Category: Bethlehem

Albany Academy for Boys, Averill Park, Ballston Spa, Bethlehem, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, Cobleskill-Richmondville, Colonie, Columbia, Guilderland, Home, Indoor track, Niskayuna, Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk, Saratoga Springs, Schalmont, Schenectady, Shaker, Shenendehowa, Stillwater

Shea Weilbaker, Donald Jones win titles at state indoor track championships

Saratoga Springs’ Shea Weilbaker and Albany Academy’s Donald Jones earned individual titles at the New York State Indoor Track and Field Championships Saturday, March 2, at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Staten Island.

Weilbaker was one of three Section 2 runners to place in the top 10 of the boys 3,200-meter run. Weilbaker finished first with a time of 9:04.62, while Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake’s Tyler Berg placed third with a time of 9:09.16. Berg’s teammate, Aidan Gillooley, finished ninth with a time of 9:24.53.

Jones cleared the bar at 15 feet, 3 inches in fewer attempts than Gates-Chili’s Dustin Meyer to win the boys pole vault. Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk’s Shane Racey took third place after he cleared the bar at 15 feet.

Saratoga and Shen each turned in sub 8-minute times in the boys 3,200-meter relay. Saratoga’s team of Noah Flanders, Peter Moller, Ryan Postlethwait and Ezra Ruggles claimed the state title with a time of 7:56.60, while Shen’s Odin Schaepkens, Aidan Hickey, Nolan Hickey and Alex Hislop finished third with a time of 7:58.70.

Section 2 added a victory in the boys intersectional distance medley relay. The team of Evan Brennan (Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake), Anthony Cozzy (Columbia), Isaac Menis (Schenectady) and William Wallace (Colonie) finished with a time of 8:55.07.

On the girls’ side, Shen’s Chidera Anameze had the top individual performance for Section 2 with a second-place finish in the shot put. Anameze’s top throw was 41 feet, 6 inches. Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake’s Rory Graham took third place in the 1,000-meter run with a time of 2:52.98.

In the girls’ relays, Shen’s team of Jade Dennis, Madeleine Festin, Hannah Belleville and Jada Dennis was second in the 3,200-meter event with a time of 9:17.38. Section 2’s team of Lily Dingman (Shen), Leonni Griffin (Shaker), Kaiden Ring (Columbia) and Gillian Roeder (Bethlehem) finished third in the girls intersectional distance medley relay with a time of 10:23.53. Continue reading “Shea Weilbaker, Donald Jones win titles at state indoor track championships” →

Albany Academy for Boys, Bethlehem, Boys swimming, Guilderland, Home, Niskayuna, Queensbury, Shaker, Shenendehowa, Voorheesville

Niskayuna wins team title at state boys swimming and diving championships

Niskayuna’s relay teams propelled the Silver Warriors to the team title at last weekend’s New York State Boys Swimming and Diving Championships on Long Island.

Niskayuna won one relay, placed second in two other relays and had three individuals place in the top 10 of their events to finish with 189 points. Great Neck South was second with 183 points, while Pittsford placed third with 168 points. Shenendehowa took fourth place with 163 points.

Niskayuna’s Victor Shingo, Mark Lipkin, Scott Ward and Bryan Liu won the 200-yard freestyle relay with an All-American consideration time of 1:25.86 and placed second to Shen in the 400-yard freestyle relay with a time of 3:09.16. Shen’s Kaleb Hotaling, Alexander Fabris, James Jordan and Jackson Homan claimed the state title in the 400-yard freestyle relay with an All-American consideration time of 3:08.93.

Liu, Lipkin and Ward began Saturday’s championship round by teaming up with Cameron Goodspeed to place second in the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:35.71. Niskayuna was one of four Section 2 teams that qualified for the championship finals in the 200-yard medley relay, as Shen placed fourth, Albany Academy finished sixth and Bethlehem took ninth place.

