Put a cape on him. Pat Lanoue was Hoosic Valley's superhero on Tuesday night, hitting two clutch, buzzer beating shots to end both the third and fourth quarters in Hoosic Valley's 56-54 upset victory over Cambridge.

This was easily the best game I've seen this season. In the first half, each team played a little sloppy. Hoosic Valley missed a number of open shots and Cambridge turned the ball over too many times.

In the 3rd, Cambridge's Shea Bromirski hit a 3 to tie the game at 34, then Lanoue came right back with his own at the buzzer to put Hoosic Valley up 37-34 going into the final quarter.

The gym was electric the entire game - the lead switching hands or reverting to a tie 7 times in the fourth quarter.

Bromirski scored 15 in the fourth and Lanoue added only 6, but his final bucket was gigantic.

You can read my story by clicking here.

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The Wasaren League is now jammed at the top - Hoosic Valley, Cambridge and Schuylerville at tied at 9-2. Schuylerville travels to Cambridge on Feb. 5th, a game that may well decide the league title.

--

As always, your comments and questions are appreciated. Send them to us at troyrecordsports [at] gmail.com

-- Will Montgomery

La Salle Institute's head coach Sean Brown has resigned today, according to various reports.

The Cadets, (3-8, 6-9) were having their struggles on the court this season and as of yet, we do not have a reason for the resignation.

I covered three of LSI's games this season (all at CCHS' gym, no less) and the Cadets did play hard in their games, certainly giving CCHS a challenge for three quarters on Jan. 11th. LSI just didn't have the one-two punch that could hang with CCHS' Jordan Gettings and Devin Grimes.

--
We will also cover the Niskayuna/Averill Park girls game tonight as well as the Wasaren League boys showdown between Cambridge and Hoosic Valley.
Both games figure to be exciting and should determine how league standings and playoff seedings play out.

--Will Montgomery

It was another busy weekend of girls high school hoops. Sectionals are right around the corner and teams are starting to elevate their games. Here's a look at some of this weekends big winners.
Niskayuna 51, Columbia 34: The Silver Warriors (10-1, 12-3) continue to play strong team basketball. Emily Bayly had 21 points against a Blue Devils team that prides itself on defense. They have a huge game against a resurgent Averill Park team on Tuesday night. The Warriors have won seven of their last eight, the loss coming to Suburban Council power Shenendehowa. Averill Park is the 17 ranked class A team in the state and has super sophomore Kaite Duma averaging 16.1 points a game.
Hoosic Valley 41, Hoosick Falls 17: I'm running out of words to describe the Indians defense. They just plain refuse to let opposing teams score. They gave up 4 points in the first half, that's right four points. Two in the first quarter, two in the second.It will be interesting to see if the move up in class from C to B will effect them at all in sectionals this year.
Schenectady 69, Bishop Maginn 47: The Lady Patriots routed their Big 10 rivals on Friday night. Maginn won its first 10 games of the year but have since lost five of their last six. Schenectady is now 6-4 in the Big 10 and 11-6 overall and is getting big games from the trio of Sheila Dixon, Samara Butler and Rachel Csakany.
Catholic Central 43, Nottingham 40: The Lady Crusaders have won 10 straight games since a loss to Amsterdam on December 21. Their getting contributions from on both ends of the floor from Olivia DeMarco, Alison McGrath, Lauren Iachetta, and Carly LaBombard. They'll put that winning streak on the line on Friday night when they travel to Amsterdam for a rematch. They'll need to stay hot if they're going to beat the number one class A team in the state.
Lansingburg 45, Voorheesville 32: The Knights used a big second half from sophomore Jamiesha Bruton to top the Blackbirds. The win keeps them in the mix in the tough Colonial Conference. They still have Mechanicville, Watervliet and Holy Names left on their schedule before sectionals roll around.

Catholic Central's Alison McGrath will play college basketball at the College of Saint Rose, accpeting a full athletic scholarship from coach Karen Haag.

The Crusaders will host a celebration on Monday the 28th at 3 pm in the Mons. Burns gymnasium at CCHS.

Friday night recap:

Cairo's Joe Esposito picks up a loose ball in front of Rensselaer's Zach Reynolds (L) and Shane Brozowski (10). (J.S. Carras — The Record)


There were a number of upsets Friday night, including the Cairo-Durham surprise win at Rensselaer. It was certainly a strange week for the players - no classes unless they had Regents exams - and SATs were administered on Saturday.

In Rensselaer, the Rams took a 13-point advantage in the second quarter, but allowed the Mustangs back into the game with an 8-0 run. Hunter Phillips scored 21 for Cairo-Durham and sparked the win with a couple of key 3s and some clutch free throw shooting down the stretch.

A heartbreaking loss for the Rams - Justin Wilkinson and Shane Brozowksi both had chances at the charity stripe with fewer than 30 seconds to go - but an immensely entertaining one for a disinterested party like myself to enjoy.

The Rams' new gym is very nice - although they could use another scoreboard on the opposite wall. From where I was sitting at the scorers' table, it was impossible to see how much time remained. Rensselaer also built a big balcony overlooking the court, above the bleachers, which was an interesting touch.

In other upsets, Columbia beat Niskayuna in the Suburban Council, Amsterdam squeaked past La Salle in the Big 10 and Schenectady also led Bishop Maginn at halftime. The Griffins had a strong second half, thanks to Khaliq Gross' 21 total points, and make quick work of the Patriots.

--

Just as the Giants prepare to battle the Patriots again in the Super Bowl (they played each other in week 17) two high school basketball games next week are also important rematches.

On Tuesday, Cambridge travels to Hoosic Valley in a game that may well determine how the Wasaren League will shake out. These two teams met in Cambridge on December 18th, Hoosic Valley pulling off a 56-53 victory, handing Cambridge its first loss of the season.

Hoosic Valley's Pat Lanoue and Cambridge's Shea Bromirski went toe-to-toe, with both players scoring 29 points. Bromirski is the area's leading scorer at 28.6 points per game, but Lanoue is right behind in the No. 3 position, scoring 23.4 ppg.

