2008-09 NYSSCOGS/NYSSWA
All-State Girls Basketball

Official as of 3/30/09
Editor: Perry L. Novak


Class AA
Player of the Year: China Crosby (Manhattan Center)
Coach of the Year: Apache Paschall (St. Michael Academy-CHSAA)
1st team
P 12 G China Crosby (Manhattan Center)
P 11 F Shukurah Washington (Murry Bergtraum)
C 11 G Jennifer O’Neil (St. Michael Academy)
P 12 G Shanee Williams (Murry Bergtraum)
11 12 G Ieasia Walker (Copiague)
2nd team
C 12 F Tahira Johnson (Christ The King)
C 10 F Tiffany Jones (St. Michael Academy)
05 11 G Ashley Zahn (Canandaigua)
09 11 C Stephanie Dolson (Minisink Valley)
09 11 G Rachel Coffey (Kingston)
3rd team
01 12 G Caitlynn Moran (John Jay-East Fishkill)
02 12 G Meg Olsen (Bethlehem)
05 11 F Allyson DiMagno (Fairport)
11 11 G Bria Hartley (North Babylon)
11 12 G Eugeneia McPherson (North Babylon)
4th team
P 12 G Baytania Newman (South Shore)
01 11 F Shanyce Stewart (Mount Vernon)
02 12 G Sheila Dixon (Schenectady)
06 12 G Erinne Cunningham (Jamestown)
11 11 G Kristen Doherty (Sachem East)
5th team
C 10 G Bria Smith (Christ The King)
P 11 G Alicia Cropper (Thomas Jefferson)
C 12 F Terry Green (Holy Trinity)
C 12 C Christine Huber (St. John the Baptist)
02 12 C Alex McCullough (Bethlehem)
6th team
P 12 C Victoria Macaulay (Curtis)
01 11 G Taylor Palmer (Mount Vernon)
05 12 G Sarah Alwardt (Greece Athena)
08 12 G Megan Vasquez (Calhoun)
11 12 G Gabrielle Gibson (Copiague)
7th team
03 09 F Breanna Stewart (Cicero-North Syracuse)
04 11 G Jennifer Morabito (Binghamton)
08 12 F Connie Simmons (Syosset)
C 11 C Emma O'Connor (Kellenberg)
11 11 F Shneeka Center (Smithtown West)
8th team
P 12 G Teara Shaw (Bronx JFK)
P 12 F Jessica Previlon (Midwood)
C 12 F Nicole Marciniak (Archbishop Molloy)
01 12 G Kim Dweck (Our Lady of Lourdes)
03 12 G Cari Reed (Oswego)
9th team
C 10 G Christine Kline (St. Peter’s)
02 12 F Staci McElroy (Saratoga)
03 12 G Torie Lee (Fayetteville-Manlius)
05 12 G Lacey Coppage (Penfield)
06 12 F Lindsey Burke (Lockport)
10th team
01 10 G Teneka Whittaker (Our Lady of Lourdes)
02 12 C Antonia Williams (Schenectady)
03 12 G/F Alyssa Sutherland (West Genesee)
04 11 G Anna Wicks (Horseheads)
05 11 F Naquasha Britton (Greece Arcadia)
11th team
02 12 G Mariah Stewart (Bishop Maginn)
03 11 G Kayla Stroman (Syracuse CBA)
03 12 F Irene Hudson (Corcoran)
05 11 G/F Mary Kate Tierney (Mercy)
09 10 F Shannon Allan (Warwick)
12th team
01 12 F Shelby Sferra (Ursuline)
05 12 F Lindsay Kendall (Gates Chili)
06 12 G Jenna Rickan (Kenmore West)
09 12 C Carley Collins (Monroe Woodbury)
11 12 F Samantha Breidenbach (Northport)
- - -
Class A
Player of the Year: Alyssa Fenyn (Newark-5)
Coach of the Year: Diane Kirnie (Newark-5)
1st team
01 12 G Alaina Walker (Albertus Magnus)
01 11 F Tori Jarosz (Lakeland)
02 11 G/F Katie Duma (Averill Park)
05 12 G/F Alyssa Fenyn (Newark)
A 12 G Kaitlin Donohoe (Nichols)
2nd team
02 12 F Nicole Adach (Mohonasen)
05 12 G Carly Napier (Pittsford Mendon)
05 12 F/G Shakista Woolfolk (Newark)
09 12 G Allison Cleary (Cornwall)
11 12 F Jaclyn McKenna (Elwood John Glenn)
3rd team
01 12 F Kara Tancredi (Beacon)
05 11 F Bridget Ryan (Pittsford Sutherland)
C 12 G Maria Copolla (Sacred Heart)
08 12 F Shannon Ingram (Floral Park)
08 12 G Nikita Grenn (Roosevelt)
4th team
01 10 G Felicia DaCruz (Albertus Magnus)
05 11 C Camaryn Buckner (Honeoye Falls-Lima)
A 12 F Mariah Camp (Nichols)
11 12 F Julie Forster (Huntington)
11 12 G Kerri Hicks (Huntington)
5th team
02 12 G Michelle Aviza (Mohonasen)
04 12 F Erica Spera (Maine-Endwell)
06 11 G Joelle Pollack (Kenmore East)
08 11 G Diana Leondis (Garden City)
08 12 G Marlene Ricketts (Westbury)
6th team
01 12 F Taylor Wilson (Pearl River)
02 11 G/F Kierra Moore (Holy Names)
02 12 F Georgina Farrow (Burnt Hills)
05 12 F/C Kaelyn Gibson (Pittsford Mendon)
09 11 C Sara Bender (Wallkill)
7th team
03 12 F Betsy Gadziala (Whitesboro)
04 12 G Laura Mastro (Maine-Endwell)
05 12 G Jenni Robbins (Geneva)
08 12 G Erica Re (Floral Park)
11 12 F Kim Goidell (Harborfields)
8th team
03 11 G Ashley Roser (Camden)
04 11 G Elisha Eddy (Norwich)
05 12 F/G Jessica Petruchik (Honeoye Falls-Lima)
06 12 G Ellie Allen (Sweet Home)
08 12 F Kate Hartnett (Floral Park)
9th team
02 11 G Brittany O’Shea (Averill Park)
03 12 F Angie Josbena (Mexico)
04 10 G Brittany Rando (Owego)
08 12 F Tara Lonergan (Rockville Ctr. Southside)
09 11 F Kathleen Payne (Goshen)
10th team
03 12 G Evie Josbena (Mexico)
C 12 F Kacey Bougard (Sacred Heart)
09 09 G Julia Hinchey (Onteora)
10 12 F Taylor Bacon (Massena)
10 12 F Kelsey Marshall (Malone)
- - -
Class B
Player of the Year: Porsha Postell (Woodlands-1)
Coach of the Year: Carlos Fidalgo (Nanuet-1)
1st team
01 12 G Porsha Postell (Woodlands)
01 12 G Maggie Blair (Briarcliff)
01 11 G Lauren Kahn (Nanuet)
01 11 F K.C. Jentzen (Nanuet)
04 12 G Madie Harlem (Oneonta)
2nd team
03 12 G Kiley Evans (Cazenovia)
04 10 G/F Sienna Wisse (Oneonta)
06 11 F Rachel Bantleman (Olean)
09 12 G Christie Morano (Highland)
11 11 G Kim Weathers (Wyandanch)
3rd team
02 11 G Tierney McGlynn (Watervliet)
04 10 G Jocelyn Ford (Lansing)
04 12 F K.C. Hawkes (Seton Catholic)
05 11 G Alyssa Englert (Wayland-Cohocton)
08 12 G Brittany Jenkins (Malverne)
4th team
01 11 F Tara Gabelman (Irvington)
03 12 G Carly Cooper (Westhill)
04 12 G Katherine Torto (Seton Catholic)
05 12 G/F Leslie-Ann Havens (Wayland-Cohocton)
09 12 G Tiana Taylor (James I. O'Neill)
5th team
01 12 G Taylor Pescetti (Briarcliff)
04 12 G Rachel Palladino (Lansing)
09 12 G Jessalyn Sweeney (Pine Plains)
08 12 F Alisha Steele (Malverne)
11 12 G Charneice McCullough (Wyandanch)
6th team
02 11 F Paula Egelston (Fonda-Fultonville)
03 12 F Liz McGinley (Canastota)
06 11 G Lindsay Stoddard (Allegany-Limestone)
C 11 F Melissa Graham (Mt. Mercy)
10 11 G Megan Morrison (Ogdensburg Free)
7th team
02 11 F Avery Light (Broadalbin-Perth)
02 10 G Hillary Kollar (Johnstown)
03 10 G Rachael Bassett (South Jefferson)
06 12 F Alicia Stebbins (Olean)
07 12 G JohniRae Coryea (Northeast Clinton)
8th team
01 12 G Christine Brezovsky (Nanuet)
04 12 F Meredith Ridgway (Oneonta)
06 12 G Mary Kate Bongiavanni (Fredonia)
07 12 F Kara Hackett (Peru)
09 12 C Ceara Williams (Liberty)
- - -
Class C
Player of the Year: Porsche Gavin (Nazareth-5)
Coach of the Year: Chris Belmont (Nazareth-5)
1st team
02 12 F Carolyn Houston (Hoosic Valley)
04 11 F Hannah Kimmel (Harpursville)
05 12 G Porsche Gavin (Nazareth)
05 12 C Marcy Manning (Avon)
09 12 G Rebecca Monteith (Tuxedo)
2nd team
02 12 C Samantha Anderson (Hoosic Valley)
05 12 F Megan Morrell (Nazareth)
05 12 G Jenn Hudson (Bloomfield)
06 12 C Samantha Kopp (Franklinville)
11 12 F Danielle Spiliotis (Stony Brook)
3rd team
01 12 G Shereen Lightbourne (Alexander Hamilton)
04 12 G Barb Borst (Greene)
04 12 G Danielle Conway (Bainbridge-Guilford)
05 10 F Shannon McGinnis (Gananda)
10 12 G Abbey Shoen (Madrid-Waddington)
4th team
01 11 C Danielle Fiacco (North Salem)
02 12 F Jesse Sussman (Hadley-Luzerne)
03 11 G/F Kaitlin Hammersley (Weedsport)
05 11 G Sarah Hart (Bloomfield)
09 12 F Rebekkah Meyer (Millbrook)
5th team
01 10 G Liz Milner (Haldane)
02 12 G Ashlyn Slater (Schenectady Christian)
05 12 G/F Samantha Smithgall (Perry)
06 12 G Ashley Abrams (Salamanca)
08 12 G Isabelle Mirman (Oyster Bay)
6th team
02 11 G Abbey Hanehan (Stillwater)
02 10 C Katie Roth (Maple Hill)
04 12 G Megan McDermott (Greene)
05 10 G/F Brittani Bove (Marion)
06 12 G Samantha Williams (Silver Creek)
7th team
03 11 F Amanda Marcely (Bishop Grimes)
04 12 F Cassie Fitch (Odessa-Montour)
05 10 G Raegan Ryan (Canisteo-Greenwood)
09 12 F Caitlin O'Keefe (Tuxedo)
10 12 G/F Candy Dufrane (Brushton-Moira)
8th team
02 09 G Dani DeGregory (Greenwich)
03 12 F Brittney Harvey (Mohawk)
C 12 G Raeann Stillwell (Lancaster St. Mary’s)
09 12 C Olivia Frasor (Millbrook)
10 12 F Beth Keniston (Tupper Lake)
- - -
Class D
Player of the Year: Taylor Leonard (Coleman Catholic-9)
Coach of the Year: Guy Leonard (Coleman-9)
1st team
04 11 F Sam Meyerhoff (Davenport)
06 12 G Tara Bailey (Clymer)
06 12 F Rachel Ottaway (Sherman)
09 12 G Taylor Leonard (Coleman Catholic)
10 12 G/F Cassie Cunningham (Hammond)
2nd team
03 12 F Kylie Martin (Hamilton)
04 11 F Renee Craft (South Kortright)
05 12 F Susie Black (Fillmore)
05 12 G Katie Wyant (Jasper-Troupsburg)
09 10 G Marissa Diescher (Livingston Manor)
3rd team
03 12 G Courtney Allen (Sackets Harbor)
06 12 G Beth Gribble (Sherman)
09 11 G Grace Hodges (Chapel Field)
10 12 G Leah Malbeuf (Harrisville)
10 12 F Aubrie Dunn (Hammond)
4th team
02 11 F Taylor Race (Germantown)
03 12 F Katie Moshier (Richfield Springs)
04 12 F Cassie McMullen (South Kortright)
05 11 F Takiya Webb (Finney)
09 11 F Melody O'Connor (Coleman Catholic)
5th team
02 12 F Chelsea Paul (Northville)
03 12 G Dana Gorman (Sackets Harbor)
04 12 G Chelsea Haight (Davenport)
05 11 G Kristen Moose (Canaseraga)
10 12 G Katie Hamelin (Chateaugay)
6th team
02 10 G Olivia Tomaszewski (Sharon Springs)
03 12 G Jess Brawn (Hamilton)
04 11 G Jessie Winans (Afton)
05 11 G Meghan Wyant (Jasper-Troupsburg)
10 11 G Krista Lucas (St. Regis Falls)
7th team
03 12 F Rachel Roberts (Remsen)
04 12 F Courtney VanBrink (Cherry Valley-Springfield)
05 12 G Nichole Meehan (Whitesville)
05 12 G/F Montana McDonald (Romulus)
07 11 G Emma Nye (Keene)

