QUEENSBURY — Saratoga Springs and Schuylerville runners had impressive outings last weekend at the Section 2 Cross-Country Championships in Queensbury.

In Class A events, Saratoga’s Thomas Isenovski finished 2nd in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 15:25.20. Not far behind were fellow Blue Streaks Owen Blaisdell (4th place, 15:40.80) and Darren Pasek (6th place, 15:54.50). The boys team placed 2nd overall with 47 points, just barely losing out to first-place Colonie. 

For the girls, Erin Moleski came in 6th with a time of 18:06.40 while Reagan Owen and Cora Conley finished seconds apart in 9th and 10th, respectively. The girls team took 3rd place overall with 59 points, falling just shy of second-place Shenendehowa’s 56 points.

In Class C competition, Schuylerville’s Adeline Ballou came 5th in the girls 5,000-meter run with a time of 20:00.30, and the girls team placed 4th overall with a score of 141 points. For the boys, Gavin Winacott placed 7th with a 17:25.20 time and the boys team took 5th with 161 points. Both Winacott and Ballou will advance to the state championships held on Saturday, November 16.

SYRACUSE — The Saratoga Springs girls varsity soccer team advanced to the state semifinals on Saturday after defeating Section 3 champions Cicero-North Syracuse. The 1-1 game remained tied after the overtime period, forcing a tiebreaker that the Blue Streaks won, 5-4.

The victory came on the heels of Saratoga capturing its first Section 2 Class AAA title in more than three decades after beating Shaker 1-0.

The Blue Streaks began their remarkable season by winning 7 of their first 8 games. After a loss to Shaker (the team they would later beat to win sectionals), they tied Ballston Spa before winning another four straight games.

With only four teams now remaining in the 2024 NYSPHSAA Girls Soccer Championship Tournament, Saratoga will face Arlington at Tompkins Cortland Community College on Saturday, November 16. If the Blue Streaks can manage another victory, they’ll head to the finals and play either Ward Melville or Fairport at SUNY Cortland’s Grady Field.

Getting to the finals won’t be easy, however. The Arlington Admirals are 17-3-1 on the season and have won 6 games in a row, including 3 shutouts. Arlington has averaged about 4 goals per game this year, compared to Saratoga’s 2.4. The Admirals are also undefeated in away games this season.

The semifinals matchup is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on Saturday. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Racers of the American Basketball Association (ABA) have announced the signings of two new players: TJ Jenkins and Cameron Dobbs.

Jenkins is a 6’ 4” shooting guard/forward who played at Schenectady High School and Niagara Community College. He previously played in the ABA for the Bennington Martens.

Dobbs is a 5’ 11” guard who played at Guilderland High School before beginning his college career at Division I Mississippi Valley State. He finished his career at American International.

The Racers are in the midst of their inaugural season. They’ll next head to Rochester to play the Royals on November 16 before facing the Bulldogs in Binghamton on November 23. They’ll be back at home on December 7 to take on the Connecticut Surge.

SARATOGA SPRINGS —  The Suburban Council has awarded multiple boys golfers from Saratoga Springs with various honors, including Player of the Year (Carter Sica) and Newcomer of the Year (Ceko Cupp). 

The council also named both Saratoga and Ballston Spa athletes to its first and second all-teams, including Sica (1st team), Jeffrey Fumarola (1st team), Cupp (2nd team), Charlie Greiner (2nd team), and Cole Whitman (2nd team).

Honorable mentions were awarded to Saratoga’s Thomas Bundy and Wyatt Dolinsky, as well as Ballston Spa’s Sam DiNallo.

Sica, a senior, has committed to Manhattan College. His recent accomplishments include placing 2nd at the 2024 Capital Region Amateur Championship, finishing 6th at the 2024 Notah Begay New Jersey Regional, and coming in 7th at the 2024 MET PGA Future Series at Eisenhower White.

Cupp, an 8th grader, won the Northeastern New York PGA JGT Summer Classic #5 at the Saratoga Lake Golf Club in July, defeating dozens of competitors. He also finished 2nd at the Northeastern New York PGA JGT Summer Major #4, played at the Eagle Crest Golf Club in Clifton Park.