Since the first meeting, each team has been on fire. Cambridge is on a 9-game winning streak since the loss and Hoosic Valley has gone 8-1 in the same period, their only loss coming to Argyle in Argyle's Christmas Tournament.

Hoosic Valley's Pat Lanoue (23) drives to the hoop against Schuylerville earlier this season. (Photo - http://www.hoosicvalley.k12.ny.us)

This game is critical in determining who will win the Wasaren League - Cambridge holds a one-game advantage over both Hoosic Valley and Schuylerville. It also marks the last time Bromirski and Lanoue will play each other as high school players. Bromirski has already committed to the College of Saint Rose next season.

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On Friday, the Big 10 gets its rematch of the season when CBA travels to Albany to take on Bishop Maginn. These two teams met on December 21st at the Washington Avenue Armory in a game that came down to the final minutes. Taran Buie had a big steal for the Griffins with about two minutes to go, giving them a 46-42 lead that would eventually turn into a 54-45 victory.

If Maginn can go 2-0 against CBA, they will all but lock up a Big 10 regular season championship, ending CBA's two-year reign as Big 10 title-holder.

As talented a team Maginn is, CBA will undoubtedly be up for the task and should give it a great try. I have a feeling these teams might meet again in the class AA sectionals though. And just ask Maginn how important the regular season title is during the tournament. After going 0-2 against CBA in the regular season last year, the Griffins beat the Brothers in the finals and advanced all the way to the state finals in Glens Falls.

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Other games of note this week:

Sunday, Jan. 27th

Girls Basketball -

Nottingham at Catholic Central, 2 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 29th

Boys Basketball -

Bishop Gibbons at Bishop Maginn, 7:30 p.m.

Guilderland at Shenendehowa, 7:30 p.m.

A two-game Suburban Council White Division battle royale:

Burnt Hills at Mohonasen, 7:30 p.m.
Averill Park at Niskayuna, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 30th

Boys Basketball -

Maple Hill at Ichabod Crane, 7 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 1st

Boys Basketball

Suburban Council White Division showdown continues:
Niskayuna at Burnt Hills, 7:30 p.m.
Mohonasen at Averill Park, 7:30 p.m.

Mechanicville at Albany Academy, 7:30 p.m.

Cambridge at Tamarac, 7:30 p.m.

Girls Basketball

Catholic Central at Amsterdam, 7:30p.m.
Albany High at Bishop Maginn, 7:30p.m.

Cohoes at Watervliet, 7:30p.m.

Hockey

CBA at La Salle (@ HVCC rink), 7:20 p.m.

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Patroon Conference Coaches vs. Cancer Event Set

On Saturday, January 2nd, check out all 10 Patroon Conference boys teams in action at Nolan Gym on the campus of Saint Rose in Albany. It's for a good cause too.

Proceeds from the event ($5 adults, $2 students, family of four or more, $12) go to the American Cancer Society. Game times are 11 am, 1 pm, 3 pm, 5 pm and 7 pm. Pairings are to be determined.

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As always, drop us a line with your comments, insights and/or suggestions to troyrecordsports [at] gmail.com

-- Will Montgomery

Girl's basketball action will get back underway on Friday night after a quiet week due to MLK day and Regents exams. Here's a quick look at some of the big games.
Big 10
Amsterdam (8-0, 15-0) is the top team in the Big 10 and the top AA team in the state. They have the conference all but wrapped up so let's take a look at the teams battling to finish behind the Rams.
Troy at Catholic Central: There's no other way to say it, the Lady Crusaders are on fire right now. Since a 77-55 loss to Amsterdam on December 21 they have rattled off eight wins in a row. With Bishop Maginn losing four out of their last five the Crusaders are now back in the mix in the Big Ten behind Amsterdam. They picked up two non-conference wins this past weekend at the Our Lady of Lourdes Tournament in Poughkeepsie and now head back into conference play. Head coach Christine LaBombard was concerned her team was just expecting to win instead of working for the win when they took the court early in the year. The team's success in recent years meant they had a bull's eye on their backs as each opponent gunned to knock them off.
Since that loss to Amsterdam though the Crusaders seemed to have found what was missing early in the year. They are playing with more aggressively on both sides of the ball and have stepped up the intensity. Senior Lauren Iachetta has provided the spark on defense and Alison McGrath and Olivia DeMarco have become more of the offensive threats they were expected to be in the beginning of the season.
They'll get their shot at two teams above them in the Big Ten with games against Amsterdam and Albany before the end of the regular season.
While the Flying Horses of Troy don't have the record of a contending team they have a knack for pulling off the upset. They've posted wins over Catholic Central and Bishop Maginn this year and played Amsterdam tough before losing 44-26 on Martin Luther King Day. Junior Shannon Jones was hurt in the win over Maginn leaving a hole at the guard spot. They've lost all three games since then and need her ball handling skills to play at their full potential.
Schenectady at Bishop Maginn: The Patriots are another team staying in the battle for second place in the Big 10. Junior Sheila Dixon has played outstanding basketball this season averaging 14.9 points a game. The Lady Patriots are anything but a one woman team though. Samara Butler and Rachel Csakany provide size in the paint but are both capable of hitting the outside shot. With Maginn, Amsterdam and Albany left on their schedule they'll have their chance to move up in the Big 10.
The Griffins didn't lose a game until the first week of January when they fell to Amsterdam. They've lost three more since then and are falling fast in the Big 10 standings. They certainly have the talent to get back on track before the end of the regular season with junior Mariah Stewart leading the way. Stewart is one of the top scorers in section 2 averaging
16.5 points a game. The Griffins will need her and fellow juniors Stephanie Herold and Alexis Osborne to step up if they want to get back to winning before it's too late.
Suburban Council
Columbia at Niskayuna
The Silver Warriors (9-1, 11-3) are in first place in the Suburban's White Division and have won five in a row coming into Friday's game. Emily Bayly's 15 points a game lead the Warriors who look like a team no one would want to face in the sectionals. They hold wins over Averill Park, Shenendehowa, and Colonie this season.
The Blue Devils are coming off a three point overtime loss at home to Bethlehem last Friday night. They are playing well for first year varsity head coach Kathleen Smith and are the defending Suburban Council Tournament champion. Seniors Lauren Hayes, Lauren Hannmann and Tiana Lott along with junior Gabi Regan will have Columbia gunning to win back to back Suburbans come tourney time.
Colonial Council
Voorheesville at Lansingburgh
Mechanicville and Cohoes are on top in the Colonial Council this year at 10-1 and 10-2 respectively. The next four teams in the league are pretty bunched together, (Watervliet 7-4, Voorheesville 6-4, Holy Names 7-5 and Lansingburgh 5-6).
The Blackbirds (6-4, 7-7) are coming off a 44-40 overtime win over Holy Names last Friday.
Senior Heather Bates scored six of her teams eight points in overtime to pull out the victory. Bates and teammate Casey Becerra finished with a team high 11 points for the Blackbirds.
The Knights are a young team led by a trio of sophomores Ariana Youngs, Alyssa Fane and Jameisha Bruton. They've lost their last two games to Ravena and Cohoes and will look to rebound against the Blackbirds. They've posted wins over cross town rival Troy of the Big 10 and beat Colonial power Holy Names. They'll need to repeat those performances if they want to take down Voorheesville Friday night.

