Upstate New York is sending four high school swimmers to the upcoming United States Olympic Team Trials, and three of them will represent the Capital Region.
Through club performances, Amy Bopp of Shenendehowa, Kathryn Rowe of Niskayuna and Jenna Bickel of Guilderland have qualified for June 25-July 2 event at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Neb.
The local trio, along with Erin McElfresh of Lansing, will be among the youngest of the 1,500-plus competitors at the national championships, the final step toward the London Olympics that begin in late July.
“Only a handfull of high school girls from New York are able to compete at this level,” said Jerry Adams, who coaches Bopp and Rowe at the Schenectady-Saratoga Swim Club. “It’s prestigious, no doubt.”
Bopp has qualified in the 100- and 200-meter breastroke and the 200 butterfly. Rowe and Bickel have both made the 200 backstroke field, and Bickel, a member of the Delmar Dolfins, is also slated to swim the 100 back.
“Everybody there is Division I level. We’re talking about the best of the best, and there’s over 100 swimmers in each event,” said Adams. “The goal is to get out there and see if you don’t wilt under pressure, compete and maybe do a best time.
“These girls are so young, and winning a heat would be a great accomplishment. It’s a real big step into the next four or five years at the elite level.”
Bopp just made the 100 breast qualifying time of 1:12.19 with a 1:12.18, and is entered in the 200 breast at 2:35.43 (2:35.99 Qtime) and the 200 fly at 2:15.82 (2:16.49 Qtime). Rowe is entered in the 200 back at 2:17.76 (2:17.99 Qtime). Bickel is entered in the 200 back at 2:17.29, and the 100 back at 1:03.41 (1:03.99 Qtime).
“The top 16 make the semifinals. The top eight go to the finals. The top two go to the Olympics,” said Adams. “Short of making the Olympics, there are a lot of opportunities out there to swim for.”
Bickel won her second straight 100-yard backstroke state high school championship in November as a member of the Guilderland/Voorheesville team, and is the Section II record holder in the event (55.31).
Bickel and Rowe are both headed to Penn State University. Bopp will be entering her senior year in September.
Underclassmen selected
Six Section II lacrosse players have earned spots on the Upstate New York teams that will compete in the three-day Under Armour Underclassmen Games at Towson University in Maryland.
The Upstate boys’ team will include three players from Niskayuna’s state semifinal team in attackmen Luke Goldstock and Lucas Maloney, and defenseman Dom Sloma. Christian Brothers Academy defender Peter Reilly will also compete. The Upstate girls’ team will include Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake attacker Nicole Beardsley and Guilderland defender Jenna Walsh.
Goldstock set a Section II single-season record with 83 goals, and Maloney piled up 79 goals in helping Niskayuna win Suburban Council, Section II and regional championships.
The Underclassmen Games will have 10 boys’ teams and 10 girls’ teams comprised of players from various parts of the country. Teams play four pool games and the top two seeds from each division advance to determine the champions. The tournament is scheduled for June 29-July 1. It coincides with the June 30 Under Armour All-America Lacrosse Classic, a two-game showcase that will include Niskayuna senior Kayla Treanor.
Ellement top coach
Keith Ellement has been named the Section II boys’ lacrosse Coach of the Year after leading Queensbury to Foothills Council and Section II Class B championships in his final season.
Ellement founded Queensbury lacrosse, and served as its junior varsity coach in 1998 and 1999 before starting his 13-year varsity run in 2000. The Spartans won their sixth Foothills title this season and fourth sectional flag while also appearing in three other Class B finals.
Queensbury went 15-3 this season, which included the program’s second regional victory.
Ellement is one of several prominent Section II coaches who stepped down this school year, and one of two standout lacrosse mentors to do so. Sue Hoffman, whose Saratoga Springs teams dominated the early years of the Capital District Women’s Lacrosse League and won seven Section II titles, retired after 23 varsity seasons.
When Jim Carrese announced his retirement last week as Shenendehowa’s baseball coach, he became the school’s fourth high-profile coach to exit, following Brent Steuerwald, Mike Campisi and Ken Strube. Those three are Section II’s all-time win leaders in football, boys’ soccer and girls’ basketball, respectively.
Football coaches Pat Liverio (Amsterdam), Mike Ambrosio (Colonie) and Pete Porcelli (Green Tech), and girls’ basketball coach Carol Lupo (Schenectady) also stepped down.
Local legend Doug Erickson ended his 60-year coaching career, spending his last 22 with Mohonasen’s modified football team. Former Fonda-Fultonville football coach Alex Mancini is retiring as the school’s athletic director.
What they’re doing
Former Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake softball standout Leanne Merchant tied her own St. John Fisher College single-season record with 11 home runs while leading the Cardinals with 52 hits and 47 runs batted in.
