Fit to be tied: Hoosic Valley girls win first-ever Wasaren League regular season title
Hoosic Valley sophomore midfielder Kim Kocienski hugs head coach Joel Beecroft following the Indians' 1-1 tie with Cambridge Monday, which clinched the Wasaren League regular season title for Hoosic Valley, the first in school history. (Photos by Mike McMahon - The Record).
SCHAGHTICOKE — Call the Hoosic Valley High School girls soccer team crazy for running and screaming off the field following Monday’s 1-1 double overtime tie against Cambridge, but they had their reason.
The team had just clinched the first-ever Wasaren League regular season title in school history.
Senior striker Mollie Gilchrist scored a goal with under two minutes to play in the first half and freshman goalkeeper Sam Carlo made 10 saves - including three in overtime – as Hoosic Valley was able to remain one win ahead in the Wasaren standings.
What made Hoosic Valley’s dream season even sweeter was that not only were the Indians not expected to be one of the top contenders in the Wasaren League, the players didn’t dare dream that big when the season opened.
“I don’t think we expected us to be in the running until we kind of got into our season and said, ‘Hey, we can do this,” Gilchrist said. “We can pull this off. After our Hoosick Falls win (Thursday), which was huge, I think we all wanted to make school history.”
Hoosic Valley's Mollie Gilchrist looks to advance the ball as Cambridge's Sandra Andrew chases during Monday's game in Schaghticoke.
Hoosic Valley, (11-2-1, 13-2-1), the No. 17 ranked Class B in New York State, will likely be one of the top seeds in the Section II Class B tournament. Wednesday, the Indians will host an opening round playoff game against an opponent to be announced today when the Section II brackets are released.
“It’s really exciting and crazy,” Carlo said. “I can’t believe we did it. Oh my gosh. We worked so hard all season and I’m so glad we did it.”
Mechanicville, Maple Hill and Hoosick Falls are the other Section II teams ranked in the latest New York State Class B poll.
Allie Robert, a junior midfielder for Hoosic Valley, battles for control of the ball with Cambridge's Bridget Cuddihy during Monday's game.
Gilchrist suffered a scare before the game even began. She backed onto a soccer ball passed by one of her teammates in pregame warm-ups and said she “heard a pop.”
“I wasn’t quite 100%, but it worked itself out as the game went on,” she said. “I pushed through it.”
With under two minutes to play in the first half, Gilchrist corralled a ball that bounced off a Cambridge defender and blasted a left-footed shot toward the net. It hit the crossbar and bounced straight down, over the goal line and out of the grasp of Cambridge keeper Cheyanne Hall, who made 17 saves in the game.
“It was funny because they do a really nice job. The Cambridge defense was containing me all game,” Gilchrist, at left, said. “All they do is keep their space so I can’t make a move to get around them and they just allowed me a little bit of space and I was able to chip a shot in and got a lucky bounce down, I guess.”
Cambridge (10-2-2, 11-3-2), the No. 16 Class C team in New York, received an equalizing goal from Kelsey Lawlor with 3:01 remaining in regulation.
As darkness descended on Indians Field, the teams battled in a pair of 10-minute overtime periods. Cambridge’s best chance came when it hit the post with 3:10 remaining in the first overtime. Hoosic Valley’s Allie Robert blasted a direct kick from 30 yards out with less than one minute to play in the second period, but the Indians couldn’t convert.
Hoosic Valley head coach Joel Beecroft, a former goalkeeper on the boys teams at Hoosic Valley, won his first Wasaren League regular season title as a coach Monday evening.
Still, the tie was good enough for an outright league championship.
“I don’t think anyone was expecting it,” said Carlo, at right, who played on the modified team as an eighth-grader last season. “We kind of just came out and showed everybody what we had and surprised everybody. So, that was really cool. It’s very exciting.”
“They’ve got such a mentality for winning,” said head coach Joel Beecroft. “They’ve had success in the basketball program and success in the softball program. And you know what? It’s our turn.”
Notes: Hoosic Valley peppered Cambridge with a bunch of scoring chances right from the opening whistle. HV hit the crossbar two minutes into the game. A long shot off the left foot of Gilchrist nearly, slowly, rolled into the far corner of the Cambridge net 10 minutes into the half, but was scooped by by Cambridge keeper Cheyanne Hall.
Five minutes after that, Cambridge's Bridget Cuddihy nearly scored off a corner kick.
I've never seen so many corner kicks in a soccer game before. Cambridge had 12 and Hoosic Valley took 10, all of which came in regulation.
Gilchrist, who not only suffered a pregame scare, took a soccer ball straight to the face off an intended pass by Cambridge's Sandra Andrew midway through the second half.
Sam Carlo took a big risk with 17 minutes to play, running way out of the box to make a sliding save attempt on Cambridge's Sara Tironi.
Quotes from the notebook: "It helps. It’s going to definitely make us better and I think we’re going to learn a lot from this game," Carlo said on the tough games Hoosic Valley played right before sectionals.
"Last year, we had a good game against Maple Hill where we almost got it done," Gilchrist said. "It was looking good, but we’ve never really been successful in sectionals. I think we’re all looking forward to it."
"I told them, you just watch, pay attention and learn. When you do something like this, it’s a great experience for them," head coach Joel Beecroft said of all the junior varsity players called up for the Indians' postseason run.
"There is no drama on this team. They’re all friends," Beecroft said. "They’ve all played together since they were kids. They joke around, they kid around. It’s nice to have a team like that. You roll the balls out there, say 'OK, this is what we’re going to do' and they do it. And they have a great leader in Mollie. Janelle, she gives you everything she’s got. She’s outstanding there on the right wing."
