HALFMOON — The Black Horses hit the links last week and came away with hardware, as the Schuylerville varsity boys golf team captured the Section 2 Class C/D Team Championship at the Fairways of Halfmoon.

The team posted a combined score of 244, led by Ryken Riper’s 78. Adam DeGregory shot an 81 for Schuylerville, while Kadin Converse shot an 85 to help the Black Horses win their second sectional title in the past three seasons.

“These kids are really competitive, and they absolutely love the game of golf,” said head coach Matthew Steinfort. “They’ve had really low rounds before, so it’s just a matter of trying to recreate that mindset, that attitude, and that mood, and go execute on that day. A credit to them, they went out there and they performed well.”

Steinfort credited the team for their commitment, saying the Black Horses’ golfers have been “constantly” on the course throughout the season. He said his message ahead of sectionals was “to take advantage of the opportunity, and to be the best version of themselves.”

“It’s about just trying to stay focused, and stay diligent about how you approach your game,” Steinfort said.

The Black Horses also captured the team title in 2021. Riper’s 78 was good for a third-overall finish individually, while DeGregory placed fifth and Converse tenth. The trio all earned spots at the state qualifier match, where the top nine golfers advanced to the state tournament. 

Steinfort praised the trio’s consistency throughout the fall, and said his mindset entering state qualifiers was simply to let the golfers “do their thing.”

“These guys are good,” Steinfort said prior to state qualifiers. “It’s just a matter of me to be smart enough to stay out of their way, to let them go out there and do what they’re capable of doing. My part is to simply try to help instill confidence, and try to shape a loose and relaxed but focused frame of mind.”

DeGregory and Converse each advanced to the final round of state qualifiers, finishing in the top 20. DeGregory finished 10th in the final round, just missing the cut for a trip to the state championships, though he was named the first alternate. Converse finished 19th overall.

“They’re a competitive group. They play so much, and they put so much time into it, and they have the ability,” Steinfort said of the Black Horses’ team. He also pointed out that Riper, DeGregory, and Converse are all only juniors. 

“So they do have one more year, and I’m just happy for those guys that they were able to get a second one in this three-year stretch,” continued Steinfort. “Hopefully they’ll have a good season next year as well, and put the work in.”

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Springs varsity field hockey team earned a win on Friday that was meaningful in more ways than one.

An overtime goal scored by Claire Frasier propelled the Blue Streaks to a 1-0 win over rival Shenendehowa during the team’s annual Pink Game, held this year in support of Saratoga field hockey alum Olivia Allen.

Allen, a 2023 graduate, was diagnosed with leukemia in June, and on Friday, the team was able to pick up a momentous win in Allen’s presence. She said the support shown “means a lot.”

“It means a lot for them to be playing for me,” said Allen. “And I love the sport, so it’s nice to be here.”

Allen said she made some of her best friends during her time with the team, and said it was “awesome” to see the victory.

“I made my four best friends on the team. Some of which were from elementary school, but we played together all through high school,” Allen said. “So the friendship and the competitiveness is the best part for me.”

Saratoga head coach Jo-Anne Hostig said the exciting victory puts “a little icing on the top” of a meaningful day.

“That’s what the game’s about,” Hostig said.

Hostig said it is meaningful to support Allen, saying she was “our sunshine” on the field hockey team.

“I want to give to her now, because she gave to us. And that’s how all the kids feel,” said Hostig. “She was our ray of sunshine, so we’re going to help her through it, whatever it takes. It’s good to see her.”

Saratoga also held its Pink Game several years ago in memory of former assistant coach Beth Roberts, who died of cancer. Hostig noted that Allen “always checked in” on her following Roberts’ passing.

“Like it’d be my birthday, and she’d be like, ‘How are you doing, Coach?’” Hostig said. “And I’m like, ‘OK, this is way out of the season.’ Because she knew that I was hurting, because I was so close to my assistant coach.”

Hostig credited the team and its community for their support, saying that her players were selling ribbons in school throughout the week to raise money, and that several coaches and alumni returned for the game.

“We’ve rallied around it, and we’ve rallied around Liv, and her family,” Hostig said. “I know that they appreciate it. And I know that if anything happens to any other, we’d do the same thing. That’s the best part.”

Frasier’s game-winner came following a penalty corner, off an assist by Charlotte Drabek.

“It was definitely not what I expected,” said Frasier of the goal. “I was intending to pass it off, but it was a great opportunity.”