The Record's 2008-09 All-City and All-Area teams are all but finished and we'll have those coming up in the hard copy later this week. I will copy those here a few days after that.
In the meantime, here are the final girls basketball polls from the 2008-09 season.

NYSSCOGS/NYSSWA girls basketball
2008-09 state rankings
March 23-29 (week 15-final)

poll editor - Perry L. Novak
*** - state champ
** - runner-up
* - semi loser

Class AA
1: 25-3 St. Michael’s-CHSAA
2: 20-5 Copiague-11 ***
3: 24-2 Bergtraum-PSAL
4: 18-6 Bethlehem-2 **
5: 24-4 SI St. Peter’s-CHSAA
6: 23-1 Canandaigua-5 *
7: 23-2 Kingston-9 *
8: 18-8 Christ the King-CHSAA
9: 21-4 Mount Vernon-1
10: 22-1 Sachem East-11
11: 17-4 Shenendehowa-2
12: 20-3 Cicero-North Syracuse-3
13: 22-1 Penfield-5
14: 23-5 South Shore-PSAL
15: 21-6 LI St. John Baptist-CHSAA
16: 16-6 Horseheads-4
17: 19-2 North Babylon-11
18: 20-4 Lockport-6
19: 19-5 Fayetteville-Manlius-3
20: 15-5 Syosset-8
20: 16-6 Minisink Valley-9

Class A
1: 25-3 Newark-5 ***
2: 25-3 Albertus Magnus-1 **
3: 22-3 Mohonasen-2 *
4: 16-8 Floral Park-8 *
5: 21-7 Nichols-AIS
6: 24-2 Buffalo Sacred Heart-CHSAA
7: 19-3 Harborfields-11
8: 17-4 Lakeland-1
9: 18-5 Cornwall-9
10: 21-3 Pittsford Mendon-5
11: 19-4 Honeoye Falls-Lima-5
12: 20-4 Maine-Endwell-4
13: 18-7 Amherst-6
14: 15-8 Averill Park-2
15: 21-1 Holy Names-2
16: 19-6 Mexico-3
17: 14-8 Massena-10
18: 15-6 Waverly-4
19: 16-6 Wallkill-9
20: 18-5 Whitesboro-3
20: 14-6 Huntington-11

