Photo by Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, provided by Jones Steves Grassi LLP.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Jones Steves, LLP has officially announced a new named partner, as the Saratoga Springs-based firm has become Jones Steves Grassi, LLP.
The law firm is best known for its work in land use and development, representing companies such as GlobalFoundries, Saratoga Hospital, Albany Medical Center, Skidmore College, RISE Housing, and more. The name change adds partner Justin Grassi, Esq. to the firm’s title, who originally became a partner in April 2021.
Grassi said the new name does not change any operations at the firm, saying he will continue to work with fellow partners Matthew Jones and Bruce Steves.
“Largely, there’s three partner attorneys here,” said Grassi. “We’ve always collaborated, we will continue to collaborate. It doesn’t change anything other than becoming a financial partner with the office.”
The firm has existed in some form since 1980 under Jones, the senior partner. Steves and Grassi both attended Albany Law School, and each joined the firm after graduating, Grassi said.
“I think we’re all excited to have found the three of us,” Grassi said. “The firm, almost certainly, will grow, but will have the backbone of the three of us. We’ve worked together now for over a decade, which is awesome.”
Grassi said adding his name will help clients associate him as a partner.
“When they see the name on the sign, and they know you’re a partner, it’s just a little bit of a different dynamic,” said Grassi. “They understand that you have that experience, that you have that knowledge to have made it there.”
Grassi grew up in Schuylerville and currently lives in Saratoga Springs, he said, noting it is enjoyable to see and assist with development in the local community.
“We see all these projects come forth, we get to be involved with them, and watch them grow and end up building up our city,” Grassi said. “In that regard, it’s a very fun area of law to practice in. … Living here, watching that happen, it’s fun for me to talk with my family about the projects we have.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Central Catholic varsity baseball team enters 2023 with a unique combination of youth and experience, looking to improve on its 2022 campaign.
Head coach Alphonse Lambert, entering his 35th season leading the Saints, said the team did not have any seniors last year, with nearly the entire team returning this season. Many of the Saints’ players have already spent multiple years at the varsity level, despite still being underclassmen.
“Some of these guys are entering their third year, even though they started in seventh or eighth grade, which is kind of amazing,” said Lambert. “A lot of these guys are kind of seasoned veterans in their sophomore year, because they’ve been playing since eighth grade.”
Lambert said he believes the team can compete in the Wasaren League this season, bolstered by strong pitching and defense. The Saints enter the season with a planned three-man pitching rotation of sophomores Ronan Rowe, Tyler Weygand, and freshman Pierce Byrne.
Ryan Gillis, Aidan Crowther, Kihl Kelly, Carson Moser, and Chris Lockwood will also be factors on the mound, Lambert said. The Saints’ head coach said the team’s defense should be another strength, backstopped by sophomore Hunter Fales, entering his third season as the team’s catcher.
“I think Hunter will be an asset behind the plate,” Lambert said. “I like our middle infield play, with (Ryan) Gillis and Tyler Weygand.”
Rowe said the team “learned a lot” in the 2022 season and is looking to build on their growth.
“It was definitely a build-off type of year,” said Rowe. “I think we’ll have more momentum coming into this year.”
“We’re just looking for improvement,” added Byrne. “We had a pretty good year last year, but there’s still a lot more we can improve.”
Lambert acknowledged the team will need to bring intensity every day, saying the Wasaren League is “no joke.”
“We have a goal this year, to take it one inning at a time,” said Lambert. “Here at Saratoga Catholic, our goal is always to be in the mix of things for a league championship.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Central Catholic School held a college signing ceremony on Monday, honoring a pair of students who will be competing at the next level.
Saratoga Catholic seniors Christopher Comstock (University of Alabama at Birmingham, rifle team) and Jacqueline Fornabia (SUNY Potsdam, volleyball) both signed letters of intent to their respective schools.
Comstock was introduced to shooting at a young age, and has competed with the Galway Junior Rifle Club since 2017, and the Galway Senior Rifle Club since 2018. He was invited to the National Junior Olympics Rifle Championships for air rifle in 2022, and for both air rifle and smallbore in 2023.
He said one of the highlights of the sport has been the sense of community surrounding it.
“Really appreciative of everyone who introduced me to the sport, because it’s not something you think of immediately,” said Comstock. “It’s a small sport, it’s a small community. But the nice thing about that is that everyone’s really supportive.”