Hostig said the team has been consistently improving as the season has continued, with Friday’s victory avenging an earlier 2-1 loss to Shen on Sept. 18. Frasier also added that the win gives the team confidence as they prepared to enter the final week of the regular season.

“We are maturing leaps and bounds each game that we’ve had, and our confidence level has gone up so much,” said Hostig. “And they are trusting their teammates more, and that’s what the best part is. You can only hope that this time around, when you get toward sectionals, you want to be peaking.”

And ultimately, the win was about more than just field hockey.

“It’s an experience that’s really important,” Drabek said.

“They’re realizing that there’s more than them. There’s an outside world, and we need to make sure that we remember that,” Hostig added. “I’m glad that (Olivia) was able to make it, and that we are able to share this with her.”

GLENS FALLS —The Adirondack Thunder has announced the start of its training camp for the 2023-24 season at Cool Insuring Arena.

Training Camp is open to all fans free of charge, a press release states. See below for upcoming dates and times:

• Monday, Oct. 16 (10 a.m.): On-Ice Practice

•Tuesday, Oct. 17 (10 a.m.): On-Ice Practice

•Wednesday, Oct. 18 (10 a.m.): On-Ice Practice

•Thursday, Oct. 19 (10 a.m.): On-Ice Practice

•Friday, Oct. 20 (10 a.m.): On-Ice Practice

The Thunder will host the Maine Mariners in the team’s home opener at Cool Insuring Arena on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. The first 1,000 kids 14 years of age and younger will receive a free youth jersey presented by Glens Falls Hospital, and the first 3,000 fans will receive glow sticks courtesy of SkyZone, the release states.

View the 2023-24 schedule at echlthunder.com/#schedule. For more information on ticket packages, call the front office at 518-480-3355 or visit echlthunder.com/tickets.

SARATOGA SPRINGS —The Saratoga Springs Professional Firefighters I.A.F.F. Local 343 will be hosting the Saratoga Springs Police PBA in the 2023 Saratoga Springs Fire & Police Holiday Hockey Classic on Saturday, Nov. 18 at the Saratoga Springs Weibel Ice Rink. 

The game will begin at approximately 7 p.m., after the conclusion of the Skidmore College versus New England College men’s hockey game. Admission to the Holiday Hockey Classic is free with the donation of a new unwrapped toy, a press release states.

The Holiday Hockey Classic is played to benefit the Franklin Community Center’s Holiday Assistance Program. The Holiday Assistance Program has the goal of providing the opportunity for every child in the Saratoga Springs area to wake up Christmas morning with a gift for them, the release states.

The toy collection associated with the hockey game will begin the week of October 10. Toy collection boxes will be placed at multiple locations throughout Saratoga Springs until November 17. The toy collection boxes will be located at both Saratoga Springs firehouses, the Saratoga Springs Police Department and Kings Tavern on Union Avenue.

This will be the fifth time both teams have played in the Holiday Hockey Classic, with each year seeing larger crowds and an increase in donations, according to the release. During the game, an in-game raffle is conducted to raise additional funds that will be included with the toy donation to the Franklin Community Center. 

Last year, the teams raised over $1,000 and collected over 700 toys from the support they received from the community, the release states. Saratoga Springs firefighters and police will deliver the toys collected to the Franklin Community Center during the first week of December.

REXFORD — The Section 2 girls golf tournament began on Wednesday, gathering many of the powerhouse programs in the sport at The Edison Club in Rexford. But one team was full of new faces.

The Saratoga Central Catholic girls varsity golf team qualified for this year’s sectional tournament as a team for the first time in school history, and also had three golfers representing the Saints in the individual tournament. It was a large step forward for the program, which previously had only one Section 2 qualifier in team history (Allison Motler in 2021).

Clara Goffioul, Chloe Lawrence, and Maddison Norton qualified for the Section 2 individual tournament, and the trio was joined by Aila Cartier for the team competition. Head coach Heather Bott said the trip to sectionals represents the girls’ dedication to the sport, and noted a sectional appearance was their goal entering the season.

“I knew with this group of girls, it was a real possibility,” said Bott of sectionals. “At the very beginning of the season, I was like, ‘Our goal is to send a team.’”

“It was definitely the goal,” added Lawrence.

“Yeah, everyone was close, but no one made it (last year),” said Cartier.

