Saratoga Springs— On Wednesday, June 24, the Saratoga Central Catholic Baseball team paraded down Broadway from Congress Park to City Hall to commemorate their historic back-to-back Class C State Championships. 

Each player was individually honored on the steps of City Hall by Mayor John Stadford, State Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, and Senator James Tedisco. 

Only six high school programs have two State Championships to their name. Now, four teams in New York State high school baseball history have won back-to-back State Championships.

Last year, in Coach Lambert’s 37th season as the head coach of Spa Catholic baseball, his program reached the pinnacle of high school sports, and just one year later they repeated the feat.  

“These were not easy games. These kids struggled; they went through adversity, but at the end of the day, they answered the bell. They stepped forward and became champions” said coach Lambert. “Every one of these young men, I’d be proud to have as a son. That’s my greatest compliment to them.”

Santiago, Chile— Jess Alaynick (23) from the Jason Morris Judo Center in Glenville, won a +78kg bronze medal at the Santiago Open in Chile on June 27. She earned 50 points on the world ranking list to reach a career high #93. Ramon Hernandez Jr., (25) also from the Jason Morris Judo Center placed 5th in 81kg to jump 5 spots to a career high #78 in the world rankings.

Saratoga Springs – On Sunday, June 14, the Saratoga Shredders Devo mountain bike team captured their second consecutive National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) New York State Championship.

The Saratoga Shredders Devo team includes student-athletes in grades five through twelve from across Saratoga County and beyond.  NICA New York brings together 17 teams statewide to compete across a series of races each spring, culminating in the championship event held this year at Bunker Hill Trails in Salem, NY. 

The Shredders capped off a dominant season, winning the overall team title at all four spring races. The girls’ team led the charge, consistently sweeping podium positions, including an unprecedented first through fifth finishes at the Oneonta race. The boys’ team contributed strong performances across middle and high school levels, with both returning and new riders securing valuable points toward the overall championship.

Individually, four riders earned State Championship titles: Nora Hammaker (6th grade girls), Jonah Di Bari (8th grade boys), Sam Stadelmeyer (Middle School Advanced boys), and Anna Yarsevich (Varsity girls). In addition, Nora Hammaker and Sam Stadelmeyer each secured Overall Series Championships, alongside Rhiannon Curtis in the varsity girls’ category.

The team also celebrated its first graduating seniors – Daniel Hancock, Olivia Brackett, and Aurora Stingel – who have progressed through the Shredders program during their high school careers. They will continue their journeys at Purdue University, SUNY New Paltz, and the School of Visual Arts in New York City, respectively.

Coaches highlighted not only the team’s performance but also its character, work ethic, and commitment to community. Athletes consistently support one another, contribute to race setup and breakdown, and embody a positive, team-first culture. The program’s success is made possible through a strong network of volunteer coaches and support from sponsors including Verant Wealth, POC, and Scratch Labs.

Saratoga Shredders look forward to a summer filled with riding and development as they prepare to defend their title next season.

 To learn more about Shredders MTB programs, visit www.shreddersmtb.org. Registration for summer camp is still open, and registration for fall programming opens July 15. For more information about local mountain biking opportunities, contact programs@shreddersmtb.org. 

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) announced that Saratoga season admission passes for the 2026 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course are now available for purchase at more than 175 Stewart’s Shops throughout the greater Capital Region.

Saratoga season passes provide fans with general admission access to all 46 days of thoroughbred racing this summer, including the Opening Weekend July 4th Racing Festival, Whitney Day, and Travers Day.

Season passes are available in hard copy or digitally for $94 at Stewart’s Shops, the equivalent of slightly more than two dollars per day.

Following the three-day Opening Weekend, Friday, July 3, through Sunday, July 5, live racing will be conducted Thursday-Sunday before the resumption of the five-day racing week beginning Wednesday, July 29. The 2026 summer meet will conclude with a six-day closing week from Wednesday, September 2, through Labor Day, Monday, September 7.

 For more information, visit NYRA.com/Saratoga.

Ballston Spa Soccer Club 2009 Girls team won the Richard Christiano Cup, their third straight state championship on Thursday, June 11. 

“We are a volunteer organization of girls from the community,” explained Ballston Spa coach Andrew Werner, Eastern New York’s 2020 Girls Competitive Coach of the Year. “I’m blessed to have such good parents that have stayed true to our program and what we’re doing.”

Ballston Spa also won the North Atlantic Premier Division title this spring, overcoming four serious injuries to their players. They started as a Girls-Under-8 team in the Capital District Youth Soccer League (CDYSL), then played in the Eastern Development Program (EDP) when they were Girls-Under-12.

Ballston Spa will represent the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) when they play at Nationals from July 13 to 20 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 

Coach Werner added, “To prepare, we’re playing in the Mad Dog College Showcase in Saratoga Springs and will also play boy’s teams in friendlies.”

Richard Christiano, the cup’s namesake, has brought fiscal responsibility to ENYYSA as President for the past 17 years. He also was a youth coach for the New Hyde Park Wildcats and served on the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) Board of Directors for 14 years, greatly improving the LIJSL Select Program during this time.