Spartans hope to turn back clock

PHOTOGRAPHER: Jim Schiltz

Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake was all the talk of the 2010 basketball sectionals when it strung three victories together against higher seeded teams and claimed the Class A championships. That squad, which also posted a regional win over Massena, won just seven times before its fabulous postseason effort.

“A couple of years ago we made a run. That’s not too far off,” Spartans coach George Dudas said. “It’s nice when you can string wins together like that. Who knows? Maybe we can do it again.”

Dudas believes the best is yet to come from his young group that has only one senior in Jayson Sullivan. He’s the lone holdover from that Section II title team that knocked off South Glens Falls on a buzzer-beater and then ousted Gloversville and Lansingburgh.

“Look at our last two or three games,” Dudas said. “We took Shenendehowa right down to the wire, then we lost by two to

Mohonasen. The kids are playing well.

“We’re defending better. We’re getting production from other people. We’re making basketball decisions. The chemistry is developing. We’re just getting our basketball legs.”

Burnt Hills (4-6 Suburban Council North Division, 4-8 overall) has seven players who competed on the school’s state runner football team that played deep into November. During their transition from one sport to the other, the Spartans lost two others in Nate Sawyer (for eight games) and Austin Nydeggar (for three games) due to illness.

Nydeggar scored 21 points in a 57-52 season-opening win over Saratoga Springs before being sidelined, and the promising sophomore has been in double digits four times since his return. The Spartans are led by Robbie Knightes (12.9 ppg.), one of the league’s top juniors.

“We’ve had our share of sickness, illness and injuries. And we started late with the football season going as long as it did,” said Dudas. “The kids have battled through, and we’re finally to the point where we’ve all been together for the last week or so.”

Burnt Hills has a difficult schedule in the weeks to come, starting tonight at Suburban Council South Division title-contender Guilderland (8-2, 10-2). Games with Saratoga Springs (2-8, 3-9) and the league’s top two North Division teams, Shaker (8-2, 9-3) and Shenendehowa (8-2, 8-2), will follow.

“We’re looking at those four games as an opportunity to get better. It’s a great opportunity for us to build,” said Dudas. “But we’re not looking to just get better. We’re looking to win. That’s the approach we take into every game.”

Burnt Hills owns its three other wins against Niskayuna, Averill Park and Ballston Spa. The 59-48 triumph over the Scotties came before its 63-58 setback against Shenendehowa and 38-36 loss to Mohonasen, the reigning Section II Class A champ.

Burnt Hills held a fourth-quarter lead against Mohonasen before it slipped away.

“I think the A’s are wide open,” Dudas said, looking ahead to the sectionals. “We gave Mohonasen a real good battle, and Mohonasen beat Bishop Gibbons. We can knock off anybody. At the same time, we can get knocked off by anyone if we don’t play well.”

Dudas said his Spartans will need to be extremely sharp at both ends tonight against a Guilderland contingent that’s prevailed in eight straight games since losing back-to-back against Columbia and Bethlehem.

“I think Guilderland is playing the best right now out of the Suburban Council teams. They have a lot of confidence right now,” he said. “It’s one of those games where we’ll have to grind it out and hopefully be in a position to win at the end.

“We’ve got to battle on the boards and control tempo. We’ve got to make them earn their shots and run our stuff.”

Guilderland features senior guard Cameron Dobbs (22.2 ppg.), who poured in 35 points in a season-opening win against Glens Falls, and has delivered at least 20 seven other times. The Dutchmen’s frontcourt includes a rising sophomore in 6-foot-3 Matt Cerutti (11.8 ppg.).

“Dobbs can be a one-man fastbreak,” Dudas said. “He’s a special player, but they’ve got another good guard in [Brian] Crupe, and they have size with Cerutti, [Alex] Gaines and [Taylor] Dubose. They’re rugged inside.”

