The Altamont Enterprise

Saturday 25 May

Erwin Austin

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Top tennis teams tangle again, with Dutch winning Class AA title

Details: Published on Friday, 24 May 2013 21:01

By Jordan J. Michael

img 0877-web The Enterprise –– Jordan J. Michael
Slice and dice: Guilderland’s lone senior, Eric Kopff, hits a serve during last Thursday’s Class AA tennis finals at Central Park in Schenectady. The Dutchmen won the title, 5 to 4, over Bethlehem, and Kopff won his match, 6-4, 6-3, over Nick Mashuta. It was Guilderland’s ninth finals appearance in 10 years.SCHENECTADY –– Lately, the Class AA tennis final has been reserved for Guilderland and Bethlehem. Last Thursday marked the fourth consecutive meeting between the two Suburban powerhouses, and, once again, the ending score was 5 to 4.

Every time they meet, it’s five wins to four losses.

“We always joke about the score because we know what it’s going to be,” said Guilderland Head Coach Curtis Snyder. “It’s a great rivalry that brings the best out of both teams.”

The Eagles have won seven Class AA championships in the last 10 years, and hadn’t lost since the Dutch won the title in 2011. In the first match of 2013, Bethlehem beat Guilderland, 5 to 4.

“It’s a long history of us ending up here together at the end,” said Bethlehem Head Coach Steve Smith. “The matches always come down to the wire. These kids fight as hard as they can.”

Dutch softball ready for another playoff push

Details: Published on Friday, 24 May 2013 21:30

By Jordan J. Michael

img 0929-web The Enterprise –– Jordan J. Michael
Getting a hit during last Friday’s regular-season softball finale at Colonie is Guilderland senior Mallory Harrigan, who reached first base in the fourth inning. Harrigan scored on a hit by Jenna Cubello, tying the game at 2 to 2. Colonie (17-3) went on to win, 5 to 4, in extra innings.COLONIE –– The players on the Guilderland softball team have never been known to hang their heads. Rather, they’re known for never being out of a game.

On its way to a Class AA finals berth in 2012, the Dutch came from nine runs down to beat Bethlehem on the road. One of the best comebacks in Section 2 history is not lost on anybody involved.

“It’s never over,” Guilderland Head Coach Lou Marino said after a 5-to-4 extra-inning loss at Colonie, ranked 10th in the state, last Friday. The Dutch were down, 4 to 2, but got two runs across in the seventh inning. “Everyone knows that, when we play them, it’s going to be a good game,” he said. “A lesser team may have layed down, but my girls didn’t give up.”

Before a May 15 loss to Averill Park, Guilderland (11-7) won seven straight Suburban Council games. The Dutch are the third seed in Class AA, and host Columbia on Friday in the quarterfinals.

Dutch lacrosse and baseball advance in their sectional games

Details: Published on Friday, 24 May 2013 22:04

img 1008-web The Enterprise –– Jordan J. Michael
The pursuit of victory: Brad Johnston carries the lacrosse ball for Guilderland during its 9-to-6 home win over Saratoga in the Class A quarterfinals on Tuesday. Johnston got the Dutchmen’s offense going by scoring three straight goals in a two-and-a-half minute span in the third quarter. “He’s a viable option, and our team needs that,” Head Coach Sean McConaghy said of Johnston’s production. “He gave us a huge spark.” Guilderland moves on to play top-seeded Shenendehowa, which, McConaghy says, has six players who can score at any time. “They score around 16 goals per game, but we need to hold them to 10 or less,” said McConaghy. “We need to step up the offense, pack it in, communicate, and play team defense.”

img 1015-web The Enterprise –– Jordan J. Michael
The Guilderland lacrosse team advanced to the Class A semifinals after a 9-to-6 victory over Saratoga on Tuesday. Here, John Keegan, left, defends for the Dutch as goalie Ryan Rafferty keeps his eyes on the play. Rafferty made 15 saves for Guilderland, and will need to make more stops against Shenendehowa today if Guilderland wants to win in the semifinals. The Dutch lost to the Plainsmen, 12 to 7, earlier this season. “I think, now, we’re better defensively,” Guilderland Head Coach Sean McConaghy said. “Our senior defenders need to step up big against Shen.” The Dutchmen were without its top face-off winner, Marcus Knodler, who sustained a concussion, prior to the Saratoga game, and will play without him for the rest of the season. Senior leaders Steven Polsinelli and Cody Dyer are now taking face-offs, and will go against Shen’s D.J. Edick today. “Steve and Cody are very capable,” McConaghy said. “It’ll be a good battle.”

