Gymnastics standout Cristello bound for Arizona

PHOTOGRAPHER: Jim Schiltz

Scotia-Glenville High School senior Aubree Cristello has signed a national letter of intent to compete in gymnastics for the University of Arizona.

Cristello, a level 10 gymnast at World Class Academy in Latham, is a two-time New York State all-around champion and three-time top-25 finisher at the national level. She’ll attend Division I Arizona on a full athletic scholarship.

Cristello has competed in gymnastics for 13 years, and was sought after by numerous Division I programs. She is also a standout in the classroom, representing her school in the National Honor Society, and is a member of Scotia-Glenville’s marching band.

She placed 25th at the nationals this year after winning both regional and state all-around championships. In 2007 she was the New York State floor exercise champion, a regional titalist on the floor and uneven bars, Empire State Games all-around runner-up and a 15th-place finisher at the nationals. She captured the state and regional all-around titles in 2006 and later took 18th at the national level.

Arizona placed fourth last season at the Pac-10 and regional championship meets under head coach Bill Ryden.

Baldani to Siena

Kyle Baldani, a four-year starting catcher for the Ballston Spa baseball team, signed on Wednesday to play for Siena College and coach Tony Rossi.

Baldani batted .353 with six triples and a .588 slugging percentage as a junior, when he was named the Scotties’ most valuable player for the second time and earned a spot on the Suburban Council all-star first team. He is a two-time Empire State Games performer, and helped the Adirondack Region team win a silver medal last summer.

He was also been a key member of the Saratoga Stampede American Legion team the last two summers.

Robert Tedesco of Mohonasen and Justin Brantley of Hudson have also committed to Siena to play baseball.

Roecker to Providence

Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake cross country star Sam Roecker, who led the Spartans to the Federation championship last week with a fourth-place finish, has committed to Providence College.

Roecker is the second Burnt Hills runner to commit to a Big East school, following Meghan Gregory, who’ll compete for Georgetown. Roecker will join former Saratoga Springs standout Hannah Davidson at Providence.

Roecker helped BH-BL win the state public school (Class A), Section II and Suburban Council championships this year by finishing fourth, second and second, respectively. She’s a lock to make the all-state first team for the third year in a row.

Roecker selected Providence over Boston College and Georgetown, and is considering biology as a major. Suffern ace Shelby Greany has also committed to Providence, and the two have decided to be freshman roomates.

More commitments

The Bethlehem trio of Mike Fish, Sean Quinlan and Randy Bowers will all play Division I baseball after signing today with Siena, Niagara University and Canisius College, respectively. Other baseball players who have recently committed to Division I programs are Maple Hill’s Jaime Schultz (High Point, N.C.), Columbia’s Nolan Gaige (University at Albany) and Averill Park’s Tim Murdick (UAlbany).

Saratoga Springs senior Kaci Madden will continue her softball career at Rutgers University, and classmate Maggie Deloria will play lacrosse at Siena.

Snyder honored

Don Snyder, whose Guilderland teams won 492 games, seven Section II titles and one state championship, was inducted into the New York State High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame last weekend during the state boys’ soccer final four in Oneonta.

Snyder, who started the Dutchmen program in 1963 at the JV level and was the varsity coach from 1964-2002, coached 12 all-state players and six All-Americans.

He was also named New York State Coach of the Year, and East Regional Coach of the Year, in 2001.

Diver, relay lead section

Ballston Spa seventh-grader Addison Walkowiak is seeded No. 2 in the diving, and Shenendehowa’s 200-yard medley relay is seeded No. 3, heading into today’s state swimming and diving championships at Erie Community College’s Burt Flickinger Center.

Swimming preliminaries are scheduled for today starting at noon, and diving preliminaries and semifinals will begin at 4. Saturday’s finals begin at 10:15 in the morning, with athletes competing for New York State Public High School Athletic Association as well, as Federation (all schools) honors.

Walkowiak scored a 505.40 at the Section II championships, and is one of five area divers seeded in the top 25. Senior Jenny Chiang of Fairport is seeded No. 1 after scoring a 560.20 at the Section V championships. The state record of 561.80 was set by Shaker’s Cassandra Cardinell in 1998.

Senior Kara Zebrowski, junior Kelsey Barbour, senior Chloe Sosnowski and freshman Olivia Samson clocked a Shenendehowa 200 medley relay record 1:51.11 at the sectionals, and are seeded behind No. 2 Ursuline of Section I (1:51.02) and No. 1 Ithaca of Section IV (1:50.44).