Hoosic Valley senior forward Janelle Stannard races for the ball with Cambridge's Ellen Villafuerte during Monday's game.
Hoosic Valley High School's Janelle Stannard pushes the ball downfield as Stillwater's Kristen Brewster pursues during Wednesday's Wasaren League game at Stillwater. (Photos by J.S. Carras - The Record).
STILLWATER — The girls soccer team at Hoosic Valley High School is on a mission this season – the Indians are in pursuit of the first Wasaren League regular season title in school history – and so were Mollie Gilchrist and Janelle Stannard in the final 20 minutes of Wednesday’s game at Stillwater.
Gilchrist crossed a pass right in front of Stillwater goalkeeper Lizz Morris and Stannard slid through traffic and kicked the ball into the net for the go-ahead goal with 5:44 to play as Hoosic Valley posted a 3-2 come-from-behind victory over the Warriors.
“It was the most beautiful cross ever,” laughed Stannard.
“She had been making that run all day and all season and I just knew if I could kind of give it a little cross she would finish on it,” said Gilchrist.
With the teams tied at halftime, Stannard and Stillwater’s Brooke Ferrell scored first half goals, Stillwater’s Sarahann Mistretta scored the go-ahead goal on a penalty kick with 22:21 remaining.
Gilchrist answered fewer than four minutes later with a right-footed blast past Stillwater’s Lizz Morris for Hoosic Valley’s equalizer.
Still, it was Gilchrist’s perfect pass and Stannard’s smooth finish that lifted Hoosic Valley (9-2-0, 11-2-0) to its second come-from-behind victory over Stillwater (3-5-3, 3-6-4) this season.
“I’ve had Mollie with me for five years and Janelle for three and they’ve gotten to know each other and gotten to know the moves,” said Hoosic Valley head coach Joel Beecroft. “They talk, they practice it and on that last goal, you couldn’t draw it up any prettier than that.”
Stillwater’s senior goalkeeper, Lizz Morris, made 15 saves. Hoosic Valley freshman netminder Samantha Carlo stopped five shots.
Stillwater's Erica Nichols and Hoosic Valley's Mollie Gilchrist battle for control of the ball during Wednesday's Wasaren League game at Stillwater.
Gilchrist has scored 22 goals this season and Stannard has tallied 13.
Hoosic Valley, which was ranked No. 15 in the New York State Sportswriters Association Class B poll, will host Class C’s No. 13 Cambridge (8-2-1, 9-3-1) Friday at 4:15 p.m. in another Wasaren League showdown.
“We’ve gotten really good this year at being resilient and keeping our mental focus during the games,” Gilchrist said. “Come from behind victories have been our thing, unfortunately.”
The gymnasium at Hoosic Valley High School is practically wallpapered with banners touting the success of the girls basketball and softball programs, but the Indians have never won a regular season league title before. That goal is what has motivated the team all season long, even as basketball season looms.
“It’s soccer season, not basketball season,” Gilchrist said. “I think that everyone wants to be here and play every game.”
“We have a strong sting of athletes on the team,” said Stannard. “I think we’re all in it this year. We want it more. We’re all competitive.”
The Indians need just two more wins to tie the school record and their recent New York State ranking was a first in program history.
Beecroft joked that he will be crying at graduation – Gilchrist, Stannard and Haley Culver are the three seniors on the roster – but he has also been thrilled with the contributions from his underclassmen.
Hoosic Valley's Allie Robert balances the ball on her forehead as Stillwater's Erica Nichols looks on during Wednesday's Wasaren League girls soccer game.
“I’ve got 15 kids and it takes every one of them to make this thing work,” he said. “Some of them don’t get an awful lot of playing time, but they know if I need them for two minutes, or if I need them for three minutes, that’s going to be it and so far, we’ve lived with that and they’ve accepted that and played well.
“It’s nice. You ask them to do something and they just go do it. It’s just a really nice group of kids. They want to play hard and make something of the year.”
Section II coaches and players tackling brain concussions head-on
(Note: This story first appeared in the Kickoff 2010 preview section on Thurs., Sept. 2).
SCHAGHTICOKE -- Jacob Shave wasn’t planning on playing football at Hoosic Valley High School this season because two of the most important people in his life – his mother and his doctor – feared he runs the risk of sustaining yet another concussion.
Playing rough games of sandlot football with his friends, Shave had accidentally taken knees to the temple and received concussions four times. He loves the game, but the idea of another blow to the head had kept him away from signing up for the high school team.
"Me and my mom both were kind of worried about concussions because if I get another one it’s not good," said Shave, who enters his sophomore year of school next week. "I’ve already had four or five. That was my reason for not joining in the first place, last year or this year. That was the only thing that had run through my mind."
Hoosic Valley High School sophomore Jacob Shave is playing his first year of organized tackle football in 2010 after having received at least four concussions in the past playing backyard football. (Photo by Will Montgomery - The Record).
Yet with the Indians, a Class C team, suffering from a lack of numbers, head coach Jay Garvey needed players to keep the fifth-year program afloat. Garvey saw Shave running laps around the track at the high school as the team trudged out for practice during the first week of training camp. Aware of why Shave was holding out on signing up, Garvey still implored him to change his mind.
"For kids like Jake, who we know is concussion-prone, we try and play him at receiver instead of running back so there is a little less contact," Garvey said. "We’ll be careful when we do full contact drills. It’s all common-sense stuff. I’m sure everyone is doing it. It’s definitely a good thing that everyone is doing it instead of what we used to do."
Knowing his coach had his best interests at heart, Shave had a discussion with his mother and decided to give organized tackle football a chance, all risks considered.