Remember Cohoes' Courtney Galuski and her 15 3-point field goal effort from a few weeks back? Sports Illustrated sure took notice.
Galuski will be featured in the magazine's Faces in the Crowd segment - quite an impressive honor.

You can also see video and a short profile online by clicking here.

I think we'll be hearing more from Ms. Galuski come springtime. She's the ace pitcher on the Tigers' softball team as well, a team that made it to the state's final 4 last season.

What a wonderful day of basketball yesterday at the Siena College ARC. Hats off to the folks at Albany Academy that made it happen. The proceeds went to the American Cancer Society.

--
LOUDONVILLE - The first game counted as a Suburban Council game between Mohonasen and Saratoga. Mohon actually gave up a home game to play at the event, but coach Ken Dagostino and his team had a little extra motivation for this one. The Warriors' junior guard, Joe Watroba, is in remission from lymphoma. "It was worth giving up a home game for, if no other reason than Joey," said Dagostino. "I hope we get aninvitation back."
As for the game, it was an intense back and forth battle in the first half.
For three and a half quarters, Saratoga Springs andMohonasen traded offensive blows from behind the 3-point arc. Mohonasen's Cameron Couball hit 5 3-pointers in the first half, but it was his two foul shots late in the fourth quarter that sealed a 55-49 Suburban Council victory. "Obviously, I didn't do a good job of scouting and knowing who theshooter was," said Saratoga (2-8, 4-10) head coach Mitch Snyder of Couball's 18 points in the first half. "We couldn't find him and hewas hitting open shots."
Couball finished with 26 points and was named to the all-tournamentteam for Mohonasen (6-4, 9-5). Saratoga's Tony Deloatch was impressive from long range as well, draining 5 on his way to 17 total points."Coach said that he (Couball) had 18 and we had to shut him down andjust try to win this game," Deloatch said of Snyder's halftime peptalk.
The Blue Streaks took a 23-22 lead into the break behind 8 points apiece from Deloatch and James Tucker. Tucker wound up with 14 points and was also named to the all-tournament team.
The Blue Steaks held Couball to a single trey in the second half, a buzzer-beating basket to end the third quarter that gave the Warriors a 36-34 lead. 9 separate times in the third quarter, the lead changed hands or reverted to a tie.
Both teams continued the seesaw pitch in the fourth quarter untilMohonasen's Jordan Macejka went up for a basket and was fouled on the play. Macejka's shot counted, but he missed the free throw, with the Warriors retaining possession on the rebound. The Warriors found Macejka in the corner for a 3-pointer, which put Mohonasen ahead46-38.
"It's tough for us," Snyder said of the loss. "I think our effort is there and I think we played hard but we did a lot of things to shoot ourselves in the foot."
Although the Streaks couldn't stop Couball in the first half, Saratoga held him to only 8 points in the second half. "Yeah, I definitely knew they were going to come out and pressure me more," Couball said of his second half expectations. "I just had toplay within the team game instead."
"We just played our hearts out and took it to the end, we just couldn't pull out the win," Deloatch said.
"We're kind of searching for our identity still because of thesituations we've gone through as a team," Snyder said. "Fortunately,we're trying new things and trying to find what will work for us still."
One of the situations Snyder alludes to is the absence of Jordan Stevens, still out with a hand injury.
Other players like Tucker,Deloatch and Ryan James have made an effort to pick up the slack. "We had a couple of guys step their games up a little bit, which I was proud of," said Snyder. "And then several guys disappeared."
Still, Snyder said, "It's nice to be invited to a tourney like this, it was very well done."

--
In the second game, Bishop Maginn absolutely demolished downstate foe White Plains, 71-50. The offense was high-flying, with the Griffs cuasing turnovers all over the court. That said, Maginn's defense really clamped down in the second half, limiting White Plains' high-scorer Sean Kilpatrick to a lone field goal in the third and fourth quarters.
Quarterback/point guard Bunduka Kargbo was a large part of that defense (Coach Rich Hurley called Kargbo a "warrior" after the game).
Taran Buie and Terron Victoria were named all-tournement team selections, with 20 and 15 poitns respectively. Kargbo totaled 10 points (two of his five field goals were dunks).
Shimeek Johnson had a pretty quiet 9-point night, but the Griffins really didn't need much from him in the game.
Also of note, Maginn did not give up a 3-point basket to White Plains.
There wasn't a clear turning point in the game since the Griffins took a 6-point lead into the break and then outscored the Tigers 20-8 in the third quarter. It was just an avalanche.
Here's how the run shook out in the third quarter (note how everyone contributed)
Buie FG
James 1/2 FT
Davis FG
Davis FG
Kargbo FG
Ward FG
Buie 2/2 FT
WP Time out
Ward 1/2
Victoria 3 ptr
James FG
Walker FG
Gross 3 ptr
BM Time out
Victoria FG
Gross 2/2 FT
The Griffs have to be feeling pretty good about that one, but their lsat big test before sectionals comes Friday, February 1st against CBA. The game is scheduled to be held at Maginn's home gym, but could potentially move to a larger venue if demand is high enough.

