternoon at Broadview Center (2 pm) in what is being billed as an exhibition game. The Lady Engineers (4-2) are coming off a win over St. John Fisher on Sunday, while UAlbany reclaimed the women's Albany Cup from Siena last week.

RPI's men, meanwhile, defeated SUNY Cobleskill, 66-42, last night at ECAV Arena. In front of 245 fans. Kellen Driscoll (Glens Falls) had 5 points in 24 minutes for the Engineers (4-1).

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Siena's women, still looking for their first win, visit Cornell in another matinee today (2:30 pm, WVCR). Something tells me that administration may lose patience with Terry Primm if they don't have any wins before league play starts......

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High school bowling saw just 1 match reported Tuesday, again in the Suburban Council (Colonial Council play begins next week). Saratoga defeated Niskayuna, 21-7, in women's action. We'll be hearing about holiday tournaments starting on Friday in basketball.

News & notes

 LaSalle grad Cam Stodghill is reportedly planning to enter the transfer portal and leave UAlbany.

And he ain't alone.

Stodghill has played linebacker for the Great Danes the last two seasons, and, coincidentally, UAlbany has struggled overall. He played 6 games as a freshman before being redshirted, 12 as a sophomore, and appeared in 7 games this year.

CBA grads Jake Marra & Anthony Diaz, both freshmen, are also planning to leave. Diaz was on the bench the entire season, while Marra appeared in 4 games.

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Section II came out of the weekend with 0 state titles in volleyball.

Both Shenendehowa & Burnt Hills were eliminated on Sunday. That leaves the 4 football teams (Saratoga, Glens Falls, Schuylerville, & Greenwich) still in play for state titles, which will be decided December 5-6 in Syracuse.

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Monday's college & high school scoreboard:

College basketball:

Women:

Bowdoin 68, Union 56.

Rutgers 67, Siena 61. The Lady Saints are still looking for their first win of the season. Valencia Fontanelle-Posson (Guilderland) had 15 points in 22 minutes to lead Siena.

Men:

Siena 73, Holy Cross 69. Justice Shoats led 4 Saints in double figures with 22 points. Brendan Coyle (Niskayuna) added 10.

High schools:

Women's bowling:

Suburban Council:

Ballston Spa 2179, Bethlehem 1868 (total pins).

Saratoga 27, Averill Park 1.

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Hockey season in Section II is set to start this weekend, but there's a dispute between Section II officals and a union representing area hockey officials.

Lawyers for the Eastern NY chapter of the National Ice Hockey Officials Association (NIHOA) are questioning the validity of an agreement between Section II and an all-section officials group forged over the summer.

Stay tuned.

Saturday's high school & college scoreboard, 11/22

 Volleyball season ends today in Section II as the semi-finals & finals will be contested to determine state champions.

On the men's side, Shenendehowa & Burnt Hills have both advanced to the semi-finals.

In Division 1, Shen will face Penfield of Section 5, starting at 9 am. Over in Division 2, Burnt Hills will play Eastport-South Manor, out of Section 11, starting at noon.

Unfortunately, there won't be any Section II teams in the women's finals. Both Shen & Mekeel Christian failed to emerge from pool play on Saturday.

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Section II will send 4 teams to the state semi-finals in football.

Saturday's results:

Class AA:

Saratoga 28, Middletown 18. The Blue Streaks will play top-seeded Mamaroneck next Saturday at 6 pm at Middletown.

Class B:

Glens Falls 40, Ogdensburg 14. Next for the Black Bears will be Sleepy Hollow at Middletown, next Saturday at 3 pm.

Class C:

Schuylerville 50, Saranac 15. The Black Horses will face Bronxville next Saturday at noon at Middletown.

Class D:

Greenwich will play Tuckahoe on Friday at 3 at Middletown, after Tuckahoe took down Burke Catholic on Saturday.

Meanwhile, in 8-man competition, Taconic Hills was eliminated by Morrisville-Eaton, 56-21.

Colleges:

Men's hockey:

Union defeated Colgate, 2-1, in a shootout after the teams played to a 4-4 draw through overtime. The game was broadcast on SNY.

Cornell 4, RPI 1.

ACHA: RPI 6, Rider 1. The ACHA Engineers are now 13-4, flying below the radar.

Women's hockey:

Colgate 3, Union 2 (OT).

Cornell 4, RPI 1.

Football:

Union ends up 1-&-done in the playoffs after losing to Muhlenberg, 34-26. Union finishes 8-3.

UAlbany closed the Jared Ambrose era by beating Monmouth, 31-24. UAlbany finishes 2-10 on the season

News & notes

 Burnt Hills may be one of the dominant teams in Section II women's volleyball, but their run of success in Glens Falls came to a crashing end Friday.