Liu and Ward also had top-10 performances in individual events. Liu was fourth in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 51.97 seconds, while Ward finished eighth in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:43.36. Matthew Chao added a fifth-place finish in the 1-meter diving competition for Niskayuna with a score of 493.50 points.

Hotaling had the top performance for a Section 2 swimmer in an individual event. He placed third in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 1:53.46 – one-hundredth of a second ahead of Queensbury’s David Walton, who had a pair of top-10 performances at states. Continue reading “Niskayuna wins team title at state boys swimming and diving championships” →

Ballston Spa, Bethlehem, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, Christian Brothers Academy, Ice hockey, Shenendehowa

Bethlehem outlasts Shenendehowa for Section 2 Division 1 hockey title

SCHENECTADY – Bethlehem won its second consecutive Section 2 Division 1 hockey title by outlasting Shenendehowa 4-2 in the championship game Sunday, Feb. 24, at Union College.

The Eagles (20-2-1) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period on two quick goals by Michael Bievenue. The junior forward’s first goal came 22 seconds into the match and the second a little more than three minutes later. After Shen got on the scoreboard early in the second period, Bievenue struck again to put Bethlehem ahead 3-1.

Shen (16-6-1) pulled back within one goal again in the third period when Brennan Alheim tallied, but Ben LaVigne scored off a Bievenue assist to give Bethlehem the insurance goal it needed.

LaVigne assisted on two of Bievenue’s three goals, and goalie Michael Kurdziolek stopped 27 shots to propel Bethlehem into the regionals. The Eagles travel to southern New York to face Section 1 champion Suffern Saturday, March 2. Continue reading “Bethlehem outlasts Shenendehowa for Section 2 Division 1 hockey title” →

Albany Academy for Boys, Amsterdam, Averill Park, Ballston Spa, Bethlehem, Broadalbin-Perth, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, Colonie, Columbia, Greenwich, Guilderland, Home, Hoosic Valley, Hudson Falls, Indoor track, Mohonasen, Niskayuna, Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons, Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk, Saratoga Springs, Schalmont, Schenectady, Scotia-Glenville, Shaker, Shenendehowa, South Glens Falls, Tamarac

State indoor track and field qualifiers: Josiah Kemp, Ella Kurto among Section 2 athletes who won two events

ALBANY – Section 2 held its state indoor track and field qualifier Sunday, Feb. 24, at the University at Albany.

Colonie’s Josiah Kemp and Averill Park’s James Cocca each won two individual boys events. Kemp took first place in the 55-meter dash with a time of 6.57 seconds, and he finished first in the 55-meter hurdles with a time of 7.52 seconds. Cocca swept the throwing events, winning the shot put and the weight throw.

On the girls’ side, Saratoga Springs’ Ella Kurto won the 1,500-meter race with a time of 4:49.15 and the 3,000-meter race with a time of 10:04.13. Guilderland’s Isabella Bruno finished first in the long jump and the triple jump, while Shenendehowa’s Chidera Anameze earned victories in the shot put and weight throw.

The top two finishers in each event automatically qualified for the New York State Indoor Track and Field Championships, which take place Saturday, March 2, at the Ocean Breeze Track and Field Facility on Staten Island. Third-place finishers qualified if they met the state meet standard. Continue reading “State indoor track and field qualifiers: Josiah Kemp, Ella Kurto among Section 2 athletes who won two events” →

Albany, Albany Academy for Boys, Bethlehem, Broadalbin-Perth, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, Christian Brothers Academy, Cobleskill-Richmondville, Colonie, Columbia, Fonda-Fultonville, Greenwich, Guilderland, Hoosic Valley, Indoor track, LaSalle, Mohonasen, Niskayuna, Saratoga Springs, Schenectady, Scotia-Glenville, Shaker, Shenendehowa, Stillwater

Section 2 indoor track: Shenendehowa sweeps Division 1 team titles for fourth consecutive year

Shenendehowa swept the boys and girls team titles for the fourth consecutive year at the Section 2 Division 1 Indoor Track and Field Championships Sunday, Feb. 17, at the University at Albany.