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Albany Academy really saved the best for last. A young yet talented team against the 3-time defending state champion Peekskill? No one had really expected much of a battle from the Cadets, but that's exactly what we got.
Peekskill features Syracuse-bound Mookie Jones, and although Mookie scored 23 points and was named player of the day, the Cadets did an admirable job slowing him down. Shavar Fields, a sophomore, was faced with that task for most of the day before fouling out with four minutes to go.
To say Fields' presence was sorely missed is an understatement.
As soon as Fields left the floor, the Cadets' 3 point lead quickly turned into a 7 point deficit after two Peekskill 3-pointers, a field goal and two Jones free throws after Academy coach Fruscio was called for a technical foul.
Chris Pelcher then tipped one in to bring the deficit to 5 and Nolan Hart came off the bench, hit a 3 and sat right back down.
All of a sudden, Academy trailed by only 2 with less than a minute to go.
Then, Peekskill called a timeout, rallied the troops and got an insurance basket from Elliot Watson (also named all-tournament) to clinch a 62-58 victory.
Pelcher, Tyler Foster and Jamel Fields each scored 14 points for the Cadets. Shavar Fields chipped in with 10 and Hart and Jimmer Bennett each added 3.

The most telling thing about this team was their quick rebound from rock bottom. After Shaver fouled out, Jamel Fields had to miss a short period of game time after falling hard on the floor. Peekskill took that opportunity to go on a 10-0 run, and appeared to put the game out of reach. Then Nolan Hart hit that 3 and everyone was a beleiver again.
Here's how that 4th quarter unfolded:
Peekskill Time out
Fields, S. FG (51-48 AA leads)
Jones 0/2 FT (first time to line all night)
Watson FG
Fields, J. 2/2 FT
Fields, S. fouls out
Brickhouse 3ptr (53-53)
Watts 3ptr
Fields, J. (out until next stoppage)
Thomas FG
AA Time out
Technical foul on Fruscio
Jones 2/2 FT (60-53 PK)
Pelcher FG
Peekskill Time out
Hart 3 (60-58 PK)
AA Time out
Peekskill Time out
Watson FG

Other class A teams in the area have toughened up during their regular season. Bishop Gibbons, for example, plays agasint AA teams in the Big 10. Burnt Hills, Mohonasen and Averill Park also play larger schools in the Suburban. Lansingburgh also has to battle through two games with Academy and other tough B and C oppoentns in the Colonial.
Still, the Cadets, while the youngest team, are the most battle-hardened going into Sectionals, and knowing they can hang with the No. 1 team in the state must be an immense confidence booster to them.

Congratulations again to all the players involved and I hope we get the chance to do this again next year.
--
Academic All-Stars:
Saratoga - Mark Kiley
Mohonasen - Anthony Robustiano
White Plains - Nick Cutsumpas
Bishop Maginn - Billy Blake
Peekskill - Gus Santiago
Albany Academy - Phil Cushing

All-Tournament Team:
Saratoga - James Tucker
Mohonasen - Robert Tedesco and Cameron Couball
White Plains - Sean Kilpatrick
Bishop Maginn - Taran Buie and Terron Victoria
Albany Academy - Jamel Fields
Peekskill - Elliot Watson and Mookie Jones

Player of the day: Mookie Jones

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As always, please send us your comments, questions and rants to troyrecordsports [at] gmail.com

-- Will Montgomery

Since most schools are taking it easy with Regents week and the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday until next Friday, here is a list of next week's games.

Saturday, Jan. 19th
Hockey
CDHSHL
Queensbury at La Salle, 7:20 p.m.
Shenendehowa at Shaker/Colonie, 6:30 p.m.
South Glens Falls at Burnt Hills/Scotia, 7:45 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 20th
BOYS BASKETBALL
Non-league
Coaches vs. Cancer Challenge at Siena College ARC
Saratoga vs Mohonasen, 2 p.m.
White Plains vs Bishop Maginn 4 p.m.
Peekskill vs Albany Academy 6 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 21st
BOYS BASKETBALL
Big 10
La Salle at CBA, 4 p.m.
Albany at Bishop Gibbons, 7:30 p.m.
Troy at Amsterdam, 7:30 p.m.
Schenectady at Catholic Central, 7:30 p.m.

GIRLS BASKETBALL
Big 10
Bishop Gibbons at Albany High, 7:30p.m.
Amsterdam at Troy, 7:30p.m.

Wednesday, Jan 23rd
BOYS BASKETBALL
Non-league
Cohoes at Schuylerville, 6 p.m.

Hockey
CDHSHL
Glens Falls at La Salle, 6:50 p.m.




Full league play resumes on Friday the 25th.

-- Will Montgomery

Let's go through the slew of important games on the high school docket tonight.

--

Big 10 - CCHS @ CBA

Catholic Central dearly needs a win to get back into things in the Big 10. Bishop Maginn and CBA have had the Crusdaers' number this season - those two teams handing CCHS its only three losses of the season.

Jordan Gettings and Devin Grimes may be inclined to keep this a fast-paced jump shot style game, but they can't allow CBA's Deandre Kennedy to grab all the rebounds inside. I imainge Grimes and Kennedy and Gettings and CBA's Malcolm Austin will be guarding one another all game, so CBA's Andrew Stire (at 6 foot 9) might have a field day inside.

That said, CCHS's supporting cast can hit 3-pointers when they're up to it, so this game should be fairly close. Even if CCHS goes 0-4 against Maginn and CBA, they should still finish third in the league.

--

Suburban Council - Shen @ Averill Park

The Warriors find themselves at the bottom of the White Division after a promising start to the season. Now may be the best time to catch Shen off guard, since the Plainsmen are coming off consecutive losses. Neither team can really afford to lose tonight.

