SARATOGA SPRINGS — The New York Racing Association (NYRA) announced last week that the Whitney Viewing Stand at the Oklahoma Training Track will open to the public beginning Thursday, April 25.

Prior to the start of the summer meet at the Saratoga Race Course on July 11, the Whitney Viewing Stand will be open free of charge Thursday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The Oklahoma Training Track is accessible to pedestrians through Gate 21 on East Avenue. Parking is not currently available within the Oklahoma Training Track grounds.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Blue Streak Hall of Fame Committee is currently accepting new nominations for the 2024 Blue Streak Hall of Fame. All nominees must be submitted by May 13.

Each year, the Blue Streak Hall of Fame honors individuals and teams for their extraordinary contributions to athletics.  The program was established to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of outstanding athletes, coaches, administrators, and supporters.

Past inductees include Dottie Pepper (winner of 17 championships on the LPGA Tour), Anthony Weaver (former NFL player and current defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins), and Megan Mangano (former Los Angeles Clippers team nutritionist).

Nominations can be submitted online: www.saratogaschools.org/athletics/blue-streak-hall-of-fame/

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Central Catholic Saints varsity baseball team won both games of the Phil Waring Memorial Tournament last weekend to remain undefeated on the season with a 9-0 record. 

Game One

Saints – 13

Lake George – 1

The Saints dominated the Lake George Lakers in the first game of the tournament on Saturday morning at Veterans Memorial Park, scoring four runs in the first inning and never looking back. Carson Moser had two hits, including a double. Nine Saints players racked up at least one RBI apiece. On the mound, Tyler Weygand pitched five innings, allowing no runs and striking out five Lakers.

Game Two

Saints – 1

Schuylerville – 0

The Schuylerville Black Horses couldn’t push across a run in a close contest to determine the tournament champions on Saturday afternoon. For the Saints, pitcher Pierce Byrne went 2 for 3 at the plate, driving in Saratoga’s lone run. Max Britten also went 2 for 3, and Ronan Rowe smacked a double. Byrne might’ve been even more impressive on the mound, pitching seven shutout innings and striking out a whopping 11 batters. 

SCHUYLERVILLE — At an April 15 Board of Education meeting, the Schuylerville Central School District formally recognized and celebrated the high school career of star basketball player Luke Sherman, who set the school’s all-time boys scoring record earlier this year.

At the meeting, Varsity Basketball Coach Matthew Steinfort discussed Sherman’s accomplishments as both a player and a person. Sherman, a multi-sport athlete, stood by wearing his baseball uniform. 

“Luke made his first appearance on varsity as an eighth grader,” Steinfort said. “We had a handful of injuries that season and so we decided to bring him up. From that point on, he never looked back.”

In his final season with the Black Horses, Sherman averaged 24.5 points per game. In 20 games, he scored more than 20 points, and in four games he scored more than 30. In a home victory against Queensbury, he netted 38 points.

“Teams are scheming for him,” Steinfort said. “They’re planning for him. He’s the number one variable that they’re trying to take away. Despite that, he’s still able to put up numbers like that.”

Among his many accolades, Sherman was named to both the Foothills Council First Team, and the Section 2 All-Tournament Team for Class B. In his career at Schuylerville, he scored 1,536 total points, making him the school’s all-time boys scoring leader. In a game against Hudson Falls in January, he surpassed Eric Stover’s 1,317-point record set in 1978.

“As impressive as those statistics are, at least for me, it doesn’t define him,” Steinfort said. “He’s a talented young man, a talented student-athlete. But he put the work in. He worked on his body. He worked on his mind. He worked on his game. That came to fruition with the success that he’s had.”

“There’s such a unique balance with Luke,” Steinfort continued. “There’s a real confidence there, and he exudes it, but at the same time, there’s a real humility, which is rare.”

Sherman is still deciding which college he will attend, with SUNY New Paltz and Utica being two options. He plans to continue playing basketball in college and hopes to one day become a special education teacher.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Shredders, a non-profit that promotes youth cycling and outdoor activities in Saratoga Springs, built and donated 30 bikes to the city’s school district this week as part of a new Bikes in Schools program.

The bikes, along with helmets, are for use in grades 2-5. Financial support for the donation was provided by Saratoga County Supervisors Tara Gaston and Matthew Veitch.

The Bikes in Schools program is designed to enhance the physical education curriculum by integrating cycling into the daily activities of students across the district’s six elementary schools. Additional program initiatives include:

• Professional Development: The district’s physical education teachers have undergone specialized training, developed by Saratoga Shredders, to teach and manage the cycling program.

• Rotating Fleet: A fleet of bikes will rotate among the six elementary schools in the district, ensuring equitable access.

• Curriculum Integration: The program includes a curriculum that covers basic cycling skills, safety rules, and the health benefits of cycling, tailored to meet the needs of young learners.

The Bikes in Schools program will roll out this spring, with full implementation expected across all elementary schools by the end of the academic year.

“We are thrilled to partner with Saratoga Springs City School District to bring this exciting program to life,” said Anna Laloë, Executive Director of Saratoga Shredders, in a statement. “Our goal is to not only teach kids how to ride but also to instill a passion for the outdoors and physical fitness that will last a lifetime.”

The program was kicked off with a collaborative event on April 15. Saratoga Shredders and the district’s physical education staff joined forces to assemble the donated bikes.

Saratoga Shredders is nearing its fundraising goal for the next phase of the Bikes in Schools program at Maple Avenue Middle School. These programs promise to make a lasting impact on the students and the broader Saratoga Springs community by promoting physical activity and accessibility to cycling for all. 

To learn more about the Bikes in Schools program, or to support the next phase of the program at Maple Avenue Middle School, visit https://saratogashredders.com/bikes-in-schools.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Schools Education Foundation is hosting a charity pickleball tournament on May 11 at the East Side Recreation Park in Saratoga Springs.

Play will begin at 9 a.m. and conclude at 1 p.m. Coed teams of all skill levels are welcome. To register for the event, scan the QR code in the accompanying flier image. 

All proceeds from the event will benefit the Saratoga Schools Education Foundation. To learn more about the organization, visit saratogalearning.org.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Skidmore College ice hockey team will join the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) as an associate member beginning in 2025-26. 

The 2024-25 season will be Skidmore’s 27th and final as a member of the New England Hockey Conference.

“Skidmore has enjoyed a competitive relationship with many of the SUNYAC hockey schools, and we look forward to strengthening those opportunities and developing a similar relationship with those that we have not yet competed against,” said Skidmore Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Athletics Director Gail Cummings-Danson in a statement. “Being located in the same general geographic footprint as the current membership makes for a natural partnership and will preserve our commitment to competing at the highest level of Division III men’s ice hockey.”

In addition to Skidmore, Hobart and William Smith Colleges also joined SUNYAC. Other members include Buffalo State, SUNY Canton, SUNY Cortland, Fredonia State, SUNY Morrisville, Oswego State, Plattsburgh State, and SUNY Potsdam. 

Since the start of the 2016-17 season, Skidmore is 12-4-1 (.735) against SUNYAC teams.