The junior belted seven home runs in 2010 and went deep 11 times in 2011 before matching the mark for the 34-14 Cardinals, who qualified for the NCAA Division III tournament for the fourth time in five years. Merchant, who batted .394, was selected to the Division III Northeast All-Region Team.
Merchant was named the college’s female athlete of the week and the Empire 8 player of the week in April when when batted .555 with 14 RBI in a six-game stretch. She had a career-high five RBI in one game and hit a walk-off homer in another. . . .
Schenectady graduate and Castleton State junior Ryan Zielinski was named the North Eastern Atlantic Conference East Division Player of the Year after earning the circuit’s top rookie award in 2010.
The second baseman was additionally selected to the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association second team after leading the 34-16 Spartans in several categories, including average (.371), hits (61), RBI (45) and doubles (15).
The NEAC East all-star squad included a pair of Castleton locals in Schenectady graduate Joe Borowski (first team) and Scotia-Glenville graduate Dakota Aker (second team). . . .
Christian Garcia became the third Saratoga Central Catholic graduate taken in the Major League draft when the Houston Astros selected the pitcher in the 29th round (879th pick overall).
Garcia just complete his sophomore year at Florence-Darlington Tech School in South Carolina where he went 5-3 with a 4.40 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 57 innings. Saratoga Catholic had pitchers Brian Cogan and Tim Stauffer previously chosen in the draft.
State rankings
Here’s a look at the final baseball, softball and lacrosse rankings
released this week by the New York State Sportswriters Association. Listed are the top 10 in each class, as well as all Section II teams beyond that.
BASEBALL
Class AA
1. Kingston-IX (21-5); 2. Victor-V (22-5); 3. Calhoun-VIII (22-4); 4. Baldwinsville-III (20-4); 5. Connequout-XI (21-4); 6. Columbia-II (18-5); 7. Lancaster-VI (17-5); 8. Arlington-I (17-8); 9. Horseheads-IV (14-7); 10. MacArthur-VIII (20-3-1).
Class A
1. Grand Island-VI (22-5); 2. Cornwall-IX (18-6); 3. Plainedge-VIII (19-12); 4. Glens Falls-II (21-3); 5. Harrison-I (19-5); 6. Shoreham-Wading River-XI (20-6); 7. Malone-X (15-3); 8. Maine-Endwell-IV (14-3); 9. Honeoye Falls-Lima-V (14-10); 10. New Hartford-III (11-11); 16. Queensbury-II (16-5).
Class B
1. Oneonta-IV (24-2); 2. Briarcliff-I (23-5); 3. Wayland-Cohocton-V (19-6); 4. Albany Academy-II (17-6); 5. Oyster Bay-VIII (22-2); 6. Babylon-XI (21-3); 7. Westhill-III (20-5); 8. Fredonia-VI (19-6); 9. Wellsville-V (19-3); 10. Cold Spring Harbor-VIII (19-4); 13. Catskill-II (14-6); 19. Fonda-Fultonville-II (14-8).
Class C
1. Lansing-IV (26-0); 2. Haldane-I (19-4); 3. Frewsburg-VI (21-5); 4. Voorheesville-II (19-6); 5. Pierson/Bridgehampton-XI (21-4); 6. South Lewis-III (20-3); 7. Lyons-V (21-4); 8. East Rockaway-VIII (14-9); 9. Hoosic Valley-II (21-1); 10. Thomas Edison-IV (20-3); 18. Hoosick Falls-II (16-7).
Class D
1. Coleman Catholic-IX (10-10); 2. Oriskany-III (19-5); 3. Fort Ann-II (21-4); 4. Pine Valley-VI (19-5); 5. Arkport-V (19-2); 6. Hancock-IV (20-4); 7. Crown Point-VII (15-1); 8. Smithtown Christian-XI (14-7); 9. Parisville-Hopkinton-X (11-4); 10. Brookfield-III (17-2); 12. Salem-II (18-4).
SOFTBALL
Class AA
1. Kellenburg-CHSAA (29-0); 2. Clarence-VI (23-1); 3. Cicero-North Syracuse-III (21-4); 4. Valley Central-IX (20-4); 5. MacArthur-VIII (21-5); 6. John Jay-EF-I (21-1); 7. Shenendehowa-II (22-2); 8. Corning-IV (16-5); 9. East Islip-XI (21-6); 10. St. Joseph by the Sea-CHSAA (26-3); 22. Guilderland-II (14-8); 27. Colonie-II (15-7).
Class A
1. Sayville-XI (21-3); 2. Jamesville-DeWitt-III (21-5); 3. Cornwall-IX (21-2); 4. Hamburg-VI (21-1); 5. South Glens Falls-II (22-1); 6. Plainedge-VIII (16-5); 7. Pittsford-Mendon-V (16-4); 8. Maine-Endwell-IV (7-9); 9. Beacon-I (20-5); 10. Pearl River-I (18-2); 13. Averill Park-II (11-11); 25. Hudson Falls-II (17-3).