"She was hesitant and she never wanted me to join football because of the concussions. And my doctor didn’t think it was a good idea," said Shave. "But she realized because I’ve been kind of bothering her about it for the past couple of years now. I think she realized that I wanted to do it. It was just one of those things I want to get done."
What exactly is a concussion?
A brain concussion occurs when a person’s head comes to a sharp stop, causing the brain to slide violently inside the fluid layer that insulates the skull. Brain cells panic and fire neurotransmitters in a rapid burst, often causing receptors in the brain to become blocked. Short-term and long-term memory may be lost and other symptoms include nausea, confusion and blurred vision.
Leading scientists believe that one concussion makes future head trauma incidents more likely to become concussions, as even a less violent event will cause a similar injury the original event.
One of the biggest issues in treating concussions is that no clear, standard definition for a concussion exists. Players suffering from dehydration, for example, may exhibit dizziness or lightheadedness and complain of headaches, which could skew an overly-cautions doctor’s diagnosis toward a concussion and unnecessarily keep a player off the field.
What’s worse, many student-athletes ignore the symptoms or battle through them trying to play it tough.
"My first concussion, things were just really blurry and it was hard to see," said Shave. "I had half of my vision. The second time, basically, it was black spots where you can’t see much. The third and fourth times were a lot like the second time.
"Nothing is really easy to do. You can’t think straight. I remember my doctor asking me who the president of the United States was and I said ‘George Washington."
Like Shave, Hunter McCarthy, a junior quarterback at the Albany Academy, has already had four concussions. A three-sport athlete at Academy, McCarthy has not suffered his concussions on the football field. Basketball and baseball were the culprits for him.
"The first time I had one, I’m not really sure when it was, probably a couple of years ago," McCarthy said. "I was playing basketball. I don’t remember much when it happened. But I remembered the next couple of days, anytime you get out of bed or stand up, you get really dizzy and you just don’t feel like yourself. It takes a week or two to start feeling normal again."
Albany Academy junior quarterback Hunter McCarthy plays only on the offensive side of the ball, partly because of his concussion history. (Photo by Mike McMahon - The Record).
Treatment strategies for concussions vary, but minimizing exposure to external stimuli is one of the most popular. Former University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow famously holed up in a dark room after sustaining a concussion in a game against Kentucky in Sept. 2009, trying to let his brain relax and not bombard it with music, television, reading or conversation.
Later that season, Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach was accused of banishing sophomore wide receiver Adam James to a dark equipment garage after James was diagnosed with a concussion and showed up to practice in sunglasses and street clothes.
In December of 2009, the NFL imposed new rules which force from a game or practice any player who exhibits any sign of a concussion and bans them from returning to action that day. Posters have also been placed in every NFL team’s locker room, alerting players to symptoms and encouraging them to speak up to the coaching staff if they believe a teammate is hiding a concussion-type injury from the organization.
A number of former NFL players who recently died in middle age were posthumously diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy in autopsies, a condition forensic pathologist Bennet Omalu likened to "a 90-year-old brain with advanced Alzheimer’s" Disease.
Even professional baseball has taken steps to prevent concussions. This season, all minor league players were required to wear the Rawlings S100 model – David Wright of the New York Mets and Francisco Cervilli of the New York Yankees were among those who wore it in the big leagues – which is much larger than a standard batting helmet because of an extra layer of synthetic foam.
Still, all the padding in the world can’t stop the root cause of concussions, which is the acceleration and sudden stopping of the momentum of the brain. Another type of injury helmets cannot protect against is a rotational concussion, where the brain twists, tearing brain fibers and causing permanent damage.
National rates
Although concussions are notoriously difficult to track, a number of medical organizations have attempted to intelligently guess just how wide-spread is the epidemic.
The Journal of Athletic Training reported in 2007 that an estimated 300,000 sports-related traumatic brain injuries occur annually in the United States. For people aged 15-24, sports are the second-leading cause of concussions behind motor vehicle crashes.
The National Athletic Trainers Association released a report in 2009 that claimed between four and six percent of high school football players sustain concussions in a given year, which equals an estimated 43,200 to 67,200 injuries annually.
A study conducted by the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio from 2005-08, which studied 100 high schools around the country, estimated that 130,000 high school athletes report concussions each year. Of the nine sports studied, girls soccer provided the second-highest concussion rate, a figure considerably higher than their counterparts on the boys soccer teams. In fact, rates of concussions for girls were higher in basketball as well.
Countless young people also receive concussions in unsupervised situations, many of which go unreported or worst of all, undiagnosed.
What are the solutions?
For local high school coaches, the first step in addressing the concussion issue is understanding how to know when to pull a player out of practice and send them to an athletic trainer or the doctor.
Cohoes head football coach James Ducharme is among the local coaches who attended a concussion seminar at the Glen Sanders Mansion in Scotia in recent years.
Cohoes High School head coach James Ducharme is one of many local coaches who have attended concussion-awareness workshops in the offseason. (Photo by J.S. Carras - The Record).
"We tell our kids from the beginning, if you get hit and if you get lightheaded or dizzy or if something doesn’t feel right, you need to let us know right away," said Ducharme. "As a coach, you can see it in a kid 90% of the time if he got hit hard and if he gets up and he seems a little woozy. But sometimes we don’t see that and you have to rely on the kid to tell us."
At Hoosick Falls, head coach Ron Jones praised Superintendent Kenneth Facin and Athletic Director Mike Lilac for being "ahead of the curve" on the issue, bringing the school doctor in to give a seminar on athletic injuries to the district’s coaches. Half of the presentation focused on concussions.
Hoosick Falls head coach Ron Jones, pictured above with his team during the first week of practice, said that the health and safety of his players is his No. 1 concern, as it should be with all coaches. (McMahon photo - The Record).