The Saints’ lineup at The Edison Club included Goffioul, a senior who was a part of the school’s first-ever girls golf team as a ninth-grader, Bott said. After moving to Germany, her family returned to the area in time for her senior year, and Goffioul was able to cap it off with a trip to sectionals.

“I was so happy, because it was my senior year, so it was my last chance to make sectionals,” Goffioul said. “And it’s my first year back, so I’m actually really happy I made that.”

“I was excited to see that she was coming back, because I was hopeful that she could have an opportunity to qualify for sectionals, and she did,” added Bott.

The team also includes Norton, a ninth-grader who has been a member of the varsity team since seventh grade.

“I’ve been working for it for three years,” said Norton. “I came close last year. It just feels good.”

Lawrence also qualified this year after finishing only one match short in 2022, Bott said. She added it is rewarding to see the team achieve its goal, saying it has been “a lot of fun to watch them grow.”

“I think really, it was just dedicating themselves to the sport,” Bott said. “You can see the improvement they’ve made over the last year … Just being able to watch them, see them grow, get to know them a little bit more on the course, and see their personalities come out, see them enjoy the love that they have for the game and watch that grow, it’s been really fun.”

The Saints placed eighth as a team, with a total score of 453. Lawrence shot 101, Goffioul shot 108, Cartier shot 117, and Norton shot 127. Prior to sectional play, Bott said her message to the team was simply to “enjoy the experience,” which was echoed by the Saints’ golfers.

“I just want them to have fun and take it all in,” Bott said ahead of sectionals on Tuesday. “Don’t take it so seriously. Because golf is a tough game. It’s a mental game. Just having fun, enjoying the camaraderie that they have with their teammates, with the other teams that they’re playing, that’s what it’s all about.

“If you focus on that, I tell them, everything else will come.”

SCHUYLERVILLE — The Schuylerville varsity boys and girls’ soccer teams each picked up victories in their annual ‘Kickin’ Out Cancer’ fundraiser, with this year’s event held in honor of longtime teacher Dave Mehan.

The Schuylerville girls’ team defeated Scotia-Glenville 3-2 in overtime on Sept. 30, while the Black Horses’ boys team beat South Glens Falls 1-0 on Tuesday night.

Proceeds raised at the games will be donated to the Schuylerville Elementary School Kindness Closet, which the district previously stated would be established in memory of Mehan, who died of cancer in August.

“Dave was such a great part of this community,” said Schuylerville boys head coach David Gauci. “He was an awesome guy. He was part of the soccer program, coaching. It was emotional for a lot of us … Dave would’ve loved it.”

At halftime of the boys’ game, the Schuylerville teams, along with fellow students, district staff, and community members participated in a ‘glowstick walk’ around the track in Mehan’s memory.

The Schuylerville girls team was powered by a hat trick by Anna Armstrong, who scored twice in regulation before netting the game-winner in overtime. Riley Keefer and Peyton DeLisle added assists for the Black Horses.

The lone goal in the Schuylerville boys’ victory was scored by Trevor French, off an assist by Corey Cottrell. Griffin Brophy made six saves in goal to preserve the win.

Tuesday was also the Black Horses’ senior night, honoring eight senior players: Parker Bendon, Griffin Brophy, Corey Cottrell, Trevor French, Sean Klingebiel, Austin Mosher, Alvaro Perez, and Brenden Steinberg.

Gauci said it was “a great win,” adding that it was meaningful to see the community support.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The CJD Foundation is hosting its annual walk to fundraise and bring awareness to Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease and other prion diseases. This year’s walk is on Saturday, Oct. 7 at the Veterans Memorial Park on 10 Adams Rd in Saratoga Springs.

Registration begins at 10 a.m., with the walk around the track beginning at 11 a.m. There will be refreshments, a photo booth, an interactive fire truck, Santa Claus, children’s activities and supportive people to share CJD experiences with. 

Each registrant receives five raffle tickets for an opportunity for many prizes, including sports and cultural events tickets and signed photos by well-known athletes. Participants are encouraged to bring framed photos of your loved ones lost to this disease, which has no treatment currently available, a press release states.

The CJD Foundation provides support to affected families, provides funds for research and medical community education, and hosts an annual conference bringing together doctors and researchers annually to hopefully one day have a treatment and cure for this disease.

For more information go to www.CJDFoundation.org or call 800-659-1991. Registration can be done the day of the event. To register online or donate to this cause, go to www.strides4cjd.com and click on the Saratoga Event.