Comstock said he was drawn to UAB for its team atmosphere, saying it is “an environment that I could really get behind.” He plans to major in mechanical engineering.
“It’s more of a family down there,” Comstock said. He noted that head coach Lori Goodwin, who has led the Blazers’ rifle team since 1995, will be traveling to Colorado to watch him compete later this year.
“I don’t think any other coach would be there doing that,” said Comstock. “She really has that drive to see her athletes succeed.”
Comstock also credited Kyle Donnan, his coach at Galway Fish and Game, with helping to keep him driven toward his goals. While Saratoga Catholic does not have a rifle team of its own, Comstock said the school has been very supportive of his athletic escapades.
“The support structure that you get from family, from your coaches, I think that really drives people,” said Comstock.
Fornabia was named to the Wasaren League First Team in the fall, and will continue her volleyball career at SUNY Potsdam. She first began playing volleyball after arriving at Saratoga Catholic, and credited the school with helping her advance to the next level.
“I reached out to a lot of the SUNY schools, but Potsdam was the one that had my major and the one that I liked,” said Fornabia of her college decision. “I like that it’s far away from home, but not too far.”
Fornabia will major in psychology at Potsdam. She also credited her teammates, saying, “They all helped me throughout the way.”
“My teammates, they’ve always been supporting me, along with my coaches,” Fornabia said. “My coaches are still giving me recommendations for camps in the summer and stuff like that.”
Fornabia said her time at Saratoga Catholic was “really special.”
“Just because if I didn’t go here, I probably wouldn’t be playing,” said Fornabia. “I just think that coming here and playing was a big part of me being able to play in college.”
Fornabia said she is excited for the upcoming volleyball season, but also said she is excited for the academic side of college as well.
“I’m excited to obviously play, but I’m also excited to go into school and learn new things, and being able to go to a bigger school and meet new people,” Fornabia said.
Gateway House of Peace Thrift Store. Photo by Dylan McGlynn.
MILTON — The Gateway House of Peace Thrift Store officially opened its doors this month, helping to raise funds for end-of-life services provided by the Gateway House of Peace.
Located at 408 Geyser Road, proceeds from all of the thrift store’s sales go toward the Gateway House of Peace’s services. Elaine Pearson, director of the Gateway House Thrift Store, said they began renting the space in December before officially opening on March 1.
“It’s been wonderful,” said Pearson of the experience since opening. “We’ve been blessed with a lot of donations from the community. Our sales have been great. The community has been very supportive.”
The Gateway House of Peace offers end-of-life care at no cost to its residents or their families. Typically, the Gateway House has raised money through a variety of fundraisers. Pearson said the thrift store will allow Gateway to see a year-round revenue stream.
“We’re hoping the thrift store is going to help alleviate all the fundraising that we have to do,” Pearson said. “That was our ultimate goal. We’ve talked about it for five to ten years now, doing this, and we just never did it. Finally, we said, ‘We’re just going to do it.’”
After searching for a location for roughly two years, Pearson said the Geyser Road location became available “out of the blue.” She said having the space available is “a wonderful feeling.”
“It’s an accomplishment,” said Pearson. “We’ve been planning for so long, and for our dream to come true, it’s an absolutely wonderful experience and wonderful feeling.”
The Gateway House of Peace runs an annual yard sale to help raise funds, with Pearson saying the thrift store began as an extension of the yard sale.
“We have hundreds and hundreds of people that come through,” said Pearson of the yard sale. “That’s really why we wanted the thrift store, because the yard sales were such a big hit, and great fundraiser.”
Pearson said the funds raised at the thrift store will go toward day-to-day operations at the Gateway House, including paid nursing staff, utilities and bills, and more. The thrift store has just one paid employee, manager Cassandra Roner, who is assisted by a variety of volunteers.
Roner said it has been “amazing” to see how many volunteers have offered their time to the store.
“I’m involved in a lot of organizations, from sports to my church, and sometimes it’s hard to get volunteers,” said Roner. “So to see people come in here and want to volunteer their time, it shows you what the mission of Gateway House means to people.”
Pearson also mentioned the community has been very supportive, noting that many local businesses helped provide various donations when the store was being prepared for opening.
“So many of the businesses, there’s so many of them that have donated to us with paint, and jewelry counters, and shelving,” Pearson said. “They’ve been absolutely wonderful, donating items to us to get started.”
The store’s location on Geyser Road is also an advantage, just over a mile from the Gateway House of Peace. Pearson said that while the thrift store’s current location is “a little bit too small,” it provides strong connectivity between the two locations.