"That’s the understanding now. You can’t tough out a concussion," Jones said. "It’s a serious thing and I don’t know if the guys hid their symptoms before or if they’re worse now. I think we’re seeing more size and speed at every level and even the high school impact is going to increase. I like the idea that they’re recommending that they shouldn’t even be returning to school until they’ve had time to rest."
Hunter McCarthy and his head coach, Tony Fruscio, both celebrated the work of Academy’s athletic trainer, Ron Hutchins. Academy gives all of its contact sports athletes a baseline test prior to any activity, which Hutchins and the coaching staff can refer to and compare the results in case they suspect a player has sustained a concussion.
Albany Academy head coach Tony Fruscio leans on his training staff to keep on top of the health of his players. (Montgomery photo - The Record).
"I think the policing and the training staffs really looking at it is up," Fruscio said. "You need the training staff to be looking at these head injuries that can affect your life forever, not just thinking about one game. One game isn’t that important."
At Tamarac, a switch to Riddell’s Revolution Concussion Reduction Technology helmets – the slightly funky-looking headgear popularized by NFL players such as Peyton Manning and advertised to decrease concussion risk by 31% - has solved some of the Bengals’ headache issues.
Tamarac head coach Erick Roadcap talks to his team after a practice in training camp. The Bengals have awarded Riddell Revoultion helmets to the players known to be concussion-prone. (Montgomery photo - The Record).
"Revolution helmets have seemed to helped me a little bit," head coach Erick Roadcap said. "We have a little bit of an older style that we rotate out and we get six new helmets a year. We use those with a few kids. It’s the same two kids. It’s always consistently the same kids and what alleviated it was switching the helmets."
At Shaker, first-year head coach Greg Sheeler says he has his players checking the inflatable bladders in their helmets daily to ensure a proper fit.
Are kids giving up football for safer pastimes?
A number of high school football programs were forced to dissolve during the first week of practice when it was evident the teams would not have enough players to survive a full season at the varsity level. The New York State Public High School Athletic Association mandates that teams must dress at least 16 healthy players for each game.
There is no direct evidence to support the idea that children are abandoning football for "safer" sports. According to the Center for Injury Research and Policy’s report, football, at 4.36 injuries per 1,000 athlete exposures, is riskiest sport for all injuries, which factored in reports of sprains or strains, concussions, contusions, fractures, lacerations, dislocations, heat illness, asthma attacks and skin infections.
Wrestling was second with 2.50 injuries per 1,000 athlete exposures (defined as a standard practice or game situation that presented a chance for injury), followed by boys soccer (2.43), girls soccer (2.36) and girls basketball (2.01).
Cohoes’ James Ducharme will dress just 18 players most of the season. all personal reasons aside, he thinks more high school students should be playing sports instead of sitting at home on the couch, playing video games.
"I even said to my athletic director today, I think New York State should make some kind of educational law that a kid needs to play one athletic sport a year," Ducharme said during the first week of practice. "They miss out on so much. If they’re not playing an athletic sport, maybe they should be in the band or chorus, because that’s just like a sport with the amount of time they prepare. I think something has to be done to get kids more involved in their extracurriculars in school.
"I think it would do wonders to a small school like us or Chatham," Ducharme continued. "Even Ravena, their numbers are down and that isn’t like them. They have a storied history."
While many local football coaches were lamenting a lack of numbers this season, each and every one that spoke with The Record for this story admitted that they are taking the concussion issue very seriously.
The players, on the other hand, especially the concussion-prone, are doing their best to put their injury history behind them once they step onto the field.
Entering his third year as the starting quarterback at Academy, McCarthy is one of the team’s best athletes. Still, the Cadets’ coaching staff hesitates to use him on both sides of the ball, primarily out of respect for his injury history.
"I don’t play defense, so that helps," McCarthy said. "Sometimes you have to block it out because if you’re worrying about it the whole time, you’re not playing as well as you can."
In Schaghticoke, Shave cannot wait to finally don a jersey and tie up his cleats to play in a football game that matters, not a backyard game of two-hand touch. Mostly, he’s looking forward to popping the buckles on his helmet so he can leave the thought of having another concussion in the back of his mind.
"I’m not really taking any extra precautions," said Shave. "I figure the helmet is enough safety for me, I hope, anyway. I hope there is not anybody big enough to break the helmet through. That’s the only fear I have."
Training camp report No. 17: Hoosic Valley High School
SCHAGHTICOKE -- The first wave of players through the Hoosic Valley High School football program graduated in June, meaning a new era begins this season for the Indians.
"That group of kids that graduated last year I had coached for four years," said Hoosic Valley head coach Jay Garvey. "To see them at practice was kind of strange, but it does feel like a completely new group. One or two (of the old players) will stop by and its nice to see them, but I wish they were still playing for us."
Hoosic Valley enters its fifth season on the varsity level this fall and some of the players that had played all four years for the Indians are gone, opening a door for junior Anthony Brundidge, who will assume the starting quarterback role in 2010.
Junior quarterback Anthony Brundidge drops back for a pass during a practice last week at Hoosic Valley High School. (Photos by J.S. Carras - The Record).
Hoosic Valley has four starters returning from a team that went 2-7 a season ago, meaning the team also has some major holes to fill.
"We have some big guys and some good athletes," Garvey said. "Really, how successful we are early on in the season depends on how quickly we get up to speed and pick up what we need to pick up."
Gage Negro works on his blocking technique during a recent practice at Hoosic Valley High School. (Carras photo - The Record).
Still, the Indians are hopeful for 2010, mainly because Korey LePage served as the team's ringleader in the offseason, getting new guys into the weight room in hopes that they stuck with the team when practices started in August.
