Schuylerville senior Ollie Bolduc at his signing ceremony. Bolduc has committed to playing lacrosse at LeMoyne College. Photo via the Schuylerville Central School District.
SCHUYLERVILLE — Schuylerville High School Senior Ollie Bolduc has officially signed with LeMoyne College to play Division 1 Lacrosse, with plans to major in criminal justice.
A four-year varsity starter, Bolduc has already surpassed 300 career points, with the possibility of breaking the existing Schuylerville record. Bolduc was a First Team Foothills Council All-Star sophomore and junior year, and a Second Team Foothills Council All-Star his freshman year. In 2024, he was All-State Second Team Attackman.
“Those accomplishments speak to Ollie as a player, however, they don’t really talk about how genuine of a human being he is,” said Schuylerville High School Lacrosse Coach Morgan Cornell in a statement. “It’s been a pleasure to coach him and watch him grow into the athlete and young man that he is today. He’s worked so hard to be able to reach his goal of going to a division one school.”
“Once I played for Coach Cornell, he made me love the game more than I ever have in any sport,” Bolduc said. “I want to thank my parents and brother for always being there for me, as well as Coach Cornell and Coach Richard. It’s awesome that I get to play college lacrosse in New York and follow in some incredible Schuylerville lacrosse athletes’ footsteps.”
Lauren O’Connor competes in the women’s quadruple sculls B final at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Photo via US Rowing.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Imagine being separated from your home and family for 260 days of the year. Imagine waking up at 5:15 a.m., having hard physical labor from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., working from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., enduring more physical labor from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., then more work from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Then you sleep, wake up, and do it all over again — hundreds of times. Your compensation for much of this work is exactly $0.00.
This might sound like the brutal conditions of some foreign prison camp, but it’s just a day in the life of Saratoga rowers hoping to make it to the world stage. Their grueling but wildly successful training regimen has resulted in three appearances in the Olympics, multiple stints in the World Championships, and participation in the PanAm games, with a World Cup and more international events tossed in for good measure.
Despite all the hardship necessary to become an elite rower, the rewards can be extraordinary. Lauren O’Connor, one of nine members of Saratoga’s Advanced Rowing Initiative of the Northeast (ARION) program, made her Olympics debut at the 2024 games in Paris.
“We sat and watched men’s gymnastics with Simone [Biles] and Jordan Chiles and they were explaining men’s gymnastics to us,” O’Connor said during an event at the Saratoga Springs Public Library earlier this month. “[We sat] with the entire women’s rugby team as they’re just watching their sport being played. It was very cool to get that information from the person that is literally the best in the world at it.”
“It’s kind of crazy to think about, in this mile-and-a-half-square little village, there’s the accumulation of the world’s best athletes,” added ARION Coach Eric “Cat” Catalano.
O’Connor and fellow Saratoga rower Kristi Wagner (who was also at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo) both finished ninth overall in their respective events in Paris. Wagner and her partner Sophia Vitas finished ninth in double sculls, while O’Connor was ninth in the quadruple sculls. Wagner and Vitas previously placed fifth in double sculls in Tokyo. At the end of September, both O’Connor and Wagner were invited to the White House to celebrate their achievements.
To prepare for her first Olympics, O’Connor said she spent about 85% of her time from November 2023 until September 2024 living in hotel rooms as she traveled the globe training and competing.
“If you didn’t qualify at the World Championships the year before, you then have to qualify at the final Olympic qualification regatta, which is always in Lucerne, Switzerland in May,” O’Connor said. “So you have to qualify in May and then the Olympics are at the end of July. You have to peak twice within a very short amount of time…That’s probably the most amount of racing you will do in such a short amount of time ever in our sport.”
O’Connor’s (and Wagner’s) long journey to the world stage, where they compete against the most talented athletes alive, began in Saratoga Springs.
