High schools: Weather could wreak havoc on softball tourney schedule

You expected anything different?

After a spring of bad weather, one final storm could force an adjustment to today’s state softball semifinals and finals, set for the Adirondack Sports Complex and Morse Field in Queensbury.

With Friday’s rain expected to continue overnight, state chairman Cathy Allen and her committee will make a final decision on playing times by 7 this morning.

“We will be making a decision on fields, times, etc. by [this] morning at 7,” Allen said in an email. “We will post on website nysphsaa­softball.com and on state web and twitter.

“We may be able to play on schedule at Morse, doubtful at [the] dome.”

She also left open the possibility of finishing the tournament on Sunday.

Troy coach George Rafferty would prefer his team not have to sit around.

“I would rather push everything back and let the kids sleep, rather than get up, get on a bus, then wait around for hours,” said Rafferty, whose team will play Suffolk County’s Saville, the reigning state champion, in a Class A semi. That game has a 9 a.m. scheduled start at the ASC, with the final set for 2 p.m. “We’ve dealt with weather issues all spring, it seems.”

State champions Greenwich (Class C) and Chatham (Class B) and returning Class D semifinalist Fort Ann give Section II four teams still with a shot of winning a state title.

Greenwich’s biggest concern heading into its 9 a.m. semi with Section III’s Sandy Hook is the health of starting pitcher and No. 3 hitter Sarah Heimbach.

The left-hander tweaked her back running the bases during Monday’s 4-1 regional semifinal win over Ticonderoga.

She struck out 12 in that game, then left the tying runner on base in Wednesday’s 5-4 win over St. Lawrence that set up today’s semi, set for Morse Field.

McGuirk also expects to have a full lineup available, after left fielder Easton Murray, the team’s cleanup hitter, missed the regional final due to a previous non-softball commitment.

Heimbach’s move from center field to the pitching circle to replace Rachel Albrecht was the biggest of a handful of changes the Witches made after losing three infielders.

Carolin Strasswimmer and Ashleigh Maines were also starting outfielders in 2012, and now play second base and shortstop, respectively.

“She’s a ballplayer,” said McGuirk said of Heimbach, who is also hitting well in the postseason. “She was such a great outfielder, but she knew she would be pitching this season.”

Sandy Creek, 22-1, is led by senior pitcher Chelsea Claflin (15-1, 0.21, 178 strikeouts) and Jordan Miller (7-24-.446).

Troy has put together a 23-2 season with a lineup that relies heavily on underclassmen. Eighth-grader Hunter Levesque, the Big 10 MVP, has been outstanding in the pitching circle, and freshman second baseman Kaitlin Delsignore has been the team’s best hitter in the postseason.

Delsignore drove in a pair of runs in Troy’s 3-1 win over Franklin Academy of Malone in the regional finals.

“Kaitlin has been an all-state cal­iber hitter since sectionals began,” said Rafferty.

Sayville, 23-4, got back to the state semis with a 7-5 win over Island Trees, as first baseman Kristen Bricker knocked in four runs and Chrissy Moore went 3-for-3 with two RBI.

Emily Sellitti is another quality hitter for the Golden Flashes, with Julia Simpson the team’s best pitcher.

Led by Kayla Doty, the Section II Player of the Year, Chatham draws Section IX’s Marlboro in a scheduled 10 a.m. Class B semi. Fort Ann meets Pine Valley of Section VI at Morse Field at 11:30 a.m.

Track and field

State meet postponed

The state track and field championship meet at Middletown High School was postponed Friday due to persistent rain.

“It’s been one of those seasons. It’s out of our control,” said Dave Petersen, the Section II boys’ track and field coordinator. “It’s been 90 degrees one day and rain and wind the next.”

The event was planned for Friday and today. The revised schedule has all events being contested today, starting at 8:30 a.m.

Courtney Tedeschi of Berne-Knox-Westerlo is the defending Division 2 steeplechase champion, and Isaiah Turek of Ichabod Crane will compete in the D2 pentathlon after winning the high jump last year. Colonie has three back from its group that won the girls’ Div­ision 1 1,600 relay last year in Mikeisha Kelly, Kirsten Kaminski and Alicia Bousa.

Section II will have several two-event participants including Devon Willis of Schalmont in the triple jump and 110 hurdles, Will McFee of Greenwich and Zoe Doolittle of Glens Falls in the weights, and Keishorea Armstrong of Emma Willard in the 200 and triple jump.

STATE TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS

(At Middletown High School)

Revised schedule

Track (8:30 a.m.)

Pentathlon 110H, B, All Seeds

110H, B, Class Final

Pentathlon 100H, G, All Seeds

100H, G, Class Final

3,200, B, Championship

3,000, G, Championship

100, B, Class Final

100, G, Class Final

400, B, Championship

400, G, Championship

110H, B, Championship

100H, G, Championship

800, B, Championship

800, G, Championship

3,000 Steeplechase, B, Championship

200, B, Class Final

200, G, Class Final

2,000 Steeplechase, G, Championship

1,600, B, Championship

1,500, G, Championship

100, B, Championship

100, G, Championship

400H, B, Championship

400H, G, Championship

200, B, Championship

200, G, Championship

4×800, B, Championship

4×800, G, Championship

4×100, B, Championship

4×100, G, Championship

4,400, B, Championship

4×400, G, Championship

Field (8:30 a.m.)

Discus, Girls, Boys Follow

Shot put, Boys, Girls Follow

Triple Jump, Boys, Girls Follow

Long Jump, Girls, Boys Follow

Pole Vault, Boys, Girls Follow

High Jump, Boys, Girls Follow

Pentathlon

Boys

110H

High Jump

Shot Put

Long Jump

1,500

Girls

100H

Shot Put

Long Jump

High Jump

800

Baseball

SeMIS SET

Queensbury (Class A) and returning semifinalists Voorheesville (Class C) and Fort Ann (Class D) will be in the Binghamton area today in pursuit of state titles.

Queensbury will be at NYSEG Stadium in Binghamton for a 10 a.m. semi against Bayport-Blue Point of Section XI. The championship game is scheduled for 4 p.m.

Voorheesville is set to take on Geneseo (Section V) in a 1 p.m. semi at Broome Community College, with the final at 4.

Fort Ann gets Pine Valley of Section VI in a 1 p.m. semi at MacArthur Park in Ithaca. The champ­ionship game is scheduled to start at 4.

Categories: High School Sports