The Saratoga Springs girls varsity soccer team celebrates its Section 2 Class AAA title victory at Niskayuna High School on Monday night. Photo via Saratoga Athletics.
NISKAYUNA — The Saratoga Springs girls varsity soccer team captured the Section 2 Class AAA championship on Monday night, defeating Shaker 1 to 0. It was the girls soccer program’s first sectional title in more than three decades. Senior Keegan Reinhart scored the lone, winning goal for the Blue Streaks.
The team advanced to the finals after beating Shenendehowa 1 to 0 last week in another shutout. Both the semifinals and finals games were played at Niskayuna High School.
Victory in the big game was far from a sure thing for the 12-4-2 Blue Streaks. The last time they played Shaker, on September 28, they lost 2 to 1.
The team was led throughout the season by stellar performances from Ava Goodman, who scored the winning goal against Shen in overtime last week, and goalie Olivia Goodman, who secured two back-to-back shutouts in the postseason.
The Blue Streaks got off to a hot start this season, winning 7 of their first 8 games before falling to Shaker in September. They quickly recovered from that loss, however, and tied Ballston Spa before winning 4 straight games. The momentum then slowed a bit as they were thwarted by Niskayuna and Broadalbin-Perth in close contests. But everything seemed to come together at the perfect time when they sealed the deal in the postseason.
The Saratoga soccer squad will next take on Section 3 champions Cicero-North Syracuse on Saturday, November 9 at 2 p.m. at Nottingham High School in Syracuse.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The ABA’s Saratoga Racers won one and lost one last weekend in a pair of games at home.
On Saturday night, they defeated the Rochester Royal Ballers, 116 to 106. Shaheem Sanders led Saratoga with 36 points and 14 rebounds while two-time ABA All-Star Tobias Holmes added 20 points, 5 assists, and 4 steals. Big man Todd Spotswood had his second-straight double-double 12 points and 11 rebounds.
On Sunday afternoon, the Racers hosted the Herkimer Originals and suffered their first loss of the season, 140 to 120. Saratoga fell behind early but trailed by only 3 at halftime. In the third quarter, they briefly took the lead before succumbing to Herkimer’s 41-point fourth quarter. Tobias Holmes and John Ryals had 23 points apiece while Shaheem Sanders chipped in 22. Sanders also nabbed 21 rebounds in the contest.
Saratoga is now 2-1 on the season heading into a series of away games. On November 16, they’ll again play Rochester. On November 23, they’ll face off against the Binghamton Bulldogs. Then on December 1, they’ll have a shot at revenge against Herkimer before returning to Saratoga for a home game on December 7 against the Connecticut Surge.
All Racers home games take place at Saratoga Central Catholic. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for kids.
Jason Morris poses with his lifetime achievement award alongside his family. Photo provided.
LUDLOW, MASSACHUSETTS — Jason Morris, a Glenville resident and four-time Judo Olympic Silver Medalist, recently received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Martial Maze podcast. Morris accepted the award at a dinner held at the Ludlow, Massachusetts Elks Lodge on October 20.
Morris runs the Jason Morris Judo Center in Glenville with his wife Teri.
Section 2 Class C varsity football playoff bracket via NYSPHSAA.
SCHUYLERVILLE — The Schuylerville High School varsity football team has taken one of the top seeds in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Section 2 Class C playoff bracket.
The Black Horses will face the fourth-seed Johnstown on Friday, November 1 at home in the first round of the playoffs. Should they emerge victorious, they’ll next play either two-seed Fonda-Fultonville or three-seed Watervliet-Heatly on November 8.
Last year, Schuylerville’s season ended when they fell to Fonda 31-21 in the Section 2 Class C championship game.
Photo of Adam DeGregory via Schuylerville Athletics.
SCHUYLERVILLE — Schuylerville High School varsity golfer Adam DeGregory has qualified for the state championships occurring in June of 2025. To qualify, he shot a round one of 69 and then a round two of 77 for a 146 (+2) total score.
DeGregory was also part of the Schuylerville varsity golf team that won its second-straight Section 2 Class C/D championship earlier this month.
Skidmore College men’s and women’s rowing teams competed at the 2024 Head of the Fish Regatta in Saratoga Springs last weekend. Photo via Skidmore Athletics.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The annual Head of the Fish Regatta returned to Fish Creek in Saratoga Springs last weekend, attracting more than 160 teams and 1,600 crews from across the Northeast. Both men’s and women’s rowing teams from Skidmore College competed, finishing with some impressive performances.
Skidmore sophomore Sam Boogeart and junior Grant Steinberger captured the team’s first win of the day, placing first in the collegiate double with a time of 12:03, ahead of the University of Rochester and Gordon College.