"There are a lot of new kids," said junior Korey LePage. "I kind of miss all the old kids helping out. They still come back. They’ll still be here."
For more on LePage's personal journey to the football field, check out Kickoff 2010 on Thurs., Sept. 2 in The Record.
Hoosic Valley sophomore Jacob Shave almost didn't play this season because of a history of concussions. Look for his story in the Kickoff 2010 section this Thurs., Sept. 2 in The Record. (Montgomery photo - The Record).
Hoosic Valley playbook COACH: Jay Garvey STARTERS RETURNING: 4 offense, 4 defense 2009 RECORD: 2-7 NICKNAME: Indians OFFENSE: Pistol DEFENSE: 3-4 LAST PLAYOFF GAME: None LAST SECTION II TITLE: None DIVISION: Class C, North
Hoosic Valley, 2009 game-by-game results
MECHANICVILLE, L 28-6
Hoosick Falls, L 37-0
GRANVILLE, L 33-20
CORINTH, L 39-13
Schuylerville, L 49-13
WARRENSBURG, W 21-14
Tamarac, L 34-13
FORT EDWARD, L 28-21*
Ichabod Crane, W 49-8*
*Crossover game
Home games in CAPS
Hoosic Valley head coach Jay Garvey (left) and quarterback Anthony Brundidge (right) talk about a play during a break in practice last week. (Carras photo - The Record).
Hoosic Valley’s three keys to the season 1, The new guys picking up the game. 2,Offensive line really developing. The Indians return just one starter up front. 3,Junior quarterback Anthony Brundidge. "It’s his first year starting," said head coach Jay Garvey. "How well he does is going to be how well we do. We’re going to throw the ball a fair amount and the better he does, the better we’re going to do offensively."
Hoosic Valley, 2010 schedule
Friday Sept. 3, at Greenwich, 7 p.m.
Saturday Sept. 11, vs. Tamarac, 1 p.m.
Saturday Sept. 18, vs. Catholic Central, 1 p.m.
Friday Sept. 24, at Lake George, 7 p.m.
Saturday Oct. 2, vs. Hoosick Falls, 1 p.m.
Saturday Oct. 9, at Granville, 1 p.m.
Saturday Oct. 16, at Stillwater, 7 p.m.
Oct. 22/29, Playoffs/Crossovers, TBA
Hoosic Valley head coach Jay Garvey, right, speaks with a player during a recent practice behind the high school. (Carras photo - The Record).
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Keep checking back on the blog for a training camp report posted every day between now and opening day of the high school football season on Thurs., Sept. 2. The schools will be posted in no particular order, so please be patient if you don't see your school right away.
Also keep your eyes open for our 48-page preview section - Kickoff 2010 - which hits the newsstands inside The Record on Thurs., Sept. 2. It will feature 21 team previews, columns, feature stories, statistics and pictures to preview the upcoming 2010 high school football season.
Pitcher perfect: Quackenbush flawless in Class CC title game
Hoosick Falls High School sophomore pitcher Rachel Quackenbush deals during Wednesday's game against Hoosic Valley in the Section II Class CC championship game. Quackenbush pitched a perfect game and led the Panthers to an 8-0 victory at Clifton Common. (Photos by J.S. Carras - The Record).
It was just another day at the office for Hoosick Falls High School sophomore Rachel Quackenbush.
Quackenbush had something special cooking in the Section II Class CC softball championship game, but her and her Hoosick Falls High School teammates did not recognize it until after the bottom of the fifth inning.
At that point, Quackenbush had faced 15 Hoosic Valley batters and set them all down in order. In the sixth, she struck out the side.
Quackenbush struck out the first two batters she saw in the seventh and up strode Eileen Farrell as the Indians’ last hope for a baserunner. Farrell ripped a line drive to shortstop, but Hoosick Falls senior Jenna Priore was there to make the catch, preserving Quackenbush’s perfect game and a second straight Section II Class CC title for the Panthers in an 8-0 victory at Clifton Common.
Rachel Quackenbush speaks with the media after her perfect game performance against Hoosic Valley.
"I didn’t even know I had a perfect game going until the bottom of the fifth," said Quackenbush. "Then I thought about it and I started getting nervous and I had to buckle down because I had a perfect game going. It’s amazing."
Quackenbush struck out 16 and made two assists in the field in the effort.
For the full story, check out Thursday's edition of The Record.
Hoosic Valley second baseman Chrissy Sanderson watches the ball float in front of her during Wednesday's game against Hoosick Falls.
In three games this year against Hoosic Valley, Quackenbush went 3-0, allowing 0 runs over 21 innings pitched. It's no wonder that coaches from around Section II call her the best pitcher in the area, regardless of her age or classification in which she plays. There aren't many pitchers who could throw a no-hitter, no less a perfect game, with a title on the line for the other team.
There was no secret to her success on Wednesday. She threw it hard - she did mix in a few nasty changeups - and the Hoosic Valley hitters just could not time her up.
"I don’t think she had to throw anything fancy," said Hoosick Falls head coach Charlie Weeden. "When she threw straight heat, they didn’t catch up to it."
Her hot pitching carried a Hoosick Falls team to the New York State Class C Final Four a season ago...but the story in 2010 is that this team can do some damage with the bat.
Junior third baseman Karley Morin went 3-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored in Wednesday's championship game.
Morin played right field a season ago, but moved to third base this year.
"This year we put her at third base and she’s played great at third base," Weeden said of Morin. "I think she’s the best third baseman in our league."
For more from Quackenbush and Morin, check out the video in this post.
Jenna Priore, Shelby Jones, Katie Kovage, Marissa Davendonis, Samantha Skott and Alysson Schneider also added base hits for the Panthers in the 10-hit attack.