“I really wanted to stay close to Gateway House,” Pearson said. “I didn’t want to leave the area for a bigger space. It’s connected. People know, just go around the corner and there’s Gateway House.”
The store will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony “once the weather gets nicer,” said Pearson. She said they hope to eventually raise $100,000 yearly for the Gateway House of Peace.
“What I’d like to see is $100,000 a year,” said Pearson. “That’s my ultimate goal. If we make that, I’d be very happy.”
BALLSTON SPA — The Speckled Pig Brewing Company opened its doors just under six months ago, and business has been strong for the local brewers.
Located at 11 Washington Street in the Village of Ballston Spa, Speckled Pig offers a variety of beers, seltzers, and pizzas, all of which are produced in-house.
Larry Heid, a partner at Speckled Pig, said the first six months have gone “better than we had expected,” noting the strong response from local community members.
“The Village of Ballston Spa, the residents here have been so warm,” said Heid. “They were super receptive to having a brewery. It’s become kind of like a home base for the village. We’re very happy with how it’s progressing.”
That progression has gone quickly, as Speckled Pig has already ventured into the distribution market, partnering with Saratoga Eagle to offer kegs of their beers at local bars.
“To be six months in and doing that is insane,” said R.J. Elliott, a partner at Speckled Pig. “So it’s been hectic, brewing as fast as humanly possible to keep up.”
The brewery is registered as a New York Farm Brewery, meaning that 60% of grains and hops used in the making of their beers must be sourced from within New York State. All of their beers and pizza are made on-site, with Elliott saying, “Local is kind of the name of our game.”
“Everything we do, we tie back to the people around here, supporting local businesses,” Elliott said, noting the Speckled Pig has a partnership with Coffee Planet, and has hosted a variety of fundraisers for booster clubs from Ballston Spa High School.
Elliott, a graduate of Ballston Spa High School, said it is meaningful to be able to establish a business in the village.
“It’s all anyone talks to me about now, ‘How’s the Pig?’,” Elliott said. “It’s the first thing that’s on everyone’s mind.”
Heid said the brewery is seeing “a lot of repeat customers.”
“On any given day, I will know, like, at least half the people that are here from just coming back,” said Heid.
The local support can be easily observed inside the brewery, as a wall across from the bar is covered with the names of members of the Speckled Pig’s ‘Founders Club.’ The Founders Club hosts private events and offers tastings of new beers, among other perks. Elliott said over 300 people signed up for the club within the brewery’s first two weeks of opening.
“And we capped it at that,” said Elliott. “We had a lot of people still asking us to join, but we stopped it because we want to be able to, on the Wednesdays that we do open for Founders, have them all get a seat when they come in.”
It has been a drastic turnaround for the property, which sat vacant for many years before Elliott’s family purchased it. However, they initially did not have any plans for a brewery.
“We just wanted to clean it up for the village,” Elliott said. “That was the only goal. For years, it had sat here. You’re talking 15 to 20 years without anything in it.”
Then Larry and Mary-Jo Heid came into the picture. Looking for a brewery in the area, they connected with Kelly Delaney-Elliott, R.J.’s mother and a real estate broker.
“We had no brewery intention in mind until we met the Heids,” said Elliott. “A year later, we were open. So it happened fast. It still feels like it was yesterday.”
The brewery came flying out of the gate, offering 11 beers and a seltzer on their first day of business, which Elliott said was “crazy.”
“Nobody told us we weren’t supposed to do that, we just kind of went for it,” said Heid.
“To do that right off the bat meant literally as fast as you could possibly turn the tank, we’re brewing the next cycle,” added Elliott. “For the first couple weeks, you’d look at the menu and you’d see a line through like three of them, because we just kicked the seven kegs we had, and we had three more days until we got the tank. Now, it’s a pretty huge achievement that we’ve got all our beers on tap and we’re ahead of it.”
The brewery also has big plans as the weather gets warmer, with Elliott saying the Speckled Pig is looking to open a rooftop deck in the summer. Currently, the brewery operates solely on the top floor of the building (roughly 4,500 square feet).
Looking further into the future, Speckled Pig also plans to deepen their roots in distribution. Heid said the company hopes to start selling cans of their beer “within a year.”
Ultimately, Elliott said being able to share the brewery with the people of Ballston Spa is “one of the coolest feelings.”