Afternoon racing featured the women’s varsity 8+, which achieved Skidmore’s highest placement in recent history with a fifth-place finish overall and second among Division III teams. Coxswain Hayden Harlow led the crew, with senior captains Maddie Aho and McKenna Otey setting the pace in the stern pair. Joining them were sophomore Delaney Miller, senior Molly Sullivan, junior Camilla Johnson, and first-year Ava Holthoff in the engine room, with sophomore Britta Arvold and first-year Ella Plosky in the bow. The women’s second varsity 8+ then took to the course, finishing in 13:14, earning third among DIII teams. Coxswain Brie Chricco led the boat, with senior Al Yi in the stroke seat and a strong mix of first-year and upper-class rowers.
“This weekend really showed how hard our team worked this fall,” Delaney Miller said in a statement. “Both the men’s and women’s teams have come such a long way, and crossing under the bridge with the whole boat smiling back was such a great feeling. We’ve really proven ourselves this fall, and I’m so excited to see what more we can accomplish in the spring.”
The men’s varsity 4+ continued Skidmore’s success with a win, completing the course in 11:49. The boat included coxswain Emma Laquinta, Thomas du Four, Grant Steinberger, Sam Boogeart, and Ryan Capozucca. Two additional entries in the same event, Skidmore C and Skidmore B, finished with times of 12:35 and 13:50, respectively.
In the women’s varsity 4+ event, Skidmore’s A entry placed third among Division III entries and ninth overall with a time of 13:43. The crew included coxswain Hayden Harlow, stroke Camilla Johnson, and rowers Molly Sullivan, Britta Arvold, and Norah Jankey.
The day concluded with the men’s 1V and 2V events, both boats achieving third-place finishes overall. The men’s 1V crew completed the course in 10:49, just five seconds behind Liberty League champions Ithaca College. The men’s 2V finished in 11:31, outperforming entries from Ithaca College C, the University of Rhode Island, Hamilton College, and UMass.
“The leadership team took a critical look at areas for improvement coming into this season, and the athletes responded fantastically,” said Coach Manny Valentin. “They embraced new ideas and methods and worked to make the boathouse an enjoyable place to train. As a result, we consistently had strong practices, pushed to new levels, and are entering the winter season with significant momentum. I am especially happy for our seniors, who close the fall with some of Skidmore’s best finishes in recent years.”
The Saratoga Springs girls varsity soccer team celebrates after advancing to the finals on Monday night. Photo via the team’s Instagram.
NISKAYUNA — The Saratoga Springs varsity girls soccer team has advanced to the sectional finals after a 1-0 win in overtime against Shenendehowa on Monday. Saratoga standout Ava Goodman scored the lone, winning goal at the semifinals matchup played at Niskayuna High School.
The Blue Streaks, who finished the season with an 11-4-2 record, will next take on Shaker (9-3-4) in the finals. The two teams last played each other on September 28, when Shaker bested the Streaks 2 to 1. Despite the loss, the squads were evenly matched, with Saratoga taking 14 shots and Shaker taking 12. Defensively, the Blue Streaks’ Olivia Goodman had 7 saves compared to Shaker’s 6.
The finals showdown will occur on Monday, November 4 at Niskayuna High School at 7 p.m.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Family YMCA of the Glens Falls Area will become the sixth branch of the Saratoga Regional YMCA by the end of this year, the organization announced on Wednesday. All told, the six branches will serve over 38,000 people in Saratoga, Warren, and Washington Counties.
The partnership builds on a two-year management agreement during which the Saratoga Regional YMCA supported the Glens Falls YMCA’s operations and finances.
The Saratoga Regional YMCA also announced that it’s launching a $6 million capital campaign to modernize the Glens Falls YMCA. This project will focus on improving the member experience, upgrading the facility, and expanding programs and services to better meet the needs of the Glens Falls community.
“The affiliation with the Saratoga Regional YMCA and its resources and expertise will allow for increased programming and a refreshed and modernized facility originally built in 1969 for all to enjoy,” said Brian Corcoran, president of the Glens Falls YMCA Board of Directors, in a statement.
Saratoga Racers Head Coach Bob Catherwood and his players “bring it in” after a timeout during the team’s home opener at Saratoga Central Catholic last Sunday afternoon. Photo by Jonathon Norcross.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Historically, first-year teams tend to finish near the bottom of their leagues. It’s difficult to recruit talented players to a new franchise, especially when there’s no guarantee that the team will be successful.
But the Saratoga Racers of the American Basketball Association (ABA) have managed to defy the odds, adding talented veterans and All-Stars to their roster before winning their first-ever game last Sunday afternoon.