Class B
1: 22-6 Nanuet-1 ***
2: 25-1 Oneonta-4 **
3: 23-7 Buffalo Mt. Mercy-CHS
4: 21-6 Long Island Lutheran-AIS
5: 21-4 Cazenovia-3
6: 22-1 Lansing-4
7: 20-3 Highland-9
8: 20-4 Wyandanch-11
9: 19-3 Briarcliff-1
10: 19-4 Irvington-1
11: 22-4 Olean-6 *
12: 22-3 NCCS-7 *
13: 12-10 Malverne-8
14: 20-4 Wayland-Cohocton-5
15: 17-7 Watervliet-2
16: 18-3 South Jefferson-3
17: 19-5 Clinton-3
18: 22-1 Canastota-3
19: 15-3 Center Moriches-11
20: 20-4 Johnstown-2
20: 15-8 Potsdam-10
20: 20-4 Allegany-Limestone-6

Class C
1: 23-5 Nazareth-5 ***
2: 25-2 Hoosic Valley-2 **
3: 22-2 Maple Hill-2
4: 22-2 Bloomfield-5
5: 23-2 Greene-4 *
6: 16-4 Stony Brook-11 *
7: 19-5 Tuxedo-9
8: 19-3 Salamanca-6
9: 18-4 Oyster Bay-8
10: 21-2 Marion-5
11: 21-2 Gananda-5
12: 21-3 Bishop Grimes-3
13: 18-5 Madrid-Waddington-10
14: 14-9 Haldane-1
15: 17-6 Voorheesville-2
16: 21-2 Mohawk-3
17: 19-5 Odessa-Montour-4
18: 19-4 Harpursville-4
19: 14-8 Millbrook-9
20: 19-3 Avon-5
20: 13-8 Ticonderoga-7

Class D
1: 22-2 Coleman Catholic-9 ***
2: 22-2 Sherman-6 **
3: 22-4 Hammond-10 *
4: 21-2 South Kortright-4 *
5: 22-1 Clymer-6
6: 17-3 Chapel Field-9
7: 23-1 Germantown-2
8: 22-1 Jasper-Troupsburg-5
9: 19-4 Sackets Harbor-3
10: 19-5 Finney-5
11: 17-5 Westport-7
12: 20-2 Chateaugay-10
13: 20-3 Elba-5
14: 21-1 Hamilton-3
15: 21-1 Davenport-4
16: 18-4 Schenevus-4
17: 16-5 Edmeston-4
18: 18-2 Harrisville-10
19: 14-8 Argyle-2
20: 18-5 Batavia Notre Dame-5
20: 15-7 Oriskany-3

Maple Hill's Trent Tibbitts finds the ball bouncing just out of his reach during Saturday's New York State Class C championship game against Avon at the Glens Falls Civic Center. Tibbitts led the way with 16 points but poor foul shooting down the stretch allowed Avon to walk away with a 61-55 victory and the state title. (Jeff Couch - The Record).

Maple Hill head coach Scott Hanrahan, in his first year as the leader of the team, led the Wildcats to a 26-2 record. He spent many years as a junior varsity and assistant coach and did a brilliant job managing his bench all season. (Jeff Couch - The Record).

Jaime Schultz lines up for a shot during Saturday's game against Avon. He scored 10 points in the title game but poured in a career-high 32 against Onondaga in a semifinal victory to propel the Wildcats to the championship clash. (Jeff Couch - The Record).

Schultz leaps and pushes teammate Alex Eldert out of the way during Saturday's game against Onondaga. This was Maple Hill's first-ever appearance in the New York State Final Four round and was their first Section II title season since 1958. (Ed Burke - for The Record).

Schultz sends a floater towards the rim in Friday's semifinal against Onondaga. He also grabbed nine rebounds to go along with the 32 points and finished 10-of-15 from the field and was 10-of-10 from the free throw line. (Ed Burke - for The Record).

Dominic Prinzo finishes one of his many drives to the rim against Onondaga's Taylor Bassett in Friday's Class C semifinal victory. He will be relied upon heavily in the Wildcats' backcourt next season after the graduation of Tibbitts and Schultz. (Ed Burke - for The Record).

The Castleton Crazies in all their glory along the baseline at the Civic Center. (Jeff Couch - The Record).

--
The Wildcats were not at a loss for storylines this season.
Many of the players were coming off a Section II title-winning soccer season and were hoping to keep up with the girls basketball team at Maple Hill, which won a Section II title the year before.
But this group always had a special relationship with basketball, dating back to the time many players put in at the CYO and later on, the AAU levels.
A number of upperclassmen accepted roles as reserves and became the best mentors any of the young players could have hoped for. It gave the team a deep bench and a certain sense of invulnerability, knowing they could bounce back from any situation.
Best of all for the Wildcats was the sea of red that lined the baseline and filled the bleachers in all of their games at the Civic Center or at Hudson Valley Community College. The stands were not only full of their classmates and friends, but the next generation of Maple Hill players that got a taste of how magical a place the Civic Center can be in the middle of March - not something I think they'll soon forget.

Hoosic Valley's Jessica Lanoue (25) and Brooke Ryan (41) walk off the court as Nazareth Academy players celebrate their 2009 New York State Class C championship Sunday afternoon at Hudson Valley Community College. Lanoue and Ryan will be counted on to carry the load as the Indians look to reach the state title game yet again in 2010. (All photos in this post by J.S. Carras - The Record)

Hoosic Valley head coach Walter Dorman consoles senior point guard Carlee Chapko after she fouled out late in Sunday's loss to Nazareth. Chapko made a huge steal in the Section II Class CC championship game against Voorheesville and hit four first half three-pointers in a state semifinal victory over Stony Brook - also on that some court at HVCC. Along with fellow senior starters Erin Davidson, Rebecca Moore, Carolyn Houston and Sam Anderson, Chapko will be sorely missed by the Indians program.

Rebecca Moore leaps into the arms of Sam Anderson following the Indians' Class C semifinal victory over the Stony Brook School at HVCC.

Carlee Chapko and Erin Davidson (r) and Brianna Ryan (l) look on.


Sam Anderson leaps over Stony Brook's Danielle Spiliotis during Saturday's semifinal victory over the Bears. Anderson scored 11 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the victory.

Carolyn Houston (r) jumps for the ball in a victory against Stony Brook. A day later, Houston sank a halfcourt shot just before halftime to give the Indians a one-point lead heading into the break against Nazareth Academy.

The Indians salute the hometown crowd after Saturday's victory over Stony Brook.

The Hoosic Valley faithful made themselves heard all weekend long at Hudson Valley. Between all of the Section II tournament games and the New York State Final Four, it's become a home away from home for the Indians.

--
Hoosic Valley's brand of basketball (defense, defense, defense) is a bit of an acquired taste, but their teams (boys or girls) always provide an interesting game to watch.
Whether it's a buzzer-beating shot or playing Voorheesville to a 25-23 slugfest in the Section II final, the Indians do it their way. Even though the team fell a few points short of their ultimate goal, it's the attitude and the philosophy that carried them this far so many years in a row. With a crop of brand-new starters next season, it's still hard to imagine their defense not being as stifling as ever when November rolls around.

Here are the final state rankings for Classes C and D.
The Federation Tournament of Champions takes place in Glens Falls for Class AA, A and B champions from March 27-29.
The Hoosic Valley and Maple Hill girls finished the season ranked No. 2 and No. 3, respectively.