“I just get a ton of pride being able to do it in Ballston Spa,” said Elliott. “It’s my hometown, and it’s nice to be able to create a business that can manufacture right here.”
Ballston Spa’s Cole Evans (left) and coach Mitch Huff (right) pictured after Evans won the 2023 NYSPHSAA State Championship in the boys giant slalom (Photo provided by Mitch Huff)
CANANDAIGUA — There’s a first time for everything, and Cole Evans’ first skiing victory couldn’t have come at a better time.
Evans, a junior at Ballston Spa, won the NYSPHSAA State Championship in the boys giant slalom event, posting a time of 2:14.10 across two runs at Bristol Mountain in Canandaigua. Evans said it was his first-ever race victory.
“I’ve had a number of podiums, but never a win,” said Evans. “I was pretty surprised, honestly.”
Ballston Spa head coach Mitch Huff said it is “gratifying” to see the team’s athletes have success. Evans was first coached by Huff after he began competing in ski races at Gore Mountain at a young age.
“That’s the whole purpose of why we do it, is to see these kids have success within the high school races,” said Huff. “That’s what it’s all about for us.”
Entering states off a strong regular season, Evans said he was hoping to finish in the top 10 in both the giant slalom and the slalom events.
“Obviously I’m very competitive, but I wasn’t going to be hard on myself at all,” said Evans. “Kind of just go out, have fun, see how I do.”
Evans started in 55th place out of 64 skiers, and his first run came in at 1:08.25, the top time for opening runs. Evans said his mindset for the runs was to “hold on and stay alive.”
“It was a pretty intense course, both with the weather conditions making the snow a little bit choppy, and just the length of the course being longer than any of the regular season courses that we were doing,” Evans said. “But there’s not a lot going on in your head while you’re going, you’re just kind of blacked out, going on ‘go’ mode.”
Huff, who was assisting other Section 2 skiers, said he did not actually get to see either of Evans’ runs, instead hearing of his early lead from another coach.
“As I get the athlete in his skis, (the coach) goes, ‘Hey Mitch, do you have Live-Timing?’, which is the app that you have for results,” said Huff. “I radioed, ‘No, I’m putting so-and-so in their boots,’ and he says, ‘Well, Cole just won the first run.’”
Evans’ second run was even quicker than his first, finishing with a time of 1:05.85. With a combined time of 2:14.10, Evans beat out Queensbury’s Hudson Montgomery (2:14.94) for the giant slalom state championship. Evans also finished 10th in the slalom.
Evans said “it feels good” to be recognized, noting that he is not only receiving congratulations from his school and classmates, but that it is also helping highlight the sport of skiing.
“I’ve had a lot of classmates congratulate me, my school has recognized me,” said Evans. “It feels good for the sport in general, which doesn’t get a lot of attention.”
Huff, along with other district parents, helped revive the Ballston Spa skiing program in recent years. The program had success in the past, with the girls alpine ski team (combined with Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) winning back-to-back state titles in 2011 and 2012.
“It’s been a pleasant surprise to see how many kids have shown interest in it,” said Huff, who noted he is in his eighth season as the team’s coach. “It’s very gratifying for me to see those kids progress, and have success.”
Evans said he found the balance and team aspect of the high school team to be a great fit.
“Throughout the whole season, the guys on the team are my closest friends, really, because we’re in the weight room every day,” said Evans. “We’re just spending a lot of time together, so you build the social relationship while you’re doing the sport. I think it’s really good.”
GLENS FALLS — The Adirondack Jr. Thunder are making waves in their first season as members of the Eastern Hockey League Premier, and doing so with a roster made up almost entirely of local players.
The EHLP is a junior hockey league based in the Northeast. The Jr. Thunder have clinched first place in the league’s New England Division, with a record of 30-6-4-2 for a total of 66 points.
Several players said the team’s location was one of the things that drew them to the squad. Many of the team’s players spent previous seasons with other junior hockey teams.
“I live two minutes over the bridge, why wouldn’t I want to sleep in my bed every night and play at (Cool Insuring Arena), where I grew up watching games?” said forward Damon Warren. “It’s awesome.”
“It feels nice to be home,” added defenseman Jim Fitzgerald, a Queensbury native. “I know the area, I’m not going somewhere that I have no idea.”
Like the ECHL’s Adirondack Thunder, the Jr. Thunder team practices and plays home games at Cool Insuring Arena. They are coached by Glenn Merkosky, who spent 11 seasons in professional hockey, including 66 NHL games.
