On Schools: Shenendehowa’s Dochat performing well on different stages

PHOTOGRAPHER: Erica Miller

Alexa 'Lexy' Dochat warms up on discus during the Shenendehowa Track and Field Invitational on Friday.

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CLIFTON PARK — Alexa “Lexy” Dochat enjoys performing on stage and throwing things.

Friday was another one of those occasions when the Shenendehowa High School junior did both.

“I’ve learned to adjust. I love staying busy,” the versatile 16-year-old said after taking second in the discus competition at the Shenendehowa Invitational. “It keeps me on my toes. I love track. I love the music.”

Dochat is a member of three Plainsmen athletic teams as well as the Shenendehowa Musical Company, and after her throws Friday, she raced off to Proctors in Schenectady for a rehearsal in preparation for the 2022 High School Musical Theatre Awards that take place Saturday night.

“You try to navigate the best you can,” Dochat said. “Last year was my first year of indoor track, and we did a virtual performance of ‘You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.’ I was in the ensemble and I also served as the student music director.”

Dochat took on a more significant singing and acting role as Rosie Mulligan in the Shenendehowa Music Company’s most recent production of “Mamma Mia!” that ran in mid-March. The Shenendehowa cast, along with several other casts from Capital Region schools, have been nominated for Best Musical, and as part of Saturday’s awards ceremony at Proctors, the Shenendehowa group will be performing their rendition of “Dancing Queen.”

“Getting nominated for best musical is a big thing,” said Dochat, who has been acting and singing in stage productions since she was 8 years old. “The judges already know who won. We’ll find out.”

Dochat has already secured a lot of wins in her athletic pursuits, including the discus titles at last year’s Section II Group 1 outdoor meet and Suburban Council Showcase. Last fall, she was part of the Shenendehowa girls’ volleyball team that captured Section II and regional Class AA titles. Her ensuing indoor season was punctuated by a victory in the weight throw at the Section II Division 1 championships and fourth place at the state meet.

“During the volleyball season, we work on having that explosiveness, and that helps with my throwing,” said Dochat, who focuses on the discus more so than the shot put while competing outdoors. “Playing volleyball also helps with my arm strike and my aggressiveness.”

Dochat said she had all of the elements working on Tuesday, when she popped a personal-best 124-8 while winning the discus event in a dual meet with Colonie and Niskayuna. She topped out at 114-1 Friday.

“Some people think it’s just musceling it out there, but really, it’s such a technical sport,” said Dochat, whose brother Scott, a 2021 Shenendehowa graduate, was a weights standout, as well. “When you connect, you feel it, and you know it’s a good one.”

Dochat said she is “hoping to get up to the 130 range” this season.

“I am going to keep working hard and hone in on the small, technical things,” the honor roll student said. “I would like to see it go a little further.”

Dochat will be among the discus favorites at the girls’ Suburban Council championship meet Wednesday at Averill Park, and at the Section II Group 1 championship meet the following Wednesday at Colonie. She said adding to her collection of Section II titles has crossed her mind.

“It would be nice to have that. It’s nice to have wins,” she said. “But ultimately, I do it because I love it.”

BAKER HITS DOUBLE DIGITS

Azai Baker’s big game with the Schenectady/Mohonasen boys’ lacrosse team Thursday started just seven seconds in, when he won a faceoff, raced down the field and scored to kick-start his team’s 18-5 Colonial Council win over Catholic Central at Larry Mulvaney Field.

The freshman from Mohonasen finished with eight goals and two assists, with those eight goals two shy of the school record. Baker also won nine of 11 faceoffs.

“Azai has really come into his own over the last few weeks of the season,” Schenectady/Mohonasen coach Matt Marotta. “He’s becoming a force at the faceoff X and has become a huge contributor on offense. I’m excited to see what the future holds for him. He has great potential.”

Baker scored six goals in a 19-6 win over Ichabod Crane/Maple Hill earlier in the season, and has 21 goals in all.

“He did a great job of moving off the ball and getting open,” Marotta said of his performance Thursday.

Ten-point lacrosse totals were also recorded this past week by Morgan Nichter of Scotia-Glenville (9-1) in a win over Ballston Spa; by Tommy Tyksinski of Guilderland (7-3) in a win over Columbia; by Stephen Deutsch of Queensbury (5-5) in a win over Johnstown; and by Shannon Coyle of Colonie (5-5) in a win over Averill Park.

NUMBERS GAME

Section II sprinters at the top of the Milesplit New York 100-meter track leaderboards, after Carter Cuckerstein of Shenendehowa popped a 10.50 and Zionna Perez-Tucker of Mohonasen clocked an 11.93 at last Saturday’s Harry Koch Colonie Relays. Cuckerstein ran an all-time boys’ Section II best, and beat the recognized Section II record of 10.56 set by Winston Lee of Hudson in 2013 (Section II records can only be set at Section II championship meets, the state qualifier or the state meet). Perez-Tucker tied for second-best on the all-time on the Section II girls’ 100-meter list.

Home runs hit in Shenendehowa’s 9-3 softball win over Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Wednesday, including two by Plainsmen leadoff batter Emily Baumes. Kelsey Higgins, Jada Lambright and Becca Zawistowski also homered for the Plainsmen in the Suburban Council win, and Cianna Benamati homered and drove in all three runs for the Spartans.

Wins for the Colonie and Guilderland baseball teams in Suburban Council play, with both squads finishing the season 13-1. Colonie earned its first league title since 2011, and will be the Section II Class AA tournament No. 1 seed by virtue of a 6-0 win over Guilderland last month. The Garnet Raiders wrapped up their SC campaign with an 18-1 win over Albany Wednesday when Tyler Sausville and Daniel Barbero both belted home runs.

Matches won by the Bethlehem boys’ tennis team against one defeat since the start of the 2021 season. The Eagles beat Shenendehowa Monday (7-2) in a meeting of unbeaten teams and topped Troy Wednesday (9-0) to complete this regular season at 13-0. Eight of those 13 wins came by a 9-0 score. The Eagles went 15-1 last year which included a 5-4 loss to Saratoga Springs in the regular season and a 5-4 win over the Blue Streaks in the Section II Class AA title match. Bethlehem will enter this year’s Section II Class AA team tournament as the three-time defending champion.