High school notes: Patriots have all-for-one attitude

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Schenectady basketball coach Eric Loudis liked the way his players meshed in a successful series of summer league outings.

Two games into the season, and it’s been more of the same.

“Right now, they’re playing good team basketball. They all like each other,” said Loudis. “Our goal is to win games, and it doesn’t matter how we get it done. The guys are okay with that. They’re all on the same page with that.”

Schenectady got contributions from starters and reserves in wins last week against Lansingburgh, 71-54, and longtime rival Christian Brothers Academy, 62-48.

“Every day they’re hustling and rooting for each other,” said Schenectady assistant coach Joe Loudis. “I like the attitude.”

The all-for-one approach is something the Pats have displayed since their summer season, when they placed second to state champion Scotia-Glenville.

It took six overtimes before Scotia-Glenville finally subdued Schenectady for the summer title, while the Pats beat the Tartans in an earlier contest.

“Scotia is a very good basketball team. They may have lost some guys, but they still have Joe Cremo,” said Eric Loudis of last season’s state Class A player of the Year. “Splitting with Scotia, that was a big stepping stone.”

Schenectady’s fifth-year head coach believes there are more positives ahead, in part because of the Patriots’ chemistry, and in part because of their work ethic. The Patriots went 11-8 last season after going 9-10 and 6-13 in the two before.

“They come to practice and work hard every single day,” said Loudis. “In the past, we had some game-time players.”

“It all starts at practice,” said Schenectady senior guard Luke Chrisman. “We treat it like it’s a game. We take it seriously.”

The Patriots showed just how much one Saturday during the preseason.

“We had a practice scheduled for noon and Eric said he would be in at nine if anyone wanted to shoot around,” Joe Loudis recalled. “Twenty-six guys showed up early.”

Schenectady’s eager cast includes freshman guard Tobias Holmes, who averaged a team-leading 13.5 points last season, and junior swingman Neftali Lind, who averaged 9.4 points in 10 games after being elevated from the junior varsity.

The junior varsity team went 17-1 and captured the Big 10 title last season, and junior forward Roddy Delagrandeanse and sophomore guard Davon Barkley are among those who have moved up.

“I knew what I had back, and I knew what I had coming up,” said Eric Loudis. “I had a good feeling about this group of kids.”

Holmes matched his varsity high with 23 points and added nine assists in the CBA game, Lind had 16 points, and six others scored in a balanced attack.

Dillon repeats

Jessica Dillon has been named an all-state first-team volleyball player for the second time after leading Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake to a record-tying 29 wins and a return trip to the New York Class A final four.

Dillon is joined on the Class A first team by schoolmate Natalie Schurman, while Chelsea LeBlanc and Zoe Simonson of state Class C runner-up Broadalbin-Perth also earned first-team nods.

Dillon set a Burnt Hills one-match record with 50 assists in a five-set, state-championship loss to Pittsford Sutherland. That performance left the setter and outside hitter with 1,057 assists for the season and 2,490 for her five-year career.

Dillon also had 666 career kills, making her the first Spartans to surpass 600 kills and 2,000 assists.

Dillon was previously selected the Suburban Council’s top player, made the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America team (honorable mention), and landed a spot on the all-tournament team after BH-BL’s setback against Pittford Sutherland.

Section II’s other all-state first-team picks are Lauren Canterbury of state Class AA semifinalist Shenendehowa, and Tanner Barton of state Class B semifinalist Hudson Falls.

ALL-STATE

Class AA

Lauren Canterbury, Shenendehowa, 12, OH (first team)

Colleen Connelly, Shenendehowa, 12, RS (second team)

Taylor Murphy, Shenendehowa, 12, MH (fourth team)

Class A

Jessica Dillon, BH-BL, 12, S/OH (first team)

Natalie Schurman, BH-BL, 11, OH (first team)

Kelly Waters, BH-BL, 11, MH (second team)

Class B

Tanner Barton, Hudson Falls, 11, MH (first team)

Katie Clouse, Hudson Falls, 11, S (second team)

Annie Stock, Johnstown, 12, OH (third team)

Class C

Chelsea LeBlanc, Broadalbin-Perth, 12, MH (first team)

Zoe Simonson, Broadalbin-Perth, 11, OH (first team)

Megan Ryder, Broadalbin-Perth, 11, RS (second team)

Ashley West, Loudonville Christian, 12, S/RS (third team)

Class D

Brittany Orminski, Galway, 12, OH (second team)

Carly Howe, Waterford-Halfmoon, 12, MH (third team)

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Categories: High School Sports