Merkosky has an extensive history at the arena, spending parts of six seasons with the AHL’s Adirondack Red Wings from 1985 to 1991, including Calder Cup championships in 1986 and 1989, and serving as the team’s head coach from 1996 to 1999.
Merkosky said he hadn’t coached since his stint with Adirondack, but was asked by fellow members of the Jr. Thunder’s board of directors.
“It wasn’t really something, to tell you the truth, that I had even thought about,” said Merkosky. “After I did think about it, I said, ‘Yeah, that would be something I would probably enjoy doing.’”
While it has been more work than he had anticipated, Merkosky said the job came around for him “at a really good point” in his life.
“To be honest with you, once I took this job, I kind of found you do everything,” Merkosky said. “It’s been probably three times as much work as I thought it’d be. But I’ve enjoyed it, it’s been good for me at this point in my life.”
He said the team’s overwhelming volume of local players has been “a little bit of a talk” around the league this season, with a majority of EHLP teams recruiting players from across the United States, Canada, and beyond.
“It’s a real feather in the cap for the youth hockey programs in this area, from Glens Falls down to Saratoga and in the Capital District area, that they’re producing some real good players,” said Merkosky.
This includes players such as Warren, a South Glens Falls native who said the decision to join the team was a “no-brainer.” Warren spent the previous two seasons playing for the NA3HL’s Bay State Bobcats in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
The team includes products of several local high school hockey teams: Saratoga Springs, Queensbury, Adirondack, and G/M/S/V/S. 17 of the 24 players listed on the team’s roster formerly played for one of the four high school squads.
Brockport native Zack Geitner, one of the few players hailing from outside the Capital Region, said Merkosky’s credentials were a large factor in his decision. Geitner spent the previous season with another EHLP team, the New England Wolves.
“I saw the credentials that Coach had, and I thought it was a good idea,” said Geitner. “Plus, it was closer to home to the Rochester, New York, area.”
The team gelled together quickly, with Merkosky saying the squad “built really good team chemistry early on.”
“Everyone’s just trying to make each other better,” said Kian Hodgins, a goaltender from Ottawa, Ontario. “If someone makes a mistake, we’re going to let them know about it, but it’s ultimately to make that person better.”
“It’s a very welcoming environment,” added Geitner. “You can definitely build off that and take advantage of it, and I think we’ve done that.”
And the opportunity to play at Cool Insuring Arena, a professional facility, has also been a major advantage for the players, they said.
“Even in practice, you look up and nobody’s in the stands, but you see all the seats, and it’s awesome,” said Warren. “You feel like you have to work. It’s just a different feeling than any other rink I’ve played in.”
And with the regular season coming to a close, the Jr. Thunder have capped off their inaugural season with a division title, but with the playoffs approaching, the team has larger goals.
“We do have a big goal, we do have a big picture,” said Geitner. “Sometimes it’s hard to get away from that, but we’re just focused on one game at a time, just winning.”
“Doesn’t matter our record, we’ve still got to go into the playoffs,” Warren said. “It’s 0-0 when the playoffs start.”
CBA’s Jayden Osinski (15) puts up a shot as Saratoga’s Hutton Snyder (3) and Bryant Savage (20) defend during the Brothers’ 56-43 win on March 2. Photo by Super Source Media Studios.
GLENS FALLS — Stifled by a strong Brothers defense, the Saratoga Springs varsity boys basketball team fell 56-43 to CBA in the Section 2 Class AA semifinals on Thursday.
The Blue Streaks got off to a slow start, with CBA jumping to an eleven-point lead late in the first quarter. Saratoga was held to just 19 points in the first half, and the Brothers used a strong inside game to keep the Blue Streaks at bay in the second half.
Saratoga head coach Matt Usher was complimentary of the CBA defense, while acknowledging the Blue Streaks “missed some shots that we were capable of making.”
“Definitely got some shots that we are happy with, but their length obviously bothered us,” said Usher. “It’s one of those nights where the shots that you need to make aren’t dropping.”
Five points each from CBA’s Jayden Osinski and Oreoluwapo Odutayo helped the Brothers to an early double-digit lead. After being held to just four points in the first five minutes, Saratoga began finding more of a rhythm offensively, with a late three-pointer by junior Ryan Farr cutting the deficit to 15-7 after one quarter.