NYSSCOGS/NYSSWA girls basketball
2008-09 state rankings

March 16-22 (week 14)

poll editor - Perry L. Novak

*** - state champ
** - runner-up
* - semi loser

Class AA
1: 24-1 Bergtraum-PSAL
2: 23-3 St. Michael’s-CHSAA
3: 20-4 Copiague-11 ***
4: 18-6 Bethlehem-2 **
5: 24-4 SI St. Peter’s-CHSAA
6: 23-1 Canandaigua-5 *
7: 22-1 Kingston-9 *
8: 18-8 Christ the King-CHSAA
9: 21-4 Mount Vernon-1
10: 22-1 Sachem East-11
11: 17-4 Shenendehowa-2
12: 20-3 Cicero-North Syracuse-3
13: 22-1 Penfield-5
14: 23-5 South Shore-PSAL
15: 21-6 LI St. John Baptist-CHSAA
16: 16-6 Horseheads-4
17: 19-2 North Babylon-11
18: 20-4 Lockport-6
19: 19-5 Fayetteville-Manlius-3
20: 15-5 Syosset-8
20: 16-6 Minisink Valley-9

Class A
1: 25-2 Newark-5 ***
2: 25-3 Albertus Magnus-1 **
3: 22-3 Mohonasen-2 *
4: 16-8 Floral Park-8 *
5: 21-7 Nichols-AIS
6: 24-2 Buffalo Sacred Heart-CHSAA
7: 19-3 Harborfields-11
8: 17-4 Lakeland-1
9: 17-5 Cornwall-9
10: 21-3 Pittsford Mendon-5
11: 19-4 Honeoye Falls-Lima-5
12: 20-4 Maine-Endwell-4
13: 18-7 Amherst-6
14: 15-8 Averill Park-2
15: 21-1 Holy Names-2
16: 18-6 Mexico-3
17: 14-8 Massena-10
18: 15-6 Waverly-4
19: 17-4 Wallkill-9
20: 18-5 Whitesboro-3
20: 14-6 Huntington-11

Class B
1: 20-6 Nanuet-1 ***
2: 25-1 Oneonta-4 **
3: 23-6 Buffalo Mt. Mercy-CHS
4: 20-5 Long Island Lutheran-CHS
5: 21-4 Cazenovia-3
6: 22-1 Lansing-4
7: 20-4 Highland-9
8: 20-4 Wyandanch-11
9: 19-3 Briarcliff-1
10: 19-4 Irvington-1
11: 22-4 Olean-6 *
12: 22-3 NCCS-7 *
13: 12-10 Malverne-8
14: 20-4 Wayland-Cohocton-5
15: 17-7 Watervliet-2
16: 18-3 South Jefferson-3
17: 19-5 Clinton-3
18: 22-1 Canastota-3
19: 15-3 Center Moriches-11
20: 20-4 Johnstown-2
20: 15-8 Potsdam-10
20: 20-4 Allegany-Limestone-6

Class C
1: 23-5 Nazareth-5 ***
2: 25-2 Hoosic Valley-2 **
3: 22-2 Maple Hill-2
4: 22-2 Bloomfield-5
5: 23-2 Greene-4 *
6: 16-4 Stony Brook-11 *
7: 18-5 Tuxedo-9
8: 19-3 Salamanca-6
9: 18-4 Oyster Bay-8
10: 21-2 Marion-5
11: 21-2 Gananda-5
12: 21-3 Bishop Grimes-3
13: 18-5 Madrid-Waddington-10
14: 14-9 Haldane-1
15: 17-6 Voorheesville-2
16: 21-2 Mohawk-3
17: 19-5 Odessa-Montour-4
18: 19-4 Harpursville-4
19: 14-8 Millbrook-9
20: 19-3 Avon-5
20: 13-8 Ticonderoga-7

Class D
1: 20-2 Coleman Catholic-9 ***
2: 22-2 Sherman-6 **
3: 22-4 Hammond-10 *
4: 21-2 South Kortright-4 *
5: 22-1 Clymer-6
6: 17-3 Chapel Field-9
7: 23-1 Germantown-2
8: 22-1 Jasper-Troupsburg-5
9: 19-4 Sackets Harbor-3
10: 19-5 Finney-5
11: 17-5 Westport-7
12: 20-2 Chateaugay-10
13: 20-3 Elba-5
14: 21-1 Hamilton-3
15: 21-1 Davenport-4
16: 18-4 Schenevus-4
17: 16-5 Edmeston-4
18: 18-2 Harrisville-10
19: 14-8 Argyle-2
20: 18-5 Batavia Notre Dame-5
20: 15-7 Oriskany-3

I'll open this window up when I get to Hudson Valley this afternoon to bring you some notes from the Hoosic Valley-Stony Brook game that begins at 2:15 p.m.

I'll also try to open a window for the Maple Hill vs Avon Class C boys basketball Class C championship game, which starts in Glens Falls around 7:30 p.m. tonight. The boys game will also be televised on TW-3 in the Albany area if you are stuck in Schodack tonight.

New York State Public High School Athletic Association girls basketball Class C semifinal
Saturday, Hudson Valley Community College, Troy, 2:15 p.m.
Tickets - $8

Hoosic Valley's Erin Davidson (13) is one of five senior starters for the Indians, a group that has been playing together for eight years. Read all about Davidson's journey in Saturday's edition of The Record, as we preview the Indians' meeting with Stony Brook. (J.S. Carras - The Record).

Hoosic Valley Indians (25-1)
(Probable starting lineup)
No. Name Pos. Yr. Hgt. PPG
4 Carlee Chapko G Sr. 5-6 6.2
13 Erin Davidson G Sr. 5-5 4.4
24 Rebecca Moore G Sr. 5-8 5.8
31 Carolyn Houston F Sr. 5-11 11.0
12 Samantha Anderson C Sr. 6-0 9.7

Stony Brook's Danielle Spiliotis (44) has signed with Cedarville University, a NAIA Division II school in Ohio. A Division I prospect, she chose Cedarville for the school's atmosphere and religious offerings. The 6-foot-1 senior center averages 19.5 points per game and has knocked down 46 three-pointers this season. The Bears, as a team, make 4.6 three-pointers per game.

Stony Brook Bears (18-4)
(Probable starting lineup)
No. Name Pos. Yr. Hgt. PPG
5 Jessica Winston G So. 5-6 3.0
3 Candace Baker F Jr. 5-7 2.4
32 Brannon Burke F So. 5-10 8.7
2 Andraya Spiliotis F Sr. 6-0 4.2
44 Danielle Spiliotis F Sr. 6-1 19.5


Update: Finally got a hold of the roster and pasted it above.

--
The prediction.
It's always defense, defense, defense for Hoosic Valley and they will need it against Spiliotis, who provides teams with a very interesting matchup problem. Sam Anderson will likely get the assignment and the Indians know that the rangy Spiliotis likes to pull up for three-pointers.

Still, the Indians have a ton of experience back from last year's Class B state finalist team. That team held opponents to about 22 points per game while this team surrenders about 28 per contest. Factor in the 50-point aberration the Indians allowed in an early-season defeat at Greenwich and Hoosic Valley's defense has been about as good as it has ever been.

Add in the hometown crowd at HVCC and the Indians' familiarity with the venue and the short bus trip, it won't be easy, but it looks like another Hoosic Valley victory to me.
Final score: Hoosic Valley 42, Stony Brook 34.