The Lady Spartans could not get out of pool play on Friday, and were eliminated from the Class A tournament. As of now, Shenendehowa (Class AAA) & Mekeel Christian (Class D) are still alive in pool play taking place today.

Burnt Hills' men, and Shenendehowa's, are currently alive in pool play as well.

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We wrote yesterday that Cornwall had already beaten two Section II teams in football this season.

Make it three.

The Dragons upset Niskayuna, 34-28, at Colonie Friday night to advance to the state semi-finals next week. Nisky had a chance to win with 4 seconds left in regulation, but a last second pass went nowhere.

Conversely, Class D champion Greenwich blew out Moriah, 51-6, to advance to the semi-finals.

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Troy sophomore Kyair Carr, despite the Flying Horses losing the Class A Super Bowl last week, was named WNYT's Athlete of The Week, the 2nd such honor this season (The Albany Times-Union similarly honored Carr last month). 

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Siena regained the Albany Cup in men's basketball Friday, routing UAlbany, 73-63. The Saints (3-2) placed four players in double figures, led by Tasman Goodrick with 19. Brendan Coyle (Nisky) added 13. Marcus Jackson, playing against his former team, was held scoreless in 4 minutes. Riley Mulvey did not play (coach's decision). Siena will hit the road to play Holy Cross on Monday. UAlbany (2-4) is now idle until Black Friday when they begin a weekend road trip in Laval, Quebec, Canada.

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The Tri-City Valleycats not only picked up the option on manager Greg Tagert for 2026, but gave him a 3 year contract extension. The extension is actually through the 2028 season.

Meanwhile, two-way player Cam Jones won't return in 2026. Jones instead is taking a job as a outfield & base running coach in the Atlanta Braves organization.

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It wasn't a good day for RPI Friday.

The women's basketball team dropped a 70-58 decision to Nazareth. Men's ECAC hockey fell to 3-10 with a 2-1 loss to Colgate. Women's hockey also lost to Colgate, 5-2. The Engineers will play Cornell today, with the women at home at Houston Field House (3 pm).

Union's men lost to Cornell, 2-1, while the women defeated the Big Red, 4-3, at M & T Bank Mohawk Harbor Arena. The Lady Chargers host Colgate today at 3.

News & notes

 Soccer season is officially over at Siena.

The Saints went 1-&-done in the NCAA's after falling to Seton Hall on penalty kicks Thursday. The Pirates & Saints went to a 1-1 draw through overtime to force the penalty kick shootout.

Now, the students can focus on tonight's Albany Cup basketball clash vs. UAlbany at MVP Arena (WTMM, WJMZ, 7 pm), as Gerry McNamara's club will try to snap a 2 game losing streak. The Great Danes have held the men's cup the last two years, but can't seem to win away from Broadview Center, a malady that also plagues the 3-2 women's team.

Too bad it ain't on TV,  but it should be.

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The state football regionals aren't on TV, either, as Spectrum News 1 ended their broadcast season for football last week. Budgets, you know. A quick look at the 5 games involving Section II schools.

Class AA: Saratoga vs. Middletown (Saturday at 3:30, Colonie High): Middletown came all the way from a 1-4 start to collect an at-large bid out of Section 9. Saratoga is hot right now, and will advance.

Class A: Niskayuna vs. Cornwall (Tonight at 7:30, Colonie High): Cornwall has beaten 2 Section 2 teams already this season (Burnt Hills, Ballston Spa). It's not going to be 3, not with Nisky on a Blues Brothers-style "mission from God".

Class B: Glens Falls vs. Ogdensburg (Saturday at noon, Colonie): Just another road block for the Black Bears to toss aside.

Class C: Schuylerville vs. Saranac (Saturday at noon, Plattsburgh): Don't bet against the Black Horses advancing.

Class D: Greenwich vs. Moriah (Today at 4, Colonie): The wind won't be calling for Moriah today. 

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The only other college result from Thursday saw Union drop a heartbreaker to Middlebury, 73-72. The records of both teams have not been updated at press time.

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The Turkey Trot in Troy, taking place next week, is now being managed by the same folks in charge of the CDPHP Workforce Challenge, which took place back in May.

ARE Event Promotions, under the direction of Josh Merlis, takes over the race this year after the city decided not to renew the contract of previous promoter George Regan. As of yesterday, nearly 5500 people have registered for the race. Mayor Carmella Mantello is expecting as many as 7500 from more than 35 states, but if there were any issues between her & Regan, leading to the latter's departure, it might end up costing her the goal.

You know what they say about fixing something that isn't broken? Someone needs to explain that to the Mayor, and, for all we know, she might suit up to run. After all, she ran in a Mayors Race at Bruno Stadium in 2024........