Fonda-Fultonville has another 1,000-yard back in Kowalski

PHOTOGRAPHER: Jim Schiltz

Wally Kowalski became just the fourth Fonda-Fultonville running back to surpass 1,000 rushing yards in a single season Saturday, doing so in the Braves 38-7 Section II Class C quarterfinal win against Mechanicville.

The junior needed 92 yards to reach the special plateau, and gained 97, as well as scoring his 10th touchdown on 19 carries.

“The guys in front of me have been good all year,” said the junior. “Since our first scrimmage, they’ve been opening up holes.”

Kowalski is Fonda-Fultonville’s first 1,000-yard back since Aaron Paro (1,075) in 1989. Bob Hicks (1,107 in 1982) and Mike Visscher (1,430 in 1980) also accomplished the feat.

“I’m real happy for Wally. He’s a hard runner, but credit our line, too,” said Braves coach Tom Carpenter. “Wally gets 1,000 yards by his name, but it’s a team thing. A team accomplishment.”

Fonda-Fultonville’s line consists of center Tyler Cranker, guards Justin Minnick and Matt Rorick, and tackles Len Lilley and Josh Hollner.

The Braves (6-2) meet Hoosick Falls (8-0) in a sectional semifinal game Saturday night at 7 at Stillwater.

State football news

Phoenix backup quarterback Mariah Provost is believed to be the first scholastic female to score a touchdown in New York state when she ran five yards on a bootleg play in a recent 33-19 loss to Homer.

The 5-foot-7, 140-pound senior was 3-for-6 passing for 79 yards, and from her defensive end position recorded a pair of tackles in the Section III game.

Jennifer Elliot of Voorheesville was the first female to play scholastic football in New York, in 1988. Others have competed at local schools, including Kelly Barlow of Catholic Central in 1998 and Justine Christiansen of Mechanicville in 1999.

Flint makes call

Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake three-sport standout Keaton Flint has made a verbal commitment to play baseball for Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn.

Flint is the second member of the Spartans baseball team to commit to a Division I school, with shortstop Bret Dennis opting for St. John’s University of the Big East over the summer.

Flint had a superb junior season at the bat, on the bases and in center field as BH-BL advanced to the Section II Class A semifials. The Suburban Council all-star and all-state fifth-teammer batted .430 with nine doubles and three home runs, drove in 14 runs and stole 13 bases.

As a member of the Adirondack Region Empire State Games team, he batted .444 with three multiple hit games.

Sacred Heart competes in the Northeast Conference. Head coach Nick Giaquinto’s Pioneers were the league’s regular season and tournament runner-up in 2010.

Flint is the starting quarterback for BH-BL’s unbeaten football team, and he also plays basketball.

Basile picks Iona

Another Section II baseball star is headed to Iona College, with Christian Brothers Academy pitcher Steve Basile verbal commiting to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference member.

Basile will join former schoolmate Chris Sand and former LaSalle standout Kyle Charron at Iona in New Rochelle. He also considered Siena, Fairfield and Central Connecticut.

The right-handed senior went 3-3 with one save and a 1.79 earned run average last year when he was named a Big 10 first-team and New York state fifth-team all-star. The Watervliet resident also batted .370 with 10 runs batted in.

Undefeated Spartans

The Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake varsity, junior varsity and freshman girls’ volleyball teams completed 16-0 Suburban Council seasons Wednesday with victories over teams from Shenendehowa.

“That shows the quality of coaching we have at the lower levels,” said BH-BL varsity coach Gary Bynon, after his team’s 25-20, 25-13, 25-12 win. “That makes my job easier.”

The Burnt Hills junior varsity and freshman teams are coached by Melissa Armstrong and Susan Gestwick, respectively.

Perfect team on YouTube

Two highlight reels from Watervliet’s 28-0 boys’ basketball season of 1990-91 are available on youtube.com.

Todd Birmingham, a starter on the Class C state public school and Federation championship team, put the highlights together. Click here and here to view Reels 1 and 2. They can also be viewed by typing in “Watervliet Federation Champions”.

The team, coached by George Mardigan, was recently inducted into the Watervliet High School Athletic Hall of Fame.