Leading off today: Former Albany-area football star
Dion Lewis has mapped out his future, and it includes attending the University of Pittsburgh in 2009 to play football. The 5-foot-8 running back said he has given a commitment to Panthers coach Dave Wannstedt.
Lewis attended Albany High before transferring to Albany Academy in 2006. He played at Blair Academy, a prep school in Blairtown, N.J., last season and will return there this fall. He helped the team to an 8-1 record in 2007 by carrying 79 times for 979 yards, scoring 19 TDs (three on defense) and making 45 tackles and five interceptions.
At Albany Academy, Lewis rushed for 1,368 yards and 25 touchdowns to help the Cadets advance to the 2006 Section 2 Class B final. He was selected the small-schools offensive player of the year by The Times Union.
Other colleges pursuing Lewis included Wake Forest, Cincinnati, Connecticut and Tulane.
Harrison coach in court: Harrison football coach Art Troilo Jr. kissed and hugged his wife outside the courthouse yesterday, two days after he was charged with assaulting her, The Journal News reported.
The judge eased a restraining against Troilo and the couple, holding hands, walked out together and drove off to attend a school function for their 5-year-old son.
"My husband's innocent," his wife, Phyllis, told the paper.
Police arrested him Wednesday night after they were called to a domestic disturbance at the couple's Harrison home. He was charged with third-degree assault, a misdemeanor. Phyllis Troilo told the paper that police had acted overzealously.
"My wife already made a statement, and that's what happened. I did nothing wrong," Art Troilo told the paper. "It's terrible my name is being dragged through the mud because I've done nothing. In fact, what I did was very correct. I tried to make a bad situation better. I've never hit anybody in my life."
Troilo returns to court July 11.
A fitting reward: I've never met Rachel Lorintz, but I can tell that I like her based on what I read in Newsday yesterday.
Jericho girls swimming coach Joseph Farrell died last summer, leaving the athletes to deal with a difficult emotional challenge.
"I wanted to make sure that he was proud," she told the paper. "Right after we found out we had everyone at my house. We took comfort in each other."
Lorintz didn't stop there. She helped establish a $15,000 fund to support a scholarship in the coach's name to be given to a male and female varsity athlete who has shown leadership qualities.
The scholarship committee, composed of school administrators, surprised Lorintz by naming her its first recipient. She will attend the University of Delaware.
A not-so-prompt prom: Lancaster girls lacrosse players got a second chance at attending their prom on Thursday. The players, who missed the official school prom while competing in the NYSPHSAA playoffs, got to have their own prom put on by KISS-FM at Lancaster Country Club.
The season ended last weekend with a 17-2 loss to West Genesee in Cortland while a 1,000-person event was held in the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center complete with an indoor ferris wheel, fireworks show and chocolate fountain.
Thursday's catered dinner, with entertainment provided by a DJ, was much smaller but allowed the girls to put their prom dresses to use.
