The Adirondack United girls ice hockey team celebrates after winning back-to-back regional championships. Photo via the Adirondack United.
UTICA — The Adirondack United girls hockey team, which includes players from Saratoga Springs High School, captured their second-straight New York regional championship last Saturday in Utica, defeating the previously undefeated Skaneateles 3 to 1.
Adirondack’s three goals were scored by Aubrey Lozier, Kady Duffy, and Gianna Marcantonio.
Skaneateles scored first in the contest, putting the United on notice with 5:30 left in the first period. But Adirondack responded with two quick goals in the second stanza that were made within one minute of each other. Then the United lit the lamp once more in the final period to put the nail in the coffin, securing another title victory.
Last year, the girls were crowned regional champs after a 7-3 win over Kenmore-Grand Island. In that season, they finished with an undefeated 14-0 record. 2023 was the ice squad’s
inaugural season, in which they finished with a 19-2 record but lost to Clinton in the state title game.
Drs. Alan and Lisa Knott at the front desk of the new Cornerstone Veterinary Hospital in Saratoga Springs. Photo by Jonathon Norcross.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — It might be hard to believe, but your local vet could be owned by the same company that makes Skittles.
For the past few decades, the candy company Mars has been adding veterinary businesses to its portfolio. Today, according to Fortune Magazine, Mars is the biggest vet provider in America. The money-making venture has certainly boosted Mars’ bottom line, but it may also result in local vets lacking in personalized care.
That’s not the case, however, with the independently-owned Cornerstone Veterinary Hospital, which is soft-launching its second location in Saratoga Springs next week.
“Larger corporations view it as a money-making opportunity,” said Cornerstone’s Dr. Alan Knott. “That’s not why we got into veterinary medicine. We got into veterinary medicine to really help patients and help clients. That’s our primary goal.”
Cornerstone was founded by Drs. Alan and Lisa Knott in Clifton Park nearly a decade ago. Its flagship location has become so popular that a second outpost became necessary.
“We’re about at capacity now,” Dr. Alan said of his Clifton Park office, “so we knew we wanted to be able to expand and be able to offer veterinary services to other areas, and doing things in Saratoga was kind of that ideal location.”
In addition to many existing clients traveling to Clifton Park from the Saratoga area, it didn’t hurt that Dr. Dayna Jodzio, who will be spearheading the new location, is herself a Spa City resident.
Aside from being a family-owned practice, Cornerstone also emphasizes its Fear-Free Certification, which focuses on the emotional well-being of animals. Dr. Lisa said studies have shown that fear-free practices can help animals heal faster by minimizing stress.
To achieve Fear-Free Certification, all staff members must complete a nine-hour continuing education course. Then, the clinic must demonstrate that they have a list of various fear-free protocols in place.
“[Fear-Free] has only been around for less than ten years and we’ve been vets for about twenty,” Dr. Lisa said, “so we’ve seen the before, how it used to be done, and the after, and we can see a huge difference in how the animals act when they come in, how happy the owners are when they leave, and also the employees and team members; it makes a difference for them in being more satisfied in their jobs.”
Fear-Free practices include the use of calming pheromones, soothing music, treats, toys, and positive reinforcement to make each animal’s visit as hassle-free as possible.
Saratoga Springs High School senior and hockey player Declan Corcoran is awarded the Mark Paine Memorial Scholarship. Photo provided.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Mark Paine Memorial Scholarship, launched a year ago by his brother Chris, was awarded last Friday night to Saratoga Springs High School senior and hockey player Declan Corcoran.
The scholarship foundation is also donating funds to the Saratoga Little League and Saratoga Youth Hockey “to hopefully help make both organizations a better place for our children to learn to play the sports they love,” Chris told Saratoga TODAY.
Mark Paine, who passed away on Feb. 21, 2024, was a first team All-State goaltender on the first-ever state championship Saratoga Springs High School hockey team in 1999. He also played hockey in college at SUNY Cortland.
A screenshot of Ticketmaster shows reserved seat resale prices for Belmont Stakes Day on June 7.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The increase of Belmont Stakes Day general admission tickets from $50 to $75 wasn’t the only price hike racing fans experienced last week when tickets went on sale to the general public.
Many Belmont Stakes Day (Saturday, June 7) reserved seats were only available as resale tickets, with some costing thousands of dollars. Two resale Clubhouse seats, for example, were listed at $3,562 apiece when the general sale began on Feb. 13. A number of resale grandstand seats in various sections were priced in excess of $1,000. A ten-person Easy Goer table was priced for resale at more than $500 per person.
Racing fans took to social media to express their frustration, telling the New York Racing Association (NYRA), “it’s shocking to see what you are attempting to charge this year” and “the whole ticketing process is unreal…everything is sold within one minute and already being resold at a higher price?”
Last year, NYRA reported that 120,028 people attended the four-day racing festival in Saratoga, with a sold-out crowd of 50,000 attending Belmont Stakes Day.
MECHANICVILLE — After a stellar season, the Saratoga Central Catholic boys basketball team came up short against Hoosick Falls in the Wasaren League Championship last Saturday, 55 to 46.
