Leading off today: Saratoga Springs sophomore
Kelsey Chmiel has been selected the New York girls cross country runner of the year by Gatorade after winning the NYSPHSAA and Federation titles this past season and finishing second at the Nike Cross Nationals regional meet.
Chmiel, who placed fifth at the national Nike meet in Oregon, is the first runner from the powerful Blue Streaks program to earn the honor, though Gatorade did not start picking recipients in the sport until 2007.
She set course records at Saratoga Spa State Park en route to her league championship and at Chenango Valley State Park while capturing the NYSPHSAA Class A meet title. She also shattered course records at meets in Virginia and Georgia.
Chmiel was selected the New York State Sportswriters Association runner of the year at the conclusion of the season. (See the all-state team here.)
Monster effort: Alijah Clark of International Prep at Grover pulled down a school-record 27 rebounds and scored 26 points in the Buffalo school's 69-39 basketball victory over Lafayette.
Boogie's destination: Lauren "Boogie" Brozoski, who swept state player of the year honors in 2015 as a Long Island Lutheran star, will continue her basketball career at Hofstra University, Newsday reported.
The sophomore, who transferred out of Michigan at the end of last semester, will be eligible to play after fall 2017.
"I just wasn't happy there. It had nothing to do with playing time," said Brozoski, who averaged 17.1 minutes as a freshman and 14.1 minutes in nine games this season. "I just felt like I wasn't given a fair opportunity and I didn't really fit in with the program there after a while."
Brozoski was recruited heavily out of high school by Hofstra coach Krista Kilburn-Steveskey.
"Coach K has been recruiting me since eighth grade," Brozoski said. "She was my first offer. I had that connection with her, and I knew that if I gave her a call, she'd open a spot and give me a chance."
Milestone: Skaneateles senior Ray Falso scored his 100th career goal in hockey on Friday with a hat trick during a 9-0 win over Auburn. This season, Falso has 32 goals and 22 assists for the state's second-ranked Division II team.
Ex-hoops star slain: Former White Plains basketball standout Markus Austin was fatally shot in Montpelier, Vt., early Sunday, The Journal News reported.
The Montpelier Police Department reported Austin, 33, was found dead in the parking lot of the apartment complex where he lived. A male suspect fled the scene in a car, Vermont state police said.
Austin helped lead the Tigers to the 1999 NYSPHSAA Class A championship as a 6-foot-6 sophomore. He was a 1,000-point career scorer in high school and went on to score 1,425 points in four seasons at Eastern Michigan.
On the move: The resignation of Webutuck AD Jon Zenz is expected to become official at Wednesday's school board meeting. Zenz, 57, who took over as athletic director in 2011, announced his resignation Jan. 10.
