TROY — Organizers of the 105th anniversary Troy Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning have released a series of guidelines to ensure a safe and enjoyable Troy Turkey Trot for participants, spectators, and volunteers. 

“Since the pandemic is still with us, it’s important we take additional steps to keep everyone safe,” said Troy Turkey Trot Event Director George Regan. “At this year’s event, we will be implementing several measures to create a healthy environment for runners, spectators, and event volunteers.” 

Precautionary measures for the 2021 Troy Turkey Trot include: 

Packet Pick Up 

A drive through packet pick up will be held on Saturday, Nov. 20, Sunday, Nov. 21, and Wednesday, Nov. 24 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Italian Community Center, 1450 5th Ave, Troy, NY 12180. In person packet pick up will take place at the Troy Atrium on Thanksgiving morning (6 a.m. to 15 minutes before each event) in a “one way” format. Participants will enter the Troy Atrium on Third Street and exit onto 4th Street to their start corral. All runners will receive a bottle of hand sanitizer in their packets. 

Race Day 

Masks will be made available to participants and spectators in the Troy Atrium; they must be worn at the starting line, but can be removed out on the course, and must be worn again in the finish area. Spectators are required to wear a mask at all times. Limited baggage check will be offered in the Troy Atrium. Running in groups is discouraged unless you are from the same household. Eight-ounce water bottles are available to runners at the Trot’s water stop; the water stop tables will be extended to ease congregation. Limited refreshments will be offered in the finish chute area; upon exiting the finish chute, all participants are urged to leave the event site. There will be no finish line gathering, awards ceremony, or warm-ups. All age group and team awards will be mailed. 

“We are expecting thousands of runners, walkers, and spectators at the event and we must remain vigilant to keep ourselves and our families safe,” Regan continued. “By social distancing, wearing a mask, and getting vaccinated we can all do our part to stop the spread of the virus.” 

For more information and to register for the 5K, 10K, Grade School Mile, Turkey Walk, and costume contest, visit TroyTurkeyTrot.com. 

GLENS FALLS — For the first time in over two years, World Wrestling Entertainment makes its return to Cool Insuring Arena. Come see your favorite WWE Raw and Smackdown Superstars in action live on Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022, at 7:30 p.m. 

Tickets start at $20 and go on sale Friday, Nov. 19 at 10 a.m. and can purchased online using the SeatGeek app, CoolInsuringArena.com, or at the SeatGeek Box Office at Cool Insuring Arena. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS – The Saratoga Springs Figure Skating Club is offering a Learn to Skate Program open to all from ages 3-adult. The program will meet on Saturday mornings from 10 to 11 a.m., and the next 6-week session starts on Jan. 8. 

The Saratoga Springs Figure Skating Club is the only area club to offer the US Figure Skating sanctioned program. Their instructors are experienced and approved through USFS. 

Registration is open now and additional information can be found at www.SaratogaLearnToSkate.com. 

GALWAY — After winning their conference and sectional tournaments, the Galway Girls Volleyball Team won the Regional Championships on Nov. 13 against Chateguay, sweeping all three sets. They will play in the NYS Semi-Finals on Saturday, Nov. 20 at Cool Insuring Arena at 3 p.m. The team’s awards and accolades this season include: 

AVCA High School All-Region Team and All-America Team 

The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) is excited to announce the second annual AVCA High School All-Region Teams. A total of 10 regions represent our nation’s 50 states. The number of athletes on each All-Region team is determined by the number of AVCA High School All-America nominations each region receives. The top 50% of nominated athletes, as selected by the AVCA High School Regional Committees, are named to their respective All-Region team. The All-Region teams also include the athletes that will be named to the AVCA High School All-America First Team, Second Team, Third Team, and Honorable Mention All-America as well. 

Galway Central School District is proud to announce that Julia Reedy was selected to the AVCA All-Regional Team for the Northeast States. She was also selected as All-America Honorable Mention. Only nine young women in NYS were selected for the All-America Teams. A record of 1,176 nominations were submitted to the 16th annual AVCA Girls High School All-America Team from the entire nation, resulting in 300 All-Americans and Honorable Mention All-American selections. 

