SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Ballston Spa varsity wrestling team continues to roll, with the Scotties capturing first place in the Saratoga Invitational on Jan. 7.
Ballston Spa’s team score of 182.5 points put them on top, finishing ahead of second-place Shenendehowa (168.5 points). Saratoga, the host school, placed third with 138.5 points.
Scottie seniors Darrien Insogna and Connor Gregory each won the finals in their respective weight classes. At 215 pounds, Insogna pinned Garrett Bidwell of Windsor High School at 3:53. Gregory, wrestling at 160 pounds, earned a forfeit victory over Windsor’s Mason McCombs in the finals.
Ballston Spa’s Ralph Keeney also advanced to the finals at 110 pounds, losing an 11-1 major decision to Luke Satriano of Valley Central. Tristan Hinchcliff and Cameron Hinchcliff, wrestling at 118 and 126 pounds, respectively, each won the consolation finals in their weight classes.
Eighth-grader James Capasso also advanced to the consolation finals at 145 pounds, falling via pin to Shen’s Davin Leavey at 4:20. Brennan Livingston, at 189 pounds, lost to Glens Falls’ Nathan Phipps in the consolation finals.
Saratoga sophomore Taylor Beaury, at 126 pounds, won the finals by earning a 6-0 decision over Averill Park’s Jacob Hanlon. Senior Lorenzo Paleschi, wrestling at 189 pounds, advanced to the finals before falling via pin to Whitehall’s Troy Austin at 2:19.
At 152 pounds, Saratoga senior Gordon Murray won the consolation finals with a 7-4 decision over Ryan McManman of General Brown High School. Danny Dacey fell in the consolation finals at 132 pounds to Averill Park’s Jamie Bartlett via pin at 4:57, while Patrick McKinley lost to Lansingburgh’s Jayden Morales by a 3-2 decision at 215 pounds.
Ballston Spa (5-0 Suburban Council) resumed league play on Wednesday, hosting Averill Park (4-1 SC). Saratoga, also 4-1 in the Suburban Council, hosted Shaker (2-3 SC) on Wednesday. Both matches concluded after press time.
ALBANY — Around The Post Pickleball is holding the first-ever pickleball tournament at Albany Capital Center from Jan. 13-15. More than 170 pickleball players from New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut and Rhode Island will compete.
The 1st Annual Capital Center Classic Pickleball Tournament has two divisions: Age 18 to 49, and 50+. The tournament is full and registration is closed, but members of the public are welcome to attend and watch the competition.
Games begin at 8 a.m. each day starting Friday, Jan. 13. The last games of the day are scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 13, and Saturday, Jan. 14. On Sunday, Jan. 15, the final games of the day are scheduled to start at 5 p.m. Vendors and sponsors will have tables at the tournament.
Around The Post Pickleball is a Long Island-based company owned by Scott Green.
Albany Capital Center is located at 55 Eagle Street in Albany. A parking garage is located beneath the center at 7 Wendell St. The center is also connected by walkways to parking garages at the MVP Arena, Renaissance Albany Parking Garage and Empire State Plaza visitor’s parking.
JOHNSTOWN —The Ballston Spa varsity wrestling team ended 2022 with a big victory, being named Mountain Duals Champions after going 7-1 in the Johnstown-hosted tournament.
Scotties senior Darrien Insogna was 8-0 on the day, and was named Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament. Fellow senior Connor Gregory and 8th-grader Quinton Warlikowski also went undefeated on the day for the Scotties. Ralph Keeney was 7-1 for the day, while Tristan and Cameron Hinchcliff each earned five wins during the tournament.
Ballston Spa defeated Shoreham-Wading River 34-31 in the opening round, and cruised past Adirondack 52-15 in the second round. The Scotties beat Averill Park 40-28 in the third round, and Fonda-Fultonville-Johnstown 45-24 in the fourth round.
The team’s lone defeat on the day was in the fifth round to Saranac, 36-33. The Scotties responded, however, beating Central Valley Academy 36-30 in the following round before closing the tournament with a 51-19 victory over Unatego-Unadilla Valley.
