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Fore! Local Golf Courses Open for Season

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Sports.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — If watching Rory McIlroy win an epic showdown at the Masters got you in the mood to swing some clubs, there’s good news: Saratoga area courses are officially open for business, and many of them are celebrating anniversaries and unveiling new features in 2025.

• The Saratoga National Golf Club, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this season, opened on April 11. The course is rolling out new golf carts this year that are equipped with Pace GPS technology, which provides players with information such as pin location, distance-to-hole, and green heat maps.

• The Saratoga Spa State Park Golf Course’s 18 holes opened at the end of March. The course is also offering new GPS-equipped carts.

• The Saratoga Lake Golf Club is also celebrating 25 years in business with special rates from April 4 until April 30. In addition to its par 72 public golf course, the club also unveiled its new indoor Trackman simulators at the end of last month.

• The semi-private McGregor Links Country Club in Wilton, which is currently accepting tee time reservations, recently announced that it will be hosting the 2025 New York State Junior Amateur and Girls’ Junior Championships.

• The Ballston Spa Country Club opened on April 4 for walking members and guests. The club is also celebrating its centennial this year and is adding a newly built clubhouse to its facilities.

Time to hit the links!

Skidmore Rowing Teams Victorious at Knecht Cup

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Sports.


The Skidmore College men’s and women’s rowing teams pose with their medals after competing in the Knecht Cup Regatta in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Photos via Skidmore Athletics.

CHERRY HILL, NEW JERSEY — Skidmore College’s women’s 1V8 and men’s 1V8 rowing teams both won the grand finals at the Knecht Cup Regatta in New Jersey last weekend.

“Anytime we travel, it inevitably throws us off our rhythm and routines. The athletes did a great job staying focused and stepped up when they needed to,” said Head Coach Manny Valentin in a statement. “We’re always in search of more speed, and the team did an excellent job executing their race plans and coming out on top this weekend.”

MEN’S RECAP

The men’s 1V and 2V boats entered a 14-boat event, with heats on Saturday and finals on Sunday. The winner of each heat advanced directly to the Grand Final, while the next three fastest times filled out the remaining spots. The 7th through 12th fastest crews moved on to the Petite Final, while the 13th and 14th fastest were eliminated after Day 1.

The men’s 1V won their heat with a time of 6:37, finishing six seconds ahead of Ithaca. The 2V placed third in their heat, ahead of Milwaukee School of Engineering, clocking the 11th-fastest time overall and earning a spot in the Petite Final.

On Sunday, the men’s 2V faced St. Mary’s A and B, Washington College, Case Western, and Franklin & Marshall in the Petite Final. Skidmore crossed the line in 6:45, securing 11th place overall. St. Mary’s A won the Petite Final with a time of 6:34.

Shortly after, in the Grand Final, the 1V engaged in a thrilling back-and-forth race with Trinity College. Neither crew held more than a seat’s lead throughout the entire 2,000 meters. In the final sprint, Skidmore edged out Trinity by 0.49 seconds to take the win. Ithaca, Catholic, Trinity B, and MSOE rounded out the field.

WOMEN’S RECAP

The women competed in a 16-boat field under the same format as the men’s event. Crews needed either to win their heat or post one of the 12 fastest times to advance to Sunday’s finals.

The Skidmore women’s 1V won their heat in dominant fashion, finishing 10 seconds ahead of Washington College, whose time was 7:54.64. The 2V placed third in their heat with a time of 7:54.08. In a narrow margin, the 2V edged out Washington College B to earn a place in the Grand Final.

On Sunday, the 1V jumped out to an early lead in the Grand Final and never looked back, claiming victory by 3.24 seconds over nationally ranked No. 11 St. Mary’s. The 2V battled for fourth but ultimately finished fifth overall with a time of 7:33.49, just behind Washington College.

Sandlot Baseball Coming to Saratoga County

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Sports.


Image via Saratoga Sandlot/Gabe Santos.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — A baseball league that emphasizes good vibes over competitive play will soon have a presence in Saratoga County.