AVCA Best & Brightest Awards

The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) is proud to announce the first ever AVCA Best & Brightest Awards for high school senior student-athletes. The AVCA Best & Brightest Award is an award meant to honor individual high school senior student-athletes who excel on and off the court. To be eligible for the Best & Brightest Award, senior student-athletes must have earned at least a 3.0 Unweighted/3.5 Weighted GPA (or the equivalent if using a different GPA scale) during their junior year AND play in 50% of their varsity team’s sets during their senior season. 

Anna Dabrowski made 2nd team, achieving a 3.3 Unweighted/3.8 Weighted GPA or above during the high school junior year. 

Julia Reedy made 3rd team, achieving a 3.0 Unweighted/3.5 Weighted GPA or above during the high school junior year. 

WAC

Galway volleyball athletes dominate the Western Athletic Conference 2021 All-Stars, with Julia Reedy at the top of the list as Section 2 WAC MVP. 

In the Hudson Division, the 1st Team All-Stars are Julia Reedy, Jayden DeVellis, Amber Kolpakas, Kylee Decker, and Grace O’Brien. Trishelle Oliver made 2nd Team All-Stars. 

Honorable mention: Anna Dabrowski, Sadie Underwood, and Sophia Fasolino. 

Exceptional Seniors: Julia Reedy, Kylee Decker, Trishelle Oliver, Anna Dabrowski, and Sadie Underwood. 

Coach: Mike Glenn. 

WAC Coaches

Recognition Awards

Overall MVP: Julia Reedy

CO-MVP Hitter: Julia Reedy 

MVP Setter: Kylee Decker 

Defensive Player of the Year: Jayden DeVellis 

MONTREAL, QC — Ari Berliner (23) and Melissa Myers (26) from the Glenville, NY based Jason Morris Judo Center took silver medals at the 47th Annual Quebec Open held at the Claude Robillard Sports Complex in Montreal on Nov. 14. Berliner continues his hot streak going 5-1 on the day in 66kg to win a silver medal, adding this to his bronze in Malaga, Spain last month. 

Myers turned in her best result to date, also picking up a silver going 3-1 in 70 kg. When Ari made the final, he became the 100th JMJC athlete to medal in the Quebec Open in its 21-year history. Ramon Hernandez (20) went 5-2 to take 5th place in 81kg losing to fellow American Nick Yonezuka (20) for the bronze. Max Alaynick (21) placed 7th at 81kg, going 4-2 on the day. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Peak Performance, a premier gym among local athletes, has changed ownership. 

Dr. Bryan Briddell who is widely regarded as one of the top certified personal trainers and fitness experts in the Capital Region, has sold his gym Saratoga Peak Performance to long-time trainer JR Michael. Michael has been helping Briddell grow the business for the past ten years as the head trainer. 

“Bryan has been a mentor to me,” said Michael. “I started with him in my early 20s and he has helped me through a lot of life lessons, including teaching me how to maintain a business.” 

Saratoga Peak Performance offers training to athletes of all ages, including sport-specific training and injury-reduction programs, to help all clients reach their individual fitness goals. Peak Performance has trained many successful athletes such as Kristi Wagner, Olympic rower from Saratoga Springs who competed for Team USA in Tokyo; Kelsey Bridell, Saratoga Springs graduate and daughter of Bryan, and Carrie Hanks, Niskayuna graduate, who were both named to the 2021-2022 U.S. National Women’s Field Hockey Team; and Joe Girard III, Glens Falls native and guard for the Syracuse University Men’s Basketball Team. 

Michael has plans to give the gym a “face-lift” with some new equipment, as well as more modern marketing tactics. The good reviews about Peak Performance usually spread by “word of mouth”, but Michael has more tech-savvy ideas, such as an app for the gym. The app, which will be powered by Mindbody, will make the training experience at Peak Performance more streamlined, allowing clients to book classes, pay for classes, view openings, and more. Peak Performance will continue to stay open during the renovations. 

For more information about Saratoga Peak Performance, check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/togapeakperformance. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Springs Girls Cross Country Team brought home their 15th State Championship. The New York State Cross Country Championships were held at Chenango State Park on Nov. 13. 