Zebrowski, who was selected Section II’s outstanding scholar/athlete, is seeded No. 6 in the 100 backstroke. She placed fifth in the event in 2007 for Section II’s best finish in the NYSPHSAA portion of the meet. Barbour is seeded No. 7 in the 100 breaststroke and Samson is No. 10 in the 100 freestyle. The threesome led Shenendehowa to the Section II Division I team title, the Suburban Council championship and an undefeated dual meet record.

Section II seeds

200 medley relay — 3. Shenendehowa (Kara Zebrowski, Kelsey Barbour, Chloe Sosnowski, Olivia Samson), 1:51.11; 26. Bethlehem Central (Tara O’Donnell, Grace Ayer, Lily Powell, Elle Van Cott), 1:53.88; 29. Queensbury (Nicki Parker, Rachael McMahon, Hillary Chocko, Brooke Barber), 1:54.45.

200 free — 14. Bethany Powhida (BC), 1:55.95; 20. Emily Whitaker (Nisk), 1:56.72; 24. Taylor Slone (Sara), 1:57.03.

200 IM — 11. Laura Manor (Nisk), 2:09.44; 12. Kara Zebrowski (Shen), 2:09.50; 23. Kelsey Barbour (Shen), 2:11.85; 39. Lily Powell (BC), 2:14.01.

50 free — 11. Hanlon MacDonald (Alb), 24.64; 12. Olivia Samson (Shen), 24.72; 17. Brooke Barber (Q), 24.92; Caroline Rehfuss (Shak), 24.97; 37. Samantha House (W’vliet), 25.25; 45. McKenna Murphy (Nisk), 25.31.

Diving — 2. Addison Walkowiak (BS), 505.40; 4. Kirstie Russell (BC), 492.80; 10. Devon Delay (BS), 440.65; 15. Megan McDevitt (Nisk), 425.70; 25. Heather Markus (Sara), 411.90.

100 fly — 27. Lily Powell (BC), 59.96; 42. Laura Manor (Nisk), 1:01.17; 46. Hillary Chocko (Q), 1:01.40; 50. McKenna Murphy (Nisk), 1:01.50; 59. Sara McFadden (BH), 1:01.91.

100 free — 10. Olivia Samson (Shen), 53.56; 15. Taylor Slone (Sara), 54.00; 23. Rachael McMahon (Q), 54.50; 25. Tara O’Donnell (BC), 54.61; 28. Hanlon MacDonald (Alb), 54.69; 33. Emily Whitaker (Nisk), 54.91; 44. Caroline Rehfuss (Shak), 55.47.

500 free — 15. Bethany Powhida (BC), 5:08.67.

200 free relay — 26. Queensbury (Elizabeth Ringer, Rachael McMahon, Shannon Sara, Brooke Barber), 1:42.43; 42. Niskayuna (Emily Whitaker, Kerry Archer, Emma Terwilliger, McKenna Murphy), 1:43.42.

100 back — 6. Kara Zebrowski (Shen), 58.72; 8. Tara O’Donnell (BC), 58.81; 15. Jenna Bickel (GV), 59.63.

100 breast — 7. Kelsey Barbour (Shen), 1:06.52; 36. Rachael McMahon (Q), 1:09.21; 52. Shannon Sara (Q), 1:10.14; 54. Eileen Goralski (Q), 1:10.25.

400 free relay — 17. Shenendehowa (Olivia Samson, Lisa Liu, Kelsey Barbour, Kara Zebrowski), 3:41.38; 27. Niskayuna (Emma Terwilliger, Leanne Archer, Laura Manor, Emily Whitaker), 3:43.97; 34. Bethlehem (Bethany Powhida, Haley Powers, Lauren Zemering, Lily Powell), 3:45.40.

State volleyball

Victor defeated Harborfields for Class A honors, 3-1, and Hendrick Hudson beat Eden for Class B laurels, 3-2, at Sunday’s state girls’ volleyball championships at the Glens Falls Civic Center.

Victor beat Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake in two games, and Harborfields split with the Spartans in Saturday’s pool play. Burnt Hills finished 3-3 and failed to advance to a title match for the first time since 2003.

Hendrick Hudson and Eden both swept Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk in pool play, part of the Indians 0-6 showing. Hendrick Hudson won Class A state titles in 2006 and 2007, topping Burnt Hills both times.

West Irondequoit (Class AA), Salamanca (Class C) and Portville (Class D) also claimed state championships. Lake George competed in Class C and went 0-6 in pool play.