Sandlot baseball welcomes players of all skill levels, genders, and backgrounds. As long as you’re 25 or older and have your own glove, you’re eligible to participate. The league’s season runs from June until November, with weekly practices and biweekly games. Only wood bats are allowed.

“We care more about building the community around the game,” says the New York Sandlot Collective on its website. “We play games and do our best, but oftentimes you’ll hear people on the bench racking their brains trying to figure out what the inning is or what the score is…

That’s because the score and the 27 outs take a back seat to ensuring we’re all having fun playing this game that we love.”

The creation of the league was inspired by Jack Sanders, a Texan who authored the “Sandlot Manifesto.”

“If sandlot is to baseball what punk is to rock ‘n’ roll, then Jack Sanders is our Joey Ramone,” said former U.S. Representative and 2020 presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke in a blurb for the book.

For more information on the sandlot baseball league, visit nysandlot.org. To get in touch with the league, email info@nysandlot.org.

Skidmore Baseball Off to Hot Start, Player Smashes Hit Streak Record

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Sports.


Ewen Donald broke a Skidmore College record by earning at least one hit in 22 straight games. Photo via Kyle Lancto/Skidmore Athletics.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — With the Liberty League Tournament only a month away, Skidmore College’s baseball team has established themselves as serious postseason contenders. The Thoroughbreds won their latest series against fellow Liberty Leaguers Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 2 games to 1. The pair of victories improved Skidmore’s conference record to 8-1 and their overall record to 15-6-2.

Meanwhile, senior Ewen Donald broke his school’s hitting streak record by earning at least one hit in 22 straight games. His streak was still ongoing as of last Sunday, when he smacked a single against Rensselaer. His record now stands at 25 games.

Donald’s 2025 slash line of .394/.429/.515 is a career high for the outfielder. He’s also hit 13 doubles, 2 homers, and 1 triple this season.

Other Skidmore standouts this season include 6’6” senior Sam Kornet (.398/.518/.773, 8 home runs), freshman EJ Stefanelli (.375/.481/.563), sophomore infielder Quinn McDonald (.351/.500/.456), senior Trey Bourque (.327/.419/.449), and senior infielder Zachary Leiderman (.307/.443/.480). 

On the mound, the Thoroughbreds have been led by sophomore Chase Siegel (3.67 ERA, 1.25 WHIP in 34.1 innings), Charles Modlin (1.50 ERA, .67 WHIP in 12 innings), and Cal Champeau (3.86 ERA, 1.91 WHIP in 14 innings).

Skidmore is scheduled to play two doubleheaders this weekend at home: one against Ithaca College on Saturday, and another against Hobart College on Sunday. Both doubleheaders begin at noon.

Saratoga Featured in Upcoming Netflix Series

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Featured, Sports.


Race for the Crown posted via Netflix.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Netflix announced last week that it will premiere a new, six-episode documentary series about thoroughbred horse racing later this month. 

Race for the Crown follows horse owners and jockeys over the course of a Grade I stakes racing season, with a number of scenes likely featuring the Saratoga Race Course (the track could be seen several times in the show’s trailer).

The series is produced by Box to Box Films, the company responsible for the Netflix sports docuseries Formula 1: Drive to Survive, Break Point, and Full Swing. Box to Box’s signature style includes dramatic, behind-the-scenes looks at sports that are somewhat off the radar of mainstream culture (at least compared to football, baseball, and basketball). Its series about Formula 1 autoracing, Drive to Survive, has been widely credited with increasing the sport’s popularity in the United States. Perhaps Race for the Crown will provide a similar boost to horse racing.

A number of jockeys well-known to Saratoga Race Course regulars will be featured in the docuseries, including Johnny Velazquez (who is the all-time leading rider at Saratoga), Brian Hernandez Jr., Irad Ortiz Jr., Flavien Prat, José Ortiz, and Katie Davis.

