By Jordan J. Michael

As 2010 ends and 2011 starts to begin, only one area basketball team out of six has a winning record. The Lady Blackbirds are 4-2 in the Colonial Council and 4-3 overall as it takes a break for the holiday season.

The other five teams will also take a break, with some participating in holiday non-league tournaments and games.

The Voorheesville girls are wedged into the middle of the Colonial Council standings after losing to Ravena, 51 to 35, at home on Tuesday night. The Birds had won its last four games, dating back to a Dec. 7 win over Albany Academy. Over that four-game winning streak, Voorheesville outscored its opponents, 192 to 84.

The Lady Birds’ three tallest players –– Anna Feller, Jennifer Cillis, and Sarah Madden –– lead the team in scoring. Feller is the top scorer with 69 points and Cillis has 66.

Voorheesville’s next game is home against Bishop Maginn on Thursday, Dec. 30. The team resumes Colonial Council play on Jan. 7 at Lansingburgh.

The Dutchmen team has had an up-and-down season so far and its Suburban Council record is 2-3 (3-4 overall) heading into the break. Guilderland has yet to win two straight games after dropping a contest to Shaker, 46 to 34, on the road Tuesday evening.

“Our defense has been good, but we need to put more points up,” said Head Coach Ron Osinski on Wednesday.

Despite the Dutch’s shaky start, junior Cameron Dobbs is lighting up the court with 120 points, including 14 three-pointers. Dobbs, a newcomer to the team this year, is averaging 17.1 points per game. Senior Brendan Doak is the second leading scorer, but well below Dobbs.

“He’s constantly scoring,” Osinski said of Dobbs. “But, I think we need to have more from some others players.”

Guilderland will continue its Suburban Council play with a home game against Shenendehowa on Tuesday, Jan. 4. Tip-off is at 7 p.m.

The Berne-Knox-Westerlo girls, who made it to the Class C title game last season and returned all but one of its players, lost to Canajoharie on the road, 57 to 45, last Friday to fall to 1-2 (2-3 overall) in the Western Athletic Conference. In the previous game, Duanesburg shocked BKW at home, winning by 33 points.

“Duanesburg is pretty good, but we couldn’t throw the ball into the ocean from a dock,” Head Coach Tom Galvin said on Wednesday, mentioning that game as one of the worst defeats he’s been a part of.  “I think our confidence went a little south, so we have to get it back up.”

BKW looked to be a favorite in Class C this year and sophomore Liz Harvey is leading the team in scoring with 68 points. Senior Marian Bates has 57 points and sophomore Mary Salo has 45 as a force down in the post.

“I think the players may be underachieving,” said Galvin. “We’re not clicking at the right moment. I think the pressure of being a top team got to us some and had an effect. We have to figure this out.”

The Lady Bulldogs will look to turn its season around on Tuesday, Dec. 28, at the Heatly Tournament. The game against Bishop Maginn is scheduled for 5 p.m.

The BKW boys’ team shares identical records with the girls at 1-2 in the Western Athletic Conference and 2-3 overall. After getting a big win over Schoharie on Dec. 10, the Bulldogs dropped two close games –– to Duanesburg (54-52) and Canajoharie (47-44).

Nate Krimsky and Garrett Pitcher provide a nice one-two punch for the BKW offense. Krimsky is averaging 18 points per game and Pitcher is averaging 16.2. The Bulldogs travel to Sharon Springs on Tuesday, Jan. 4, for its next game.

After a 46-to-32 win over Saratoga last Friday for its first win of the season, the Lady Dutch team hosted Shaker on Tuesday and lost badly, 66 to 35. Guilderland is 1-4 in the Suburban Council and 1-5 overall.

The Lady Dutch have scored 40 points only once this season. A couple of weeks ago, Head Coach Frank Cacckello told The Enterprise that his team is looking for a “go-to” player. Right now, it’s looking as if Cristal Benton, Erin Mossop, Mallory Harrigan, or Shannon Mackesey could fill that role.

Suburban Council play resumes for Guilderland on Tuesday, Jan. 4, when the team goes to Shenendehowa. On Wednesday, Dec. 29, the Dutch will take on non-league competitor Schenectady, which defeated it in the first game of the year.

The Voorheesville boys’ team got its first win of the season on the road Tuesday, a 46-to-38 victory over Ravena. The Blackbirds opened its Colonial Council schedule with four consecutive losses to Watervliet, Fonda, Cobleskill, and Schalmont.

“The kids realized that they can win,” said Head Coach Don Catellier on Wednesday. “They gained some confidence.”

Voorheesville’s scoring output has been quite low (no games over 48 points), but Russ Daly is emerging as a key player on the post. Daly is averaging 11 points per game.

“Everything started to click,” Catellier said of Voorheesville’s first win. “The light bulb is on.”

The Blackbirds will take a trip to Saratoga Central Catholic High School on Tuesday, Dec. 28, to play Hudson in a non-league match up. Then, Voorheesville will play BKW on the road on Wednesday, Jan. 5.