--

Colonial Council - Lansingburgh @ Cohoes

&

Voorheesville @ Albany Academy

Cohoes got thumped by Mechanicville on Tuesday and could use a win against 'Burgh to get back into the thick of things. However, the Knights rolled in their first meeting and unless the Tigers' Nick Benoit and Ryan Potyrola can get it together on the same night, 'Burgh should roll again.

The Cadets remain undefeated in the Colonial at 10-0, but have appeared vulnerable for stretches of games this season. The Blackbirds have been a surpirsing team at 6-3 and could jockey a little higher with an upset. Perhaps Voorheesville can catch the Cadets looking ahead to Sunday's non-league game against Peekskill, #1 in the state.

Hoosic Valley's Justin Blasi (5) and Alex McNeice (12) crowd Tamarac's Matt Dixon during a game on January 15th. (Photo - Tom Killups - The Record)

Wasaren League - Schuylerville at Hoosic Valley

Crucial game here for league supremacy. Schuylerville is currently tied with Cambridge in the top spot, but Hoosic Valley can vault themselves into, at worst, a tie for second with a win. I know the Black Horses play a slow, defensive-minded game, but Pat Lanoue and the Indians, if they shoot like they did Tuesday against Tamarac, could pull this one out.

--

In girl's action on Thursday, Schenectady (5-4, 10-6) beat Troy (4-5, 5-9), 56-48. Rachael Beaulac (pictured below, during a loss to Albany on Tuesday) had a game-high 22 points for the Flying Horses in the loss.

(Photo - Tom Killups - The Record)

--

As always, please send us your comments at troyrecordsports [at] gmail.com

We'll answer the best of every few days. Please include your name and hometown.



-- Will Montgomery

As you know Shenendehowa girls basketball coach Ken Strube reached his 500^th win on Friday defeating his alma mater Colonie 51-40. “It's a special thing,” Strube said. “500 itself, the sound of it makes me feel like I should be walking with a cane.”

Strube started coaching in the 1979-80 season and has been racking up the wins ever since. He has never had a losing season finishing at .500 (9-9) only twice, in the1979-80 and the 85-86 season. He's averaged 20 wins a season for his career including 20 Suburban Council championships, eight section II titles and four state titles. “We've been very fortunate,” he said.

Strube's 1989-90 team may have been his best ever and certainly one of the best ever assembled in section II. On that team he had Parade All-American Debbie Barnes her twin sister Laura, the New York State Sportswriters Association player of the year, and Jennifer Scanlon who later went on to play at Duke. The team went 26-2 losing twice to New York City powerhouse Christ the King. Once in overtime in the regular season and once by nine points in the state federation tournament. “Christ the King had just a little better talent,” Strube said of the oft nationally ranked school.

Shenendehowa girls basketball head coach Ken Strube paces the sideline during his 500th win. (Photo - JS Carras - The Record)

Strube developed a relationship with Christ the King head coach Vincent Canezzaro, and the two teams scrimmaged each other often giving each team a taste of the states top talent.. Canezzaro is set to enter the New York state basketball hall of fame this year.

The wins just keep coming for Strube. His team this year is off to another solid start at 6-1 and 8-1 overall. They haven't lost since the first game of the year back on December 4 and are ranked seventh in the state class AA poll. “We're a well balanced team,” Strube said. “They're finally all playing together as starters again.” Another run at a suburban and sectional title seems possible this year. “We have high expectations,” he said.

Strube considers the friendships with different coaches, like Canezzaro, and his players the real joy of coaching. He's quick to credit his assistant coaches Joe Murphy and Tony Mingione and Shen JV coach Tim Minor. “It's been a great experience,” he said. “Sports are a huge character builder.”

Looking back Strube has nothing but fond memories of the last 29 years as Lady Plainsmen head coach.“I just can't believe I've been coaching for 29 years,” he said. “It doesn't seem like a job.”

-Ryan Kircher

Here is the official release from Albany Academy regarding the games this Sunday. Four local teams and four of the best in the state in their respective classes tip off.


From Albany Academy:

Academies to host Coaches vs. Cancer Basketball Challenge on January 20

The Albany Academies is proud to be the host of the Coaches vs. Cancer High School Basketball Challenge scheduled for Sunday, January 20 at Siena College's Alumni Recreation Center (ARC).

All proceeds from the event will benefit the American Cancer Society's mission of fighting cancer through research, education, advocacy and local patient service programs.

We encourage you to join us for a fun-filled day of basketball featuring some of New York State's most outstanding high school teams.

The schedule for the day is as follows:

2 p.m. -- Saratoga vs. Mohonasen
4 p.m. -- White Plains vs. Bishop Maginn
6 p.m. -- Peekskill vs. The Albany Academy

The cost for the event is $7 per person and $15 for families. Gates for the event will open at 1:15 p.m. and the event will feature concessions, raffle prizes, a 50/50 raffle and more. Parking at the ARC is free.

For more information, contact Brian Fruscio, The Albany Academy Head Varsity Basketball Coach, at (518) 429-2313 or frusciob@albanyacademies.org.

We look forward to seeing you on January 20 for this outstanding event and worthwhile cause!


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Directions to the ARC from Siena's web site.
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-- Will Montgomery

It was a great week for high school basketball in the area for both boys and girls teams.

Tuesday, Cohoes' Courtney Galuski went 15 of 25 from behind the 3-point stripe for 45 points, setting a section II record. The previous record was 9, set by Tamarac's Alexis Miller in 2005.
45 points in one game set a new school record and puts Galuski 6th place tie for most ever points in a single game.
It is also the highest total in a single game, male or female, in section II this season.
As the team, the Tigers are now 9-1 in the Colonial Council and 11-2 overall.

In other girls games Tuesday, Laninsgburgh also pulled off an upset over Holy Names, Catholic Central prevailed in two overtimes against Albany and Schenectady beat cross-town rival Bishop Gibbons, 63-9.