The trio of Farr, Hutton Snyder, and Andrew Stallmer combined to score all 19 of the Blue Streaks’ first-half points, with Usher saying the trio “have been phenomenal leaders” for the squad.
Consecutive buckets by Snyder and Stallmer cut CBA’s lead to three with 1:33 left in the first half, but a three-point play by CBA junior Aiden Wine extended the Brothers’ lead to 25-19 at the break. Usher said the Blue Streaks emphasized utilizing their speed to generate looks in the paint in the second half.
CBA, however, extended the lead in the third quarter, opening the second half with a 10-2 run to extend the lead to 35-21. The duo of Osinski and Odutayo shined in the quarter, combining to score 12 of the Brothers’ 15 points. The Brothers held Saratoga to just two made field goals in the quarter, and a pair of free throws by Odutayo in the final seconds sent CBA to the fourth with a 40-25 lead.
“Their defense was locked in. They altered some shots inside,” said Usher of the Brothers’ defense. “They definitely bothered us with some of their physicality on the perimeter. Credit to CBA and their players. They’re a good team.”
The Blue Streaks cut the lead to 10 points on a pair of free throws by Farr with 6:51 remaining, but were unable to get any closer in the fourth quarter. Odutayo led CBA with seven points in the final frame, helping close out a 56-43 victory.
Stallmer led Saratoga with 14 points in the loss. Farr had nine points, while Snyder added eight points. Caleb Casey scored six points, with Antone Robbens and Noah Friedman each adding three points.
Odutayo led CBA with 21 points in the win. Osinski had 15 points, with Matt Sgambati adding nine points. Wine had six points, while Kaelan Leak added three points. Matt Picard and Leonard LaVigne each had one point for the Brothers.
Usher said that, despite the loss, he is “so proud of these kids for their effort all season.”
“17 wins, a trip up here to Glens Falls. I think if you would’ve asked a lot of people in the league and the community, they might not have expected that before the season,” Usher said. “Our kids believed, they kept getting better.”
Usher said it is “always special” to earn a trip to Glens Falls, and said it was great to see for his current group of players.
“I just couldn’t be happier for this group of kids to get up here,” said Usher. “They’re a fun bunch of guys to be around. They enjoy each other, they work hard in practice. They’re a coach’s dream. They remind me why it is I like to coach.”
Ballston Spa’s Nick Verdile (50) drives while defended by Green Tech’s Haisi Mayben (1) during the Eagles’ 59-58 win on March 2. Photo by Super Source Media Studios.
GLENS FALLS — The Ballston Spa varsity boys basketball team was unable to finish a 19-point comeback on Thursday, but the game was yet another example of the Scotties doing what they did all season: fight.
“As was the case all year,” said head coach Ben Eldridge. “Just so proud of them. Trusted each other, worked hard, and they just never were going to give up.”
Ballston Spa fell 59-58 to Green Tech in the Section 2 Class AA Semifinals at Cool Insuring Arena. But the game seemed like it might be over early, with the Eagles soaring to a 31-12 lead midway through the second quarter.
Green Tech dominated the opening frame and the first minutes of the second, led by an 11-point first quarter from sophomore Haisi Mayben. The Scotties, on the other hand, couldn’t get many shots to fall despite having some quality chances.
“We’re used to a couple more of those going in,” Eldridge said of his team’s start. “I was proud, we didn’t start forcing them. Sometimes, when they’re not going in, you start forcing up a couple you shouldn’t. But I think we did a good job of still hunting for the right shots, and we were getting them.”
Eldridge said he “knew at some point” the Scotties would settle in, and settle in they did. The Ballston Spa offense started to come to life in the latter half of the second quarter, with seniors Nick Verdile and Mike Miller combining for 15 points in the frame.
Green Tech took a 37-27 lead into halftime, but Eldridge said he “felt great” entering the break.
“We knew we were starting to play the way we can,” said Eldridge. “We’re used to playing 32 minutes all season long. So we felt really good, and it showed in the third quarter.”
Verdile, the Scotties’ leading scorer, heated up in the third, scoring nine points in the frame. A three by Nico Savini cut the Eagles’ lead to six, and free throws by Ben Phillips trimmed Green Tech’s lead to 45-41 after the third quarter.
Ballston Spa took the lead for the first time with 6:41 remaining after a three-pointer from Phillips. But Green Tech seemed to always have a response, with a quick bucket by Mayben giving the Eagles the lead right back.
