SARATOGA SPRINGS — Skidmore’s hockey team entered this past weekend with a pair of games against Norwich and New England. At 5-0, Skidmore was having its best start in decades. 

But historically, the Thoroughbreds have struggled to beat Norwich at home. Three out of the last four contests between the teams played in Saratoga ended in ties. So the question was, could Skidmore keep its undefeated streak alive? 

It turned out that history would repeat itself as the contest against Norwich ended in a tie, leaving Skidmore still undefeated but a tad imperfect. 

“[Norwich] play a very defensive brand of hockey,” said Skidmore coach Rob Hutchison. “It came down to finding a way to put a puck in the net in a meaningful moment and we weren’t able to do that, but we had our opportunities.” 

The following night, however, the Thoroughbreds beat New England 2-0. Goalie Tate Brandon finished with another shutout, while Everett Wardle and Kevin Urquhart put Skidmore’s two points on the board.

Coach Rob Hutchison credits his squad’s early success this season with player experience and preparation. “We’ve got experience like we’ve never had,” Hutchison said. 

The team’s core group of juniors and seniors have played a lot of games together, including championship bouts. “They’ve been able to have those experiences and grow from those experiences,” Hutchison said.

The Thoroughbreds are now 6-0-1 on the year. The team will next compete in the Thanksgiving Invitational this weekend.

Spa Catholic Boys Basketball Team Lineup

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Central Catholic boys basketball team is coming off a winning season in a competitive league. According to Coach Shea Bromirski, every game this year will be a rivalry and a challenge.

“I think it’s the best small school basketball league in the state,” Bromirski said, “and if it’s not the best, it’s in the top three.”

Last season was Bromirski’s first as coach of the Saints, and his goal was to have his team “understand me and what I’m about and ultimately what our program was going to be about, like a culture change.”

The Saints finished 12-8 in the regular season and were the third seed in the Class C sectionals. “We tasted some success,” Bromirski said. “I felt like last year we kind of created a little buzz around here because we played really hard and we play a fun style of basketball.”

This season, the roster is bolstered by a handful of new transfer students, as well as five returning players. “We have a really deep team,” Bromirski said.

Returning players include senior Aiden Crowther, and juniors Ryan Gillis, Hunter Fales, Tyler Weygand, and Ronan Rowe.

“This year, I just think that this is gonna be a spot to come and watch a really high level basketball team play every Tuesday and Friday night,” the coach said. “This team is going to be very fun to watch and really play basketball the way I think it’s supposed to be played.”

The season kicks off on Friday, November 24 at 7:30pm against Galway at home.

Coach Bromirski shared his team’s roster for the season...

Bryce Peterson 1 So G 

Pierce Bryne 25 So F 

Kihl Kelly 12 So G 

Ryan Gillis 3 Jr F 

Hunter Fales 2 Jr G 

Tyler Weygand 23 Jr G 

Ronan Rowe 22 Jr G 

Tyler Hicks 30 Jr G 

Taamir Koslik 33 Sr F 

Aiden Crowther 11 Sr G 

Jace Alfarone 14 Sr G 

Head Coach - Shea Bromirski 

Assistant Coach - Adam Britten

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Springs Cannabis Growers Showcase is back. The market temporarily shut down over a month ago, citing a need to move its operation indoors. 

On Saturday, November 11, the showcase reopened in an enclosed space on the third floor of the City Center parking facility. According to Upstate Canna Co., the market will remain open every week from Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Cannabis products will be available for purchase to adults 21 and older.

SARATOGA SPRINGS —James & Sons Tobacconists are hosting a “cigars and cordials” fundraiser on Saturday, November 18 between 5 and 9 p.m. The event will accept donations for the McNulty Veteran Business Center, which offers entrepreneurial training and education programs for veterans. 

All are invited to attend the catered evening that includes cordials and a complimentary cigar. No tickets are required. The Greenwich Ford dealership is also sponsoring the event.

James & Sons is located at 360 Broadway in downtown Saratoga Springs.

GALWAY — Waterwheel Village, a country store that specializes in aged cheddar cheese, is marking its 100th year in business.

