Sports Archives

12th Annual Sarcoma Strong 5K Run/Walk Returns to Spa State Park

Written by Saratoga TODAY on July 10, 2025. Posted in Sports.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The 12th Annual Sarcoma Strong 5K Run/Walk will be held on August 9 at the Saratoga Spa State Park.

The purpose of the run/walk is to both raise awareness of sarcoma (a cancer found in connective tissues, bones, cartilage, fatty tissue, and muscles) and raise funds for research.

Sarcoma Strong Inc., is a nonprofit founded by Albany Medical Center’s Director of Orthopedic Oncology Matthew R. DiCaprio, MD, who wanted to develop a support system for sarcoma patients and their families, and raise research funds that may improve the ability to diagnose and treat patients with sarcoma. To date, Sarcoma Strong has raised over $1.2 million.

Over the past 5 years, Sarcoma Strong has expanded the event to become a Global 5K Run/Walk weekend, scheduled this year for August 8-10. Organizers anticipate participants and teams from more than 15 countries and over 40 U.S. states will be holding events in their own communities in support of Sarcoma Strong.

The 12th annual run/walk at Saratoga Spa State Park will begin at 9 a.m. Parking for the event will be available in the Spa Little Theater and Saratoga Auto Museum lots. Registration is open at www.sarcomastrong.com/run. T-shirts are available for the first 300 registrants for the in-person event. All proceeds from the event will be used towards sarcoma cancer research.

Fire Destroys Multiple Buildings at Local Horse Farm

Written by Jonathon Norcross on July 10, 2025. Posted in Featured, Sports.

***The aftermath of the fire at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds’ Eastview Farm in Stillwater. Photo by Jonathon Norcross.***

STILLWATER — McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, a family-owned horse breeding farm based in Saratoga Springs, lost two hay barns and several smaller buildings in a fire last weekend at its Eastview Farm property in Stillwater. No people or horses were harmed. As of press time, the exact cause of the fire was unknown, though it’s believed to have originated in one of the hay barns.

A video shared with a local Facebook group on July 5 showed large plumes of gray smoke rising above a barn completely engulfed in flames. Horses in a nearby enclosure could be seen galloping away from the fire.

The farm’s co-founder Joe McMahon told Saratoga TODAY that he estimated somewhere between 1,000 and 1,500 large bales of hay were lost in the fire, which destroyed much of the property’s storage facilities.

“We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the community for its swift response and unwavering support,” McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds said in a statement. “The quick action from our local first responders and volunteer firefighters was instrumental in preventing the situation from becoming worse, and we are forever thankful for their bravery and dedication. Your efforts made all the difference, and we can’t thank you enough.”

The company encouraged those offering support to consider donating to organizations like the Thoroughbred Charities of America or local fire departments.

“Your support during this time means more to us than words can express,” the statement continued. “We are truly grateful to be part of such an incredible community, and with your continued support, we will rebuild and continue to care for our horses to the highest standard.”

McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds was founded in 1971 and has produced a number of notable race horses, including 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Funny Cide, and the Grade 1 winner Instant Friendship. The fire was the first in the farm’s 55-year history.

Downtown Parade Honors State Champ Baseball Teams

Written by Jonathon Norcross on July 3, 2025. Posted in Sports.

***A trolley transports members of the Saratoga Springs baseball team from Congress Park to City Hall. Photo by Aidan Cahill.***

SARATOGA SPRINGS — An unprecedented moment in Saratoga Springs history did not go unnoticed by city officials, who celebrated the dual state champion Saratoga Springs and Saratoga Central Catholic varsity baseball teams with a downtown parade last week.

The team’s players were ferried from Congress Park to City Hall via a police and fire-escorted pair of red trolleys. Once delivered to the steps of City Hall, the players and their coaches were honored with proclamations courtesy of Mayor John Safford. The date of the parade, June 25, was officially named both Saratoga Springs Central Catholic Varsity Baseball Day and Saratoga Springs High School Varsity Baseball Day.

In his proclamations, Mayor Safford said “we are all extremely proud of them, and we join with their fellow students, their teachers, and their coach in celebrating this great achievement,” adding, “may their legacy and spirit continue to serve as an inspiration for all of us.”

The Saratoga Central Catholic Saints won the Section 2 Class C Championship on June 14, defeating Deposit-Hancock 4 to 0. On the same day, the Saratoga Springs Blue Streaks capped off a 21-6 season by capturing the Section 2 Class AAA state championship, vanquishing Ketcham 8 to 5. It was the first time both teams had won state baseball titles.

