Wednesday, May 23, 2018: 'Now we have single-engine Cessna parents?'

   Leading off today: A guy I used to work with in Rochester won Twitter -- or at least the New York edition of it -- on Wednesday with an observation that included this gem:

We've all heard of helicopter parents, but now we have single-engine Cessna parents? @nysswa brings us a new low in disgruntled parents, who rented a plane & banner to disparage some HS baseball coaches. https://t.co/EW7zibnyqB

— Bob Chavez (@MPN_bchavez) May 23, 2018

   And that was before the Briarcliff story took a fresh twist as another flyover took place around the time of the Briarcliff baseball game on Wednesday.

   This one said, "Let's go Briarcliff," The Journal News reported. The banner also had the text "@SUPERKAISH," the Twitter handle of Superintendent James Kaishian, which perhaps suggests that he was responsible for the show of support after Monday's embarrassing stunt.

   As for the game, Briarcliff defeated Putnam Valley 9-3 as Mike Hardy knocked in three runs. THe victory advanced Briarcliff to the Section 1 Class B final against Pleasantville.

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   More Briarcliff: The Journal News' Vincent Mercogliano had a good take on Monday's banner message calling for the firing of baseball coaches John Schrader and Walter Kowalczyk.

   "The person who paid for the plane didn't have the courage to take credit. That's a familiar theme in today's sports culture, unfortunately," he wrote. "You can hide your true identity while bashing players, coaches or whomever on social media, and that's carried over into the real world.

   "When we got rid of the anonymous commenting system on (LoHud.com) a few years back, we heard our fair share of complaints. Well, this is why. It would be great if everyone kept it respectful, engaging in meaningful conversation and debate, but there were always a few who took it too far because they could remain unnamed.

   "Now, it's become commonplace for parents to use their influence to have coaches removed when they disapprove. They apply pressure on athletic directors behind closed doors to get what they want. It could be because they disagree with their coaching style, or -- gasp! -- a coach had the nerve to discipline their child."

   Speaking of coaches: With Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake AD Joe Scalise serving as acting head coach, the Spartans beat Scotia-Glenville 15-4 Tuesday in a Section 2 Class C girls lacrosse semi.

   Tenth-year coach Jake McHerron and assistant Marylou Vosburgh were placed on administrative leave last week pending the results of an investigation. The Daily Gazette reported that a source indicated that a parent or parents had complained about McHerron's stringent practices.

   Scalise would not confirm the reason for the investigation.

   "We have talked to a lot of athletes," Scalise said. "It's an ongoing investigation."

   On the move: Victor has hired Duane "Duey" Weimer as its new athletic director, replacing the retiring Ron Whitcomb next month.

   Weimer is in his third year as the AD at Vernon-Verona-Sherrill, where he previously taught as well as coached football, girls volleyball, boys track and field, and girls lacrosse.

   Good reading: I've pretty much beaten the spring weather story to death the past six weeks, but I wanted to call one more installment to your attention. Cassandra Negley in Oneonta did a thorough look at the impact of the snow, rain and wind on Section 4 this spring.

   Seriously? A Southern Connecticut Conference baseball quarterfinal was supposed to have been postponed due to weather, but the teams took it upon themselves to settle the outcome via a robust game of "Rock, paper, scissors." North Haven "defeated" Amity 6-5.

   Not surprisingly, the "game" result -- which in theory gave North Haven coach Bob DeMayo his 900th victory -- likely won't count in the official SCC logs, though the conference commissioner was reported to be determining whether to accept the faux result.

   If you need a laugh, check out this wonderfully detailed "game" story.