With 3:29 remaining, a three-pointer by Mayben extended the lead to five and sparked a short run for Green Tech, who got consecutive buckets from sophomore U’Mier Graham to extend the lead to 59-50 with 2:25 to play.
And just like they did in the first half, the Scotties simply kept fighting.
“Just a couple possessions didn’t go our way after we took the lead,” Eldridge said. “Got down by nine again, and again, didn’t give up.”
Miller stopped the Eagles’ run with a pair of free throws, and a three-point play by Savini made it a four-point game with 1:31 left. Ballston Spa pressed on the ensuing inbounds, and Savini stole the ball before finding Verdile for a quick three, making it 59-58 with 1:16 left.
The Scotties had several chances to take the lead in the final minutes, and ultimately had one last opportunity in the final seconds. Coming out of a timeout, a three-pointer from Verdile missed, and Graham pounced on the rebound for Green Tech, sealing the Eagles’ spot in the Class AA Championship.
Eldridge said despite the ending, he was “so proud” of his players. The Scotties finished 19-2 on the season.
“The ball bounces the wrong way sometimes,” said Eldridge. “Just goes to show what kinds of players and kids they are. They’re fantastic young men.”
Verdile had 27 points for Ballston Spa, leading all scorers. Miller had 15 points, while Savini added eight. Phillips had five points, and Mike Pritchard added three points. Mayben led Green Tech with 16 points, while Henry Perkins had 11 and Olivan Owens added 10 points.
Verdile said his teammates are “like family,” saying it meant a lot to have the season the Scotties had.
“Obviously, this loss hurts,” said Verdile. “But in a few days, we’ll understand, like, we won the league and we did a lot of stuff that no other basketball team from Ballston Spa has done. It means a lot, and I’m going to miss playing with all these guys. They’re brothers to me now. I’ve just had such a good time playing with them, and I’m just thankful that they made the season so good for me.”
Eldridge was complimentary of the team’s seniors, saying they have put “everything” into the program.
“Our message was, ‘If an end like this negates all of that work since they were in fourth grade, then they’re losing out on some of the stuff that they can gain from and learn,” said Eldridge. “It’s bigger than that. It’s not the way you want to end, but the journey, the process along the way, that’s the stuff they’ll remember for the rest of their life.”
STATEN ISLAND — Four athletes from Saratoga Springs teamed up to capture the NYSPHSAA Indoor Track State Championship in the 4×800 relay, capping off a weekend full of strong finishes.
The team of Alycia Hart, Sheridan Wheeler, McKinley Wheeler, and Emily Bush took home the state championship in the 4×800 relay with a time of 9:06.63, a new meet record. All four runners also helped Saratoga capture the cross country national championship at the Nike Cross Nationals in Portland, Oregon on Dec. 3.
“Just when you think you’ve done everything, something else pops up,” said coach Linda Kranick. “It’s been a very exciting year for them.”
Kranick has served as the longtime coach of the Saratoga girls track and cross country teams alongside her husband Art Kranick.
“These girls, they work so well together,” Kranick continued. “They’re so focused. We didn’t even think about the record ahead of time. It was a very exciting race. They led from the gun to the wire, the whole time.”
McKinley Wheeler also placed second in the 3000-meter run (9:37.50), with Sheridan Wheeler in third (9:37.67). Kranick said the times are two of the best in the event in team history.
“Those were just outstanding times that they ran,” Kranick said. “Number three and four all-time for our team, so that says a lot. … It was an amazing race, and they run so well together.”
Kranick also said it was “impressive” to see Bush, McKinley Wheeler, and Sheridan Wheeler all compete in multiple events over the weekend.
Bush finished third in the 1500-meter run (4:29.42), setting a new personal best. Anya Belisle also placed eighth in the 1500 (4:40.63). Amelia McBain placed fourth in the pole vault (12’ 0”).
“That was a personal best for Emily. To break 4:30 is something to be proud of,” said Kranick. “Amelia is just a super athlete, a super person. We’re so proud of her in the pole vault.”
McBain set the school record in the pole vault earlier in the season, Kranick said.
Next, the team will head to another national championship meet: The Nike 2023 Indoor Nationals from March 10 to 12 at The Armory in New York City. Kranick said the indoor season has been “very successful,” to this point, with the team looking to continue that success this weekend.
“We’re quite pleased with all the girls’ performances,” said Kranick. “There are other girls, not just the ones you see at the state meets and the headlines. But we have many other girls who are out there working hard. It makes it enjoyable for us.”
