Ichabod Crane head coach Jack Brady (second from left) watches his team compete Tuesday afternoon against Whitesboro in the New York State Class A regional final at Bob Bellizzi Field in Albany. (Photo by Mike McMahon - The Record).

Former Troy High head coach Jack Brady had a wonderful year at Ichabod Crane. Check out Wednesday's edition of The Record for a full story on his journey back into coaching.

Here are some excerpts from his players.

"Going into last year, we didn’t know what to expect or who our coach would be at first," senior catcher Derick Horn said. "He came in and he kind of brought a new attitude, or a swagger, as he would like to call it.

"Just over time, he got to know us and we got to know him. And coming into this year we felt really confident in our approach to our game and our philosophy," continued Horn. "We were able to have a really successful year and accomplish all of our goals. We won the Patroon Conference and a sectional championship. It was a great run."

"He’s a great guy," Ingham said. "He’ll wear his emotions on his sleeve and he’s taught me a lot about not only being a player, but just about being a good person. He’s one of the best guys I’ve ever met. He’s a great coach and an even better person."

Ichabod Crane lost the game, 8-4, but they still walked off the field as Patroon Conference and Section II champions, which was a point Brady was sure to make in his final on-field meeting with the team in 2010.

"Coach just kind of talked and reflected over the year and what a good job we’ve done and how we accomplished so much," Horn said. "He said, ‘we can walk off the field today, even though we didn’t win today, as champions.

"It shows a lot of Coach Brady, how he looks at us as champions even though we lost today’s game."

Click the box score to see a full-size image.

It was the first game I had seen at the new Plumeri Sports Complex in Albany and I was very pleased with the field and the setting. The only problem Tuesday was a lack of seating...which I would imagine would make a Section II playoff game with a pair of local teams a tough ticket. Other than that, it's a beautiful place to watch a ballgame.

Check out The Saratogian on Wednesday for stories on Greenwich and Spa Catholic moving on to the New York State Final Four in Class C and Class B, respectively.

Tuesday's scores:

BASEBALL

Class A regional final
Whitesboro 8, Ichabod Crane 4
Class B regional final
Saratoga Central Catholic 7, Potsdam 6
Class C regional final
Greenwich 7, Ticonderoga 3
Class D regional finalFort Ann 10, Chateaugay 1

Winners advance to NYS Final Four Saturday in Binghamton. Click here for brackets. Schedule below.
Class AA
Guilderland vs. McQuaid (Section V) at 1 p.m. at Binghamton UniversityClass B
Spa Catholic vs. JF Kennedy Catholic (Section I) at 10 a.m. at NYSEG Stadium
Class C
Greenwich vs. Valhalla (Section I) at 10 a.m. at Broome Community College

Class D
Fort Ann vs. Chapel Field (Section IX) at 10 a.m. at Conlon Field

SOFTBALL

Class AA regional final
Cicero-North Syracuse 1, Colonie 0

Colonie's Casey Rowland throws a pitch during Tuesday's regional final against Cicero-North Syracuse. The Garnet Raiders lost on an unearned run, watching their dream postseason run come to an end in Queensbury. (Photo by Ed Burke - For The Record).

Rowland was fantastic in the Section II playoffs, as the Garnet Raiders, the No. 9 seed, were an underdog every step of the way. She'll have a big following, and a big target on her back, in 2011.

"She’s the rock of our team and we love her," Colonie senior first baseman Laura Loudis said. "I can not wait to come watch her (next year). I know she’s going to do great things with her career."

For the full story, check out Andrew Santillo's account in Wednesday's edition of The Record.

Class A regional semifinal
South Glens Falls 5, Oneida
South Glens Falls will play Wednesday at SUNY Potsdam at 5:00 vs Massena

Hoosick Falls' Rachel Quackenbush (left) high-fives her catcher, Shelby Jones, during last Friday's victory over Duanesburg. The Panthers play Ticonderoga in Plattsburgh today at 5:30 p.m. (Photos by J.S. Carras - The Record).

Wednesday's schedule - all games at SUNY-Plattsburgh

Class B- Mechanicville 1:00 vs. Peru
Class D- Germantown 3:15 vs. Crown Point
Class C- Hoosick Falls 5:30 vs. Ticonderoga

I'll have a preview story on Hoosick Falls' second straight trip to the regional round in Wednesday's edition of The Record.

A big part of the Panthers' success in 2010 is thanks to rookies like Jones, Alyssa Schneider and center fielder Samantha Skott, pictured below.


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