The tough loss came in the wake of the Saints beating Hoosick the prior week, 36 to 34. In that regular season contest, Spa Catholic battled back from a double-digit deficit. Tyler Hicks led the Saints with 18 points, while David Redgrave added 11.
The league championship loss was only the second on the year for the Saints, who fell to a 18-2 record overall. The boys will next participate in the Class C sectional tournament, where they’ll be the No. 3 seed and face Lake George on Feb. 25.
The Saratoga Springs boys Alpine ski team and the girls Nordic ski team pose after winning their respective Section 2 titles last week. Photos via Section 2 Athletics.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — For some, the slopes of Gore Mountain in the Adirondacks are a fearsome sight to behold. But for Saratoga Springs High School skiers, the towering peak was the site of championship victories.
The Blue Streaks boys Alpine ski team won the Section 2 title last week, with three of their competitors finishing in the top 10 of both the slalom and the giant slalom.
Not to be outdone, the girls Nordic ski team also captured a sectional championship, led by a second-place finish by Anna Yarsevich and top-five finishes from Emma Murray and Sophia Murray.
Both boys and girls who qualified will be back at Gore Mountain next Monday for the state championships.
MECHANICVILLE — After a stellar season, the Saratoga Central Catholic boys basketball team came up short against Hoosick Falls in the Wasaren League Championship last Saturday, 55 to 46.
The tough loss came in the wake of the Saints beating Hoosick the prior week, 36 to 34. In that regular season contest, Spa Catholic battled back from a double-digit deficit. Tyler Hicks led the Saints with 18 points, while David Redgrave added 11.
The league championship loss was only the second on the year for the Saints, who fell to a 18-2 record overall. The boys will next participate in the Class C sectional tournament, where they’ll be the No. 3 seed and face Lake George on Feb. 25.
Saratoga Racers standout Tobias Holmes. Photo via the Racers.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Racers of the American Basketball Association (ABA) will wrap up their regular season this Sunday at home against the New Hampshire Kingz at 3 p.m. All of the Racers’ home games are played at Saratoga Central Catholic on Broadway.
Saratoga’s penultimate game will be the prior day, Feb. 22, on the road against the Connecticut Surge. Their game against the Binghamton Bulldogs on Feb. 16 was cancelled due to the snowstorm.
The 12-6 Racers are currently #21 in the ABA’s national rankings and are the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference White Division. They’re expected to begin competing in single-elimination playoff games in early March.
The Ballston Spa varsity wrestling team poses after winning the Section 2 Class B tournament held at Ballston Spa High School last weekend. Photo via Section 2 Athletics.
BALLSTON SPA — The wrestling postseason kicked off with a bang last weekend when the Ballston Spa varsity boys team won the Section 2 Class B tournament held at their high school. Three Scotties also captured individual titles.
B-Spa earned a team score of 245.5, beating second-place finisher Averill Park (212). Columbia (145.5), Queensbury (136), Christian Brothers Academy (134), Bethlehem (107), South Glens Falls (87), Mohonasen (74), and Burnt Hills (69) rounded out the rest of the competition.
Scotties Mason Insogna (145 lbs), James Capasso (170 lbs), and Sean Pausley (285 lbs) were all crowned individual champions. Four B-Spa’ers captured silver: Gavin Whipple (131 lbs), Aonghus Paige (152 lbs), Tyler Perkins (160 lbs), Jacob Thomas (190 lbs), and Ben Livingston (215 lbs). Max Kinsey (145 lbs) and Ben Robertson (152 lbs) finished fourth, while Steven Bondar (116 lbs) and Liam Collins (131 lbs) each placed fifth in the tournament.
The victories set the stage for the upcoming state qualifiers being held at Guilderland High School this weekend.
Michael Mack, Matt Sgambati, and Joe Gold are three local pitchers who will be playing for the Amsterdam Mohawks baseball team this summer. Images via the Mohawks.
AMSTERDAM — The Amsterdam Mohawks of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL) have signed three local ballplayers to their 2025 roster.
Michael Mack, a graduate of Saratoga Springs High School and currently a freshman at Northeastern University, will pitch for the Mohawks this summer after recovering from an injury. The right-handed, former Suburban Council Pitcher of the Year has a low 90s fastball “with legitimate secondary pitches,” according to the Mohawks.
Joining Mack on Amsterdam’s pitching staff will be Ballston Spa native and Stony Brook University freshman Matt Sgambati. The right-hander pitched for Albany last season in the PGCBL. He’s a Christian Brothers Academy grad who posted a .95 ERA and hit .380 during his senior season.
Also appearing on the mound in Amsterdam this summer will be Joe Gold, another B-Spa native and Christian Brothers Academy alum. Gold pitched for the Mohawks in 2023 as a high school senior, showing off a 93 m.p.h. fastball and an effective breaking ball. He’s currently a sophomore at Boston College.
The 13-time PGCBL champion Mohawks will open their 2025 season on May 29 at the Rao Family Stadium at Shuttleworth Park in Amsterdam.