Hoosic Valley, it should be noted, made an unlikely, yet inspiring, run to the title game. The No. 8 seeded Indians topped No. 1 Lake George in the quarterfinals and beat No. 4 Maple Hill in the semis, setting up a third game against Wasaren League rival Hoosick Falls.
The Indians have a roster of primarily younger players and should be a threat in the Wasaren and in Section II yet again in 2011.
Rachel Quackenbush prepares to throw the ball against Hoosic Valley Wednesday afternoon in Clifton Park.
It was her second perfect game on the varsity level. She also tossed one as an eighth-grader.
No. 2 Hoosick Falls plays Section II Class C champion Duanesburg in Friday's Class CC/C Playoff game, which will be contested at 5 p.m. at Clifton Common. Tickets are $6 and the section-wide awards ceremony will precede the games.
Hoosick Falls won a 1-0 non-league contest over Duanesburg earlier this season. It should be an instant classic between two of Section II's premier programs.
The box score is below. Click on it to see a full-size image.
-- Our Ed Weaver was all over the games at Veeder Park, where Cohoes and Columbia both lost in the semifinal round.
Taconic Hills scored on the international tiebreaker rule in the 10th inning, posting a 1-0 victory over the Tigers.
Taconic Hills' Aleshia Link struck out 16 in the game, and she fanned two in the bottom of the 10th inning to protect the Titans' precarious lead as Cohoes had the game-tying and game-winning runs in scoring position.
"Yeah, they were some tears," said Cohoes sophomore pitcher Courtney Dayter. "We have a five seniors and they felt pretty bad."
"We just didn’t get it done," said Cohoes coach Frank Ryan. "We didn’t hit the whole game. Usually, someone gets a key hit or two but not today."
“You get a runner on second, you bunt her over and you hope something happens,” said Cohoes head coach Frank Ryan. “You score and then they have the same scenario. You gave them a run and now we’re going to try to give you a run. It’s not like you really earn the run. I’d rather just play, myself.”
Not that Ryan was blaming Wednesday's loss on the rule at all....I just found it ironic that his team was the first to lose a game with the rule in effect this postseason.
Taconic Hills and Mechanicville should be a great game on Friday.
-- Bethlehem beat Columbia, winning the season series 2-1, and advancing to the Section II Class AA title game against upstart Colonie with a 3-1 victory over the Blue Devils
"We haven’t been in the finals in over 10 years," said a jubilant Bethlehem coach Karen Gentile, who also added the school last won a Section II softball title 31 years ago.
The Eagles scored twice in the second inning, as McKenzie Pezza doubled home one run and scored on Kat Rice’s single against Columbia ace Jena Servidone. They added another run in the fourth.
"Jena pitched very well," Columbia coach Gary Holtz said. "That one inning, they put some people on and that was it. They’re very good at (producing runs) and they work very hard at it."
For the full story on both of those games, check out Thursday's edition of The Record.
Section II softball championship games
Friday, June 4 All games at Clifton Common at 5:15 p.m. following Section II awards ceremony Admission is $6 Class AA
Greenwich and Niksy earn Section II titles; Wednesday preview
Greenwich ace Neil Fryer throws a pitch during Tuesday's Section II Class C championship game against Fort Plain. Fryer went seven strong, scattering five hits and adding three RBI and a home run at the plate in a 9-1 victory for the Witches. (Photo courtesy - The Saratogian).
Greenwich earned the first Section II baseball title Tuesday night after a rain delay at Joe Bruno Stadium. For the full story, check out Wednesday's editions of The Record and The Saratogian.
The Witches will play Class CC champion Canajoharie in the Section II Class CC/C playoff Friday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. at Veterans Field on Geyser Road in Saratoga Springs.
-- Stan Hudy covered the game for us and uncovered a great story on this Greenwich team. Here is an excerpt from his story:
It was also special for the players who wore a shamrock with M.A.C embroidered on it in memory of former assistant coach and former mayor of Greenwich, Christopher McCormick, who died in May from complications due to Type I diabetes.
It was during the wake and a few conversations about Mac (McCormick’s nickname) and his love of the Boston Red Sox that a secret was revealed to the adults. Just as a construction worker has buried a Red Sox baseball jersey in concrete during the construction of the new Yankee Stadium, the favor was returned to McCormick and his former stomping grounds, near third base.
His friends purchased a New York Yankee jersey and buried it underneath the Witches baseball field, they did it quietly, secretly and left little evidence … all except some of the dirt from Yankee Stadium they also left for him.
It was a joke between friends, a snicker at the expense of their Boston-loving friend, but they never had the time or the heart to tell him of the prank. When word got out, along with the tears, speeches and memories about Mac, Beck vowed to dig it up … when the curse was broken.
It’s official, the curse is broken, but there is still a moratorium on any shovels being put to use around the Greenwich baseball field.
"We’ll just wait until the season is finally over," Greenwich head coach Duke Beck said. "We still have some games to play."
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake's Chase Godfrey attempts to defend a sprawling Matt Sexton in Tuesday's Section II Class B boys lacrosse title game at the University at Albany. Niskayuna won its sixth straight Section II title by a score of 14-4. (Photo by J.S. Carras - The Record).
Guy Waltman scored four goals for Niskayuna in the victory. For more on how Waltman was inspired to win this game for his younger teammates, check out Wednesday's edition of The Record for the full story.
Nisky has won six Section II titles in a row and ten in total. The Silver Warriors showed why they are the class of Capital Region lacrosse Tuesday night in a sharply-played game.
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake goalie Connor Nash prepares to make one of the 17 saves he made in Tuesday's game. He played well considering that the Silver Warriors took 44 shots in the game.
