Leading off today: Fayetteville-Manlius nearly broke the course record average with its victory in the girls’ Eastern States Championship race yesterday in the Manhattan Invitational at Van Cortlandt Park.

   The two-time defending Nike Team Nationals champions left Kathryn Buchan (flu) home and saw junior Hannah Luber slowed by a stitch midway through the race on an unseasonably warm day but still posted a 14:40.26 five-runner average and scored 55 points on the four-kilometer course.

   The course record of 14:39.74 was set by Saratoga Springs at the 2004 meet. Fayetteville-Manlius put four runners in the top 13, led by runner-up Courtney Chapman (14:14.3) and seventh-place finisher Mackenzie Carter (14:32.9).

   Delaware's Tatnall High, ranked 14th nationally, was second with 112 points, and No. 20 Queensbury placed third (155), one spot ahead of No. 8 Burnt Hills (168). Queensbury was paced by a strong third-place run from sophomore Danielle Winslow.

   Saratoga (sixth, 184) and Shenendehowa (eighth, 194) also placed in the top 10 in the deep field.

   New Jersey's Don Bosco Prep won the boys' Eastern States Championship with 154 points against a field featuring seven of the nation's top 25 teams. Shen (186) and F-M (300) placed third and ninth, respectively. F-M's Alex Hatz continued a stellar junior season with a third-place time of 12:26.55.

   New York schools won four of the other six girls varsity races, with Syosset (Varsity A), St. John the Baptist (B), Ward Melville (E) and Bronxville (F), running on its home course, taking honors. For the boys, Wantagh (D) and Shoreham Wading-River (G) also posted team victories.

   Boys soccer: Dylan Jobson scored twice and added an assist as No. 12 Honeoye downed No. 7 Geneseo, 3-0, in a Class C matchup to improve to 13-1-1. Jobson and Dallon Schultz scored in the contest's first 11 minutes, and Dan White made four saves for the Bulldogs' seventh shutout.

   Binghamton tourney field: Reigning New York State Public High School Athletic Association and Federation champion Jamesville-Dewitt highlights the field for the 17th annual STOP-DWI Holiday Classic to be played Dec. 28-30 at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena, organizers announced.

   J-D will be part of the eight-team National bracket that will also include past champions Brooklyn Bishop Ford (1992), Philadelphia Simon-Gratz High School (2003) and Cincinnati Taft (2005). Rounding out the field are Weston, Fla., Cypress Bay; Frankfort, Ken., Franklin County;

Bronx Wings Academy; and Binghamton High.

   Moving up: James Allen of The Times Union noted last week that Albany Academy has been moved up a level to Class AA in boys basketball.

   The decision came following recommendations from the Section 2 basketball and classification committees. Albany Academy, which went 19-4 last season but last captured a sectional title in 1997, will compete this season as an independent.

   According to Allen, Mike Lilac, the sectional basketball chairman, said his committee pointed to an advantage it believes private schools have over public schools with regard to accepting transfer students.

   "Whatever word you use, private schools have freedoms and advantages public schools don't," he said.

   Notably, Bishop Gibbons was not moved up -- despite a 65-48 rout of Academy in the Section 2 Class A final last March.

   "I didn't understand, and still don't understand, the ruling," Albany Academy coach Brian Fruscio said. "We don't have any Class AA wins. We have not proved we can compete in Class AA."

   Added AD Paul Gallucci, "We've never won a Class A title. I could understand if they wanted us to be moved up because we had won three or four titles, but that hasn't been the case."

   School officials appealed to the Section 2 Executive Committee this month but lost. They have until Thursday to make a final appeal to the state.

   Press box blues: The state Department of Education has told Colonie officials their football press box is a potential firetrap and has to go because the three-story, wood tower doesn't have enough exits to meet fire code.

   The school district will ask taxpayers to OK nearly $150,000 later this month for a new one.

   "It's galling that we're mandated to spend this type of money," school board president Tim Ryan told The Times Union. "The building that we have is more than sufficient. It's safe. ... It serves its purpose. And it certainly is meager compared to other structures of its type in the Suburban Council."

   Jane Briggs, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Education, said officials recently became aware of the violations during inspections requested by the district.

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

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