On the boys side Tuesday, Albany Academy held off a ferocious third quarter rally by Lansingburgh to remain undefeated in Colonial Council play. Lansingburgh's Matt Harte hit two 3-pointers in the third period to get the Knights as close as 2 after facing a 17 point deficit at the half.

In other Tuesday action, Shea Bromirski scored 20 points in the fourth quarter (36 overall) to pull Cambridge into a first place tie with Schuylerville. To date, Bromirski has scored at least 30 points in a game eight different times this season. Burnt Hills knocked off then undefeated Shen, and Brett Marfurt scored 26 to lead Guilderland over Bethlehem, 90-70 to remain the only undefeated team in the Suburban.




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On Friday, Shenendehowa's girls coach Ken Strube won his 500th career game over Colonie, his old alma matter.
Cohoes kept up their winning ways, defeating Holy Names, 57-48. Galuksi had only one trey this time, but she had 13 points in total. Mechanicville also trumped Watervliet in a key Colonial Council game.
In the Big 10, Troy pulled a huge upset over 19th-ranked Bishop Maginn, 39-34. Rachel Beaulac scored 16 points for the Flying Horses in the victory.

On the boys side Friday, Catholic Central beat La Salle in the battle for Troy, 71-55. The Crusaders host Maginn on Tuesday and travel to Colonie to take on CBA on Friday. CCHS' only two losses this season came to Maginn and CBA, so the Crusaders have a chance to avenge those defeats.
Shea Bromirski scored 31 as Cambridge beat Hoosick Falls in the Wasaren and Colonie sent Shen to its second straight loss.

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All in all, we couldn't have asked for a better week in high school basketball. Not only did Strube and Galuski give us a couple of milestones to celebrate, many of the games went right down to the wire, giving local fans some fantastic finishes.

Next week promises to be just as exciting. Again, look for two very exciting games from Catholic Central's boys team this week, hosting Maginn on Tuesday and at CBA on Friday.

The Crusaders are sitting in third place in the Big 10 right now, and these two teams have proved their nemeses so far. If CCHS is for real they need to pull an upset and win one of these games. I did cover the Crusaders' first shot at Maginn and since then, I think CCHS has only improved while Maginn has kept winning, but made it harder on themselves than they ought to.

Hoosick Valley comes down to Tamarac High on Tuesday, and the Bengals are off to a surprising 5-2 Wasaren, 7-4 overall start this season. They knocked off Pat Lanoue and the Indians on the road earlier this season and it will be interesting to see if they can do it again.

For the girls, check out Cohoes at Mechanicville on Tuesday evening. Both teams are neck and neck at the top of the Colonial.

Averill Park heads to Shen on Friday in a Suburban Council showdown.

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As always, feel free to drop us a line at troyrecordsports [at] gmail.com

- Will Montgomery

Very exciting Colonial Council game last night at Albany Academy. Lansingburgh fell behind early and trailed big at 34-17 at the half.
The third quarter was theirs, the Knights going on a 15-2 run to start the period.
The Cadets are a very scrappy team though, and behind Chris Pelcher and Jamel Fields in the fourth quarter, Academy had more than enough to remain undefeated in the league.

Albany Acadmey's Shavar Fields (33) tries to move the ball against Lansingburgh's Haneef Scott (L) and Matt Harte (R) on January 8th. (Photo - JS Carras - The Record)

These teams meet again February 12th in Lansingburgh and it will be interesting to see how the Knights play now that they know they can hang with one of the area's best teams.
Matt Harte really played well to spark the rally, hitting a pair of big 3s in the third.
Academy plays a great team game and one of their unsung heroes has to be point guard Jimmer Bennett. Bennett holds the section II record for receptions on the gridiron and still has another year to go. On the court, he always seems to find the open man, making for an easy two or three points every time down.
I wouldn't be surprised if these teams find each other int he class A playoffs down the road either.

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In other boys action, Burnt Hills knocked off an undefeated Shen team in the Suburban and Cambridge edged out Schuylerville to move into a first place tie with the Black Horses in the Wasaren. Shea Bromirski scored 20 in the last quarter en route to 36 on the night for Cambridge.
Tamarac also beat Stillwater for the first time in 24 tries.

Keep your eyes open for a Troy battle this Friday as La Salle heads up Route 4 to take on The Crusaders of Catholic Central.
La Salle's senior forward Dan Syrotynski grabs a rebound against Troy earlier this season. (Photo - lasalleinstitue.org)

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On the girls' side, Cohoes' Courtney Galuski had a night for the ages. She hit 15 3-pointers for 45 points in a 91-36 win over Schalmont. Those 15 treys are a new section II record and the 45 points are the most by a single player in a game, boys or girls, in the area this season.
The Lady Knights of Lansingburgh also took an upset win over Holy Names at home and the Lady Cannoneers of Watervliet edged Voohreesville in the Colonial.
Shen head coach Ken Strube won his 499th against Burnt Hills goes for number 500 Friday at Colonie.

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As always, please send me your comments and questions to troyrecordsports@gmail.com. Leave your name and hometown and I will try to answer it in a post.

- Will Montgomery

Quick follow-up to the La Salle hockey story...
If you're looking for photos of the La Salle teams in action, head here. Wonderful galleries from some of their recent games. If anyone deserves credit by name, please let me know at: troyrecordsports@gmail.com

La Salle's goalie Brendan Wagner makes a save in a 2-2 tie against Shen last Saturday. (Photo - lasalleinstitue.org)

The Cadets' basketball team travels up to Lansingburgh to take on Catholic Central this Friday in what promises to be a good game.

- Will Montgomery

Lansingburgh at Albany Academy, 7:30 p.m.
The Cadets are 7-0 in the league and aren't looking to lose anytime soon. However, the Knights are coming off a statement win over Watervliet last Friday and if Albany Academy is to be upset this year, this is the game.
Connor Gallo usually leads the charge for Lansingburgh, but any of their starters can score and they moved the ball around pretty well Friday night.
Albany Academy has height, and that could spell trouble for the Knights. Matt Harte is their tallest player, about 6'4". The Cadets' Chris Pelcher is 6 foot 9 and Shavar Fields is 6 foot 7.

