Leading off today: In a significant reversal of a penalty handed down in the spring, La Salle Institute will be eligible for Section 2 and NYSPHSAA postseason competition this school year in all sports except baseball.
Section 2 and the school revealed the resolution of their long-simmering dispute on Thursday. The Times Union reported the Section 2 Athletic Council voted 16-5 to approve the agreement, which was worked out on Aug. 19. Consequently, La Salle is withdrawing its appeal to the Commissioner of Education and waiving all rights to litigate in court.
"In making its recommendation to resolve this matter, the Section 2 Executive Committee considered La Salle Institute's decision to hire former Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons' Athletic Director and Principal, Patrick Moran, as the Athletic Director. Section 2 recognizes this as a meaningful step toward implementing positive change within La Salle Institute's athletic program, including compliance with NYSPHSAA, NYSED, and Section 2 Rules and Regulations," the section said in a statement.
Corinth/Hadley-Luzerne drops down to eight-man football
Corinth/Hadley-Luzerne has switched to eight-man football for the upcoming season due to a low turnout as early practices.
The late switch leaves the school scrambling for games, The Post-Star reported. Fellow Section 2 programs Hoosic Valley, Taconic Hills, and Catskill/Cairo-Durham play eight-man, but the latter two have full schedules with Section 9 opponents.
Conversely, 11-man teams in the Class C East Division now have a hole in their schedules.
Speaking of unexpected football developments
Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei, the consensus preseason No. 1 football team in the country, edged No. 11 St. Thomas Aquinas from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 26-23, last weekend to open its season but faces an unexpected bye in Week 2.
That's because Torrance (Calif.) Bishop Montgomery had its roster obliterated by suspensions related to a late-game brawl during a 34-27 loss to Honolulu St. Louis.
That development is in the aftermath of five of Montgomery's reported 20 transfers being ruled ineligible in any sport in the CIF for 24 months over questions on documentation. That led the coaching staff to call up nine freshmen for the Saint Louis game.
Not exactly the way I'd want to start my season, but I'm no expert on big-time football.
Foot Locker Cross Country Championships have gone belly-up
Smarter people than I saw this coming in May when the company entered an agreement to be bought out by Dick's Sporting Goods, but the starter's pistol has gone off for the last time for the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships.
The Foot Locker website made the announcement last week.
"For the past 45 years, the FLXC has been more than just a race; it has been a celebration of passion, perseverance, and the boundless potential of student-athletes across the country. As the longest running cross country race in the nation, it has brought together generations of runners, coaches, families, and fans and helped build one of the most inspiring communities in high school sports.
We extend our deepest gratitude to every athlete who toed the line, every coach who guided their team, and every partner who helped bring the event to life. Your enthusiasm and dedication have been instrumental in making FLXC an extraordinary event year after year. Your role in uplifting the sport of cross country running and its athletes has truly been invaluable."
The FLXC meet was unique in its day as the closest thing we had to a true national championship in any sport. Before Nike Cross Nationals came along, the regional qualifier was the must-attend meet for dozens of New York's harriers following the Federation Championships.
No New York boy ever brought home the national crown -- Monroe-Woodbury great John Trautmann was second in 1984 -- but a quintet of the state's girls did hit the tape first:
- 1982: Chris Curtin, Mepham
- 1993: Erin Davis, Saratoga Springs
- 2004: Aislinn Ryann, Warwick Valley
- 2010: Aisling Cuffe, Cornwall
- 2022: Karrie Baloga, Cornwall
FOOT LOCKER: FULL NEW YORK BOYS RESULTS
FOOT LOCKER: FULL NEW YORK GIRLS RESULTS
A mini-trend developing in volleyball
Frontier High will host nearby Hamburg on Sept. 6 in what The Buffalo News reports will be the state's first sanctioned boys volleyball match played outdoors.
The contest will be part of a doubleheader that includes the girls teams from the two schools.
On Thursday, Section 2 beat Western New York to the punch as the host Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake girls rallied for a 25-15, 22-25, 27-29, 25-17, 15-8 victory over Niskayuna on a 3,200-square-foot court on Centennial Field for the state's first-ever outdoor contest.
It was a bit of a scare for Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, which has made 21 consecutive appearances in the NYSPHSAA final four and has suffered just three league losses since 1990. The Spartans trailed 5-0 in the fourth set before getting their second wind.
The event came about after BHBL coach Gary Bynon watched the Nebraska women's team play outdoors before 93,000 fans two years ago. Bynon traveled to Lowell, Mass., to pick up the portable net anchored by four water drums.
"It was a celebration of where women's sports have come and it is just so amazing," Bynon said.