It was also a highly successful season for Burnt Hills, which advanced to a Section II title game for the second time in its four-year varsity history.
First-year head coach Tom Schwan has helped his team improve its lacrosse IQ and he hopes the Spartans can be Suburban Council and Section II competitors again in 2011.
"I can’t speak highly enough about Jason LaPietro, our assistant varsity coach," Schwan said. "He is just a tremendous man in regards to working with young people. He asks them to do things physically they don’t think they can do, and he also got them to mentally do things they’ve never done before.
"We’re really psyched about the future," Schwan continued. "There are a lot of positives, but we understand that they’re better than us and I think 14-4 was exactly how much better they were than us.
Averill Park's Andrew Fasoldt makes a play during a regular season game against Columbia. The Warriors, the No. 7 seed in the Section II Class A playoffs, will face No. 1 Ichabod Crane in Wednesday's title game at Joe Bruno Stadium. (Photo by J.S. Carras - The Record).
For an preview story on how Suburban Council teams Averill Park, Mohonasen and Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake compete in the Section II Class A tournament with losing records year-in and year-out, check out Wednesday's edition of The Record.
If the slipper fits, wear it - Hoosic Valley moving on to Section II title game; Friday's softball roundup
Hoosic Valley's Cinderella run through the Section II Class CC bracket continued Friday afternoon as the No. 8 seeded Indians defeated No. 4 Maple Hill in a semifinal round contest.
Hoosic Valley sophomore pitcher Morgan Anderson deals against No. 4 seed Maple Hill during Friday's Section II Class CC semifinal at Clifton Common. Anderson struck out eight and earned the win in a 13-2 victory over the Wildcats. (Photos by J.S. Carras - The Record).
Tuesday morning, the Hoosic Valley Indians were not even sure they would be competing in the Section II postseason in 2010. Friday afternoon, the team had punched its ticket to the Class CC championship game.
The Indians rapped out 10 hits and scored 13 runs against No. 4 seed Maple Hill, posting a 13-2 victory at Clifton Common.
"We weren’t even supposed to make it into sectionals and it’s just really great that we’ve come this far," sophomore right fielder Rachel Moore said. "Our team has done really great and all the teams we have played have been really great. It’s been fun."
Hoosic Valley finished the regular sea¬son in the Wasaren League with a 6-8 record, one win short of the automatic qualifier for the postseason, a .500 conference record. The Section II committee, however, can award berths to teams on the bubble at its discretion.
"We didn’t make it, so we thought we’d petition in and whatever happens, happens," Hoosic Valley head coach Blake Bochette said. "We felt like the league was strong enough and that we were strong enough that we could compete in sectionals. So we just petitioned in, they let us in and from there on out, we’ve been ready to play."
For the full story, check out Saturday's edition of The Record.
Maple Hill first baseman Lauren Aitken snares a throw from catcher Bri Roe to force Hoosic Valley's Whitney Kugler (15) out in the first inning of Friday's game.
The Indians topped No. 9 Schoharie in a play-in game Tuesday in Colonie, 10-4. Wednesday, they traveled to Queensbury to face No. 1 Lake George, blanking the Warriors, 2-0.
"We got really excited when we beat Lake George and now we’re going to the finals and we’re all shocked," said senior center fielder Beth Drescher. "We’re excited. We’re ready to go. We’re really ready."
Hoosic Valley second baseman Chrissy Sanderson makes a throw to first base during Friday's game against Maple Hill.
A big part of Hoosic Valley's success in the playoffs has been its defense. Sophomore pitcher Morgan Anderson isn't a fireballing type that can simply blow hitters away. She relies on a low ball and the defense behind her to collect the outs.
Anderson struck out eight in Friday's game, allowing two earned runs on five hits and one walk.
In Wednesday's Section II Class CC championship game against No. 2 Hoosick Falls, the Indians will be facing the polar opposite in Panthers' sophomore ace Rachel Quackenbush, one of the, if not the, best arms in the area.
Hoosic Valley senior center fielder Beth Drescher collected three hits and scored three runs in Friday's victory over Maple Hill.
Hoosick Falls won both Wasaren League games over Hoosic Valley by a combined score of 5-0.
Still, the Indians won't be stressing out about having to face Quackenbush for a third time.
"We know what to expect," Drescher said. "We’re pumped now and we know we have to beat them and it’s going to be a close game no matter what. We’re really going to show them we deserve it. It should be a good game."
Hoosick Falls knocked out Hoosic Valley in the Section II Class CC semifinals in 2009 en route to a berth in the New York State Final Four.
Hoosic Valley sophomore right fielder Rachel Moore hit a triple and a double in Friday's game.
For Moore, Friday's game also had a bit of history behind it. She was eliminated from the postseason on the soccer and basketball teams this year by....you guessed it...Maple Hill.
"They’re a great team and we really wanted to beat them because of that, too," Moore laughed.
Click on the box score for a full-size image.
-- Here is Friday's roundup. Check back Saturday for news and notes from the 12 high school baseball semifinals that will be played as well as CBA's Section II semifinal lacrosse game against Bethlehem.
High Schools Softball Class CC Semifinals Hoosick Falls 2, Chatham 0: Rachel Quackenbush struck out 14 and had the only two hits for the Panthers as the No. 2 seed advanced into the championship game. Hoosick Falls will meet Wasaren League foe and rival Hoosic Valley in the championship game on Wednesday at Clifton Commons. Quackenbush and Frankie Pearson both scored runs for the Panthers. Class C Semifinals Greenwich 6, Loudonville Christian 0: The No. 6 seed Witches (9-11) continued their magical run, getting 15 strikeouts from Sarah Heimbach to advance to Wednesday’s Class C Final. Heimbach, who also doubled in the game, hasn’t given up a run in two sectional victories in the circle. Sarah Gailbraith doubled home three runs in the seventh to solidify the victory for Greenwich. Dani DeGregory had two hits and stole three bases, while Alicyn Stein added two hits and drove in three runs for the Witches, who meet top-seeded Duanesburg at 3 p.m. at Clifton Commons in the title game. Duanesburg topped Mayfield 5-0 in the other Class C semifinal.