Averill Park at Colonie, 7:30 p.m.
Whichever team loses this game will face a steep climb to get back into the race in the Suburban. I like Averill Park's pesky defense and I like their hard-nosed play. However, Colonie's Herb Tedford and Tashwan Newsome are both scoring threats.
If Colonie can keep the tempo high, they should win, but it Averill Park can slow it down, look for them to come through.
That White Division is still wide open and don't be surprised if Mohonasen sneaks back to win it.

Cambridge at Schuylerville, 6 p.m.
This one's for all the marbles - control of the Wasaren. Cambridge is 4-1, but 10-1 overall. Schuylerville at 5-0 holds the top spot, but unless they can stop Shea Bromirski, will fall into a tie.
Bromirski only scored 9 in their last game, and his teammates came through to win. I like the Black Horses, they played gritty at the CCHS tournament before the season, but I think the Indians have their number tonight.

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On the girl's side, Shenendehowa's Ken Strube comes into tonight's game against Burnt Hills with 498 wins. That means he could very well win his 500th this Friday at Colonie.
Congratulations to coach Strube on a wonderful career and many more wins to come.

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In hockey news, I was at the La Salle/Shenendehowa game at HVCC on Saturday. It was one of the most entertaining games I've seen in the area in a while. (That Amsterdam/Burnt Hills semifinal game in the rain last fall comes to mind)

The Cadets fell behind 2-0 on two power play goals by the Plainsmen, but rallied to take a 2-2 draw. Brendan Wagner, La Salle's goalie, played a fantastic game in rebounding from the early goals to preserve the tie. Shen's Nathan Mellow was also outstanding in net.

Shen's senior netminder, Nathan Mellow.

You can read my account of the game here.

I've you've never gone to a Capital District High School Hockey League game, you should. Local areas in use include the rink at HVCC, the Albany County Hockey Facility near the airport, the Albany Academy Fieldhouse, the Bethlehem Y, Messa Rink at Union College, the facility at the Schenectady County Airport in Glenville and the two rinks in Saratoga Springs.

Check out http://www.cdhshl.org/ for a schedule.
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As always, send your comments to me at troyrecordsports@gmail.com
If you give me your first name and last initial as well as your hometown, I will post the best in a mailbag every few days.

- Will Montgomery

New York State boys basketball rankings were just released.
Local teams making the cut are listed below.

AA
7. Bishop Maginn
14. CBA

A
13. Albany Academy

B
14. Ichabod Crane
20 (tie) Fonda-Fultonville

C
2. Schenectady Christian
8. Cambridge
19. Rensselaer

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Notable about this week's rankings: After losing to Mohonasen at the Kirvin Cup, Bishop Gibbons dropped out of the A rankings.

Rankings could shake up after Maginn plays number 15 White Plains and Albany Academy plays number 1 Peekskill on Sunday, January 20th at Siena College. It is a Coaches vs. Cancer event and games times are 4 and 6 p.m.

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Friday's best bets.
Jody Rogalo, Lansingburgh's senior forward, is a Watervliet transfer (Photo - JS Carras, The Record)

7th Ave in Lansingburgh is the place to be on Friday the 4th.
Watervliet crosses the Hudson to take on Lansingburgh in a critical Colonial Council matchup.
A few blocks north, Bishop Gibbons takes on CCHS in another game with playoff implications.

I have a feeling that of these four teams, the two that win will make a run in their respective conferences.

Watervliet got a test in their tournament with Broadalbin-Perth and Cambridge, and held their own against the Indians in a loss. On the other hand, 'Burgh has a talented team that could easily be 6-0, right next to Academy, if it weren't for two last-second heart breakers to Voorheesville and Mechanicville.

The CCHS/Gibbons game could come down to the last minute or either team could win by double-digits. Both have been streaky and I honestly have no predicition on that one.

In the Suburban, Guilderland travels to Saratoga and Averill Park heads to Mohonasen.
Cohoes faces a must-win against Voorheesville if they want to stay with the pack in the crowded Colonial.
Further out, Tamarac heads to Cambridge to take on Shea Bromirski and the 8th ranked Indians.

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If you have any gripes with my picks or feel there is something else I should be covering, email me at troyrecordsports AT gmail DOT com.
If you include your name (full first and last initial) and hometown, I will run a best-of mailbag post every few days.

I'm interested in your opinions about how these crowded conferences (except the top dog) like the Big 10 and the Colonial will shake out over the next month and a half. Predictions and prognostications welcome.

- Will Montgomery

The first New York State girls basketball rankings of 2008 were just released.
Here are the local teams that made the cut.

AA
1. Amsterdam
8. Shenendehowa
17. Bethlehem

A
12. Holy Names
20. (tie) Mohonasen and Burnt Hills

B
3. Hoosic Valley
14. Cohoes

C
13. Schenectady Christian
16. Maple Hill

D
16. Hartford


- Will Montgomery

I recently spoke with Michael Kardash, the Athletic Director at Stillwater school district, about the passage of the proposition for a new field and track on the school grounds.
I covered a football game at Stillwater this fall and can attest to the need for new facilites there.
The story I wrote is below.