Saratoga outran Fayetteville-Manlius by 20 points to capture the Class A Team Championship, with five runners placing in the top 11 led by sophomore Emily Bush (17:50.2) in second place behind Fayetteville-Manlius freshman Izzie Sullivan (17:40.8). 

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Sophomore Alycia Hart came in fourth (18:02.4) and senior Mackenzie Hart came in fifth (18:03.6), with junior Sheridan Wheeler crossing the line in 10th (18:15.6) and senior Ella Kurto following in 11th (18:21.8). 

To round out the top 30, Anya Belisle (18:34.8) and Claire Cuneo (19:24.3) also scored for Saratoga. 

Team results: Saratoga Springs 26, Fayetteville-Manlius 46, Northport 117, Cornwall 130, Corning 139, Churchville-Chili 150, Clarence 159, Suffern 205, Syosset 221.

NEW ROCHELLE — Melissa Myers (26) led the way for the Glenville, NY based Jason Morris Judo Center (JMJC) by winning two golds at the NY State Judo Championships held at the Salesian High School in New Rochelle on Nov. 7. Myers went undefeated in the 70kg and 78kg categories. Kell Berliner (27) was also a double medalist, capturing a gold in the 100kg division and a silver in the 90kg weight class, going a total 7-1 on the day. Dani and Randi Morris (11) picked up silver medals in their respective divisions. Dani’s medal came in the 11-12yrs. +52kg weight class and Randi won hers in the 11-12yrs. 47kg category. To close out the NY State Championships the president, Wisler Jaques, presented JMJC owner and coach, Teri Takemori, the NY State “Coach of the Year” award for 2021. 

SCHUYLERVILLE — Schuylerville defeated Voorheesville in the second round of playoffs, keeping Voorheesville off the board with 48-0 final score. 

The first and fourth quarter were scoreless for the Black Horses. In the second quarter: O. Sherman scored on 21 yd. TD and the 2pt. conversion was completed by O. Sherman to L. Cumm, L. Sherman scored on a 4 yd. TD and completed the 2 pt. conversion, L. Sherman scored again on an 18 yd. TD and the 2 pt. conversion was completed by R. Dow, and O. Sherman threw a 22 yd. TD pass to Dow and the 2 pt. conversion was completed by O. Sherman. 

In the third quarter, Z. Bowen scored on an 8 yd. TD and the 2 pt. conversion was completed by O. Sherman. To round off their scoring, M. Flanders scored on a 23 yd. TD and the 2 pt. conversion was completed by O. Sherman to S. Stiassney. 

Schuylerville had a total of 431 yards, 287 of them rushing. Top rushers for the Black Horses were L. Sherman with 11 carries for 101 yds. and 2 TDs, Flanders with 7 carries for 63 yds. and 1 TD, and O. Sherman with 6 carries for 57 yds. and 1 TD. Passing, O. Sherman was 8 for 15 for 144 yds. and 1 TD. 

Receiving, Dow caught 3 passes for 63 yds. and 1 TD, O. Bolduc caught 3 passes for 49 yds., Cumm caught 1 pass for 23 yds, and Bowen caught 2 passes for 9 yds. 

On defense, C. Patrick, A. Prouty, Bowen, and J. McGarrahan all recorded sacs, with N. Abruscato recording 2. A. Luzadis and McGarrahan had a fumble recovery each. 

Voorheesville had 136 total yards. Top rushers were Tomlin with 20 carries for 69 yds. and Conley with 8 carries for 44 yds. On defense, Clark had two fumble recoveries. 

Schuylerville advances to play Fonda-Fultonville on Friday, Nov. 12 in the Section 2 Class C Finals. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — On Tuesday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. Skidmore College Men’s Basketball Team plays host to the Potsdam Bears. 

The game has an added element of excitement. Kaleb Lewis, a 2021 SSHS graduate, plays on the Potsdam men’s team as a guard. Kaleb started his career as a 3rd grader playing in the Saratoga Springs rec. leagues, went on to the CDYBL, then played for Saratoga Springs Freshman, JV, and Varsity teams. During his senior season for Saratoga, Kaleb displayed an all-around game: 3rd in scoring, 2nd in rebounding, and 1st in assists, steals, and blocked shots. His best outing was against Niskayuna scoring 17 points and collecting 12 rebounds while leading the team in steals and assists.