Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2014: Prank gone bad leads to Troy suspensions

   Leading off today: Eleven Troy football players and 22 cheerleaders have been suspended for Friday night's game in the fallout from a homecoming tradition, The Times Union reported Wednesday.

   The incident on Thursday night was part of an annual celebration that traditionally includes football players toilet-papering the homes of cheerleaders and vice versa. Then, the players and cheerleaders come together for a mock fight that involves shaving cream, eggs and other garbage.

   Most of the students involved received one-game suspensions and Saturday detention, parents of football players told the paper. Several parents planned to show up at a school board meeting Wednesday night to protest the disciplinary actions.

   Two players were kicked off the team after they approached football coach Mike Hurteau about their discipline, their mother told the paper.    The paper's calls to Troy High principal Joseph Mariano Jr. and AD Paul Reinisch for comment were not returned. No students were arrested because the school declined to press charges, police Capt. Dan DeWolf said, but, "It was enough (damage) that you could get arrested," he added.

   Achievements of the day: Pearl River has pushed its unbeaten streak in girls cross country duals to 24 years. Victory No. 204 in a row came Tuesday in a 19-37 win over Nanuet, led by a one-two finish from Ailish Durcan (19:45) and Sara Rotundo (19:52). The Pirates last lost Sept. 18, 1990.

   Ever Torres became Brentwood's career leader in boys soccer goals when he netted No. 63 during a 5-0 win over William Floyd on Monday. The senior forward has six goals on the season.

   Sidelined: Megan Reilly, the NYSPHSAA girls Class A champion in girls cross country as a sophomore, has left the Warwick Valley team for the season, The Times Herald-Record reported.

   Coach Rich Furst told the paper Reilly is focusing on recovering from summer injuries and illnesses that curtailed her summer training. The goal is to have her back at 100 percent for the indoor track season.

   Class of 2014 news, part I: Sterling Taplin, a three-time first-team All-Western New York selection for Williamsville North now doing a post-graduate year at St. Thomas More in Connecticut, has committed to play basketball next year at Tulsa.

   Taplin picked Tulsa over Florida Gulf Coast, The Buffalo News reported. He is planning to visit the Tulsa campus this month.

   Taplin was first-team all-state in Class AA last season after averaging 22.6 points, 4.9 assists and 4.3 rebounds for Williamsville North.

   Class of 2014 news, part II: Syracuse University freshman defensive back Naesean Howard is no longer a part of the football program, The Post-Standard reported.

   "We have decided to part ways. We wish Naesean all the best in the future," coach Scott Shafer said in a statement without indicating what precipitated the decision.

   The West Genesee graduate was briefly suspended for missing curfew during training camp. Howard did not appear in any games for Syracuse this season.

RoadToSyracuse.com football site

Many reporters use Twitter to deliver remote updates. We track those tweets from a variety of venues 24/7. Visit the page to see what's going on.

   Class of 2014 news, part III: SUNY Brockport freshman soccer player David Medina was stabbed Tuesday morning in a residence hall on campus.

   Cpl. John Helfer of the Monroe County Sheriff's Office said Osaze A. Timothy entered the dorm and knocked on Medina's door. The two men got into an argument which led to Medina getting stabbed. Officials believe it was a targeted attack and that Medina knows the suspect.

   Timothy, who is not a Brockport student, was arraigned at Sweden Town Court on two charges of first-degree burglary and one count of second-degree assault. He pleaded not guilty.

   Medina played soccer for Brighton and was an All-Greater Rochester selection in 2012 as a junior. He was listed in satisfactory condition at Strong Memorial Hospital following surgery.

   Minnesota tackling thorny issue: The Minnesota State High School League is moving toward a Thursday vote on a measure that would allow transgender students to compete as members of the gender with which they identify, not that they are born into.

   There was emotional reaction from parents Wednesday during an orderly public hearing on a proposal that would for example allow someone who was a male at birth but subsequently began identifying as female to compete on the girls basketball team. Approval would be contingent on the athlete proving a threshold of self-identification had been reached via hormone therapy, surgery or consent via parental guardian. Medical documentation would be required.

   Most of the approximately two dozen speakers voiced opposition to the proposal, which was drafted in conjunction with OutFront Minnesota, a gay and transgender rights advocacy group. Speakers on both sides invoked Biblical verses.

   On Tuesday, an ad published in a Minneapolis newspaper asked, "A male wants to shower beside your 14-year-old daughter. Are you OK with that?"

   If passed, it would apply to all 500 member high schools, both public and private. According to MSHSL officials, 32 other state high school associations and the NCAA all have policies that deal in some form with transgender athletes.