Leading off today: As part of the run-up to the Empire State Games this month, Rick Carpiniello of The Journal News has waded into the annual "coaches are playing favorites" controversy and found a sticky situation.

   With ESGs coming to Westchester County for the first time, there naturally is more interest than usual in team selection down there, and Carpiniello caught wind of some of the complaints that have been showing up in various blogs and on message boards.

   One of the more frequent complaints we've seen or heard has to do with the Hudson Valley girls lacrosse team, coached by Joe Corace of Mahopac and John Callanan of Suffern. Players from those two schools account for 11 of the 20 players on the roster, with three more among the 11 alternates..

   "I guess the blogs, they were saying there are kids complaining," Corace told Carpiniello, jokingly adding, "If I was going to write something, it might be, 'If you spent a little less time blogging and a little more time practicing, maybe you would have made the team.' "

   Ouch. That may be somewhat accurate, but it might also be a bit too flip. Callanan makes a case that Suffern was blessed with a talented junior class this year and Mahopac brings a lot of defensive skill to the roster. But

11 girls from two schools, even in a relatively new sport such as girls lacrosse, looks bad.

   On the other hand, Callanan says only a handful of coaches accepted his invitation to attend tryouts to help evaluate players, and that's a valid point. More coaches participating translates into better accountability and helps negate complaints of favoritism.

   Accomplished wrestler dies: Greg Conover died over the weekend in Oneonta after a one-vehicle crash in which his Ford Ranger registered flipped onto its roof.

   Conover, 19, graduated from Bainbridge-Guilford High in 2006. As a senior 135-pounder for B-G/Afton, he went 40-5, won the Section 4 Division II title and placed fifth at the NYSPHSAA wrestling championships.

   Extra points: Section 5 will likely keep its boys basketball semifinals and finals at Rochester's Blue Cross Arena under a plan that would allow the organization to keep a higher percentage of ticket revenue if admission prices are raised. Currently, the city levies a $1.25 charge on tickets priced at more than $5, with 25 cents charged on tickets priced below that. A new proposal would keep the 25-cent charge on tickets priced up to $6. However, the girls basketball committee is considering moving games out of the downtown arena due to the cost.

HOME | BLOG | RANKINGS | BRACKETS | REFERENCE | KERR CUP | ABOUT US

©2007-19 Abbott Trento Online Media. All rights reserved. Contact us via e-mail.