Schenectady's Ahmed locks up spot in Millrose Games

PHOTOGRAPHER: Peter R. Barber

Schenectady senior Maazin Ahmed won the New Balance games mile Saturday.

Schenectady senior Maazin Ahmed used a late kick to win the boys’ invitational mile Saturday at the New Balance Games at The Armory’s New Balance Track and Field Center.

The Georgetown University commit ran a personal-best 4:18.48 to prevail on track he’ll return to for the Feb. 3 Millrose Games. Saturday’s race served as a Millrose qualifier.

“It’s definitely something to be proud of,” Ahmed said.

Ahmed made his move to the front with 250 meters left and held on to beat Tristan Shelgren of St. John’s Prep (4:18.57) and Niskayuna’s Donnovan Tucker (4:19.13).

“I had to move or I was going to get outkicked,” said Ahmed, whose previous indoor best was a 4:20.49 last year at the New Balance Nationals. “It was a tough race. Definitely nothing easy about it.”

The five fastest times came out of Heat 2, where the runners ran as a pack throughout. Ahmed ran the last 400 in 61 seconds

“He was never far behind,” Schenectady indoor distance coach Ed Menis said. “Six or seven seconds behind the leaders, at most. He’s developed an instinct to win.”

Kelsey Chmiel of Saratoga Springs will also run at the Millrose Games after taking the New Balance Games girls’ invitational mile in 4:48.934, the nation’s No. 2 time this season. Saratoga’s invitational distance medley relay teams both set NBG records, the boys going 10:17.409 and the girls 11:59.320.

Colin Ross of Niskayuna placed first in the boys’ 2-mile race in 9:42.953.

At the Yale Invitational, the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake boys won the championship 3,200 relay (8:23.54).

Mohonasen’s 800 boys’ relay team won the Yale under 600 division (1:35.60), and Scotia-Glenville’s DMR girls’ team won the over 600 division (12:53.06).

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

In a non-league play, Galway beat Hoosic Valley 71-49. Thor White scored 40 points, canning eight 3-pointers, for Galway.

Hudson beat Albany 93-91. Jeremy Ramirez scored 26 for Hudson. Michael Campbell had 17 for Albany.

NON-LEAGUE

GALWAY 71, HOOSIC VALLEY 49

GALWAY
Ingle 1-0-2, Lovelass 1-1-4, Malinowski 0-3-3, Matthews 1-0-2, Restivo 1-2-4, Sowie 6-1-13, White 13-6-40, William 2-0-5. Totals: 25-13-71.
HOOSIC VALLEY
Ackey 2-0-4, Caizza 3-1-7, Eddy 3-0-8, Napoli 7-2-19, Ryan 2-1-5, White 1-1-3. Totals: 18-5-49.
Galway 27 12 22 10 — 71
Hoosic Valley 15 5 15 14 — 49
Three-point goals: Lovelass, White 8, Williams, Eddy 2, Napoli 3.

HUDSON 93, ALBANY 91 (OT)

ALBANY
Brown 1-0-2, Seel 3-1-7, Benitez 5-6-17, Mercharies 4-0-8, Campbell 5-2-17, Harbour 5-0-10, T. Johnson 5-0-12, John 3-1-8, Morales 1-0-2, Stith 0-2-2, Jacob 2-2-6. Totals: 34-14-91.
HUDSON
Fernandez 7-0-14, Ny. Franklin-Hedgepath 5-3-17, No. Franklin-Hedgepath 4-0-8, Ramirez 8-2-26, Sweet 4-0-9, Wilburn 1-2-4, Griffin 0-1-1, Goldstein 6-2-8, L. Jonson 2-1-6. Totals: 37-11-93.
Albany 27 23 14 18 9 — 91
Hudson 19 29 17 17 11 — 93
Three-point goals: Benitez, Campbell 5, Johnson 2, John, Ny Franklin-Hedgepath, Ramirez 2, Sweet. L. Johnson

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Fonda-Fultonville beat Northville 64-43 in Western Athletic Conference action. Abby Lombardoni scored 30 for Fonda. Briana Bace had 10 for Northville.