Games of note

Shaker travels to South Div-ision contender Bethlehem (8-2, 8-4) for tonight’s Suburban Council headliner, while LaSalle (7-3, 9-3) goes to Christian Brothers Academy (10-1, 12-1) for a Big 10 game matching third and second place teams. Queensbury (6-2, 9-3) hosts Gloversville (7-1, 8-4) in a key Foothills Council tilt, and Mekeel Christian Academy (6-0, 11-0) ventures to Sharon Springs (4-2, 9-2) for a Western Athletic Conference game that will pit two of the top area point producers in the Lions’ Collin Stewart (26.9 ppg.) and the Spartans’ Brett Ullman (22.2 ppg.).

Two of the top Suburban Council girls’ teams collide at Averill Park, with the Warriors (8-2, 9-3) hosting Shenendehowa (10-0, 10-0). Shenendehowa is ranked No. 3 among the state’s Class AA teams, and Averill Park is ranked No. 2 among New York’s Class A group.

S-G girls extend streak

Monica Compton scored 22 points, one shy of her season high, and Scotia-Glenville overcame an early deficit to post a 52-37 Foothills Council win at South Glens Falls Thursday night.

Compton netted six points in an 11-3 second-quarter run as the Lady Tartans (8-0, 12-2) overcame an 8-7 deficit and stretched their win streak to eight games. Cassie Broadhead added 11 points and Julianna Ferrari had a season-high seven for the Lady Tartans. Alexis Smith scored 17 for the Bulldogs (3-5, 6-5).

Maria LaFond scored seven points in an 18-4 first-quarter run, and Amsterdam went on to beat Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons, 52-28, in a Big 10 game.

Monique Pucci topped the Rams (3-5, 4-8) with 11 points, and LaFond finished with 10. Iman Harris scored seven for Bishop Gibbons.

Lauren Yerry led nine Emma Willard scorers with seven points, and the Jesters (7-4) beat Albany Leadership Charter School, 36-18, in a non-league contest.

GIRLS

FOOTHILLS COUNCIL

SCOTIA-GLENVILLE 52, SOUTH GLENS FALLS 37

SCOTIA-GLENVILLE

Compton 10-2-22, Ferrari 3-1-7, Broadhead 5-0-11, DiJohn 2-2-6, Roberts 0-1-1, Yagielski 1-0-2, Dwyer 1-1-3. Totals: 22-7-52.

SOUTH GLENS FALLS

O’Brien 1-0-2, Coon 2-1-6, Fish 1-0-2, Barber 3-0-6, Celeste 1-1-4, Smith 7-3-17. Totals: 15-5-37.

Scotia-Glenville 7 11 14 20 — 52

South Glens Falls 8 3 11 15 — 37

Three-point goals: Broadhead, Coon, Celeste.

BIG 10

AMSTERDAM 52, NOTRE DAME-BISHOP GIBBONS 28

NOTRE DAME-BISHOP GIBBONS

Williams 2-1-6, Dick 2-0-4, Montgomery 1-0-2, Zandio 2-0-4, Jarrell 0-1-1, Gauthier 2-0-4, Harris 2-1-7. Totals: 11-3-28.

AMSTERDAM

McDonald 1-1-3, Johnson 3-0-9, M. Pucci 4-2-11, D. Pucci 1-0-2, Paris 1-0-2, LaFond 4-0-10, Walker 1-7-9, Rouse 1-0-2, Fedullo 1-2-4. Totals: 17-12-52.

ND-BG 4 7 6 11 — 28

Amsterdam 18 12 6 16 — 52

Three-point goals: Williams, Harris 2, Johnson 3, M. Pucci, LaFond 2.

EMMA WILLARD 36, ALBANY LEADERSHIP SCHOOL 18

ALBANY LEADERSHIP SCHOOL

Black 1-1-3, Bowie 0-1-1, Demers 1-2-4, Mason 1-0-2, Shuman 1-1-3, Torres 2-0-4, Zeeaira 0-1-1. Totals: 6-6-18.

EMMA WILLARD

Kiley-Bergen 1-1-3, Kreda 2-0-4, Noonan 2-0-4, Okyede 1-0-2, Pattison 1-0-2, K. Sausville 2-0-4, M. Sausville 3-0-6, Spencer 2-0-4, Yerry 2-3-7. Totals: 16-4-36

ALS 2 2 6 8 — 18

Emma Willard 7 14 8 7 — 36

Three-point goals: None.