A press release from the mayor’s office announcing the parade called the feat an “extraordinary achievement” and an “historic moment for our community.”

The championship Spa Catholic Saints team included the players:

Max Britten
Kihl Kelly
Pierce Byrne
Carson Moser
Luke Dejnozka
Jason Pescetti
Nacy Devincenzo
Ronan Rowe
Martin Elie
Brian Selig
Hunter Fales
Zach Streicher
Ryan Gillis
Tyler Weygand

And the Saratoga Springs
Blue Streaks team consisted of:

Jack Collier
Matthew King
Jackson Covell
Alexander Landau
Shea Crotty
Colin Mack
Braeden Crowe
Thomas McNamara
John Dunne
Brady Mills
Owen Fear
Elliott Moglia
Charles Greiner III
Jack Rigabar
Macklan Harris
Raul Rodriguez
Michael Kakaty
Dillon Jay Trautner
Brendan Kantscheidt
Cooper Villiere
Peyton Keegan
Adam Weiss

Skidmore Alum Having Best-Ever Season with Blue Jays Minor League Team

Written by Jonathon Norcross on June 26, 2025. Posted in Sports.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Jackson Hornung, a Skidmore College baseball alum, was promoted on Tuesday to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays.

The move comes after Hornung’s stellar start to the season, in which he earned a career-best .855 OPS in 159 at-bats with the Vancouver Canadians, the Blue Jays’ High-A affiliate.

Hornung, a 2024 Northwest League All-Star, had a .308/.396/.459 slash line after 44 games this year, racking up 9 doubles, 3 triples, 3 home runs, and 24 RBI.

On May 27, Hornung doubled off the top of the right field wall to bring home a run in the Canadians’ 9-5 win over Hillsboro. A couple days later, he crushed a 3-2 pitch into the right field corner for a triple that solidified an 8-1 victory. On June 6, he had a three-hit game (including another triple), and on June 14 his solo homer helped secure another W for the 38-30 Canadians, who are currently at the top of the Northwest League standings.

In 2024, his first full season with Vancouver, Hornung led the team with 105 hits in 112 games. He also had 27 multi-hit games, a team high for the season. He finished the year with a .714 OPS, 25 doubles, 6 homers, and 47 RBI.

Hornung was selected in the 16th round (484th pick) of the 2023 MLB Draft by the Blue Jays. He was the first Skidmore alum to be drafted by a professional sports team.

All-American Ballston Lake Native Transfers to Iowa State

Written by Saratoga TODAY on June 26, 2025. Posted in Sports.

***Announcement of Stevo Poulin’s commitment to Iowa State***
***via his Instagram, @stevowrestle.***

BALLSTON LAKE — Stevo Poulin, a Shenendehowa alum and native of Ballston Lake, announced his transfer to Iowa State University last week on his Instagram.

Poulin is a 2025 All-American wrestler who spent the past three years at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC). He finished 8th in this year’s NCAA Tournament, where his victory over Rutgers University’s Dean Peterson earned him All-American honors for the first time in his career.

The Iowa State Cyclones wrestling team are 8-time national champions, 17-time national runners-up, and have accumulated 45 trophy finishes.

In his 2024-25 season with UNC, Poulin finished with an 18-1 record, recording four tech falls and three major decision wins. He was the 2025 Southern Scuffle 125 Champion and placed fifth at the Big XII Championships.

In 2023-24, Poulin earned a 22-6 record and became only the fourth individual in UNC history to win the Southern Scuffle title. He also placed seventh at the Big XII Champions and qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the second time in his career.

In his first season with UNC, Poulin had a 31-7 record and was crowned the Big XII Champion at 125 pounds. He qualified for the NCAA Tournament as the No. 6 seed and finished the season ranked No. 18.

Prior to competing at UNC, Poulin wrestled at North Carolina State University, where he had an undefeated 6-0 record as a freshman.

While attending Shenendehowa High School, Poulin took home the state title his freshman, junior, and senior years, finishing with a remarkable record of 132-1.

Saratoga Shredders Crowned Mountain Bike State Champions

Written by Saratoga TODAY on June 26, 2025. Posted in Featured, Sports.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Shredders mountain bike team has been named the 2025 New York State Champions, capping off a dominant season in the New York National Interscholastic Cycling League (NICA NY).

The championship race, held on June 8 at Ontario County Park at Gannett Hill in Naples, New York, marked the final event in a four-part statewide series. Saratoga Shredders claimed the top overall team award at each of the four races prior to the championship.

