GLENS FALLS — The Glens Falls Dragons, an amateur baseball team that competes in the Perfect Game Collegiate League, wrapped up its season last Sunday with a 7-1 loss at home to the Saugerties Stallions.
Overall, the team had a rough season, finishing with a 8-30-1 record. Despite this, the Dragons had some standout individual performances. Dominican outfielder Odilio Cespedes had a .290 batting average in 100 at-bats. He also led the team with 11 RBI. Utility player Cody Meier earned a .282 average across 110 at-bats, and had the second-most RBI with 8.
On the mound, pitcher Riley Orr (a Queensbury native) led the way with 29 strikeouts in 17 innings pitched. Not far behind was southpaw Alfonso Lombardi, who had 27 strikeouts across 26.2 innings. JJ Trudeau, a freshman from Cohoes, had a 3.48 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 20.2 innings.
The Dragons roster this season featured a number of local competitors from Clifton Park, Mechanicville, Ballston Lake, East Greenbush, and other communities. The team plays its games at the East Field in Glens Falls.
The logo for the Saratoga Racers, a new professional basketball team based in Saratoga Springs. Image provided by team co-owner Mike James.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Spa City will soon be adding a new attraction: a professional basketball team called the Saratoga Racers.
The Racers will be part of the American Basketball Association (ABA), a re-launched version of the legendary 1970s league that once featured stars such as “Dr. J” Julius Erving and Moses Malone. Saratoga will compete in the East Region’s White Division, which also includes the Albany 518 Ballers, Buffalo eXtreme, and Hudson Valley Rivermen.
The team plans to hold its regular season games at the Saratoga Central Catholic gym. The season will consist of around 20 to 25 games, beginning in late October and finishing at the end of February. Single elimination playoff games will follow in March.
The Racers are owned by Keith Harrington, a former Director of Communications and Media for the Glens Falls Dragons baseball team, and Mike James, a sports announcer and Saratoga Springs High School graduate.
“It’s a dream come true to be an owner of my own team,” Harrington said.
“We’re really pleased to [welcome] Mike and Keith as part of the ABA; they bring a lot of experience to the league and I have no doubt that they will be successful on and off the court,” ABA CEO Joe Newman said in a statement.
Saratoga was previously represented in the ABA by the Spa City Gamblers, which left the league in 2020, and the Saratoga Yankees, which went kaput at the end of the 1951-1952 season.
“I knew Saratoga used to have a team and then they folded,” James said. “I wanted to bring it back to Saratoga and make it fun again.”
Harrington and James have been steadily piecing together their new franchise, landing sponsors such as Greenwich Ford, D’Andrea’s Pizza, Pinnacle Roofing, and G&S Printing. They also found an experienced coach/general manager to build their roster: Bob Catherwood, a well-known fixture in the Capital Region basketball scene.
“I called up [Mike James] and I said, we have to hire this guy. This is the guy right here. So we’re excited to have him on board with us,” Harrington said.
Catherwood’s prior coaching experience includes stints with title-winning teams such as the Albany Legends and Albany Patroons. He’s also coached at the collegiate level with Schenectady Community College and Hudson Valley Community College.
“I count my blessings every day that I have the opportunity to coach the game that I love,” Catherwood said. “I’m not looking to make money. I’m looking to make these guys better by teaching them the right way to play the game.”
Catherwood is still assembling his roster, which will include a number of players with professional-level experience overseas.
“We have about 35 guys now that are looking to play for us and every day we get more calls,” Catherwood said.
The public can get its first glimpse of the Racers in an exhibition game against the Bennington Martens on Saturday, August 10 at 6 p.m. in the Gavin Park gym. Admission is free. Drinks and food will be available.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Work began Monday on Skidmore College’s $3.4 million turf baseball field. The new diamond will be on Daniels Road, northwest of the school’s main campus, and will be ready in time for the spring 2025 season.
The facility is expected to accommodate more spectators and “enhance” player experience, the college said when the project was announced in March.
The Schuylerville varsity softball team poses after capturing the Section 2 Class B title in a game against Tamarac on May 23. Photo via the Schuylerville Central School District.
SCHUYLERVILLE — Three Schuylerville High School varsity softball players have been named to the 2024 Class B New York All-State Team. Pitcher Sophia Wahl, who graduated last month, was selected to the First Team, while infielder Gracelyn Kilburn and outfielder Riley Keefer both made the Third Team.
Wahl received a number of accolades both on and off the field in 2024. In June, she was awarded Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and was named one of Schuylerville’s top graduates. She was also the only Schuylerville softball player to participate in the inaugural 518 Futures High School Softball Classic on June 9. Wahl now plans to attend SUNY Cortland and study early childhood education.
On May 23, Schuylerville’s varsity softball team won the Section 2 Class B championship. It was their first Section 2 title in 20 years.
Spectators watch the conclusion of the 15th annual Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial Pace on Saturday night at the Saratoga Casino Hotel. Photo by Jonathon Norcross.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Coaches Corner, driven by Jason Bartlett, won the $250,000 15th annual Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial Pace at the Saratoga Casino Hotel on Saturday night. It was the fourth-fastest mile in the venue’s history.