MacKenzie Zarzycki, Discover Saratoga’s vice president of marketing and communications, told Saratoga TODAY that she’d heard a Netflix crew was in town last summer but wasn’t sure exactly what was filmed.

“It’s very cool because a lot of the people in the series, the trainers, the jockeys, the owners, they come to Saratoga. So in one way or another, I feel like this is huge for us,” Zarzycki said.

According to a Netflix press release, the show will also feature “colorful and controversial characters — including billionaire business tycoons and horse-doping trainers — which leads to plenty of intense rivalries fueled by million-dollar investments and insatiable appetites for glory.”

All six episodes of Race for the Crown will be released on April 22.

Schuylerville Junior Celebrates Indoor Track Success

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Sports.


Schuylerville girls varsity runner Meaghan Lynch poses with her medals after breaking two school records at the Beantown Winter Classic in Boston in December. Photo via the Schuylerville Central School District.

CHUYLERVILLE — Schuylerville High School junior Meaghan Lynch recently capped off a successful indoor track season, earning recognition as one of the top athletes in the state. 

Lynch’s crowning achievement this year came at the NYSPHSAA State Championship meet, where she took first place in the long jump with a leap of 19’4.5” — a mark that secured her spot as the 2025 State and Federation Long Jump Champion.

At the Section 2 championships in the Division III level, Lynch earned first place in three events: the 55 meter, the long jump, and the triple jump.

In addition to her state championship win in the long jump, Lynch also competed in the 55-meter dash and the triple jump at the NYSPHSAA Championships. Her result in the 55-meter dash was an 18th-place finish with a time of 7.32 seconds, and in the triple jump, she placed 9th overall, with her best jump measuring 36’8.25”. Furthermore, Lynch represented Schuylerville at the national level, competing in all three of her events at the prestigious New Balance Nationals Indoor Championship.

In an interview posted to the Schuylerville School District website, Lynch shared her excitement about the trajectory of her athletic career. 

“I feel really, really happy about it because in the beginning of the season I was kind of doubting myself, and then I became more confident,” she said. “That’s when my numbers started to get higher or lower in races.” 

Lynch credited her coaches and team for helping her reach new heights. 

“Once you work on your speed, everything else comes along with it,” she said. “Also, the coaches are very good about giving you opportunities to get better. They’ve gotten me into bigger meets that help me work against people that are really good. That definitely pushed me, which I really liked.”

“I’ve been working towards this for several years now, and it feels amazing to finally achieve my goal of qualifying for state and national meets,” Lynch said. “Track is about both individual and team dedication, and I’ve really pushed myself this season to improve. It feels great to see all that hard work pay off.”

Former Ballston Spa Wrestling Coach Receives Lifetime Service Award

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Featured, Sports.


Photo of Harold “Harvey” Staulters via the Upstate New York Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

BALLSTON SPA — The Upstate New York Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame has named former Ballston Spa High School Varsity Wrestling Coach Harold “Harvey” Staulters as one of the recipients of its 2025 Lifetime Service Award. He’ll receive the honor at a Sep. 21 ceremony at the DoubleTree Hotel in East Syracuse.

Staulters started his wrestling career at Ballston Spa, wrestling for Section II under Vince Johnson, and then wrestled for two years at the University of Albany, where he wrestled for Hall of Fame coach Joe DeMeo. A serious neck injury ended his career, but it didn’t end his love for the sport. He would go on to have an accomplished coaching career at Ballston Spa High School, where he was named the Section II Class A and Class B Varsity Coach of the Year. 14 of his wrestlers went on to win Section II titles and placed highly in the NYSPHSAA Championships. 

Staulters also served as the Suburban Council Wrestling Coordinator, and worked in the community with the volunteer fire department and the Ballston Spa Police Benevolent Association.

Coach Staulters retired from teaching after 31 years as a social studies teacher at Ballston Spa, then began working at Clarkson University’s Master of Art Teaching program, where he guides new teachers in their student teaching experience.