New York State Public High School Athletic Association boys basketball Class C semifinal

Friday, Glens Falls Civic Center, 5 p.m.
Tickets - $10

Maple Hill Wildcats (25-1)

Probable starting lineup
No. Name Pos. Yr. Hgt. PPG
24 Jaime Schultz PG Sr. 5-11 8.8
21 Trent Tibbitts SG Sr. 6-0 15.9
10 Chris Despart G/F Jr. 6-0 8.5
44 David Briggs F Jr. 6-2 6.5
55 Sean Danaher C Jr. 6-5 11.0
Key reserves
32 Adrian Donnelly F Sr. 6-4 6.7
3 Dominic Prinzo G Jr. 5-9 3.0

Onondaga Tigers (17-9)

Probable starting lineup
No. Name Pos. Yr. Hgt. PPG
25 Ted Zabel F Sr. 6-4 13.0
45 Zach Holbrook F Sr. 6-3 9.8
34 Brad Emerson F Sr. 6-3 9.9
24 Chris Cota G Sr. 5-11 9.0
20 Taylor Bassett F So. 6-0 7.6


Civic Center Tickets: Session tickets cost $10 apiece at this weekend’s New York State Public High School Athletic Association boys basketball championships at the Glens Falls Civic Center. Tickets are available online at www.ticketmaster.com, in-person at the Civic Center Box Office, or by calling (800) 745-3000. Visit www.nysbasketball.net for a full schedule of events.

--
Look for a couple of stories about the game in Friday's edition of The Record.
A prediction?
I think Onondaga's height will be a factor in this game. Maple Hill rarely uses Danaher and Donnelly on the court at the same time, but I see the both of them contributing in this game.
That said, Tibbitts and Schultz can pick the Tigers apart on the outside if they're left open or are just feeling it, as Tibbitts was in the second half of the Wildcats' regional championship victory over Norwood-Norfolk.

But Maple Hill has two big advantages over Onondaga. One, the Castleton Crazies and two, their familairty with the Civic Center.

"We’ve already played three games in Glens Falls so I think we might have a little bit of a feel for it already that some teams might not have," Danaher said. "It defintely feels good to be able to go back to Glens Falls."

"There was a good contingent of Maple Hill fans (at Hudson Valley Community College last) weekend and hopefully we can give them two games to cheer for instead of just one," said Maple Hill head coach Scott Hanrahan.

So to boil down the predicition, I think Onondaga's big men give the Wildcats a few fits early on in the game, but Maple Hill responds one of two ways. Tibbitts and Schultz bomb away from behind the three-point arc or Danaher and Donnelly find a way to stay out of foul trouble and work together in the paint as the Wildcats end Onondaga's Cinderella run.
Final score: Maple Hill 64, Onondaga 59

As voted by the league's coaches

Lansingburgh junior Ariana Youngs (above) led the Lady Knights with a strong end-of-the-season stretch run and a second place finish behind undefeated Holy Names. (Tom Killips - The Record)

MVP: Ariana Youngs, Lansingburgh

First Team
Kierra Moore, Holy Names
Meg Keeler, Cohoes
Casey Becerra, Voorheesville
Alivia Richter, Ravena

Second Team
Kelly Piotrowski, Schalmont
Tierney McGlynn, Watervliet
Chelsea Jordon, Cobleskill
Shannon McBride, Mechanicville
Fallon Witte, Holy Names

Third Team
Maggie Maloney, Cohoes
Nae White, Watervliet
Sara Goss, Voorheesville
Chelsea Rebhun, Lansingburgh
Nicole Manupella, Mechanicville
Jen Gates, Watervliet

The New York State Sportswriters Association put together a nice preview for all of the games in this weekend's New York State boys high school basketball championships at the Glens Falls Civic Center.
Follow this link to read on.

The NYSSWA favors Avon of Section V in its prediction, but remember, this is the same organization that referred to the Wildcats as hailing from "Maple Hills" for the first five or six weeks of the state rankings.

Tickets cost $10 per session and are available at the Civic Center box office.

Maple Hill's Trent Tibbitts, (21) has led the Wildcats to a regional title in their first ever appearnace in the regional round. The Wildcats return to Glens Falls, where they won their first Section II title since 1958, for a NYS semifinal against Onondaga on Friday night. (J.S. Carras - The Record).

I'll have a separate post all about the Maple Hill-Onondaga matchup very soon as well as a breakdown of the Hoosic Valley-Stony Brook girls game coming up Saturday afternoon at Hudson Valley Community College.

--
Other than Schenectady’s New York State Class A titles in 1998 and 2001 and Bishop Maginn’s Class AA title a season ago, the NYS championship game has been a graveyard for Section II small school teams for nearly two decades.
The 1991 Watervliet team was the last Section II small school to win a state championship, a Class C title.

Here is the list of Section II small school teams that finished as NYS runners-up in the meantime:
Broadalbin-Perth (1993 C)
Amsterdam (1995 B)
Mechanicville (1996 C)
Watervliet (1998 C)
For t Ann (1999 D)
Mechanicville (2001 C)
Glens Falls (2003 B)
Fort Edward (2005 D)
Stillwater (2006 C)
Mechanicville (2008 C)

--

Boys basketball

2008-09 NYSSWA rankings (through March 15)

Rank	Class AA	Record	Prev
=====	====================	=====	=====
1.	Niagara Falls-6	23-0	1.
2.	Bronx JFK-PSAL	26-2	3.
3.	Rice-CHSAA	23-3	5.
4.	Abraham Lincoln-PSAL	20-10	6.
5.	Newburgh Free Academy-9	18-4	8.
6.	Mount Vernon-1	20-4	4.
7.	Christ The King-CHSAA	25-4	7.
8.	Uniondale-8	20-2	10.
9.	Poughkeepsie-1	20-3	11.
10.	Greece Athena-5	20-5	21.
11.	Williamsville North-6	21-2	13.
12.	Gates Chili-5	19-5	9.
13.	Rush-Henrietta-5	20-3	12.
14.	Syracuse CBA-3	21-4	18.
15.	New Rochelle-1	16-6	14.
16.	Albany CBA-2	21-4	17.
17.	Albany Academy-2	22-2	2.
18.	Bishop Maginn-2	19-4	16.
19.	Thomas Jefferson-PSAL	21-11	19.
20,	Shenendehowa-2	21-2	20,
21.	North Rockland-1	20-3	22.
22.	McKee/Staten Island Tech-PSAL	25-6	23.
23.	Jamestown-6	17-5	24.
24.	Boys & Girls-PSAL	21-9	15.
25.	Syracuse Henninger-3	18-5	NR
	Class A	Record
=====	====================	=====	=====
1.	Jamesville-DeWitt-3	24-1	1.
2.	Peekskill-1	23-1	2.
3.	Iona Prep-CHSAA	27-1	3.
4.	Lutheran-AIS	17-8	5.
5.	East Hampton-11	23-2	8.
6.	Batavia-5	21-3	13.
7.	St. John the Baptist-CHSAA	25-3	4.
8.	Scotia-Glenville-2	21-3	6.
9.	Gloversville-2	20-3	7.
10.	Westinghouse-PSAL	18-4	NR
11.	Cornwall-9	19-4	11.
12.	Bedford Academy-PSAL	25-4	9.
13.	Buffalo McKinley-6	21-5	10.
14.	Norwich-4	20-4	12.
15.	Roslyn-8	16-7	14.
16.	Lakeland-1	17-5	15.
17.	Buffalo Nichols-CHSAA	24-3	16.
18.	Sweet Home-6	20-2	17.
19.	Bishop Ford-CHSAA	21-6	18.
20.	Rockville Centre South Side-8	18-4	19.
21.	Westbury-8	18-3	20,
22.	Depew-6	19-5	21.
23.	Pittsford Sutherland-5	18-6	22.
24.	Newark-5	20-3	23.
25-T	Mount St. Michael-CHSAA	19-5	24.
25-T	Utica Notre Dame-3	20-7	25.
	Class B	Record
=====	====================	=====	=====
1.	Collegiate-AIS	25-4	1.
2.	Bishop Kearney-5	21-3	2.
3.	Binghamton Seton-4	21-3	4.
4.	Malverne-8	12-10	5.
5.	Townsend Harris-PSAL	21-2	9.
6.	Hannibal-3	21-4	3.
7.	Burke Catholic-9	18-7	18.
8.	Olean-6	19-5	8.
9.	Westhill-3	20-4	7.
10.	Hackley School-AIS	20-7	10.
11.	Lawrence-Woodmere-AIS	23-3	12.
12.	Lincoln Hall-1	18-7	13.
13.	Akron-6	20-4	11.
14.	Mount Markham-3	21-2	14.
15.	Wellsville-5	19-4	15.
16..	Broadalbin-Perth-2	18-7	17.
17.	Ogdensburg Free-10	19-7	19.
18.	Albertus Magnus-1	18-4	16.
19.	Lancaster St. Mary's-CHSAA	17-10	NR
20-T	Northeastern Clinton-7	22-1	6.
20-T	Marcellus-3	19-4	20-T
	Class C	Record
=====	====================	=====	=====
1.	Avon-5	24-1	1.
2.	Maple Hill-2	24-1	3.
3.	Onondaga-3	17-9	9.
4.	Oyster Bay-8	13-8	NR
5.	Valhalla-1	20-5	4.
6.	Oxford-4	20-4	5.
7.	Randolph-6	21-3	2.
8.	Westfield-6	18-5	7.
9.	Frewsburg-6	18-5	8.
10.	Letchworth-5	18-5	10.
11.	Blind Brook-1	18-4	11.
12.	LaFayette-3	17-7	6.
13.	Groton-4	17-4	12.
14.	Lake George-2	19-4	14.
15-T	Port Jefferson-11	15-8	13.
15-T	Harley Allendale-Columbia-5	17-8	15.
	Class D	Record
=====	====================	=====	=====
1.	Maple Grove-6	21-3	1.
2.	Greenport-11	21-3	2.
3.	South Kortright-4	23-0	4.
4.	C.G. Finney-5	24-1	3.
5.	Chateaugay-10	22-4	7.
6.	Westport-7	19-2	5.
7.	Coleman Catholic-9	16-7	6.
8.	Prattsburgh-5	18-5	8.
9.	New York Mills-3	17-7	9.
10.	Genesee Valley-5	16-10	10.
11.	Seward-9	18-4	11.
12.	Sharon Springs-2	16-8	12.
13.	Hunter-Tannersville-4	18-6	13.
14.	Laurens-4	19-4	14.
15.	Sackets Harbor-3	14-9	15.