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STILLWATER — On December 19, voters in Stillwater approved two propositions, one to install and another to light an artificial turf multi-purpose athletic field at the high school.
According to Stillwater’s athletic director, Michael Kardash, “the field is not by any means a luxury. It is a need.”
This past June, Stillwater residents voted yes on an earlier proposal to expand school buildings and build a new gym. Voters also agreed to construction of a track at the school, but to build just the track would have taken away a practice field for the school’s soccer and football teams.
The solution school officials came up with was to install an artificial turf field and lights with the track, so that all the athletic teams could practice and play without worrying about field conditions.
“We looked at what was being gained against what was being lost,” said Kardash of the decision. “The kids will be safer on the new track and we won’t have lost all our practice area.”
Since the school is surrounded by wetlands near the Hudson River, it is nearly impossible to annex adjacent land to build extra practice fields. Additionally, unlike other districts that can utilize municipal or town facilities, Stillwater is limited to their own fields. To build a number of new natural grass fields was simply not an option for the district.
As the track and field team has taken off at Stillwater in recent years, practices were being held in parking lots and on local roads. This was part of the school’s safety concern. However, the conditions on their well-used grass field also raised safety questions.
Kardash said, “The students are excited. Our girls soccer team played at Broadalbin-Perth (another school that recently installed a turf field) in a torrential rain and it was playable.”
With a football team and two soccer teams competing with each other for field time, Stillwater’s surfaces were worn down with constant use. Holes, divots and patches of worn grass were just asking for a sprained ankle on every play, especially on days with poor weather.
Field maintenance was one of the major factors in asking town residents to support the installation of an artificial turf field, but far from the only. Now, coaches and school administrators do not have to worry about the student-athletes wearing out the natural grass fields. Kardash also hopes that the high-tech playing surface will cut down on injuries and noted it is something the school will continue to track.
The benefits of the new facilities to the Stillwater community are enormous. In addition to student safety, the school also hopes to schedule more home games.
“Coaches have been playing non-league games away just to save the fields,” said Kardash. The situation was much the same in the winter with the basketball teams in their cramped gymnasium. “Because of that, our travel expenses were going up,” the athletic director said.
It won’t only be the students who will benefit from the new track, turf field and gym. Kardash hopes to open the campus to the community at large. “It’s not just a school field,” Kardash said. “We are looking into starting walking programs on the track and we’re open to making this a centerpiece of our community.”
The cost of the two propositions is $1,053,000. For the average taxpayer, owning a home valued at $175,000, the cost of the propositions will incur $6 per year for the next 15 years. The state will contribute somewhere between 62-70% of the funds for the project.
A correlation exists between athletic participation and athletic performance, said Kardash. Nearly every team at Stillwater has been designated by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association as a “scholar athlete” team, meaning the average of its players’ GPAs is above 90%.
“Our success in the scholar athlete program is a tribute to our coaches and the teachers,” Kardash said. With improved athletic facilities, the administration hopes, academic performance will also rise, paying the cost of the field many times over.

- Will Montgomery

Over the break, I watched CBA and Guilderland tip off in the Columbia Tournament in what proved to be a wonderful Big 10/Suburban Council showdown.

CBA's second leading scorer, Malcolm Austin, missed the game due to a death in the family. The Brothers called up frosh Gelal Cancer, who did nothing short of clinching the win for CBA by hitting two free throws late in the game.

The Dutchmen gave CBA a run, with Colgate-bound senior forward Brett Marfurt hitting a trey that brought Guilderland within one with 33.8 seconds to go. Cancer was then intentionally fouled and put CBA up 3 with 30 seconds left.

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Although CBA's leading scorer Deandre Kennedy scored a game-high 24 points for CBA, Marfurt impressed in his ability to get open and make shots with CBA's best defenders in his face all night. Sitting in the gym, it felt like CBA had the chance to knock Guilderland out a few times, but just couldn't land that big punch. We just may see these two teams play again in sectional action.

CBA's Deandre Kennedy (L) and Guilderland's Dan Gejay (15) scramble for the ball Thursday, December 28th in a game at Columbia High School. (Photo - JS Carras, The Record)

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In other news, Albany Academy (6-0, 7-2) traveled to Texas to compete in the Houston vs. the Nation tournament, but lost both games. The Cadets seemed to be in a little over their heads playing against that type of talent, but Tyler Foster, AA's junior guard, told me that he hopes his team can take that tempo back to the Colonial. In other words, capital region teams had better watch out.

The Cadets play perennial powerhouse Peekskill at Siena College on Sunday, January 20th.

Bishop Maginn also plays White Plains on the 20th at Siena.

(I'm working on confirming the details and will have them for you as soon as I can)

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Get this - Cambridge won both of their games in the Watervliet Christmas Tournament by a score of 65-61. The first game against Broadalbin-Perth took an overtime period to decide things, and Shea Bromirski netted 31 points in the victory. In the finale against Watervliet, Bromirski scored 35, with 8 rebounds and 8 assists on his way to tournament MVP. The Indians sit at number 15 in the latest New York State class C rankings.

Bromirski averages 30.4 ppg through 10 this year (the Indians are 9-1) and his lowest point total was 25, coming in a lopsided 65-46 win at Granville.

He's consistent - consistently amazing.

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Troy High lost in the first round of their own Holiday Tournament to Ballston Spa, 77-73. It was the Scotties' first win of the season. Troy fell to 3-6 overall after tournament play.

The Crusaders from Catholic Central went on to win the tournament behind Devin Grimes and Jordan Gettings, crushing the Scotties 78-47 in the final. Grimes won the tournament MVP award after scoring 22 in the final, but Grimes netted 26 against Ballston Spa.

CCHS' Devin Grimes goes to the hoop against Ballston Spa in the Troy Holiday Tournament final on December 30th. (Photo - Jeff Couch, The Record)

After dropping their first two league games to CBA and Bishop Maginn, the Crusaders looked like just another run-of-the-mill team in the Big 10. However, they've rattled off five straight victories to move to 7-2 overall and 3-2 in league play.

They will get another league test as Bishop Gibbons, ranked 11th in New York among class A teams, comes to Lansingburgh on Friday, January4th.

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Keep your eyes open for the Watervliet-Lansingburgh game taking place right down the street from CCHS on Friday the 4th as well. It will be huge in determining which of those two teams can make a run behind Albany Academy in the Colonial Council.

- Will Montgomery

Since we've flipped the calendar over to 2008, I might as well start the year on a good foot with a new blog.

I'm Will Montgomery and I cover high school sports for The Record in Troy, New York.
I will supplement my articles from the paper with extra content and pictures here on the web.

Your comments, tips and questions are much appreciated, so please send them to me at troyrecordsports AT gmail DOT com.
If you include your name (first and last initial) and hometown, I will run a mailbag with the best comments every few days.

Thanks for reading. See you at the games.