Leading off today: Longtime Oswego wrestling coach Bill Jones was not reappointed to the position this year, triggering an angry reaction Tuesday at the school board meeting.

   Roughly 25 people attended the meeting, mostly to speak on behalf of Jones, The Palladium-Times reported. Nine people spoke in support of Jones, who had coached since 1992.

   Board member John Dunsmoor said Jones was not reappointed "because we weren’t happy (with) the back up we got,” referring to his evaluation. “The evaluation we got, we just want to see more.”

   Ryan Blauvelt, who won a Section 3 championship last year and placed fourth in the NYSPHSAA championships, questioned the board's decision.

   "I couldn’t ask for a better coach than him," he said. "He has taught me everything I know about wrestling. You guys should definitely let him be the coach if you guys ever want a sectional champion out of Oswego."

   After the public session, Ryan Blauvelt’s father, Dave Blauvelt, asked if the public was going to get an answer about the status of Jones. "You guys don’t give anyone a reason for nothing. It’s about time you all gave something -- that’s why we’re all here."

   Board president Dave White said the board would not elaborate on personnel matters and said a new coach has not been selected.

   Colonie Lanni calls it quits: Greg Lanni, who has coached Colonie baseball for the past 14 years, announced his resignation, citing personal reasons for a one-year coaching sabbatical.

   "I'll miss it," he told The Times Union. "I'll miss the games, the competition and the Suburban Council. Most of all, I'll miss the kids. We've had some good ones and it is fun to see them move on to play in college."

   Colonie appeared in the 2006 state Class AA final and was 14-10 last spring, leaving Lanni with a 234-117 record.

   Gridder hit by car: Poughkeepsie starting quarterback Shawn Doxey is recovering from injuries received when an automobile struck him on a city sidewalk this week. Doxey and two friends were returning home from practice when he was clipped from behind by the vehicle.

   The Poughkeepsie Journal reported that Doxey, a junior, suffered a concussion and arm injuries that required 32 stitches and that the driver of the car would possibly face charges.

   "He showed up to school (Thursday) in his football jersey," Coach Ken Barger said. "The kid's a true warrior in every sense of the word. It's amazing he was one, able to survive, and two, able to recover at the rate he's recovering."

   It's unclear when Doxey will be cleared to play.

Also available online Section-by-section weekly football schedule (PDF) Enrollments and classes for NYSPHSAA football (PDF)

   More on the A-11 offense: The Times Herald-Record reports that Newburgh Free Academy coach C.T. Chatham has installed some of the radical A-11 offense -- think of it as the spread offense on steroids -- but won't use it exclusively.

   "There's a million possibilities," he told the paper. "In California, it's a trend. Somebody's trying to be slick. Some associations are trying to change the rules. A couple states have outlawed it. In New York, they're already talking next year about banning it.

   "I've looked at it and we've questioned it. I don't know if anybody around here is going to go wholesale and run it. You're going to see some of it (at Newburgh). We've already done some of it."

   New Paltz coach Tom Tegeler is not a fan of the A-11, which started gaining momentum in California last fall.

   "I would much rather get out than face all that stuff constantly," he said. "I'm not into that 'constant trying to trick' stuff. I'd like to line up and play football. I'm sure some guys will take offense to that, but I'll bet it won't be here next year."

   Walking the tightrope: The Smithtown board of education is considering whether parents should be allowed to coach their own children, the Times of Smithtown reported this week.

   The issue stems from complaints over a perceived conflict of interest last lacrosse season as some parents were critical of Smithtown West coach Sean Keenan's use of players (his son was on the squad), the paper reported. There were even allegations that Keenan had some of his players throw lacrosse balls at two parents watching practice from the bleachers, but Superintendent Ed Ehmann cleared Keenan and his team of wrongdoing following an investigation.

   School board president Carl Gianino called for public discussion on the possibility of changing the practice of letting parents coach their children. "I am not for or against the policy change either way," he said. "I am just a vehicle to get it out for debate."

   Said trustee Gladys Waldron, "The thing that scares me the most is that we can have a young, fine teacher who has bought a house in Smithtown. When your kid gets old enough to come in, you're going to have to leave Smithtown."

   The board will meet again on Tuesday.

   Extra points: How's this for support? The Aquinas soccer boosters packed more than 200 supporters into their annual dinner on Thursday night and sold more than $1,500 in tickets for the 50/50 drawing. There are a lot of mid-sized and large schools schools across the state that don't sell that many tickets over an entire season of raffles.

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