Class B
1. Chatham-II (24-1); 2. Windsor-IV (19-7); 3. Seneca Falls-Mynderse-V (19-4); 4. Valhalla-I (19-5); 5. Babylon-XI (21-1); 6. Carle Place-VIII (19-4); 7. Rye Neck-I (19-3); 8. Susquehanna Valley-IV (12-6); 9. Cleveland Hill-VI (16-3); 10. CBA-Syracuse-III (14-7); 13. Ichabod Crane-II (15-7); 16. Cohoes-II (16-5).
Class C
1. Greenwich-II (20-8); 2. Mechanicville-II (20-3); 3. Greene-IV (21-5); 4. Frewsburg-VI (16-8); 5. Sandy Creek-III (20-2); 6. Elmira-Notre Dame-IV (19-3); 7. Caledonia-Mumford-V (20-2); 8. Hoosic Valley-II (14-8); 9. Elmira Heights-IV (18-3); 10. Keshequa-V (18-2); 15. Albany Academy-II (13-6); 21. Duanesburg-II (18-3).
Class D
1. Batavia-Notre Dame-V (19-7); 2. Deposit-IV (22-5); 3. Hamilton-III (21-2); 4. Fort Ann-II (17-6); 5. Forestville-VI (18-4); 6. Hancock-IV (16-6); 7. New York Mills-III (18-3); 8. Loudonville Christian-II (19-1); 9. Afton-IV (13-8); 10. Oriskany-III (17-5); 13. Argyle-II (16-4).
BOYS’ LACROSSE
Class A
1. West Islip-XI (21-1); 2. St. Anthony-CHSAA (16-3); 3. Chaminade-CHSAA (16-2); 4. Ithana-IV (18-2); 5. Fairport-V (20-1); 6. Niskayuna-II (20-2); 7. Liverpool-III (18-2); 8. West Genesee-III (17-2); 9. Syosset-VIII (14-5); 10. Ward Melville-XI (15-4); Honorable mention: CBA-Albany-II (12-6); Shenendehowa-II (13-6).
Class B
1. Garden City-VIII (22-0); 2. Irondequoit-V (19-3); 3. Jamesville-DeWitt-III (16-4); 4. Yorktown-I (16-5); 5. Sayville-XI (15-4); 6. Hamburg-VI (18-2); 7. Comsewogue-XI (16-2); 8. Wantagh-VIII (15-4); 9. Niagara-Wheatfield-VI (16-3); 10. Manhasset-VIII (12-5); 15. Queensbury-II (15-3); Honorable mention: Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake-II (11-7).
Class C
1. Soreham-Wading River-XI (18-3); 2. Penn Yan-V (20-3); 3. Homer-III (18-4); 4. Silver Creek-VI (16-2); 5. Cazenovia-III (17-2); 6. Bronxville-I (20-2); 7. Cold Spring Harbor-VIII (14-4); 8. Salmon River-X (18-1); 9. Friends Academy-VIII (12-6); 10. Livonia-V (16-4); Honorable mention: Glens Falls-II (14-7).
GIRLS’ LACROSSE
Class A
1. St. Anthony-CHSAA (16-1); 2. West Genesee-III (20-1); 3. Bay Shore-XI (19-2); 4. Farmingdale-VIII (17-2); 5. Ward Melville-XI (17-2); 6. Corning-IV (14-3); 7. Massapequa-VIII (15-3); 8. Northport-XI (11-5); 9. West Babylon-XI (13-4); 10. Guilderland-II (18-1); 13. Shaker-II (17-2); 21. Niskayuna-II (12-5).
Class B
1. Garden City-VIII (17-5); 2. Happauge-XI (16-3); 3. Manhasset-VIII (13-5); 4. Eastport-South Manor-XI (15-4); 5. Canandaigua-V (18-4); 6. Wantagh-VIII (13-6); 7. Sayville-XI (13-5); 8. Rochester-Brighton-V (11-7); 9. Harborfields-XI (10-7); 10. Irondequoit-V (11-7); 24. Queensbury-II (16-2).
Class C
1. Shoreham-Wading River-XI (17-3); 2. Syracuse-CBA (20-2); 3. Sacred Heart-CHSAA (16-4); 4. Cold Spring Harbor-VIII (14-3); 5. Mount Saini-XI (13-5); 6. North Shore-VIII (14-4); 7. Babylon-XI (9-7); 8. Seaford-VIII (12-5); 9. Honeoye Falls-Lima-V (11-12); 10. Skaneateles-III (15-4); 24. Glens Falls-II (17-2).
Categories: High School Sports
