Hoosick Falls football players burst through a banner during a 2009 home game. (Photo by J.S. Carras - The Record).

HOOSICK FALLS - The 2009-10 school year not only was one to remember for athletes at Hoosick Falls High School, it was the second-best performance by a Class C school in all of New York State.

For the second straight year, the New York Sportswriters Association has released its All-Sport Championship, which calculates the most successful schools in the state based on points earned by winning sectional, regional and state championships.

Hoosick Falls’ boys and girls teams earned 24 points, one point behind Class C All-Sport champion Marathon High of Section IV. The Panthers’ Wasaren League rival, Greenwich, finished third with 22 points.

In the fall season, four teams excelled for Hoosick Falls. The golf team posted a winning record, while the girls soccer team won the Wasaren League championship. Hoosick Falls’ field hockey team was a Wasaren League co-champion and the football team won the Section II Class C North Division title.

The field hockey team advanced to the New York State semifinals before losing to Port Jefferson, 2-1. Late in the season, head coach Denise Campbell admitted she thought it might be a rebuilding year after the team lost its top two scorers and starting goaltender from the 2008 team to graduation.

On the gridiron, the football team went undefeated in the regular season and needed a last-second, 39-yard field goal from Quinn Rasmus to defeat Chatham in the Section II Super Bowl, 17-14.

The football team advanced to the state semifinals in Kingston, but lost to Bronxville in heartbreaking fashion, 28-27.


In the winter, the boys basketball team, led by Kevin McMahon and Alex Lilac (pictured above) won a second straight Wasaren League regular season title and advanced to the Section II Class C championship game.

Not to be outdone, the bowling team placed second at sectionals. On the wrestling mats, Jacob Pearson, Brad Burns and Matt Fogarty each won at least 19 matches.

Josh Mulready makes the catch of the year in center field during the Panthers' second-to-last game of the regular season against Granville.

In the spring, Hoosick Falls’ youthful baseball team made an unexpected surge to the top of the Wasaren League standings, finishing the season in a three-way tie with Greenwich and Schuylerville.

Although a state championship eluded the Panthers during the 2009-10 school year, the softball team made the longest run in the postseason. Behind sophomore pitcher Rachel Quackenbush (pictured below), Hoosick Falls was making its second consecutive appearance in the Final Four.


The Panthers won their semifinal game against Ganada, but fell in the championship game to Rhinebeck, 3-1, in eight innings.

"Not only do we have ourselves to get pumped up, but we have the school, the parents and then the outside community," senior shortstop Jenna Priore said before the team headed off to the Final Four. "It’s a small town and having a small town helps a ton because everyone knows everyone and we get so much support."

Many of the student-athletes competed on at least two of the teams, which explains the Panthers’ three seasons of success.

"With a small school, if you get one good class, you’re going to be competitive across the board," said Mike Lilac Jr., who is Hoosick Falls’ head boys basketball and baseball coach and the district’s Athletic Director. "But we really have three good classes in a row with our junior and sophomore classes, too."

Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, which scored 45.17 points in Class A, was the New York’s overall champion for the second straight year. Other local place-winners include Saratoga Springs (second, Class AA), Queensbury (fourth, Class AA) and Mechanicville (fifth, Class B). Using just points scored by boys teams, Christian Brothers Academy was tied for third among Class B schools. Using just the girls’ scores, Mechanicville was second in Class B and Colonie was tied for fourth in Class AA.

Maple Hill was New York’s Class C All-Sport champion following the 2008-09 season.
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2010 New York State All-Sports Championship, as complied by the New York State Sportswriters Association

Combined (boys and girls) Class AA scoring
1) North Rockland, 42.5 points
2) Saratoga, 36.33
3) Fayetteville-Manlius, 34.33
4) Queensbury, 31.67
5) Newburgh Free Academy, 30.67

Combined (boys and girls) Class A scoring
1) Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, 45.17 points
2) Honeoye Falls-Lima, 42
3) Lakeland, 41
4) Garden City, 39
4) Pittsford Mendon, 39

Combined (boys and girls) Class B scoring
1) Westhill, 37 points
2) Bronxville, 25
3) Center Moriches, 24.5
4) East Aurora, 17.5
5) Mechanicville, 17

Combined (boys and girls) Class C scoring
1) Marathon, 25 points
2) Hoosick Falls, 24
3) Greenwich, 22
4) Rhinebeck, 21.5
5) Greene, 21
5) Friends Academy, 21

Combined (boys and girls) Class D scoring
1) Maple Grove, 27.5 points
2) Chazy, 25
3) Bolivar-Richburg, 20
4) Plattsburgh Seton, 17
4) John A. Coleman Catholic, 17

Boys Class AA scoring
1) North Rockland, 27.5 points
2) Newburgh Free Academy, 24
3) Fayetteville-Manlius, 19.17
4) West Genesee, 18.5
5) Saratoga, 18

Boys Class A scoring
1) Jamesville-DeWitt, 34 points
2) Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, 30.17
3) New Hartford, 25
4) Manhasset, 21
5) Honeoye Falls-Lima 20

Boys Class B scoring
1) Westhill 37 points
2) Marcellus, 16.06
3) Albany CBA, 15
3) Center Moriches, 15
3) Hornell, 15
3) Southwestern, 15

Boys Class C scoring
1) Friends Academy, 17.5 points
2) Barker, 15
2) Buffalo Middle College, 15
2) Randolph, 15
2) Valhalla 15

Boys Class D scoring
1) Chazy, 15 points
1) Fort Ann, 15
1) Maple Grove, 15
4) Bolivar-Richburg, 10
4) John A. Coleman Catholic, 10
4) Moriah, 10
4) Northville, 10
4) Watertown Immaculate Heart, 10

Girls Class AA scoring
1) Canandaigua, 22 points
2) Saratoga, 18.33
2) Queensbury, 18.33
4) Bay Shore, 17.5
4) Colonie, 17.5

Girls Class A scoring
1) Lakeland, 30.5 points
2) Garden City, 29
3) Pittsford Mendon, 28.5
4) Cornwall, 22.5
5) Honeoye Falls-Lima, 22

Girls Class B scoring
1) East Aurora, 17.5 points
2) Mechanicville, 17
3) Briarcliff, 15
3) Bronxville, 15
3) Buffalo City Honors, 15
3) Chenango Valley, 15
3) Eden, 15
3) Irvington, 15

Girls Class C scoring
1) Rhinebeck, 21.5 points
2) Tioga, 18
2) Elmira Heights Edison, 18
4) Stony Brook, 17.5
5) Hoosick Falls, 17

Girls Class D scoring
1) Livingston Manor, 15 points
1) Arkport, 15
1) Clymer, 15
4) Maple Grove, 12.5
5) Chateaugay, 10.5

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