VOORHEESVILLE — The Voorheesville boys’ basketball team is looking to repeat the feats it achieved last year.

The Blackbirds made a trip to the state semifinals but lost by two points to the eventual state champion.

With three starters back and other players who played often, the Blackbirds will be looking to continue their success.
"Yeah, within ourselves," answered Voorheesville Coach Don Catellier when asked if there were expectations for his team. "We have three starters back and Rob Bareis and Jake Norris came off the bench. We have a great senior group."

The Birds have also got strong play from Justin Arico and Greg Carson in their first two games this season.

Voorheesville opened the season last weekend in the Catholic Central Tournament. The Blackbirds lost the opener to Glens Falls in overtime but came back to beat Schuylerville in the consolation game.
"I was pleased, but dissapointed," Catellier said of the tournament. "Glens Falls is among the top two or three teams in all of Section II and that includes the AA’s and everybody. We had them but we let it get away. We made some costly mistakes. We had a five-point lead but we did not get it done."

Catellier said that turnovers and missed free throws allowed Glens Falls to get back into the game and a miraculous shot forced overtime.
"The player hit a blind shot and that made it go into overtime," Catellier said.

Voorheesville also gave up 43 points to Glens Falls’ Jimmer Fredette.
"He’s the best player I’ve seen or coached against," Catellier said. "He made some good plays. He scored 43 points, but I thought we played good defense on him."

The Birds bounced back with a close win over Class B rival Schuylerville.
"That’s the team to beat," Catellier said. "We got them twice last year — in the Catholic Central tournament and the sectional final. I told the kids we’ll see them in the sectional final again. They are a very good program. They are the stepping stone for the Class B’s. You beat them and you’ve done a nice job."

The newcomers to the team have seemed to mesh, as they saw valuable minutes in the Catholic Central tournament.

Arico was named to the all-tournament team and Carson and Mike Hopper gave the Birds some quality minutes.

"They all want to get back"

Returning for the Blackbirds this winter are starters Greg Klopfer, Andy Catellier, and Nick Duncan. Norris and Bareis return after seeing valuable minutes off the bench last season. Duncan, Catellier, and Klopfer are the team’s captains.

Other newcomers to the team are juniors Joe Klembczyk, Chris Thompson, Tim Robinson, Mike Hopper, and sophomore Evan Christner.

Catellier knows that last year was a magical time and it will be hard to duplicate, but he also feels that he has the players that can make a run at another title.
"Last year was special," Catellier said. "We’d been together for two years. This year’s group is still learning. Once we do that, we’ll be all right."

Catellier said he sees a drive in this group of players, to match last winter’s success.
"They all want to get back," Catellier said. "We lost by two points to the eventual state champion. You always want to get back. But our first goal is to win our first game and that is against Academy on Friday night. Right now, they are the cornerstone of the Colonial Council. They are the defending champion. We’re on the outside, wanting to get in."

Catellier hopes that a letdown from the fall teams won’t carry over to the winter. Andy Catellier and Duncan were key members of the football team that lost in the sectional semifinals — to Schuylerville. And Klopfer was the top player for the soccer team that lost in the sectional finals. All three played in exceptional-senior games a couple of weeks ago.
"It’s taken them a little longer to get into basketball mold," Coach Catellier said. "Last week was the first week that I had the whole team together. I had individual practices at all hours of the night so I could get guys in."

The Blackbirds open at home against Albany Academy on Friday. Then the Birds will travel to Lansingburgh on Tuesday and Mechanicville on Friday.