Wrestling

Indians wrap up title

Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk notched seven pins in beating Watervliet, 60-19, to finish 8-0 in the Colonial Council.

Jerome Gladney, Casey Rue, Ryan Scarsella, Brandon Boomhower, Luke Misuraca, James McGill and Alex Soutiere all won by fall for the Indians, who have won 15 straight league matches over two years.

Albany Academy won five of the eight bouts that were wrestled, and beat Mechanicville, 42-24, in a Colonial Council match.

Jay Kindon, Zeke Thomas, Cam Milliken, Matthew Glazier and Erik Rayno all won by fall for the Cadets. Noah Perras and Zach Perras pinned for Mechanicville.

Cory Quintana pinned at 285 to run his record to 31-2 as Mohonasen beat Shaker, 66-12, in a Suburban Council match.

COLONIAL COUNCIL

Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk 60, Watervliet 19

99 — Charles LaBelle (W) pinned Eric Williams, 2:24; 106 — John Rue (R) by forfeit; 113 — Jerome Gladney (R) pinned Ryan Hojak, 2:21; 120 — Casey Rue (R) pinned Tajalee Andrews; 126 — Ryan Scarsella (R) pinned Derek Gleason, :59; 132 — Mike Parker (R) dec. Brian Delaney, 12-0; 138 — Greg Markel (R) technical fall over Nick Spenard, 16-1; 145 — Brandon Boomhower (R) pinned Tyler Touzin, 3:53; 152 — Luke Misuraca (R) pinned Jarod Giametta, 2:55; 160 — James McGill (R) pinned Travis Hogan, 1:49; 170 — Josh Veshia (W) dec. Harlan Hoose, 9-0; 182 — Tyler Gallagher (R) dec. Frank Capone, 8-4; 195 — Zeby Romano (W) pinned Patrick Peters; 220 — Brad Pierson (W) dec. Logan Kunkle, 8-7; 285 — Alex Soutiere (R) pinned Tyler Chasten, :36.

Albany Academy 42, Mechanicville 24

99 — Double forfeit; 106 — Double forfeit; 113 — Jacob Cushing (AA) by forfeit; 120 — Jay Kindon (AA) pinned Isaac Haner, 5:24; 126 — Zeke Thomas (AA) pinned Taylor Pettis, 1:24; 132 — Adam Erno (M) dec. Sam Delarge, 13-4; 138 — Cam Milliken (AA) pinned Chris Kawola, 1:18; 145 — David

Minor (M) dec Matt Benton, 13-10; 152 — Matt Glazier (AA) pinned Joe McBride, 3:07; 160 — Matt Coreno (M) by forfeit; 170 — Noah Perras (M) pinned Will Pausley, 2:22; 182 — Muhammad Perez (AA) by forfeit; 195 — Double forfeit; 220 — Erik Rayno (AA) pinned Brandon Farrell, 2:32; 285 — Zach Perras (M) pinned Ahil Dawoodani, 1:06.

SUBURBAN COUNCIL

Mohonasen 66, Shaker 12

99 — Mahesh Bhoge (M) dec. Matt Spadoni, 9-1; 106 — Nick Drago (M) pinned Mitchell Flanger, 1:09; 113 — Will Rogozinski (M) pinned Brad Vanier, 1:00; 120 — Glen Batcher (M) by forfeit; 126 — Mike Salamone (M) by forfeit; 132 — Jeremy Merritt (M) pinned Jack Sheppeck, 5:33; 138 — Dominic Notar (M) dec. Niko Calladim, 4-3; 145 — Steve Shadick (M) pinned Andrew Peterson, 5:15; 152 — Wyatt Bleau (S) pinned Jake Swan, 1:08; 160 — Kyle Ragule (M) technical fall over Nick Dodd, 17-1; 170 — Double forfeit; 182 — Eric Pierone (M) pinned Chris McDonald, :18; 195 — Anthony Hall (M) by forfeit; 220 — Paul Hotaling (S) pinned Eric Bruhms, 3:22; 285 — Cory Quintana (M) pinned Kiaron Frazier, 1:01.