The Racers, led by two-time ABA All-Stars John Ryals and Tobias Holmes, looked surprisingly sharp during their first game, demonstrating unselfish play and making smart passes for easy layups when defenders from the Connecticut Flyeerz were caught sleeping. About 200 spectators watched as Saratoga held an early 34 to 19 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Racers looked good defensively as well, racking up 18 steals and 4 blocks. They were especially aggressive on inbound passes, putting pressure on Connecticut across the entire court.
Towards the end of the first half, Shaheem Sanders (an ABA rookie) excited the crowd with two back-to-back dunks. Sanders was also active on the glass, reeling in 14 rebounds. The Schenectady High School alum’s efforts helped keep Saratoga comfortably ahead at halftime, 65 to 49.
But the Racers looked a bit shaky coming out of the halftime break, committing some unforced errors like ill-advised passes into double or triple coverage. The team also struggled mightily at the line, missing 15 foul shots throughout the contest.
In the fourth quarter, Connecticut seized upon Saratoga’s mistakes and went on a hot streak, swishing one shot after another from beyond the arc. With 8 minutes left in the game, Connecticut pulled to within 7 points of the Racers. A minute later, they trailed by only 5 points.
But that’s as close as the Flyeerz would come. High IQ plays and easy buckets by big men Casey Hall (who was 6 for 8 from the floor) and Todd Spottswood (who finished with 14 points and 16 rebounds) helped dig Saratoga out of trouble. Despite the last-minute threat from Connecticut, the Racers sealed the deal with a 119 to 107 win.
The Racers will next play two more home games on Saturday, November 2 against the Rochester Royal Ballers at 7 p.m., and on Sunday, November 3 versus the Herkimer Originals at 3 p.m. All Racers home games are played at Saratoga Central Catholic at 247 Broadway in downtown Saratoga Springs.
Game Notes:
Holmes led all Saratoga scorers with 31 points, making 8 of 14 2-pointers and 3 of 9 3-pointers. Holmes also led the team in assists, with 5. Ryals was the second-highest scorer with 19 points.
The intensity of the final quarter got to some of the players. A pair of technical fouls were called after some trash-talking went too far in the refs’ eyes.
The ABA has some of its own rules and practices that differ from the NBA, including the use of its signature red-white-and-blue ball, and the “3D light,” which, when on, means that 2-pointers become 3-pointers, 3-pointers become 4-pointers, and half-court shots are worth 5 points.
Joey Harden and Luke Perez each had 4 steals apiece for Saratoga.
Saratoga’s Dominique Threatt made a splash with his pair of mismatched blue and orange Nike sneakers.
Players on the Saratoga Racers ABA team gather for a quick meeting during a practice session at the Saratoga Central Catholic gym on Monday night. Photo by Jonathon Norcross.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Drop by a Saratoga Racers game or practice and you’ll hear the same sentiment expressed again and again: this team will do whatever it takes to make their ambitious new venture a success.
“I’ll play whatever position they need me to play; point guard all the way down to a big,” said John Ryals, a two-time American Basketball Association (ABA) All-Star who joined the Racers after averaging more than 20 points per game for the Bennington Martens. “I’ll make sacrifices for our team.”
“My goal is to win the conference and then compete in the final four,” said Tobias Holmes, another ex-Bennington two-time ABA All-Star who joined Saratoga this year. “I don’t got no personal goal, I have a team goal.”
“My goal is just to help build the organization,” said Casey Hall, an ABA veteran who came out of retirement to play for the Racers. “To help the younger guys grow, look for better opportunities, and just put a good brand out here.”
The Racers are about to dive head-first into their inaugural ABA season. Launching a new team in a semi-professional league hasn’t been easy, but with proven talent on the floor, the Racers aim to be competitive and make a playoff run. Their first game, a home opener, is this Sunday.
“I went and watched the [ABA] playoffs last year, I went to the All-Star game, so I know what kind of players are in this league,” said Head Coach Bob Catherwood. “I’m looking forward to doing my homework and having these guys as best prepared as we can.”
The Racers will compete in the ABA’s East Region White Division, which also includes fellow Capital Region team the Albany 518 Ballers. The season will consist of around 20 games, starting this Sunday and finishing up at the end of February. Single elimination playoff games will follow in March.
“I’m excited for this opening weekend; I hope we can bring a great big crowd,” Catherwood said. “If you want to go see a professional team, you either have to go up to Glens Falls or you gotta go to Albany. Nothing against either one of those cities, but right here in town, we’re the place to be in the winter time.”
The Racers will face off against the Connecticut Flyeerz on Sunday, October 27 at 1 p.m. in the Saratoga Central Catholic High School gym at 247 Broadway in downtown Saratoga Springs. Tickets will cost $10 for adults and $5 for kids. Team merchandise will also be available.
