Carrying high their hopes of playing deep into November for state championships, athletes from Guilderland, Voorheesville, and Berne-Knox-Westerlo showed their opponents that they mean business on the court, in the pool, on the gridiron, and on the course.

The Blackbirds were one match away from a return trip to the state’s Final Four pool play in Glens Falls this weekend — and they clinched it, becoming regional champs for the second year in a row.

The Guilderville swim team — made up of girls from Guilderland and Voorheesville — competed last weekend at the state competition at Ithaca College in Ithaca.

The Voorheesville Blackbirds competed in the pool-play portion of the girls’ volleyball state tournament on Saturday afternoon in Glens Falls. The Birds battled hard and played their best against the three teams, finishing with a record of 3-4.

Rogers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” will be performed by over 65 middle school students at the Lydia C. Tobler Performing Arts Center at Clayton A. Bouton High School on Nov. 16 and 17 at 7:30 p.m. and on Nov. 18 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students, and free for seniors.

On Friday late morning and early afternoon - Guilderland, Voorheesville, and BKW - cross country teams all vied for a chance to run in this Saturday's state competition down in Sunken Meadow State Park in the Section 2 championships at Saratoga State Park in Saratoga Springs.

After Voorheesville lost the first set in the Section 2 Class C championship on Saturday evening at Saratoga High School in Saratoga Springs, 23-25, the Birds spread their wings and showed their talons to sweep the next three sets — 25-10, 25-17, 25-14 — to capture back-to-back sectional titles a

The Guilderville and Duanesburg-BKW swim teams showed off their skills during last weekend's Division 1 and Division 2 sectional championship at Shenendehowa High School in efforts to win sectional titles and qualify for state competition.

On to the championship game: The girls on Voorheesville’s varsity volleyball team opened up to defend last year’s Section 2, Class C title. On Friday at home, the Blackbirds, the number-one seed, beat Canajoharie-Fort Plain, three sets to one: 25-21, 25-21, 17-25, 25-11.

The Blackbirds wanted make deep runs on the pitch and on the gridiron in sectional play. The girls’ soccer team played well deep into the Class B sectionals with a convincing 5-to-0 win last Thursday at home.