“Olympians are being made here,” said Catalano. “These guys are pretty amazing athletes. It amazes me. I was thinking, how can I explain what these guys do. This morning, we just had a 20K row, which is about a half-marathon, and that was the morning practice. That was about an average morning practice, and then they do something similar in the afternoon. I was thinking, I’m a casual runner and when I get geared up for a half-marathon, it’s like [for them] that’s just morning, and then they have breakfast.”
Catalano, who assisted the US team at the 2023 World Championships, began coaching at the Saratoga Rowing Association in 1998. After a brief stint at Harvard/Radcliffe, he returned to Saratoga as the association’s executive director and head coach. In 2016, following the Olympic Trials, he launched the ARION program.
The program’s facilities include both a boathouse and a training center located in Saratoga Springs. Outside of the winter months, rowing is done in Fish Creek and on Saratoga Lake. Those interested in applying to or donating to ARION can visit arion.saratogarowing.com.
Saratoga Springs native Anthony Weaver has impressed NFL analysts in his role as the Miami Dolphins’ defensive coordinator. Photo via the Miami Dolphins.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Mina Kimes, an ESPN football analyst, and former NFL cornerback Domonique Foxworth recently had flattering things to say about Miami Dolphins Defensive Coordinator and Saratoga Springs native Anthony Weaver. The comments came after the Dolphins defeated the Los Angeles Rams 23 to 15 in a Monday night matchup on November 11.
“I thought [Miami] had a fantastic game plan for the Rams,” Kimes said on an episode of her podcast. “I just came away from this really impressed with Anthony Weaver to be honest, because that’s a very, very difficult matchup against [Rams Head Coach] Sean McVay and his offense. I felt like the Dolphins defense really got the better of them.”
“It was rare to find the Dolphins out of position or out of place or uncomfortable,” added Foxworth. “It’s a credit to old people like me. We’re still good. We have value.”
Thus far this season, the Dolphins’ defense is ranked third among all NFL teams on third downs, with a conversion rate of only 32%. Their passing defense is ranked eighth in the league, allowing 8 touchdowns and an average of 191.3 yards per game. Miami also ranks tenth overall in defensive metrics, allowing an average of 305.8 total yards per game.
Weaver’s journey to the NFL began at Saratoga Springs High School, where he joined the junior varsity team in 1995. The following year, he was promoted to varsity, where he played offensive guard. By the time he was a senior, he was being actively recruited by colleges with elite football programs.
After an accomplished college career at Notre Dame, Weaver was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played in Baltimore for four years, then joined the Houston Texans for another three years. During his playing career, he had 200 tackles, 15.5 sacks, and 57 assisted tackles.
Weaver began his coaching career as defensive graduate assistant at the University of Florida, then had a stint at the University of North Texas before heading back to the NFL. In 2012, he became the New York Jets’ assistant defensive line coach. He then became defensive line coach for the Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans before going back to Baltimore, where in 2022, he was promoted to assistant head coach.
Weaver soon attracted attention from teams around the league, and in January of 2024, he interviewed with both the Atlanta Falcons and the Washington Commanders for their vacant head coaching positions. Ultimately, he ended up being hired by the Miami Dolphins as the team’s new defensive coordinator.
Saratoga Springs High School student-athletes pose together on the stage of the Teaching Auditorium during National Signing Day. Photo via the Saratoga Springs City School District.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Springs High School student-athletes celebrated National Letter of Intent Signing Day on November 13, announcing to a crowded auditorium which college they plan to attend and why they chose the school.
Of the 19 soon-to-be graduates, 11 are bound for Division I schools. The destinations included, among others, Columbia University, Wesleyan University, Siena College, Fordham University, and the University of Tennessee.
“This is such an incredible reflection of our school district, of our community, of our parents, of the outstanding coaches that we have that work with our student-athletes throughout the year,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Michael Patton. “I look at the names of the colleges and universities represented here today and it proves not only do our students excel out on the fields, but they’ve separated themselves in the classroom as truly being student-athletes.”
