Leading off today: Former Northville girls basketball coach Jim Zullo has been charged with harassment related to pulling a player's ponytail after Friday night's NYSPHSAA Class D championship game at Hudson Valley Community College, an incident that garnered national attention.
According to a statement from the college's Department of Public Safety, the complaint for harassment was filed on Sunday. DPS peace issued the appearance ticket to Zullo on Monday, The Times Union reported.
According to the statement, Zullo will report to Troy City Court at a later date.
Video from the NFHS Network broadcast of Northville's loss to LaFargeville showed Zullo, 81, yanking senior Hailey Monroe's ponytail after the game. When another player stepped in front of Monroe and exchanged words with his coach, Zullo could be seen continuing to berate his team.
The Northville school district confirmed shortly after the incident that it had fired Zullo, an inductee in New York Basketball Hall of Fame.
On Sunday, Zullo offered an apology through his son for his actions.
"I deeply regret my behavior following the loss to La Fargeville Friday night in the Class D state championship game," the statement said in part. "I want to offer my sincerest apologies to Hailey and her family, our team, the good folks at Northville Central Schools and our community. As a coach, under no circumstance is it acceptable to put my hands on a player, and I am truly sorry. I wish I could have those moments back."
Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton hires championship coach
Ty Harper stepped down as head coach of the Clymer/Sherman/Panama football program in mid-January, but it turns out he wasn't stepping away from the sport. He as approved on March 19 as the new head coach for the Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton combined program.
When he resigned the CSP position, Harper cited a desire to be closer to his family. His wife is Westfield's director of instruction and special education, and his three sons attend Westfield's elementary school.
"Chautauqua Lake door to door for me is eight minutes," Harper told The Post-Journal. "It certainly frees up time, especially in the fall."
After coaching Clymer/Sherman to a 1-7 record in 2014, Harper led a decade of dominance with Clymer/Sherman/Panama that included a 78-23 record and New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class D championships in 2018, 2019 and 2024.
Passings
Harry Lomasney, who turned Greenwich High into a small-school Section 2 and state baseball power while leading the program from 1972-95, died March 20 following a long hospitalization. He was 84.
Lomasney's teams went 328-111 with 11 Wasaren League, three Section 2, and two NYSPHSAA Class C championships. The highlight was a combined 52-1 record over a two-season stretch.
"That 1992/1993 team was as good as any small-school team that's ever come out of New York State," Saratoga Central Catholic baseball coach Phonsey Lambert told The Times Union.
N.H. school district's budget kills sports funding
The Jaffrey-Rindge School Board in New Hampshire has approved a cost-cutting plan which includes
eliminating interscholastic sports, including the Conant High boys and girls basketball teams that have won a combined 21 state basketball championships since 1985.
Overall, the board cut $3 million in spending after voters shot down the original budget proposal. Sports accounted for $366,978 of the savings in the 2025-26 spending plan.
The $33.76 million austerity budget adopted on March 11 to meet a state deadline includes cutting 24.5 staffing positions, universal access to pre-K, summer school, and field trips.