Part of the current store was first constructed in 1839 as a foundry that made horse-drawn plows, according to Waterwheel’s manager Laurie Klamp. Klamp has been working at the store for more than forty years and has become its unofficial historian.

A member of the Fonda family (for whom the village of Fonda is named) began aging cheddar cheese at the location a century ago. “And we’ve been doing it the same way ever since,” Klamp said.

In 1923, the property became a mercantile store. The Fonda family owned it until 1971. After a series of brief takeovers, the Marvin family bought Waterwheel and have owned it for the last 51 years.

The shop sells craft soda and beer, candy, and baked goods. But its most popular items are its aged cheddars. “We actually have people who come in once a week to buy a pound of it to make homemade macaroni and cheese,” Klamp said. “It is delicious.” 

Waterwheel is located at 2259 Route 29 in Galway. The store currently takes phone orders and may soon begin online sales. To learn more, visit waterwheelvillage.com.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The truth is out there. It might also be on Route 50 in Saratoga Springs. A group of freshmen from Skidmore College went to find out.

Students from a seminar called “The Fantastic: Seduction of the Strange” toured the X-Files Preservation Collection in Saratoga as part of their course study.

The students “thought it was cool to see the original props,” said Assistant Professor Juliane Wuensch, who led the excursion. “They were very fascinated seeing these original things that were in the show.” 

The collection includes props of monsters, human corpses, and space aliens used in the hit series The X-Files, which was originally broadcast on the Fox network from 1993 to 2002. 

Given that the series aired before any of the Skidmore students were born, 90s-era technology was also a source of fascination for them.

“It was interesting to see their reactions to all these memorabilia from a time they can’t even really imagine anymore,” Wuensch said. Students were interested “to see the technical side. How was this made? How was it done before digital?” 

The freshmen were especially intrigued by X-Files creator Chris Carter’s laptop and floppy disk, which he used to write the first episode of the show.

“I think it’s piqued their interest as well for the show,” Wuensch said. She even heard a couple of her students saying, “I have to watch more of this show” and “let’s have a watch party.”

“The Fantastic: Seduction of the Strange” explores all forms of fantastical art, literature, and media. In addition to The X-Files, Skidmore students can study Edgar Allan Poe, Franz Kafka, The Twilight Zone, and German fairy tales.

The X-Files Preservation Collection opened last year and bills itself as “the world’s largest collection of screen-used props, costumes, and set dressings from The X-Files.” It’s located at 4284 NY-50 in Saratoga Springs.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Empire State University celebrated the opening of its Veteran and Military Resource Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday. 

“At Empire State University,” said school president Lisa Vollendorf, “we are very proud to serve military and veteran students. We serve more of this population than any other four-year public university or college in the State of New York. And here’s what I want to say to that: we want to serve more.”

According to Empire State University, the new center will offer both in-person and online services for the school’s veterans and military-affiliated students. It’s located at 111 West Ave in Saratoga Springs.

Notable attendees of the event included New York State Senator James Tedisco, a representative who spoke on behalf of Congressman Paul Tonko, and school mascot Blue the Bluebird.

SARATOGA SPRINGS —It was a chilly afternoon, but that didn’t stop a dedicated group of high schoolers from honoring Veterans Day with a flag replacement ceremony at Veterans Park. 

The Saratoga Springs High School Military Club, led by sophomore Kelly McMurtrie, hosted the event on Thursday, Nov. 9. Attendees included veterans, fellow students, and New York State Senator James Tedisco.

“I always like to say that all good things emanate from the 44th senatorial district, and you certainly exemplify that,” Tedisco said of the military club. The senator said the students’ involvement in the club helped them understand why “we’re the greatest nation in the world, hands down.”

McMurtrie, whose father served in the Navy, said she loved growing up in a military family. “I liked being part of something that was bigger than just myself. The military was a huge community. But I also know that some families weren’t as fortunate as mine.”

McMurtie encouraged attendees to donate cash to the nonprofit organization Disabled American Veterans (DAV). Boxes were set up to collect donations. There were also Veterans Day cards made by local elementary school students available for veterans to take home.