I ran across this note on the Shenendehowa High School website today, which included this nugget of information on how the district plans on cutting back on the athletic budget for the 2009-10 school year:

9.Reduce athletic budget by 10-15% through reductions in game schedule by limit to sectional play; transportation costs by consolidating of trips; supplies; rental costs; and delaying the implementation of several modified level teams, saving approximately $125,802

That is a lot of money, and it's no surprise that budgets are being cut back with times such as they are and especially after the New York State Public High School Athletic Association decided to lower the number of possible games played in most sports a few months ago.

But here was the really important line in the Shenendehowa statement:

2.Reduction of 19.1 FTE instructional staff members at the secondary level mostly through retirements and vacant positions, saving approximately $1,058,500

FTE (Full Time Equivalent) instructional staff members = plain old regular teachers to you and me. With a big, affluent district like Shenendehowa facing the prospect of laying off up to 19 teachers, plus a number of administrative staff members - check the memo for full details - perhaps seeing a slimming in the athletic budget to save a teacher's job or two doesn't seem so bad after all.

That said, I think there are plenty of ways schools can maximize their budget while keeping the local high school sports scene running just as we know it now. For basketball games, schools could probably put the modified, JV and Varsity teams and cheerleaders all on the same bus, making only one round-trip journey to a road game. Sure, it's some extra time waiting around but the players could probably get some homework done in the bleachers during the modified game and I'm sure the modified kids would love having a couple of varsity guys at the end of the bench giving tips and handing out water.

I know it is hard to collect admissions at baseball games and softball games, tennis matches and track meets, but I think plenty of parents would go out of their way to drop off two or three dollars a few times a week to help offset the cost of officials so that their children can keep playing the sport in future seasons.

The morale of the story is that school districts are facing a giant budget crunch and athletics, along with art and music programs, will likely be the first areas to see cuts so the districts can save as many teachers and staff as possible to help give students the best education. Most schools are having open budget forums in the coming weeks before the school vote, so if you want to sound off about saving as much of the athletics budget as possible, or if you have solutions, remember that you have the right to attend these meetings and let your school board representatives know what you think.

I did a quick search of other local school websites and couldn't find anything as open about athletics as Shenendehowa was, but please let me know if you see any information out there or hear of any developments on the budget front. It will be an interesting story to track, especially as budget votes near in the coming weeks and months.

Let's take a quick break from high school sports to talk about the local boxing scene. Troy natives Shannon and Shawn Miller took a few minutes on Monday afternoon to let us know about the St. Patrick's Day Showdown happening this Friday night at the Washington Avenue Armory.

Shawn, a physical education teacher at Catholic Central High School, was a star high school athlete at Troy High not too long ago, also playing football at Hudson Valley Community College and pitching on the baseball team for West Virginia University. He's managed to become a fantastic boxer in the meantime, carrying on the family tradition of his father Bob, who owned the Uncle Sam Boxing Club in Troy and his mother Lorraine, who was Mike Tyson's first promoter.

His older brother Shannon will be taking to the ring on Friday night for the first time in 16 months after bouncing pair from a pair of career-threatening injuries. Look for the full story on Shannon in Wednesday's edition of The Record.

For more information on Friday's card, visit www.pugnaciouspromotions.com
Here is an excerpt of a conversation with Shawn, who is aiming to turn pro this summer.

Shawn Miller talks with a Record reporter in December. His amateur fight at Catholic Central High School was scratched due to a snowstorm and he has a few more loose ends to tie up at the amateur level before turning pro, likely this summer. (Photo by J.S. Carras - The Record)

Q: Are you not fighting on Friday because you have a few more things to do before turning pro?
A: I had to get back into it with fighting and I had to get back in shape. Even though I was in shape, boxing shape is a little different than any other shape.

Q: What is on the schedule for you over the next few months?
A: There is 2009 National Championships and after that I'll be pro. Maybe a few more from now until probably June or July and then it's on.

Q: Has watching Shannon battle back from injuries the past few months inspired you to kickstart your own training?
A: Watching him fight, and watching all the fighters fight throughout my career, obviously I was playing baseball and football and going down that road, but once I realized on a daily basis, I came back to my childhood and said, 'this is what it is all about.' It gets you excited. You get to see your brother fight for years and years and you get to see what your dad does with his fighters and it's an awesome thing. You try to live it.

Q: I remembered seeing all of the little kids that came up to high-five you after winning at the KO at the Joe event last summer. How important is it for you to see kids involved with your programs at N.Y. Boxing?
A: Me and my brother, that's what we try to do. We try to be role models and try to teach kids about hard work, discipline and respect. That's what we do here at our gym and if you ask our clients that come here, that's what we do. We have fun, we treat everybody with respect and we try to teach the kids a few things.


--

Shannon Miller talks with reporters during a press conference at N.Y. Boxing in Cohoes on Monday afternoon. He fights Ryan Thompson at the Washington Avenue Armory on Friday night. Read about Shannon in Wednesday's edition of The Record (J.S. Carras - The Record)

Catholic Central girls varsity basketball head coach Christine LaBombard decided to step down today after 16 years coaching the varsity team.

Her daughter, Carly, earned first team Big 10 honors this season and Chris decided this was the perfect opportunity to hand the program over to someone else while she could spend more time with her family in Arizona.

Catholic Central's Carly LaBobmard competes against Saratoga Springs in a Section II Class AA opening round contest this season. LaBombard led the Lady Crusaders to a 14-7 record during her senior season. (Mike McMahon - The Record)

LaBombard won 260 games against 104 losses in 16 seasons at CCHS, winning five Big 10 titles and the 2002 Class A New York State championship along the way. She became only the 11th coach in Section II history to amass more than 250 victories.