The 19 student-athletes who participated in the Fall National Signing Day event were:
Jenna Amodio – Lacrosse at Siena College
Janie Baringer – Lacrosse at College of Holy Cross
Owen Blaisdell – Cross-Country and Track at Northeastern University
Kaela Borelli – Rowing at Sacred Heart University
Jacqueline Cutting – Softball at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Charlotte Drabek – Field Hockey at Wesleyan University
Addison Kenney – Swimming at Central Connecticut State University
Othmane Kerroum – Cross-Country and Track at Wesleyan University
Madeline Lebed – Rowing at Marist College
Thomas McNamara – Baseball at Wesleyan University
Emma Murray – Soccer at Haverford College
Ellie Ott – Gymnastics at Utica University
Darren Pasek – Cross-Country and Track at Columbia University
Layla Pertchik – Volleyball at SUNY Oneonta
Anthony Sanchez – Swim and Dive at Fordham University
Schuylerville senior Ollie Bolduc at his signing ceremony. Bolduc has committed to playing lacrosse at LeMoyne College. Photo via the Schuylerville Central School District.
SCHUYLERVILLE — Schuylerville High School Senior Ollie Bolduc has officially signed with LeMoyne College to play Division 1 Lacrosse, with plans to major in criminal justice.
A four-year varsity starter, Bolduc has already surpassed 300 career points, with the possibility of breaking the existing Schuylerville record. Bolduc was a First Team Foothills Council All-Star sophomore and junior year, and a Second Team Foothills Council All-Star his freshman year. In 2024, he was All-State Second Team Attackman.
“Those accomplishments speak to Ollie as a player, however, they don’t really talk about how genuine of a human being he is,” said Schuylerville High School Lacrosse Coach Morgan Cornell in a statement. “It’s been a pleasure to coach him and watch him grow into the athlete and young man that he is today. He’s worked so hard to be able to reach his goal of going to a division one school.”
“Once I played for Coach Cornell, he made me love the game more than I ever have in any sport,” Bolduc said. “I want to thank my parents and brother for always being there for me, as well as Coach Cornell and Coach Richard. It’s awesome that I get to play college lacrosse in New York and follow in some incredible Schuylerville lacrosse athletes’ footsteps.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Two Saratoga Central Catholic volleyball players have been named 2024-25 Wasaren League All-Stars, and two more Saints received honorable mentions for their successful seasons.
Emery Moser was named to the Wasaren League First Team. Moser led the Saints in assists (158), aces (102), and blocks. Margaret Crowe made the Second Team after leading her team in kills (90) and earned aces (71).
Gia Roche received Honorable Mention after finishing second on the team in kills (83) and kills per set (1.1). Casey Cassier also received Honorable Mention after recording 50 kills and 65 digs this season.
Schuylerville High School runners Adeline Ballou and Gavin Winacott celebrate after 5th and 7th place finishes, respectively, at the 2024 Section 2 Cross-Country Championships in Queensbury on Saturday, November 9. Photos via the Schuylerville Central School District. Schuylerville High School runners Adeline Ballou and Gavin Winacott celebrate after 5th and 7th place finishes, respectively, at the 2024 Section 2 Cross-Country Championships in Queensbury on Saturday, November 9. Photos via the Schuylerville Central School District.
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.
The Saratoga Springs girls tennis doubles team of Clare Dooley and Addison Jones will head to the state championships after a strong showing at sectionals last month. They’ll be joined by Section 2 doubles champs Sam Ostrander and Lydia Koivula from Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake and Bethlehem doubles team Hope Brown and Rayka Kogut. Photo via Section 2 Athletics.
The Saratoga Springs girls varsity soccer team celebrates its victory against Cicero-North Syracuse last Saturday. Photo via the team’s Instagram account.
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.
TJ Jenkins and Cameron Dobbs have joined the Saratoga Racers’ roster. Photos via the team.
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.