Cambridge beat Mechanicville 55-42 in non-league action. Lily Phillips scored 15 for Cambrdige. Taylor Grayson had 10 for Mechanicville.

In Wasaren League play, Saratoga Catholic beat Berlin 43-18. Ani Crocker had 10 for Saratoga Catholic. Haley Maxon scored five for Berlin.

WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

FONDA-FULTONVILLE 64, NORTHVILLE 43

NORTHVILLE
Bace 5-0-10, Coupas 3-3-9, Strouse 3-2-9, Groff 3-1-7, Mackey 2-0-4, Shepard 0-4-4. Totals: 16-10-43.
FONDA
Atty 0-1-1, Wilder 3-1-7, Duvual 6-0-12, Whitavitch 3-1-7, Smith 2-1-5, Lombardoni 13-2-30, Mespirit 1-0-2. Totals: 28-6-64.
Northville 13 13 8 9 — 43
Fonda 21 17 13 13 — 64
Three-point goals: Strouse, Lombardoni 2.

NON-LEAGUE

CAMBRIDGE 55, MECHANICVILLE 42

MECHANICVILLE
Brown 1-0-2, Cavotta 4-1-9, Goverski 2-3-9, Grayson 4-0-10, Harrington 2-0-4, Higgins 1-0-2, Pasinella 2-2-6. Totals: 16-6-24
CAMBRIDGE
Dupuis 2-0-4, Herrington 1-0-2, Mooney 5-2-12, Nolan 1-0-3, L. Phillips 2-11-15, S. Phillips 4-3-13, Snyder 2-2-6. Totals: 17-18-55.
Mechanicville 9 8 12 13 — 42
Cambridge 9 17 19 10 — 55
Three-point goals: Goverski 2, Grayson 2, Nolan, S. Phillips 2.

WASAREN LEAGUE

SARATOGA CATHOLIC 43, BERLIN 18

BERLIN
Despart 2-0-4, Scott 0-1-1, Crandall 2-0-4, Maxon 2-0-5, Holst-Grabbe 1-0-2, Hall 1-0-2. Totals: 7-1-18.
SARATOGA CATHOLIC
Crocker 5-0-10, Maher 3-0-6, Murray 1-1, Dempsey 3-0-6, Cronin 3-0-7, Walsh 2-1-6, McKenna 1-0-2, O’Reilly 1-1-3. Totals: 20-3-43.
Berlin 5 1 6 6 — 18
SC 9 19 5 10 — 43
Three-point goals: Maxon, Cronin, Walsh.

HOCKEY

Tom Ryan scored two goals to lead LaSalle to a 5-1 victory over Shaker/Colonie in a Capital District High School Hockey League game at Hudson Valley Community College.

Jack O’Bryan chipped in with a goal and two assists for the Cadets.

On Friday, Shaker/Colonie beat Guilderland/Mohonasen/Scotia-Glenville 3-1, scoring three goals in the third period to pick up the win. Ethan McKone scored the only goal for G/M/SG in the second period.

Shaker/Colonie’s third-period goals came from Joe Molloy, Scott Matson and Tyler Wilson.

LASALLE 5, SHAKER/COLONIE 1

Shaker/Colonie 0 1 0 — 1
LaSalle 1 2 2 — 5
First period — 1, LaSalle, Ryan (O’Bryan), 4:30. Second period — 2, LaSalle, O’Bryan (Pauley, Boone), 14:39. 3, Shaker/Colonie, Wilson (Vosburgh, M. Molloy), 4:58. 4, LaSalle, Geiger (Brendese, O’Bryan, 11:30.
Third period — 5, LaSalle, Murray (Geiger), 6:17. 6, LaSalle, Ryan (Kenneally), 10:18.
Goalies — LaSalle, Boone 9-8-2 — 20; Shaker.Colonie, D. Molloy 9-19-8 — 35.

FRIDAY

SHAKER/COLONIE 3, GMSG 1

Guilderland 0 1 0 — 1
Shaker/Colonie 0 0 3 — 3
First period — none.
Second period — 1, G/M/SG, McKone (Dunleavy, Bzell).
Third period — 2, Shaker/Colonie, J. Molloy. 3, Shaker/Colonie, Matson (Wilson). 4, Shaker/Colonie, Wilson.