Ballston Spa hosted Columbia on Wednesday, in a match that ended after press time.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Central Catholic varsity boys basketball team defended its home court during the holiday break, winning a pair of games to capture the Saratoga Catholic Holiday Classic Championship on Thursday.
The Saints opened the tournament in style, cruising to a 60-35 win over Cambridge in the first round. In the championship round, Saints’ senior Justin Duscher led the way, earning tournament MVP honors after scoring a game-high 20 points and guiding the team to a 61-48 victory over Warrensburg.
Aiden Dunne had 12 points for the Saints, while Hunter Fales added nine points. Ronan Rowe had seven points, with Tyler Weygand adding six points and Aiden Crowther scoring five points.
It is the second time Duscher has received MVP honors this season, as he was also named tournament MVP at the Mike Beson Memorial Tournament in November.
Saratoga Central Catholic kept up its winning ways on Tuesday, earning their third straight win with a 60-41 victory over Berlin/New Lebanon. The Saints (7-3) will host Greenwich at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
HUDSON FALLS — The Ballston Spa varsity boys’ basketball team continued its strong start over the holiday break, beating a strong Hudson Falls squad to improve to 8-0 on the season.
The Scotties went on the road and cruised past the Tigers in what was a battle of previously unbeaten teams. Hudson Falls, a Class B school, had already defeated two Class AA opponents this season (Shaker, Albany). Ballston Spa dominated, however, pulling away in the second quarter and running to an eventual 92-56 victory.
Ballston scored 35 points in the second quarter to take a 54-33 lead into halftime, and never let up from there. Senior guard Michael Miller had 32 points for the Scotties, with fellow senior Nick Verdile scoring 24 points. Hudson Falls senior Peyton Smith led the Tigers with 25 points in the loss.
Ballston Spa (8-0 overall, 4-0 Suburban Council) resumes league play today with a road contest against Troy (4-2 overall, 4-0 Suburban Council) at 7 p.m.
MOUNT VERNON —The Saratoga Springs varsity hockey team traveled downstate over the break, splitting a pair of games against strong Section 1 competition.
The Blue Streaks lost 3-2 to Pelham, the defending Division 2 State Champions, on Tuesday before rebounding with a 4-2 win over Cortlandt on Wednesday.
Saratoga trailed 1-0 after one period against Pelham, and surrendered a second-period goal to go down by two, but Blue Streak goals from senior forwards Charlie Oke and Payton Borak tied the game entering the third period.
The teams played an even third period, but Pelham broke through in the final minute, taking the lead on a goal by Luke Green with 55 seconds remaining. The Blue Streaks were unable to find another tying goal, and Pelham held on for a 3-2 victory.
Borak and Oke scored for Saratoga, with Jake Badar, Grady Frasier, and Maddox Pemrick picking up assists. Xander Clarke made 25 saves on 28 shots in goal for the Blue Streaks.
Saratoga was able to respond the following day, however, earning a 4-2 win over Cortlandt, another Section 1 opponent. The Rebels struck first early in the game, taking a 1-0 lead, but a goal by Jayson Carpenter tied the game for Saratoga just over a minute later. A goal by Badar gave the Blue Streaks a 2-1 lead after one period.
Badar added his second goal midway through the second period, extending the lead to 3-1 after two. Cortlandt responded with a power-play goal early in the third, making it 3-2, but with 5:43 remaining, Borak finished a feed from Jack Murauskas, scoring to push the lead back to two and help lock up a 4-2 win for the Blue Streaks.
Badar had two goals for Saratoga, with Carpenter and Borak each adding one. Pemrick had two assists, with Victor Cutting, Daniel Klochaney, Murauskas, Oke, and Matt Rissetto all adding one assist each. Matt Barber earned the win in goal, stopping 12 of 14 shots.
Saratoga (2-6-1 overall, 0-3-1 CDHSHL) resumed league play by hosting the G/M/S/V/S Storm on Wednesday, in a game that ended after press time.
SCHENECTADY —The Saratoga Springs and Schuylerville varsity boys and girls indoor track teams continued their season over the break, competing in a Section 2 league meet at Union College on Dec. 29.
Below are results from athletes who earned points for each school:
Saratoga
The Saratoga girls team placed second with a total of 70 points, trailing only Columbia (96 points).