In the final race, Shredders athletes delivered standout individual performances:

8th grader Anna Yarsevich was crowned varsity girls state champion;
Talia Hodgson, Yarsevich, and Rhiannon Curtis took 1st, 2nd, and 4th place, respectively, in the varsity girls race;
Daniel Hancock finished 4th in the boys junior varsity race;
Olivia Bracket finished 2nd in the junior varsity girls race;
Anna Dickinson finished 2nd in the freshmen girls race.
“We’re so proud of our athletes, not just for the wins, but for their hard work, consistency, and commitment to fun,” said Anna Laloe, Saratoga Shredders’ team director. “This team represents the best of what youth sports can offer – community, resilience, and fun. I’m so proud of our new Head Coach Chris Yarsevich, and all of our athletes and volunteer coaches. We look forward to another great season of riding and racing this coming fall.”
Next up, four Shredders athletes—Yarsevich, Hodgson, Anne-Sophie Laloe, and Aurora Stingel—will head to the U.S. Mountain Bike Nationals in Virginia this July to compete on the national stage.
The Shredders team, made up of 30 student-athletes in grades 6–12, trains during the fall and spring on local trail systems including Graphite Range Community Forest, Gurney Lane and Rush Pond Trails, Kalabus Perry, Daniels Road State Forest, and the Saratoga National Historical Park Battlefield Loop.
The program is open to all middle and high school students in the region, regardless of school affiliation. This season, 24 Shredders competed in the full NICA NY race series.
For more information about the Saratoga Shredders, visit www.shreddersmtb.org.

25 Cancer Survivors Graduate from Saratoga YMCA’s LIVESTRONG Program

Written by Saratoga TODAY on June 26, 2025. Posted in Sports.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Regional YMCA announced last week the successful completion of the Spring 2025 session of the LIVESTRONG at the YMCA program, with 25 cancer survivors graduating after completing the 12-week program. The session was the first time the association has been able to offer the program at all of its six branches.

Since launching the LIVESTRONG at the YMCA program in 2013, the Saratoga Regional YMCA has served 538 cancer survivors, helping individuals reclaim their health, rebuild their strength, and connect with a supportive community after a cancer diagnosis.

LIVESTRONG at the YMCA is a free, research-based physical activity and wellness program designed to help adult cancer survivors regain their physical, emotional, and social well-being. Taught by specially trained YMCA instructors, the program focuses on strength training, cardiovascular endurance, and balance, while also providing a supportive environment for survivors to connect and heal together.

For more information about LIVESTRONG at the YMCA or to register for a future session, please visit SRYMCA.org or contact Tara Westervelt, Healthy Living Coordinator, 518-583-9622, ext. 161

Racing Museum Names New Committee Chairs

Written by Saratoga TODAY on June 26, 2025. Posted in Sports.

Photos of D.G. Van Clief and Josh Pons provided.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame has named D.G. Van Clief as chair of the Hall of Fame’s Contemporary Nominating Committee and Josh Pons as chair of the Pillars of the Turf Committee.

With the new Hall of Fame committee chairs in place, museum leadership is beginning an evaluation of the overall Hall of Fame nomination and election process, including a review of the contemporary Hall of Fame voting panel.

Van Clief, who previously served as chair of the Pillars of the Turf Committee, succeeds the late Edward L. Bowen as chair of the Nominating Committee. Bowen chaired the Nominating Committee from 1987 through 2024 before passing away in January.

Van Clief is a member of the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority Board of Directors and an advisory trustee of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. His leadership in racing has included stints as President and CEO of Breeders’ Cup; CEO of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association; Chairman of Fasig-Tipton Co.; and CEO of Nydrie Stud (his family’s thoroughbred breeding and sales business). Other racing industry roles have included serving as a commissioner for the Virginia Racing Commission, including as chair; member and Board of Stewards for The Jockey Club; managing trustee for The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation; and BloodHorse Publications trustee and audit committee chair.

Pons is a third-generation Maryland horseman who owns and operates Country Life Farm and Merryland Farm with his brother, Mike Pons. He has served on the Pillars of the Turf Committee for the past two years and is a Museum advisory trustee. A two-time Eclipse Award-winning writer (1982, 1992), Pons is the author of three books about the thoroughbred industry. He is also a monthly contributor to BloodHorse magazine. His service to the industry includes two terms as president of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association. Pons is currently the head of the Maryland Horse Library and Education Center, and a board member of the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association.