LaBombard said the school would advertise the opening and interview the most qualified candidates, so we don't know the replacement yet. She will, however, remain as the assistant athletic director at the school and plans to watch as many of the games next season as she can.

"Being around the teenagers keeps you young," she laughed. "They probably don’t think I’m that hip, but it keeps you in tune with what is going on in the world."

NYSSCOGS/NYSSWA girls basketball
2008-09 state rankings

March 1-8 (week 12)
poll editor - Perry L. Novak
* - final four teams

Class AA
1: 23-1 Bergtraum-PSAL
2: 22-1 Kingston-9 *
3: 22-3 St. Michael’s-CHSAA
4: 20-4 Copiague-11 *
5: 24-4 SI St. Peter’s-CHSAA
6: 18-8 Christ the King-CHSAA
7: 23-1 Canandaigua-5 *
8: 18-6 Bethlehem-2 *
9: 21-4 Mount Vernon-1
10: 22-1 Sachem East-11
11: 20-3 Cicero-North Syracuse-3
12: 22-1 Penfield-5
13: 23-4 South Shore-PSAL
14: 21-6 LI St. John Baptist-CHSAA
15: 16-6 Horseheads-4
16: 19-2 North Babylon-11
17: 17-4 Shenendehowa-2
18: 20-4 Lockport-6
19: 19-5 Fayetteville-Manlius-3
20: 15-5 Syosset-8
20: 16-6 Minisink Valley-9

Class A
1: 23-2 Albertus Magnus-1 *
2: 23-2 Newark-5 *
3: 22-2 Mohonasen-2 *
4: 14-7 Floral Park-8 *
5: 24-2 Buffalo Sacred Heart-CHSAA
6: 19-3 Harborfields-11
7: 17-4 Lakeland-1
8: 17-5 Cornwall-9
9: 21-3 Pittsford Mendon-5
10: 20-4 Maine-Endwell-4
11: 18-7 Amherst-6
12: 18-6 Mexico-3
13: 15-8 Averill Park-2
14: 19-4 Honeoye Falls-Lima-5
15: 21-1 Holy Names-2
16: 14-8 Massena-10
17: 15-6 Waverly-4
18: 17-4 Wallkill-9
19: 18-5 Whitesboro-3
20: 14-6 Huntington-11

Class B
1: 24-0 Oneonta-4 *
2: 18-6 Nanuet-1 *
3: 22-3 Olean-6 *
4: 22-2 NCCS-7 *
5: 21-4 Cazenovia-3
6: 20-4 Wyandanch-11
7: 20-5 Long Island Lutheran-CHS
8: 12-10 Malverne-8
9: 20-4 Highland-9
10: 20-4 Wayland-Cohocton-5
11: 22-1 Lansing-4
12: 18-4 Irvington-1
13: 19-3 Briarcliff-1
14: 17-7 Watervliet-2
15: 18-3 South Jefferson-3
16: 19-5 Clinton-3
17: 22-1 Canastota-3
18: 15-3 Center Moriches-11
19: 20-4 Johnstown-2
20: 15-8 Potsdam-10
20: 20-4 Allegany-Limestone-6

Class C
1: 21-5 Nazareth-5 *
2: 24-1 Hoosic Valley-2 *
3: 16-3 Stony Brook-11 *
4: 23-1 Greene-4 *
5: 18-5 Tuxedo-9
6: 22-2 Maple Hill-2
7: 19-3 Salamanca-6
8: 18-4 Oyster Bay-8
9: 22-2 Bloomfield-5
10: 21-3 Bishop Grimes-3
11: 18-5 Madrid-Waddington-10
12: 14-9 Haldane-1
13: 17-6 Voorheesville-2
14: 21-2 Mohawk-3
15: 21-2 Marion-5
16: 19-5 Odessa-Montour-4
17: 19-4 Harpursville-4
18: 21-2 Gananda-5
19: 14-8 Millbrook-9
20: 19-3 Avon-5
20: 13-8 Ticonderoga-7

Class D
1: 20-2 Coleman Catholic-9 *
2: 22-3 Hammond-10 *
3: 22-2 Sherman-6 *
4: 21-2 South Kortright-4 *
5: 23-1 Germantown-2
6: 22-1 Jasper-Troupsburg-5
7: 19-4 Sackets Harbor-3
8: 19-5 Finney-5
9: 22-1 Clymer-6
10: 17-5 Westport-7
11: 20-2 Chateaugay-10
12: 20-3 Elba-5
13: 21-1 Hamilton-3
14: 21-1 Davenport-4
15: 18-4 Schenevus-4
16: 17-3 Chapel Field-9
17: 16-5 Edmeston-4
18: 18-2 Harrisville-10
19: 14-8 Argyle-2
20: 18-5 Batavia Notre Dame-5
20: 15-7 Oriskany-3

Of the 12 predictions I made about the Section II basketball championships, I didn't do too bad, getting eight right. It was not unlike my football picks this past season, where I was on a tear early in the year, even getting 10 of out 10 one week, before collapsing late in the year and losing the title.
You can check out my original picks by clicking on the March 2009 button on the right hand side.

Here's the blow-by-blow.

Girls Basketball Class AA
My guess: Bethlehem 46, Shenendehowa 39
Final score: Bethlehem 46, Shenendehowa 42

Class A
My guess: Averill Park 50, Mohonasen 49
Final score: Mohonasen 44, Averill Park 39

Class B
My guess: Watervliet 49, Johnstown 41
Final score: Watervliet 46, Johnstown 31

Class CC
My guess: Hoosic Valley 35, Voorheesville 29
Final score: Hoosic Valley 25, Voorheesville 23

Class C
My guess: Maple Hill 39, Greenwich 32
Final score: Maple Hill 44, Greenwich 29

Class D
My guess: Germantown 53, Argyle 42
Final score: Germantown 50, Argyle 45


Final 2008-09 Section II girls basketball brackets


Class AA
My guess: Albany Academy 75, CBA 63
Final score: CBA 62, Albany Academy 49

Class A
My guess: Gloversville 67, Scotia-Glenville 58
Final score: Scotia-Glenville 56, Gloversville 47

Class B
My guess: Broadalbin-Perth 43, Schuylerville 41
Final score: Broadalbin-Perth 55, Schuylerville 47

Class CC
My guess: Maple Hill 67, Canajoharie 59
Final score: Maple Hill 51, Stillwater 48

Class C
No prediction since I had not seen any WAC teams all year but I did correctly guess that the CC team would win the playoff.

Class D
My guess: Heatly 66, Sharon Springs 59
Final score: Sharon Springs 65, Heatly 48

Final 2008-09 Section II boys basketball brackets

--
That's enough tooting my own horn for one post, but be sure to check back later this week as we preview the Maple Hill boys and the Hoosic Valley girls in their pursuit of state championships.

Maple Hill's David Briggs moves the ball up the floor as Norwood-Norfolk's Jared Pollock follows in Saturday's Class C regional final at Hudson Valley Community College. Maple Hill scored 49 points in the second half en route to a 8-257 victory and a berth in the New York State Final Four. (All photos by Tom Killips - The Record).

Briggs was the only Maple Hill starter to not finish in double figures scoring, but he did all of the little things, especially when Trent Tibbits, Jaime Schultz and Sean Danaher were stuck on the bench with foul trouble through most of the second quarter.

The junior forward added six rebounds, four assists and two steals and a pair of blocks for the Wildcats (25-1).

Jaime Schultz (24) catches some crazy air on his way to the rim in Saturday's victory at HVCC. Schultz finished with 16 points and combined with Tibbits to score 18 of Maple Hill's 24 points in the third quarter.

