Capital Region sports schedule jam-packed

PHOTOGRAPHER: Michael Kelly

Taryn Marra, a member of the Shenendehowa field hockey team, watches a recent practice from the sidelines. The Lady Plainsmen take on rival Saratoga Springs Friday.

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So many games on the local scene this week. What to watch, what to watch . . .

Up for a road trip?

Shenendehowa opens its football season Saturday at the Carrier Dome against Canisius in a champion vs. champion game as part of the Kickoff Classic.

Buffalo’s Canisius capped a 12-0 2014 season by beating Archbishop Stepinac 23-10 in the Catholic High School Athletic Association title game. Shenendehowa’s finished 11-1 last season after a 20-19 overtime loss to Newburgh Free Academy in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association semifinals.

Canisius and Shenendehowa were ranked No. 1 and No. 6, respectively, on the final 2014 New York State Sportswriters Association football poll.

Shenendehowa played at the Carrier Dome twice during the 1995 season, beating Binghamton 53-42 in a non-league game, and later losing 32-18 to Jamestown in the state Class A championship game.

Shenendehowa also reached the state Class AA title game at the Carrier Dome in 2002 and lost to Webster Schroeder, 28-7.

Saturday’s game starts at 5 p.m. Amsterdam and Cazenovia meet Friday morning at 11 in another Kickoff Classic game.

Looking to stay local? Here’s several other key sporting events on the upcoming local schedule:

PITCH PICKS

Former Big 10 schools Schenectady (vs. Guilderland), Albany (vs. Colonie), Christian Brothers Academy (vs. Bethlehem) and Troy (vs. Columbia) all make their home field boys’ soccer debuts this week as new members of the Suburban Council.

TURF DEBUT

Mohonasen begins a new era in football at 7 Friday night, hosting South Glens Falls in a Class A game on its new turf field.

FIELD HOCKEY TITANS MEET

Saratoga Springs and Shenendehowa play at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Schuylerville in a field hockey game that pits the defending Section II Class A champ (Blue Streaks) and the reigning Suburban Council champ (Lady Plainsmen).

TO THE HILLS

The 45th Guilderland International Cross Country Invitational is Saturday on the difficult up-and-down terrain at Tawasentha Park.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL BACK

Union College lost its 2014 football opener on the road to Ithaca en route to a 2-8 season. Union gets another crack at the Bombers at 1 p.m. Saturday at Frank Bailey Field in a non-conference season debut.

DON’T FORGET THE TRACK

The Travers drama is behind us, but Saratoga Race Course has one final weekend, and one more huge race Saturday: The Woodward.