Shen topped Saratoga Springs 130-100 in the boys team standings, while the girls had a comfortable 181-106 margin over the Blue Streaks.

Colonie’s Josiah Kemp took home two individual Section 2 titles in the 55-meter dash and the 55-meter hurdles. Saratoga’s Shea Weilbaker earned victories in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter races.

Rachel Sterle led Shen’s girls team with victories in the 55- and 300-meter dashes. Guilderland’s Isabella Bruno won the long and triple jumps, and she placed second to Saratoga’s Anna Evans.

Continue reading “Section 2 indoor track: Shenendehowa sweeps Division 1 team titles for fourth consecutive year” →

Albany, Bethlehem, Colonie, Girls basketball, Guilderland, Niskayuna, Saratoga Springs, Shaker, Shenendehowa

Section 2 Class AA girls basketball playoffs: Colonie avoids upset against Guilderland to advance

No. 4 Colonie survived a scare from No. 5 Guilderland to defeat the Lady Dutch 59-54 Thursday, Feb. 21, in the Section 2 Class AA girls basketball quarterfinals at Shenendehowa High School.

Guilderland led the defending Class AA champions by four points entering the fourth quarter, but Colonie closed the game on a 22-13 run to pull out the victory and advance to Wednesday’s semifinal against top-seeded Shen at Hudson Valley Community College.

Aliyah Wright scored 19 points, and Alivia Paeglow contributed 16 points for Colonie. Graci Serreavillo led Guilderland with 16 points, and Valencia Fontenelle-Posson chipped in with 14 points.

Shen advanced to the semifinals with a 59-42 victory over No. 8 Niskayuna. Catherine Almeida had 18 points, and Kaitlyn Watrobski added 11 points for the Plainsmen, who built a 29-18 halftime lead. Olivia Olsen paced Niskayuna with 13 points. Continue reading “Section 2 Class AA girls basketball playoffs: Colonie avoids upset against Guilderland to advance” →

Albany Academy for Boys, Ballston Spa, Bethlehem, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, Christian Brothers Academy, Guilderland, Home, Ice hockey, LaSalle, Mohonasen, Saratoga Springs, Schalmont, Scotia-Glenville, Shenendehowa, Voorheesville

Section 2 hockey: Oliver Mathison’s goal propels Burnt Hills/Ballston Spa past Saratoga in 3OT

Oliver Mathison scored in the third overtime to lift No. 6 Burnt Hills/Ballston spa to a 4-3 victory over No. 3 Saratoga Springs Wednesday, Feb. 20, in the Section 2 Division 1 hockey quarterfinals at Weibel Avenue Rink.

Burnt Hills/Ballston Spa took a 2-0 lead in the first period, but Saratoga Springs rallied in the second period to pull even at 2-2. The two teams traded goals in the third period and then played through two scoreless overtimes before Mathison tallied the game winner.

Joe Amodio, Xavier Clarke and Will Detora scored goals for Saratoga Springs in the loss. Continue reading “Section 2 hockey: Oliver Mathison’s goal propels Burnt Hills/Ballston Spa past Saratoga in 3OT” →

Albany, Averill Park, Ballston Spa, Bethlehem, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, Colonie, Columbia, Glens Falls, Guilderland, Home, Hudson Falls, Ice hockey, LaSalle, Mohonasen, Niskayuna, Schalmont, Schenectady, Scotia-Glenville, Shaker, South Glens Falls, Tamarac, Voorheesville

Section 2 hockey playoffs: GMSVS Storm pull away from NSA to advance

Four third-period goals propelled the No. 8 GMSVS Storm to a 6-2 victory over No. 9 Niskayuna/Schenectady/Albany in the opening round of the Section 2 Division 1 hockey playoffs Monday, Feb. 18, at the Schenectady County Recreational Facility in Glenville.

