Sunday, Oct. 29, 2017: Fort Ann boys run soccer title streak to eight

   Leading off today: Jake Beber posted two goals and an assist in leading Fort Ann to its eighth straight Section 2 Class D boys soccer championship with a 3-1 win over Loudonville Christian on Saturday.

   Fort Ann went on to the NYSPHSAA championship in 2015 and lost the state title game in double overtime last fall. The Cardinals have just one senior on the current roster -- Beber, a goalkeeper until the start of the season.

   "When they put me in the field, I knew I had to prove myself," Beber told The Post-Star. "Just step up, do everything they ask me to and help my teammates be better, too."

   Beber scored twice midway through the opening half, including one on a penalty kick.

   More Sec. 2 boys soccer: Queensbury remains one of the NYSPHSAA's five unbeaten and untied teams following a 3-1 win over Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake.

   Queensbury (19-0) has 15 returning players from last year sectional Class A championship team.

   Queensbury goalie Charlie Vergneres, an exchange student from France, had four saves. The Spartans' score came on a Queensbury own goal with less than five minutes to play.

   Working overtime: Several championship games around the state were decided in overtime on Saturday, including:

    • Yorktown edged White Plains 2-1 in Section 1 Class AA on Sergio Spiniello's goal from a throw-in in the 97th minute. Joey Carbone's rebound goal with six minutes in regulation had pulled Yorktown into a tie.

   The Huskers had last won a championship in 1990.

    • Brian Netto scored with 11:40 remaining in the second OT to send Watertown past East Syracuse-Minoa Spartans 2-1 in Section 3 Class A.

    • Senior Eric Ormsby kicked home the winning goal in the 27th minute of overtime as Warwick downed Monroe-Woodbury 1-0 in Section 9 Class AA.

   State tennis tournament: Julia Andreach is one win away from becoming the first Section 5 girl to win a New York State Public High School Athletic Association girls tennis championship.

   The Our Lady of Mercy sophomore posted a 6-0, 6-0 victory over defending champ Caitlyn Ferrante of Yorktown in Sunday's semifinals at Tri-City Tennis Club in Latham. Her opponent in Monday's final will be Rachel Arbitman of Hewlett, a 6-4, 6-1 winner over Amy Delman of Great Neck North in the other semi.

   Andreach, the 2016 state runner-up, began her day with a 6-0, 6-0 win against Sarah Bodewes of Pittsford Mendon and has surrendered just five games through four matches this weekend.

   The doubles championship match will pit Katerina Atallah and Maggie Bonomo of Fayetteville-Manlius against 2016 runners-up Laina Campos and Vanessa Ciano of Ursuline.

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   Atallah and Bonomo outlasted Katherine Orgielewicz and Alison Zerbib of Mamaroneck 7-6, 1-6, 7-5 in the semifinals. Campos and Ciano eliminated Port Washington's Thea Rabman and Martine McGowan 6-1, 6-1.

   Monday's finals start at 9 a.m.

   Following up: The fracas following a Section 3 football final on Friday sent two Cicero-North Syracuse players to a hospital, Syracuse.com reported.

   Both the Onondaga County Sheriff's office and the C-NS athletic director called the hospital exams "precautionary." The names of the players were not released.

   The incident is being handled by school officials, Sgt. Jon Seeber said, adding deputies "would probably look at it again" this week.

   The fight erupted during post-game handshakes after C-NS defeated Syracuse Corcoran 41-7 in the Class AA semifinals.

   Counter-protest in N.J.: A father and son who were to officiate a New Jersey high school football game walked off the field Friday after some players on one team knelt during the national anthem.

   Ernie and Anthony Lunardelli said they told officials from Colts Neck and host Monroe high schools before the game they would not work if any players protested. They were replaced by two officials in training after four Monroe players took a knee.

   The two officials said they respect the players' right to protest but regard such acts are disrespectful. The pair stood on the field with their hands on their hearts while the anthem was played, then left immediately.

   "What they are doing with this kneeling and everything, they have the right to do that, but the national anthem has nothing to do with them kneeling," Ernie Lunardelli said. "The flag has got nothing to do with why they are protesting. If they want to protest, let them protest, but don't disrespect our country, the flag and the armed forces."

   Monroe AD Greg Beyer declined to comment on the officials' decision. Officials who oversee the referees declined to speculate on whether any action might be taken against the Lunardellis.