Spa Catholic Ballplayer Commits to Siena

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Sports.


Image via Coach Alphonse Lambert’s X account.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Pierce Byrne, a junior pitcher and hitter for Saratoga Central Catholic, has agreed to play college ball at Siena, Saints Coach Alphonse Lambert announced in a social media post last week. 

“We’re all very proud of you Pierce,” Lambert wrote. “You worked very hard to get to this point. I believe the best is yet to come.”

Byrne is a 6’2” right hander from Warrensburg with a fastball that can hit 88 mph. In previous seasons, he’s posted ERAs as low as 0.48 and 0.82, racking up more than 200 strikeouts in the process. On Saturday, he crushed a walk-off home run in a Florida scrimmage game.

Byrne will be joining a program that has sent dozens of players to the majors. Currently, two Siena alum, Matt Gage and Brendan White, are pitchers for the Toledo Mud Hens, the AAA affiliate of the Detroit Tigers.

“Unbelievable”: Ballston Spa Runners Celebrate Historic Achievements 

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Featured, Sports.


From left to right: Ballston Spa Superintendent of Schools Dr. Gianleo Duca, Petrina Zborovszky, Devin Hemraj, Gabrielle Bozeth, Coach Matt Germann, and School Board President Jason Fernau. Image via the district’s March 19 board meeting livestream.

BALLSTON SPA — Matt Germann, a coach for Ballston Spa High School’s indoor track program, celebrated his team’s “unbelievable” achievements at a March 19 Board of Education meeting.

Germann said that runners Devin Hemraj, Petrina Zborovszky, Kala’i Makanani, and Gabrielle Bozeth have broken a combined 40 school records. 

In Section 2, which Germann called “the best running section in the state,” Bozeth and Zborovszky are ranked #3 in the 4×200 meter relay, #1 and #5 in the 200-meter dash, #1 and #4 in the 300-meter dash, and #1 and #2 in the 55 meters. They’re also top two in the 60-meter dash.

Bozeth, this season alone, broke the 55, 60, 200, and 300-meter school records. In the 55, she was 5th in the federation championships and 4th in the state. She was also #2 in both the state and federation championships in the 300. 

In New York State, Bozeth is ranked #11 in the 4×2, #7 in the 55, #3 in the 60, and #2 in both the 200 and 300. She holds the all-time Section 2 records for the 60 and 300. At New Balance Nationals, she was #15 in the country in the 200-meter dash en route to breaking the school record.

Zborovszky has broken the 55-meter record four times this season. In the 55, she’s ranked #6 in the federation out of all public and private schools, and she’s ranked #5 among all New York public schools. Out of roughly 30,000 athletes in the state, Zborovszky is ranked #31 in the 300, #24 in the 200, #11 in the 4×2, #8 in the 55, and #6 in the 60.

Makanani is ranked #3 in the 200 and 400, and #1 in both the 300 and 600. Makanani also broke the 300 and 600 records this season.

Hemraj is ranked #1 overall in the entire state for the 60-meter hurdles.

“It’s been an absolute joy to coach them,” Germann said of his historic team. “It’s just amazing what these people have done.”

Oklahoma Training Track Opening April 19; Public Access Expanded

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Sports.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Oklahoma Training Track at the Saratoga Race Course will open for the 2025 season on Saturday, April 19, the New York Racing Association (NYRA) announced on Tuesday.

This year, NYRA said it will be expanding public access to the training track. Beginning April 19, and continuing up until the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, the Whitney Viewing Stand will be open to the public Wednesday through Sunday, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. In previous years, the training track and viewing stand were only accessible to the public on weekends prior to the start of the summer meet. 

NYRA will provide updated operating hours for the Whitney Viewing Stand during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival prior to the start of the festival on June 4. After the festival, beginning June 9 and continuing through Labor Day, the viewing stand will be open to the public daily from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. 

Pedestrians may access the Oklahoma Training Track by entering the property via Gate 21 off East Avenue. Vehicles are not permitted on the property at this time.