Storm goalie Allie Kelley stopped 33 of the 35 shots she faced to give her team their second Sectional victory in the last three years. Evan Carey notched a pair of goals, while Brendan Dunleavy and Mike Farina Jr. each contributed two assists. Alex Bzdell, Jayden Kelley, Cole Pasquini and TJ Pierce also tallied for the Storm.

Yoni Eligberg scored both of the Mohawks’ goals, and goalie Tony Cotugno had 10 saves. Continue reading “Section 2 hockey playoffs: GMSVS Storm pull away from NSA to advance” →

Albany, Albany Academy for Boys, Amsterdam, Ballston Spa, Berlin, Bethlehem, Boys swimming, Canajoharie, Christian Brothers Academy, Fonda-Fultonville, Fort Plain, Galleries, Glens Falls, Gloversville, Guilderland, Home, Hudson Falls, Johnstown, LaSalle, Maple Hill, Mayfield, Mohonasen, New Lebanon, Niskayuna, Queensbury, Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk, Saratoga Springs, Schalmont, Schenectady, Shaker, Shenendehowa, South Glens Falls, Troy, Voorheesville

Scenes from Section 2 boys swimming: Albany Academy hangs on to win Division 2 title; Shen cruises to Division 1 crown

By ROB JONAS

CLIFTON PARK – Albany Academy had the elite swimmers. Glens Falls had the determined swimmers. In the end, the elite swimmers did enough to fend off the determined swimmers.

The Cadets built a big lead midway through Saturday’s Section 2 Division 2 Boys Swimming and Diving Championships and then held off a furious rally by the Indians to take the team title by 3.5 points. Albany Academy finished with 399 points, while Glens Falls finished second with 395.5 points.

“We knew it was going to be a battle,” said Albany Academy coach Scott Young. “I have great respect for Glens Falls. They have a great group of kids.”

“We weren’t supposed to [challenge], so we’re pretty psyched about how close we came,” said Glens Falls coach Kevin Crossman. Continue reading “Scenes from Section 2 boys swimming: Albany Academy hangs on to win Division 2 title; Shen cruises to Division 1 crown” →

Albany, Albany Academy for Boys, Averill Park, Ballston Spa, Bethlehem, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, Christian Brothers Academy, Colonie, Columbia, Glens Falls, Guilderland, Home, Hudson Falls, Ice hockey, LaSalle, Mohonasen, Niskayuna, Queensbury, Saratoga Springs, Schalmont, Schenectady, Scotia-Glenville, Shaker, Shenendehowa, South Glens Falls, Tamarac, Voorheesville

Bethlehem sweeps Section 2 hockey postseason awards

Capital District High School Hockey League regular season champion Bethlehem swept the top three awards when Section 2 announced its postseason all-stars Sunday, Feb. 16.

Forward Michael Bievenue won the scoring title and was named Section 2’s Player of the Year, while Michael Kurdziolek was chosen by Section 2 coaches as the Leading Goaltender. Bievenue scored 46 goals and finished with 68 points, while Kurdziolek posted a 12-2-1 record with a 2.20 goals against average and a league-leading .919 save percentage.

Kurdziolek, forward Justin Chenaille and defenseman John Thibodeau from Bethlehem were named to the All-Section 2 team, along with Albany Academy forward Anthony Sericolo, Christian Brothers Academy forward Hunter Pemrick and Queensbury defenseman Brayden Ordway.

Chenaille led the league in assists with 31 and was second to Bievenue in goals (24) and points (55), while Thibodeau topped the league in assists by a defenseman with 16. Sericolo tied Shenendehowa’s Brennan Alheim for fourth place in points with 36, while Pemrick posted 24 points for the Brothers. Ordway had the second-highest goal total for a defenseman this season with seven. Continue reading “Bethlehem sweeps Section 2 hockey postseason awards” →