Anya Belisle took first place in both the 600-meter run (1:49.4) and the 1,000-meter run (3:13.2) for Saratoga. The team of Tong Ang, Iley Centea, Reagan Owen, and Natalie Wilding won the 4×800 relay (11:17.4).
Saratoga sophomore Lily Collins earned points in three events, placing third in the triple jump (28’ 10.75”), fourth in the 300-meter dash (46.7), and sixth in the 45-meter dash (6.6). Eighth-grader Natalie Wilding placed second in the 3,000-meter run (11:31.5).
Katie Turner finished fourth in both the 1,000-meter run (3:26.9) and the 1,500-meter run (5:22.1), while Ang placed third in the 1,500 (5:21.0). Leah Harden finished third in the 600-meter run (1:55.9), and sixth in the 50-meter hurdles (9.7).
On the boys’ side, the Blue Streaks placed 10th as a team. Sophomore Nicholas Baldwin was the only boys athlete to earn points for Saratoga, finishing sixth in the long jump (15’ 9.75”).
Schuylerville
The Schuylerville girls team placed sixth, with a team total of 32 points. Keira Rogan, a junior, took first place in both the 1,500-meter run (4:56.4) and the 3,000-meter run (10:35.5).
Campbell Bailey finished fourth in the 50-meter hurdles (9.4), and tied for sixth in the high jump with teammate Taylor Brown. The team of Lillian Letzring, Abigail Morency, Brown, and Louisa Fabritius placed third in the 4×400 relay (5:10.0).
The Schuylerville boys team finished fifth as a squad, earning a total of 6 points. The team of Ian Bailey, Henry Otto, Nathaniel Lanfear, and Kevin Schwerd took fourth in the 4×400 relay (4:38.0), while Bailey also finished fifth in the 1,600-meter run (5:57.9).
The Saratoga varsity wrestling team celebrates during the Blue Streaks’ 66-4 win over Guilderland on Dec. 21. Photo by Dylan McGlynn.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga varsity wrestling team ended the 2022 calendar year on a strong note, cruising to a 66-4 win over Guilderland in the Blue Streaks’ final Suburban Council match before the new year.
The Blue Streaks improved to 3-1 in the Suburban Council with the victory, their second straight league win. Head coach Jake Zanetti was encouraged by the result, praising the squad for its ability to maintain their intensity from one match to the next.
“These guys get up for every single match,” said head coach Jake Zanetti. “We find some reason to get up for things, and make things personal, and go after anybody that we’re going to step on the mat with as a team.”
The Blue Streaks won 12 of 13 matches against the Dutchmen, and saw major contributions from several young wrestlers. Saratoga freshmen Luke Stoutenburg, Taylor Beaury, Danny Dacey, and Trey Edwards all wrestled above their typical weight classes in the win, Zanetti said.
“Those are all ninth-graders right there, all going up weight classes to try to do what’s best for the team,” Zanetti said. “For ninth-graders to go up weight classes and do what they did, winning three out of four of those, that’s a beautiful thing.”
Wrestling at 126 pounds, Stoutenburg pinned Guilderland’s Ryan Conklin at 0:35. Beaury, wrestling at 132 pounds, pinned Emerson Nezaj at 0:51, while Dacey wrestled at 138 pounds and pinned Jack Upton at 1:21. Edwards, at 145 pounds, lost an 8-0 decision to Daniel Ralston.
Saratoga junior Patrick McKinley pulled out a big victory at 215 pounds, with Zanetti saying he “probably had the match of the night,” in defeating Guilderland’s Antonio Cipollo by a 6-5 decision in the ultimate tiebreaker.
“For Pat to be in control of that match going into the third period, then go into overtime and then go into ultimate tiebreaker and still ride him out, showed some toughness and some fitness out of Pat, which we love to see,” said Zanetti. “He’s only been wrestling for two years.”
Zanetti also highlighted senior Vito Spadafora, who capped off the night with a strong victory over Dillon O’Brien, pinning the Guilderland senior at 5:12.
“He was battling all the way to the third period there,” Zanetti said. “For Vito to get six out of him, that was awesome. We’ve got some really great senior leadership out of those guys, and they know we want to gobble up every single point we can as a team. For them to set that tone and get after it was pretty sweet.”
