Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2018: Sec. 1 constitution change proposal fails to pass vote

   Leading off today: A vote by school districts on changes to Section 1's constitution garnered a majority of votes in approval but not enough for the measure to pass, the Southern Westchester BOCES announced.

   The failure to gain the necessary two-thirds majority, which was relayed to schools on Monday, appears to be an indication that athletic directors in the section want a better seat at the Executive Committee table.

   "Many athletic directors thought they needed more input into some of the decisions made," North Rockland's Joe Casarella told The Journal News. "Instead, it was less."

   With the issue that ultimately led to rebellion over venues for the postseason basketball tournaments still unresolved, it's likely that further changes to the constitution will be negotiated and a second vote will take place next year.

   Arlington AD Mike Cring, a member of the constitution committee, said the committee attempted to clarify the duties of the athletic council and executive committee, assigning the latter control over fiduciary matters. Athletic directors have more influence within the athletic council but are outnumbered on the executive committee, which was responsible for pushing through the unpopular move of basketball games out of the Westchester County Center.

   "We thought financial pieces go to the executive council and other duties were defined for the athletic council," Cring said.

   Tuohy repeats: North Rockland junior Katelyn Tuohy has been selected the state's girls cross country runner of the year for the second straight time following another undefeated season.

   The New York State Sportswriters Association announced its all-state team on Tuesday.

   Saratoga senior Kelsey Chmiel and Fayetteville-Manlius junior Claire Walters made the Class A first team for the fourth consecutive year, and Tuohy three-peated.

   In Class D, Tully sophomore Brooke Rauber was selected to the first team for the fourth straight year and Mayfield sophomore Madison Relyea for the third.

   Milestone: Mount Markham swept past Westmoreland 3-0 in girls volleyball Monday to give coach Terry McKane career victory No. 300.

   Dialing long distance: Junior guard Jillian Casey connected on nine 3-pointers and scored a career-high 38 points as the Horseheads set a school record for 3-pointers in a girls basketball game during an 86-37 victory over Johnson City.

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   Horseheads made 16 3-pointers, eclipsing last year's record of 15 in a game. Freshman Carly Scott added six 3-pointers to account for all of her 18 points.

   Boys basketball: Cardinal Hayes (Class AA), Park School from Buffalo (B), South Bronx Prep (C), Lake George (C) and Harrisville (D) are starting the season as the top-ranked teams in the season's first New York State Sportswriters Association rankings.

2018 NYSPHSAA football brackets 2018 Long Island football brackets 2018 NYSPHSAA soccer Boys brackets | Girls 2018 NYSPHSAA field hockey brackets 2018 NYSPHSAA cross country: Boys | Girls 2018 NYSPHSAA girls Swimming | Diving

   In addition, we have uploaded the first detailed weekly update of the season from Mike Libert, who covers the New York City landscape for the NYSSWA.

   Support for a teammate: Teammates and parents were expected to appear Tuesday at a news conference alongside Juston Johnson, the West Seneca West basketball star seeking to gain eligibility for his senior season.

   Johnson family attorney Ryan Carney told The Buffalo News that the players plan to sign a letter in which they say they understand and accept the consequences over the possibility of having to forfeit games if a court issues a stay allowing Johnson to play but he ultimately loses his appeal. The players' letter is expected to be presented during a hearing Wednesday in State Supreme Court in Buffalo.

   At a court hearing last week, the school district, which began the appeals process on Johnson's behalf, raised concerns about possible forfeits if it allowed Johnson to play and he ultimately failed to gain his eligibility.

   Section 6 ruled earlier this year that Johnson's six-year eligibility clock began when he player varsity basketball as a seventh-grader and has expired before his graduation because he was home schooled as an eighth-grader but repeated that grade upon returning to school in September 2015.