Front row from left to right: Ariana Youngs, Lansingburgh; Jen Gates, Watervliet; Tierney McGlynn, Watervliet.
Back row from left to right: Olivia DeMarco, Catholic Central; Carly LaBombard, Catholic Central; Meg Keeler, Cohoes.

(Photo by J.S. Carras - The Record)

Tierney McGlynn

School: Watervliet
Height: 5-5
Class: Junior
Position: Guard
2008-09 Accomplishments: A veteran presence on a young team, McGlynn piloted the Cannoneers’ offense and also was an important defensive force. McGlynn, a second team Colonial Council All-Star and the Section II Class B postseason tournament MVP, averaged 7.0 points per game and led Watervliet to its third consecutive Section II championship. She added 6.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 3.0 steals per game for the Cannoneers and was named to the New York State Sportswriters Association All-State Class B third team. McGlynn also plays volleyball and competes on the track and field team and is hoping to play basketball in college after another season at Watervliet.

Ariana Youngs

School: Lansingburgh
Height: 5-7
Class: Junior
Position: Shooting guard
2008-09 Accomplishments: The Colonial Council’s Most Valuable Player, Youngs led the Lady Knights to a second-place finish (tied with Voorheesville) behind undefeated Colonial Council champions Holy Names by averaging 13.0 points, four rebounds and four steals per game. Youngs scored a season-high 33 points in the regular season finale against Mechanicville on Feb. 13. A four year varsity player, Youngs was the No. 3 scorer in the Colonial Council this season and is a high honor roll student at Lansingburgh. As a sophomore, Youngs averaged 10.1 points per game and was a second team All-City selection.

Jen Gates

School: Watervliet
Height: 5-6
Class: Senior
Position: Guard
2008-09 Accomplishments: The only senior on the 2009 Section II Class B championship-winning team from Watervliet, Gates didn’t have eye-popping numbers but embodied the Cannoneers’ defense-first philosophy. She averaged 7.0 points and 6.7 rebounds per game and guided Watervliet through three victories in the Section II tournament and to a regional semifinal victory over Potsdam. The Cannoneers finished with a No. 15 New York State Class B ranking. She was voted Watervliet’s Most Valuable Player, was a third team Colonial Council All-Star and was named to the Section II Class B All-Tournament team. Gates, who also plays volleyball at Watervliet, added 2.4 assists and 2.0 steals per game in her senior season.

Carly LaBombard

School: Catholic Central
Height: 5-9
Class: Senior
Position: Guard/Forward
2008-09 Accomplishments: A first team Big 10 All-Star, LaBombard averaged 13.4 points per game and led the Lady Crusaders on a 14-3 stretch after the team lost the first three games of the season. She scored in double digits 16 times and scored a season-high 24 in a double overtime victory over Our Lady of Lourdes, ranked No. 6 in the state at the time, in the championship game of Lourdes’ annual tournament in January. LaBombard, an honorable mention selection to the 2007-08 All-City team, will attend Arizona State University and plans to major in Kinesiology and play intramural sports.

Olivia DeMarco

School: Catholic Central
Height: 6-1
Class: Senior
Position: Forward
2008-09 Accomplishments: Returned in December after a broken ankle kept her off the court for over six months to right the Lady Crusaders. The team lost its first three games in her absence. A second team Big 10 All-Star, DeMarco averaged 9.9 points and 6.1 rebounds a game and was the team leader in blocked shots. She scored a season high 21 points against Ursuline on Jan. 17 and a day later, led Catholic Central to a double overtime victory over traditional powerhouse Our Lady of Lourdes as the Crusaders claimed first place in Lourdes’ annual four-team tournament. Catholic Central also captured first place in Troy High’s Holiday Tournament. DeMarco, a second team All-City player last season, will play for the University of New Haven, a Division II member of the Northeast-10 Conference.

Meg Keeler

School: Cohoes
Height: 5-8
Class: Senior
Position: Center
2008-09 Accomplishments: Averaged 14.1 points and 11.2 rebounds per game for the Tigers, capping a brilliant five-year varsity career. The last of four Keeler siblings to play basketball at Cohoes, Meg certainly left her mark on the Tigers program as the Colonial Council’s leading scorer this season. She earned first team Colonial Council All-Star accolades and improved on last year’s averages, adding over five points and nearly three rebounds to her junior year outputs. She was a third team All-City player last season. Keeler scored a career-high 23 points in a one-point loss against Lansingburgh on Jan. 31. Cohoes upset Tamarac in the first round of the 2008-09 Section II Class B playoffs and Keeler was a member of the 2007-08 Colonial Council championship team. Keeler plans to attend Hudson Valley Community College and major in education.


Back row, left to right: Youngs, LaBombard, DeMarco, Keeler.
Front row, left to right: Gates, McGlynn.

Second Team

Player Yr. School Pos. Ppg.
Jackie Sorensen Jr. Waterford-Halfmoon G 15.8
Eclipsed the 1,000-point mark this season, becoming the first in school history to do so; first team All-CHVL
Ailaya Demand 8th Watervliet G 9.1
Junior High player was a big contributor in the backcourt for the Section II champs
Shannon Jones Sr. Troy G 11.7
Had a tough task of being the Flying Horses’ main ball-handler and always played with heart; Big 10 second teamer
Colleen Dignum Sr. Catholic Central G 8.8
Made 25 three-point buckets this year and also locked down oppos¬ing point guards
Maria Foglia Jr. Catholic Central F 7.9
Tough-minded defensive player rarely left the floor and averaged 5.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game

Third Team

Player Yr. School Pos. Ppg.
Caroline McManus Sr. Emma Willard G 9.8
A first team CHVL All-Star, guided Jesters to third place regular season finish
Danielle Greene Sr. Heatly G 7.2
Guided the Hornets to the Section II Class D Final Four; was a sec¬ond team All-CHVL player
Zysnia Osepa Jr. Tamarac G 9.7
Finished in double figures 13 times for the Bengals, a steady shooter
Nae White Jr. Watervliet F 8.6
On a team without a superstar player, White quietly finished as the team’s second-leading scorer
Sarah Hutcherson Sr. Emma Willard C 11.5
The Jesters’ leading scorer earned first team All-CHVL honors

Honorable Mention

Dana Spiak, Catholic Central; Maggie Maloney, Cohoes; Alyssa Fane, Tina Johnston and Chelsea Rebhun, Lansingburgh; Nikki Cavallo, Erica Derby and Brittany Smith, Tamarac; Emily Jones, Troy; LaShana Tolliver, Watervliet.

Schools considered for The Record’s All-City team: Troy, Lansingburgh, Catholic Central, La Salle, Emma Willard, Waterford-Halfmoon, Cohoes, Heatly, Watervliet and Tamarac. Selections were made by high school sports reporter Will Montgomery in conjunction with nominations from local head coaches.