Backstreet Shadow finished second, Pleaseletmeknow was third, and Desperate Man placed fourth in the Gerrity. The field of eight also included back-to-back 2023/2024 MGM-Borgata winner Hellabalou, as well as local favorite Rocknroll Runa A.
Jewish War Veterans Post 36 had a community outreach booth at Saratoga Race Course’s opening day on July 11. Pictured here are Post Commander Dr. Sam Gottesman, left, Post 36 member Allan Kasin, center, and Capital District Council Commander Richard Goldenberg, right. Post 36 regularly meets at Congregation Shaara Tfille in Saratoga Springs. Photo provided by JWV Post 36.
Anna Venditti clings to a steel beam as she navigates her way through the Ninja obstacles.
The Ninja Labs (Saratoga & Albany) recently traveled to Greensboro, NC for the World Ninja League World Championships. The World Ninja League is the premiere obstacle league in the sport of Ninja. The event took place June 21-24th at the Greensboro Coliseum and hosted over 2300 athletes from 11 different countries and across 7 different age and skill divisions.
Much like the finals of the hit TV show American Ninja Warrior, the main event at the WNL World Championships features a 3 stage obstacle course. Athletes who clear each stage (or finish in the top percentages of their division) move on to the next stage, but only those who clear each stage are still in contention for the World Championship title.
There is also a “World’s Strongest Ninja” title that is up for grabs during the event. In order to be crowned the World’s Strongest Ninja, athletes must do well not only on the obstacle course runs, but also perform well in the skills challenges that also take place during the Championships. A ninja’s speed, technical skills and endurance are challenged during these skills events.
Sixteen local athletes competed at Worlds and 4 finished in the Top 10 of their Divisions:
Coach Geoff Snyder finished 7th in the World in the Masters Division (40+)
Coach Nicole Van Oort finished 4th in the World’s Strongest Ninja category in the Adult Female Division.
Coach Anna Venditti finished 4th in the World and 3rd in the World’s Strongest Ninja category in the Young Adult Division (15-17).
Adelena Messier earned the title of World Champion by clearing Stage 1 and Stage 2, as well as going the furthest the fastest on Stage 3. She beat out 112 other top teen females (13-14) to take the title. Adelena also finished 3rd in the World’s Strongest Ninja category.
“I’m incredibly proud of Adelena & Anna, but I’m also equally proud of all of our Ninja Lab athletes and coaches.” said head coach Geoff Snyder. “We have built a quality program that has produced some of the best ninjas in the World Ninja League. Our athletes work incredibly hard year around and it’s been amazing to see the fruits of their labor this past season.”
Graphic via the Saratoga Central Catholic Athletics X account.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Central Catholic School announced last week that it will merge with Stillwater to create a new football program. 17 Spa Catholic students will participate in the inaugural season beginning this fall at the modified and junior varsity levels. Varsity will start in the 2025-2026 school year.
Stillwater’s team is the defending Class D Sectional Champions.
2024 Ethos Awards recipient Patricia Kelly. Photo via the Ethos Awards website.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The 2024 Ethos Awards, which recognize individuals who advance the engagement of black and brown people in the world of equestrian sports, will be presented at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs on August 31.
This year’s recipients include:
• Mayisha Akbar, founder of the Compton Jr Posse (CJP) in 1988, which offers youth hope, connection, and success by teaming them with horses
• Dr. George & Ann Blair, who started the New York Riding Academy in 1970 in Manhattan’s Randall Island Park, making horseback riding more inclusive for everyone
• Anastasia Curwood, co-founder of Strides for Equality, an organization working in numerous ways to create equitable opportunities for BIPOC equestrians
• Caitlin Gooch, founder of Saddle Up and Read, a program that connects horses, kids, and libraries to increase literacy rates in North Carolina
• Lezlie Hiner, founder of Work to Ride, a community-based prevention program in Philadelphia that engages and empowers under-resourced urban youth through interactions with horses
• Patricia Kelly, President and CEO of Ebony Horsewomen, Inc., created in 1984 as a way to introduce the joys of riding to women in the Hartford, Connecticut area
The Ethos Award is a bi-annual event that partners with unique equine venues across the country who share the organization’s mission to change the narrative of equestrian sports.
For more information about this year’s gala, visit ethosawardequestrian.com/gala.
Photo of pitcher Greg Farone via the University of Alabama website.
SAN FRANCISCO — Greg Farone, a Schenectady native, was selected by the San Francisco Giants in the seventh round of the 2024 MLB Draft on Monday. Farone is a left-handed pitcher who played for the University of Alabama in 2024.
With the Crimson Tide, Farone pitched 71.2 innings, earning a 5.02 ERA, which was the lowest among all of the team’s starting pitchers. In April, he pitched a complete game shutout against Ole Miss.
Farone previously played for the University of Louisville and Herkimer College in New York before transferring to Alabama. He attended Schenectady High School.