img 1001-web The Enterprise –– Jordan J. Michael
Backtracking: Guilderland’s Lewis Lima drives back to first base during the first inning of Tuesday’s Class AA first-round game against Ballston Spa, which the Dutch won, 1 to 0. Lima came in to relieve starting pitcher Tim Coppinger, who threw six scoreless innings. Lima will take the mound against top-seed Columbia in the quarterfinals being played today. Guilderland has lost to Columbia twice this season. “We’ll see,” Head Coach Doug LaValley said of the quarterfinal match up. “We’re going up there to win the game, and we have our best guy on the mound. We’ll see where it goes.” The Dutchmen lost to the Blue Devils in the semifinals in 2012, and Coppinger said that his teams’ goal is not to go 0-3 against Columbia again. “We put so much work in, so there’s no way we can be done,” he said. “We can get the job done.”

img 1021-web The Enterprise –– Jordan J. Michael
Fierce competitor: Dutchmen pitcher Tim Coppinger winds up during Tuesday’s first-round Class AA sectional game at Guilderland. The Dutch beat Ballston Spa, 1 to 0, after Adam Bowers tagged out the Scotties’ Anthony Monaco at home plate in the seventh inning off a throw by Zach Formica. Guilderland traveled to East Greenbush today to face top-seeded Columbia in the quarterfinals. “We have to knock them in the face,” said Guilderland’s Joe Bender about playing Columbia. He crushed a hanging curveball for a double against Ballston Spa, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Formica in the fifth inning. “We have to get a couple of runs in the first inning, and see how it goes,” he said. “We have to hit better than today; you have to clutch up against Columbia. That’s how we’ll get the win.”

Voorheesville routs Schoharie in first round of Class C sectionals

Details: Published on Friday, 24 May 2013 21:24

img 8463-web The Enterprise — Michael Koff
Starting off with a bang! On Tuesday afternoon, the Voorheesville Blackbirds started off their Class C baseball title defense against Schoharie. Here, Nico Church blasts a home run in the top of the first inning to start the rout of Schoharie. The Blackbirds won, 16 to 3, at Schoharie, and Church went 4 for 5 with two runs scored, four runs-batted-in, and he made a diving catch in center field that he turned into a double play. “He’s a five-tool player,” Voorheesville Head Coach Kyle Turski said of Church. Also for the Birds, Mike Young hit two singles, two doubles, and drove in four runs, and Nick Chiseri and Tom Gallager each had three hits and three runs batted in. Voorheesville made it to the state semifinals in 2012.

img 8498-web The Enterprise — Michael Koff
A routine grounder is made by Voorheesville second baseman Tom Gallager during the first inning against Schoharie in the first round of the Class C sectionals on Tuesday. Gallager went 3 for 4 with three RBI’s, and the Blackbirds won, 16 to 3. Voorheesville’s next game is today at 4 against either Mechanicville at home or Rensselaer on the road. The Blackbirds were given the 10th seed, despite being the defending Class C champions. Head Coach Kyle Turski said that the committee “doesn’t take that into consideration” because seeds are determined by league records. Voorheesville was 9-6 in the Colonial Council, but beat Chatham, which is the number-one seed in Class B. The Birds also beat Albany Academy twice. “We don’t look at it as a number; we look at it as being the best team in Class C,” Turski said of the seeding. “It motivates us, and I don’t think we’re getting all the respect that we should. Just look at the score.”

Blackbirds, in first-ever playoff game, lose to Black Horses

Details: Published on Friday, 24 May 2013 21:20

img 0959-web The Enterprise –– Jordan J. Michael
Free ride: Voorheesville’s Phil Riscica checks a Schuylerville lacrosse player as he runs by during Monday evening’s Class C quarterfinal in Schuylerville. It was the Blackbirds’ first-ever playoff game, which they lost, 15 to 5. Voorheesville finished 5-10 in 2013 after winning no games in its inaugural varsity season in 2012.

vville lax The Enterprise –– Jordan J. Michael
Ground and pound: Sam Weiss, in dark jersey at left, scoops up a ground ball for Voorheesville on Monday night in Schuylerville, and then his teammate, Pat Sweeney, #6 in photo at right, crushes a Black Horses’ player into him near the sidelines. Weiss and the Schuylerville player fell out of bounds, and Sweeney was called for roughing. Voorheesville lost the Class C quarterfinal, 15 to 5, and finished the season with a 5-10 record.