Leading off today: Saturday's action in New York high school sports included two stories about young athletes who kept following their dreams after setbacks and continued working toward their goals. It's a reminder to many of us that there's value in hard work and optimism.
First up is the story of Guilderland baseball player Dylan Jones, the hero of a 5-0 win Saturday over Colonie in the Section 2 Class AA quarterfinals. Jones allowed six hits and four walks but the senior right-hander consistently worked his way out of jams.
Not bad for a guy who got cut during varsity tryouts a year ago and had no other option to play because Guilderland does not allow juniors to participate on the junior varsity.
"The kid didn't even make the team last year," Guilderland coach Doug LaValley said. "It says so much about him. He came back and wanted it."
Jones became a workout warrior of sorts, taking every opportunity to get so much better that LaValley would have no choice but to keep him on the team this spring.
"He did winter workouts with us and was always in the weight room. He did more than he had to," LaValley said. "For all the people that choose to (quit), here is a young man that shows what character is all about. He has a lot of character.
"I get choked up thinking about it. I love the kid. He has done everything I have asked of him."
Meanwhile at the other end of the state, Jake Kaminski was wiping out memories of a discouraging end to the previous year's track and field season. After qualifying for the NYSPHSAA indoor track and field championships last season, the wheels fell off for the Cheektowaga high jumper in the spring.
We won neither his league championship nor the Section 6 title and did not qualify for the outdoor state meet.
He decided there was no way he was letting that happen again. Though he narrowly missed the medal platform, Kaminski did get back to the 2019 state meet, where he cleared 6-foot-4. That was the first indication that two-a-day summer workouts had the desired affect on his strength and stamina.
And on Saturday he used a combination of skill and luck to reach literal and figurative new heights, breaking a 33-year-old school record by clearing 6-7 during the ECIC meet in Hamburg.
"My approach was a little off," said Kaminski, who also won the triple jump and ran a leg on the championship 1,600 relay. "I was a little shocked when I jumped because I knew my approach was off. I just barely made it. The bar bounced up off the standard and landed back on."
Kaminski's all-around effort was pivotal in Cheektowaga piling up 125.5 points to win the small-schools title.
More baseball: Two days after Joey Vetrano was named the state's player of the year by Gatorade, the Lakeland junior lefty threw a one-hitter as the Hornets beat Nyack 3-0 in the Section 1 Class A semifinals.
Vetrano retired the last 18 batters he faced to improve to 9-0 and help his team win its 21st game in a row. Vetrano has not allowed a run in his last four outings and has allowed just one earned run since the opener on March 26.
"I was focused," Vetrano said. "It was a great accomplishment. I was really honored to get it, but between those white lines I'm focused."
A full dance card: Emily Gresham had a busy couple of days last week -- and her life could be even more chaotic this week.
On Tuesday, the Chenango Forks sophomore competed in the Section 4 girls golf championships and carded an 80 at Soaring Eagles Golf Course in Horseheads to finish second.
On Wednesday, she was with her lacrosse teammates during a 13-12 victory over Whitney Point in overtime in the Section 4 Class D championship game.
