Photos: Birds Battle
Crunch time is here for the Voorheesville Blackbirds’ cross-country and boys’ soccer teams with the regular season coming to a close before sectionals. The soccer team celebrated its seniors on Tuesday afternoon at home against Catholic Central. The Blackbirds led from the opening whistle to the final buzzer, beating the Crusaders, 6 to 0. The cross-country team traveled to Maple Hill High School in Castleton-on-the-Hudson for the Kiwanis Glover Cross-Country Invitational on Saturday. Although several of the team’s top runners were sidelined, taking college entrance exams, the girls finished third among six teams with 78 points and the boys finished sixth with 181.
The Enterprise — Michael Koff
Jumping High: Blackbird Jack Ensslin, center, battles with two Catholic Central players to get the ball near the penalty box in the second half.
The Enterprise — Michael Koff
Hard nosed: Joe Saia was not going to be kept from the goal by any Crusader defender; he led the Blackbirds with three goals in the game.
The Enterprise — Michael Koff
Sprinting: Blackbird Connor Dolin runs down a pass from a teammate. Dolin scored one goal for Voorheesville, as did Jacob Dykstra and Derek Moore.
The Enterprise — Michael Koff
Leading the second pack: Blackbird Mariem Sayahi races ahead of Columbia and Gloversville runners at the start of the 5K girls’ varsity race. Sayahi finished in eighth place, the first Voorheesville girl, with a time of 20:42.
The Enterprise — Michael Koff
Up slope: Blackbird Dylan Ensslin runs up a slippery slope approaching the finish in the boys’ varsity 5K race where Ensslin was first for his team with a 19th-place finish in a time of 18:12.
The Enterprise — Michael Koff
In a pack: Voorheesville’s Caitlin McCarthy leads her teammates as Victoria Iacabucci (1118) and Sophia Stampalia run together in the early part of the course. McCarthy finished 18th with a time of 22:32, Iacabucci finished in 23:17, and Stampalia finished 31st with a time of 24:07.
The Enterprise — Michael Koff
Concentration: Voorheesville’s Anna Hampston runs up a muddy hill, part of the course on the grounds of Maple Hill high school in Castleton-on-the-Hudson. Hampston finished 25th with a time of 23:21.
The Enterprise — Michael Koff
Off and running: Varsity runners — with Voorheesville in purple — race from the starting line during the Kiwanis Glover Cross-Country Invitational on Saturday morning. Dylan Ensslin leads the way for the Voorheesville Blackbirds.