Schultz, who is also a wonderful soccer and baseball player at Maple Hill thought that it was special to do this with the basketball program - certainly in head coach's Scott Hanrahan's first year at the helm and the first time the Wildcats had ever appeared in the regional round.

"In soccer it’s kind of a given that we have to win sectionals," Schultz said, "but winning sectionals for basketball is crazy. Who knew we would take it this far? To get to this part is amazing, to be a part of this team."

Maple Hill's Sean Danaher (r) battles for a rebound with Norwood-Norfolk's Justin Perry (l) during Saturday's game. Danaher scored 10 points and added eight rebounds and four blocks.

The Wildcats advance to face Section III champion Onondaga (17-9), which was the No. 9 seed in the Section III tournament. Onondaga (the alma mater of Mike Hart, who starred as running back at the University of Michigan and was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts) has won six consecutive upset postseason games to make it to the Final Four.
Friday's New York State Class C semifinal at the Glens Falls Civic Center tips off at 5 p.m.
Tickets are $10 and may be purchased by clicking here.

Here is a brief story from Syracuse about this Onondaga team.

Avon and Oyster Bay will be competing on the other side of the bracket, in a 1:30 p.m. game on Friday at the Civic Center.

Check back later in the week as I'll bring you plenty more on Maple Hill and link to as much background information on Onondaga that I can find.

The last Patroon Conference team to appear in a NYS championship game was the 1989-90 Rensselaer High team, which won the Class C crown.

--
The Hoosic Valley girls will be playing Stony Brook (18-4) at Hudson Valley Community College on Saturday at 2:15 p.m.

The Watervliet girls and CBA boys lost on Saturday, ending their hopes of advancing to the Final Four.
The Broadalbin-Perth boys and the Bethlehem and Mohonasen girls will represent Section II next weekend.

Hoosic Valley head coach Walt Dorman and the rest of the Indians celebrate their Class CC/C playoff victory over Maple Hill earlier this week and they played out the same scene today, defeating Section VII champion Ticonderoga 41-11 in the Region II Class C championship game at SUNY-Plattsburgh.

The Indians advance to the New York State semifinals against Section XI champion Stony Brook (18-4) this Saturday at Hudson Valley Community College at 2:15 p.m.

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In boys action today, CBA-Syracuse knocked off CBA-Albany, 50-45 in their regional final. Section II will not be able to defend Bishop Maginn's 2007-08 NYS Class AA title.


The Watervliet girls are playing in Plattsburgh right now and I am heading over to HVCC to watch the Maple Hill boys try to advance to the New York State Final Four for the first time in school history if they can defeat Section X champion Norwood-Norfolk.

I will provide updates and scores right here as soon as I get back from HVCC, so stay tuned.

Maple Hill's Trent Tibbits (21) slashes his way towards the hoop in Friday's regional semifinal against Seton Catholic, the Section VII champions. Seton Catholic's Kaleb Gohlke (23) defends. Tibbits finished with a game-high 18 points - 14 of those coming in the first half - in a 57-43 victory for the Wildcats. (J.S. Carras - The Record).

Tibbits followed a three-point play by Adrian Donnelly with a three-point bucket and a steal on Seton's next possesion. He chucked the ball downcourt to Chris Despart, who made the layin just before the first quarter, buzzer, capping an 8-0 run to end the frame. The Wildcats stretched that same run to 19-2 imdway through the second quarter.

Maple Hill vs Norwood-Norfolk
New York State boys basketball Region II Class C championship
Saturday, Hudson Valley Community College, 5 p.m.
Tickets - $6

Maple Hill Wildcats (24-1)
(Probable starting lineup)
No. Name Pos Yr. Hgt. PPG
24 Jaime Schultz PG Sr. 5-11 8.5
21 Trent Tibbits SG Sr. 6-0 15.6
10 Chris Despart G/F Jr. 6-0 8.4
44 David Briggs F Jr. 6-2 6.8
55 Sean Danaher C Jr. 6-5 11.3

Norwood-Norfolk (11-13)
(Probable starting lineup)
No. Name Pos Yr. Hgt. PPG
3 Adam Stone G Jr. 5-8 13.5
42 Dawayne Alexander G Sr. 6-3 9.2
20 Pat Durant F Jr. 6-1 5.6
32 Justin Perry F Sr. 6-3 4.8
54 Jared Pollack C Sr. 6-4 9.3

Maple Hill's Jaime Schultz (24) gets some serious hangtime as he floats towards the rim during Friday's game. Seton Catholic's Tanner Lecuyer looks on.

The stands were packed with red shirts on Friday with practically everyone in Schodack heading up to HVCC for the game.

"We had a huge pep rally on Friday and that got a lot of people to come out," Schultz said. "We call them the Castleton Crazies. It’s just the best feeling in the world to feed off their energy."

"It seems like the whole town came out for us tonight," said Donnelly. "That’s been a big thing all year. We’ve had so many people come out and support us and it’s not just parents and it’s not just students. It’s parents that used to have kids that went to the school, it’s grandparents and parents that don’t even have kids that played basketball before. It’s really a great thing."

Maple Hill's Dominic Prinzo (center) is swarmed by Seton Catholic's Kyle Kirby (l) and Chase Pellerin (r) during Friday's game.

Prinzo added seven points, including a 5-of-6 performance from the free throw line.
The Wildcats outshot the Knights from the line, 22-of-32 to 8-of-17.

Ailayia Demand (1), an eighth-grader on the Watervliet basketball team, has led the team in scoring and taken the Lady Cannoneers to the New York State regional finals for the second consecutive season. (Tom Killips - The Record)

Watervliet vs Northeastern Clinton
New York State girls basketball Class B Region II final
Saturday, SUNY-Plattsburgh, 3:30 p.m.

Watervliet Lady Cannoneers (18-6)
(Probable starting lineup)
No. Name Pos Yr. Hgt. PPG.
1 Ailayia Demand G 8th 5-1 9.4
3 Nae White F Jr. 5-8 8.7
20 Tierney McGlynn PG Jr. 5-6 8.0
13 Jen Gates F Sr. 5-6 7.2
55 Julie Ann Keegan C Jr. 5-11 2.3

Northeastern Clinton Cougars (21-2)
(Probable starting lineup)
No. Name Pos Yr. PPG.
14 JohniRae Coryea Sr. 13.4
5 Katrina Garrand So. 12.8
22 Meagan McComb Sr. 9.8
11 Jen Bechard Sr. 7.4
24 Courtney Brooks Sr. 5.3

New York State Class B bracket

Hoosic Valley's Carlee Chapko (4) has been the leader of the Indians' pressure defense this season, shown here making a steal against Stillwater in a regular season game. For the fourth time in as many years, the Indians won a Section II title and they look to get back to Troy and the state Final Four with a victory over Ticonderoga on Saturday. (J.S. Carras - The Record)

Hoosic Valley vs Ticonderoga
New York State girls basketball Class C Region II final
Saturday, SUNY-Plattsburgh, 1:45 p.m.

Hoosic Valley Indians (24-1)
(Probable starting lineup)
No. Name Pos Yr. Hgt. PPG.
4 Carlee Chapko G Sr. 5-6 6.2
13 Erin Davidson G Sr. 5-5 4.3
24 Rebecca Moore G Sr. 5-8 5.8
31 Carolyn Houston G/F Sr. 5-11 11.3
12 Samantha Anderson C Sr. 6-0 9.5

Ticonderoga Sentinels (13-7)
(Probable starting lineup)
No. Name Pos Yr. PPG.
33 Julie Thompson Sr. 15.9
12 Sam Diehl Jr. 9.6
22 Jocelyn Barber Jr. 5.3
14 Carly Tubbs Sr. 4.6
20 Chelsea Budwick Jr. 3.5

New York State Class C bracket