Gordon Murray, Lorenzo Paleschi, and Gianni Delgado all earned wins via pinfall for the Blue Streaks. Senior Jack Dacey, wrestling at 285 pounds, earned a 1-0 decision over Guilderland’s Billy Pokeda. Benjamin Przedwiecki, Christopher Johnson, and Chase Matter each earned wins by forfeit for Saratoga.
The Blue Streaks had a short break for the holidays following the Dec. 21 victory, competing in the Windsor Christmas Tournament on Dec. 28, which Zanetti referred to as “one of the toughest tournaments in the state.”
Saratoga finished 7th out of 39 teams at the Windsor Tournament, with a team score of 91 points. Beaury, Paleschi, and Spadafora each advanced to the semi-finals in their respective weight classes, while Delgado advanced to the consolation finals at 160 pounds.
“We’re basically just ramping up for January. I’m really selling January as a tough, grinder month,” said Zanetti. “Our tournament’s tough, we’re going to Schenectady, Shaker is tough. Then it’s just prepping us for championship season. Class As, sectionals, all that.”
Zanetti said the team’s strong start has been helped by their commitment to practicing with intensity.
“Just the level and intensity of our practices are way, way up there,” Zanetti said. “You can see we’re in good shape. We want to own the third period. We want to have that third period energy that other teams don’t have.
“We work hard, and we really try to hammer our fitness, day in and day out, whether it’s warmups or conditioning. Even drilling is fast-paced.”
The Blue Streaks’ start has garnered recognition throughout the state, with New York Wrestling News ranking the team 19th in Division 1 as of Jan. 2. However, Zanetti said the team will simply look to focus on what’s in front of them.
“(Rankings are) fun to look at, but we want to just wrestle whoever we’re wrestling that day, that night,” said Zanetti. “We want to get the results we want to get, and we want to put as many guys on the podium at sectionals and get into states as possible. If a ranking comes along with it, that’s cool.
“But we know there’s a lot of really good teams out there. We’ve got to keep improving and working to get up to their level.”
Saratoga (3-1 Suburban Council) battled Niskayuna (0-4 Suburban Council) on Wednesday, in a match that ended after press time.
Intro to Ice Skating introduces skaters age 3-adults to the exciting world of ice skating, and prepares a skater for advancement to figure skating, hockey, or speed skating. Visit www.SaratogaRec.com and click Programs, Ice Skating lessons for complete information and to register.
Begin Your Figure Skating Journey
Fundamentals of Figure Skating introduces participants to the artistry and athleticism of figure skating. Visit www.SaratogaRec.com and click Programs, Ice Skating lessons for complete information and to register.
Pickleball Workshops
Several pickleball workshops will be held in Dec 28th and 29th at the Rec Center at 15 Vanderbilt Avenue for various levels of interest and expertise. Visit www.SaratogaRec.com and click Programs, Pickleball Workshops for complete information and to register.
Contact the Recreation Department at 518-587-3550 x2300 or recreservations@saratoga-springs.org with questions.
AMSTERDAM — The Ballston Spa varsity wrestling team emerged victorious at the Montgomery County Duals on Saturday, going 5-0 to earn a first-place finish.
Scotties senior Connor Gregory went 5-0 on the day, earning all five victories via pinfall. Fellow senior Darrien Insogna also won all five of his contests, four by pin and one via forfeit. Cameron and Tristan Hinchcliff also each won all five of their matches for the Scotties.
Ralph Keeney, a junior, was also 5-0, earning two wins by pin and two by forfeit. Quinton Warlikowski won four of five contests, with three wins coming via pin.
Ballston Spa, ranked #6 in New York State Division 1 by New York Wrestling News, opened the day with a 51-19 win over Fonda-Fultonville/Johnstown. Ballston Spa beat Averill Park 56-15 in the second round before earning a 53-21 win over Amsterdam in the third round.
The Scotties defeated Section III power Fulton 54-21 in the fourth round and clinched the dual meet victory with a 48-23 victory over Newburgh Free Academy (Section IX) in the final round.
Ballston Spa (7-1) traveled to face Schenectady (1-1) at 6 p.m. on Dec. 21, in a contest that ended after press time.