Women’s Soccer

Ella Stone delivered the game-winning goal to lift the fourth-seeded Skidmore College women’s soccer team past fifth-seeded Rochester Institute of Technology in a hard-fought 1-0 shutout battle and advance onto Friday’s Liberty League semifinals. The victory marked the first Liberty League Playoff victory for the women’s soccer squad since 2011. The Thoroughbreds will battle top-seeded Ithaca on Friday on the road at 1:30 p.m. 

Men’s Soccer

Will Devall stopped a pair of penalty kicks and Edo Ferrari scored the clincher as the Skidmore College men’s soccer team advanced to the Liberty League semifinal with a dramatic penalty-kick victory over visiting Ithaca on Tuesday afternoon. The third-seeded Thoroughbreds will next take on No. 2 St. Lawrence on Friday. The winner will advance to the championship on Sunday.

Field Hockey

Colby Paul struck late in the third while Victoria Bodnar recorded her tenth career shutout as the fifth-seeded Skidmore College field hockey team came out victorious in the Liberty League Tournament First Round against fourth-seeded William Smith, blanking the home team 1-0 to advance onto Friday’s semifinals. The Thoroughbreds will now head out to top-seeded Ithaca on Friday for a 4 p.m. matchup in the Liberty League Semifinals round.

BALLSTON SPA — The Ballston Spa varsity football team advanced to the Section 2 Class A semifinals after defeating Bethlehem 27 to 14 last Friday night at home.

The Scotties scraped by in the quarterfinals, at one point trailing Bethlehem by 1 point in the third quarter. But in the final stanza, Ballston surged and scored 14 unanswered points to capture the win.

The Scotties will now head to Averill Park for a November 8 semifinals game at 7 p.m. The teams last played on September 13, when Ballston lost to Averill, 41 to 21.

QUEENSBURY — The Schuylerville High School boys and girls varsity cross-country teams both had strong showings at the Foothills Council Championships in Queensbury last week. Overall, both teams placed second, with the girls scoring 55 and the boys 83. 

The Black Horses’ Adeline Ballou took second among 45 girls varsity competitors in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 20:00.02. Taylor Brown finished tenth with a time of 22:31.90.

For the boys, Gavin Winacott placed fifth in a field of 92 in the 5,000-meter, finishing with a time of 17:34.20. In modified competition, 8th grader Cameron Winacott finished first with a 10:41.90 time.

SCHUYLERVILLE — On October 17, 1777, British General John Burgoyne’s army laid down their arms during the surrender of the British to the Americans. At the site of this historic event, on November 2, 2024, runners competed in the 11th annual Saratoga County Revolutionary Run for Veterans.

The 5K event featured live 18th century reenactors, a free kids fun run, music, and food. All proceeds benefited the Saratoga County Veterans Trust and Agency Fund, which supports projects dedicated to the welfare of our veterans, including training, education, healthcare, housing, and essential services.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The 6th annual Saratoga Springs Holiday Hockey Classic is set for November 16 at 6 p.m. at the Weibel Ice Rink. Firefighters and police officers from Saratoga Springs will square off in support of the Franklin Community Center’s Holiday Assistance Program. Admission to the game is free with the donation of a new and unwrapped toy (or monetary donation).

The Holiday Assistance Program is a longstanding tradition of the Franklin Community Center, supporting hundreds of local families every year. Last year, the Hockey Classic resulted in almost 1,000 toys collected and more than $2,000 in donations. 

Those who wish to donate but can’t attend the game can drop off toys at collection boxes at Fire Station #1 at 60 Lake Avenue, Fire Station #2 at 166 West Avenue, the police department at 5 Lake Avenue, and Kings Tavern at 241 Union Avenue. The collection boxes will be accepting donations until the morning of November 16. All collected donations will be delivered in early December to the Franklin Community Center via Saratoga Springs Fire Department and Police Department vehicles.