Monday, Dec. 20, 2018: Fordham University lands Federation tourney for 2020-22

   Leading off today: The New York State Federation of Secondary School Athletic Associations has awarded Fordham University a three-year contract to host the season-ending Federation basketball tournament beginning in 2020, the organization announced Monday.

   The 2020 event will mark the first time that the tournament for representatives of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association, Catholic High School Athletic Association, Public School Athletic League and New York State Alliance of Independent Schools will be hosted in New York City. With the exception of a Six-year run in Albany beginning in 2011, the tournament has been held in Glens Falls since 1981.

   The decision was made Sunday by representatives of the four high school sports organizations. who also heard presentations from the Greater Glens Falls Basketball Amateur Athletic Association and St. John's University.

   The news release announcing the decision cited several factors behind the choice of the historic Rose Hill Gymnasium, which seats 3,200, including the overwhelming percentage of participating teams that come from New York City, communities in counties a short distance to the north or Long Island each year.

   Glens Falls AD Chip Corlew, who led the effort to keep the Federation tournament, said the decision was not a surprise because of the georgraphy.

   "Since most of the teams are in New York City, it saves them a lot of money to stay in New York," Corlew said. "It's a smart move. We've made some great relationships with everybody, and we'll miss them, but I can't argue with the reasons."

   A total of 11 girls teams and 12 boys teams qualify for the Federation tournament each season.

   Glens Falls recently was recommended to resume hosting the NYSPHSAA boys basketball tournament beginning in 2020, a decision expected to be made official on Feb. 1.

   Court declines to issue injunction: West Seneca West star Juston Johnson's bid to play basketball this season appears to be finished after a decision Monday by State Supreme Court Justice Dennis Ward to deny Johnson's request for an injunction.

   Johnson had already lost two rounds of appeals of the Section 6 decision from earlier this year enforcing a New York State Education Department regulation, and State Supreme Court was likely his last chance. The ruling on an appeal currently before the commissioner of the NYSED could take weeks if not months to come down.

   A one-page medical report was a significant factor in Ward's decision. It led him to conclude that a year of home schooling while recovering from a broken arm, which led to him repeating eighth grade was unnecessary.

   "The report does not state that the student was unable to attend public school during 2013-14," the justice wrote in his decision. "The report does not in any way suggest that the student's fractured arm caused him to repeat eighth grade. The report does not state that the student would have been unable to play sports that entire year due to injury."

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   Johnson played a big role in West Seneca West's 24-1 record last season. He averaged 24.8 points, 8.0 assists and 7.3 rebounds for a team that reached the NYSPHSAA quarterfinals.

   NYC boys basketball action: All Hallows, ranked fifth by the New York State Sportswriters Association last week,

scored a 73-68 victory over No. 3 Brooklyn Law & Technology on Sunday. Nick Johnson led the way with 21 points and nine rebounds.

   Girls basketball: Sisters Madison (18 points) and Mackenzie Smith (17) combined for 35 points to lead West Genesee to a 60-53 victory over Our Lady of Lourdes in Poughkeepsie on Sunday.

   Madison Smith connected for nine fourth-quarter points.

   West Genesee (4-1) fell to Ursuline a day earlier for its first loss of the season.

   Wide-open game on the ice: It took five goals from T.J. McKee and three more from Brian O'Shea, but Mahopac outscored Carmel 9-7 in Section 1 action.

   The score was 6-6 entering the third period. McKee put the Indians ahead again with 12:26 to play. An equipment issue send Carmel goalie Justin McCullough to the bench two minutes later and O'Shea extended the lead to 8-6 when play resumed.

   Mahopac was ranked 14th in the state in the season's first set of Division I rankings.

   "I told them they got lucky and won," Indians coach Tim Donaghy said. "They can't be happy with this because there's a lot to improve on. ... If they're satisfied they won, we're in trouble."

   Coming up: Glens Falls senior Joe Girard III already holds the state record for career points in boys basketball. On Tuesday he'll likely become No. 1 among all boys and girls when the Indians travel to Scotia-Glenville. Girard, who stands at 3,532 points, needs 17 more to move past Caryn (nee Schoff) Kovatch, the state record-holder for girls with 3,548 over six varsity seasons for St. Johnsville from 1989-95.

   Wrestling: The season's first NYSSWA team rankings have been released, with Massapequa (Division I) and Mount Sinai (Division II) holding down the No. 1 spots.

   You can view the complete rankings here.