Next week's softball schedule:
Tuesday, June 1
Class AA Semifinals At Adirondack Dome, Queensbury 9 Colonie vs. 5 Saratoga, 4 p.m. At Veeder Park, Colonie 2 Bethlehem vs. 3 Columbia, 4 p.m.
Class A Semifinals At Veeder Park, Colonie 6 Burnt Hills vs. 2 Ichabod Crane, 4 p.m. At Adirondack Dome, Queensbury 5 Averill Park vs. 1 South Glens Falls, 4 p.m.
Class B Semifinals At Veeder Park Colonie 2 Cohoes vs. 3 Taconic Hills, 4 p.m. At Adirondack Dome, Queensbury 1 Mechanicville vs. 5 Schuylerville, 4 p.m.
Class D Semifinals At Veeder Park, Colonie 4 Argyle vs. 1 Germantown, 4 p.m. At Adirondack Dome, Queensbury 3 Fort Ann vs. 2 Hartford, 4 p.m.
Wednesday, June 2
Both games at Clifton Common Class CC Final 8 Hoosic Valley vs. 9 Hoosick Falls, 3 p.m. Class C Final 6 Greenwich vs. 1 Duanesburg, 3 p.m.
Friday, June 4
All games at Clifton Common Class AA Final, 5 p.m. Class A Final, 5 p.m. Class B Final, 5 p.m. Class CC/C Playoff, 5 p.m. Class D Final, 5 p.m.
Schaghticoke native Jen Mineau, The Record's Softball Player of the Year in 2007 and 2008, was named Fordham University's Female Athlete of the Year.
Troy native Shannon Jones, The Record's Softball Player of the Year in 2009, was named to the All-MAAC second team after a solid freshman season at Siena College. To read the press releases sent to us from their respective schools, scroll down.
Schaghticoke’s Jen Mineau Named 2010 Hobbs Award Winner at Fordham Athletics 76th Block F Dinner
NEW YORK -- As the 2009-10 season begins to wind down, the Fordham University Athletic Department held its 76th annual Block F Awards Dinner at the Villa Barone Manor on May 6th to honor Fordham University’s student-athletes for their accomplishments during the academic year.
Among those honored were Caitlin Napoli (Hauppauge, N.Y./St. Anthony's) and Jen Mineau (Schaghticoke, N.Y./Hoosic Valley Central) who were co-winners of the Claire and Jack Hobbs Award as Fordham’s top female student-athlete.
The Claire & Jack Hobbs Memorial Award is presented to the Female Athlete of the Year who has achieved outstanding athletic accomplishments. The award is named in honor of the late Claire and Jack Hobbs. Jack was a 1938 graduate of Fordham College and a 1941 graduate of Fordham Law, and he and his wife were avid Fordham followers.
Mineau, a sophomore record-setting pitcher with the softball team, is enjoying the finest year ever for a Fordham softball pitcher. Through 51 games this season, Mineau (29-5), has broken the records for strikeouts in a single game three times, (18, 19 and then 22) and the single season strikeout (420) and shutouts (14) records and is on pace to set Fordham’s single season ERA record with her current ERA of 0.65. She’s been named Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Week five times (Feb. 22, March 1, April 26th and May 3rd) and was named Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Division I Player of the Week on May 4th after tallying her second-straight 3-0, three shutout week.
In 226.2 innings pitched Mineau’s allowed just 103 hits and 27 runs, 21 earned, in 41 appearances. She has had the four best strikeout performances in Fordham history, including a 22-strike out performance in a 5-3, nine-inning win at La Salle on April 18th.
Through games of May 2nd, Mineau leads the NCAA Division in strike outs (13.0/seven innings) and is ranked second in the country in ERA and walks allowed (0.71/seven innings) and is tied for eighth in wins.
On April 7th, Mineau was announced as one of collegiate softball’s elite as she was named a USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 25 Finalist by officials from the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America. She is the only sophomore and the lone representative of the Atlantic 10 on a list selected out of 20 schools and seven Division I conferences and is the only player selected from the Northeast Region.
In the first weekend of play, Mineau set two Fordham records as she pitched a seven-inning perfect game in the 10-0 season-opening win against Morehead State on February 20th. The seven-inning perfect game was the first ever in Fordham’s 25 year history and was the second perfect game and third no-hitter of Mineau’s career.
Mineau also has two wins over ranked teams to her credit, beating No. 8 Georgia Tech and shutting out No. 22 Texas A&M.
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Shannon Jones Named to MAAC Softball Second Team Rookie is the Only Saint Honored at Year-End Banquet
LOUDONVILLE -- Freshman Shannon Jones was named to the MAAC Softball Second Team Thursday evening at the pre-Tournament awards banquet held in Buffalo, N.Y. Jones batted .344 in 50 games this season, and her 55 hits were the third most in a season in program history.
Jones batted third in the Saints' lineup and played shortstop, starting 50 of the team's 51 games. She finished the year 55-for-160 (.344) with six home runs, 12 doubles, 33 RBI and 12 runs scored. She earned one MAAC Rookie of the Week honor (3/22).
The Saints finished the year with a 14-37 record and a 7-9 league mark. Head Coach Deanna Parks announced during the season that she will not return next year. The school is in the process of hiring her successor.
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Still, the tie was good enough for an outright league championship.
