CANANDAIGUA — After losses to Section 5 teams in the state semifinals the last two seasons, Queensbury has climbed to No. 2 in the state Division 2 hockey rankings following a successful trip to the Rochester area last weekend.
If anyone was wallowing in self pity after losses in the semifinals the last two seasons, it wasn't apparent during wins by scores of 4-3 vs. Canandaigua (in OT) and 3-1 over Irondequoit that raised Queensbury's record to 13-2-1.
"We definitely took a lot away from the weekend," coach Dean Williams said. "The purpose of scheduling Section 3 and Section 5 and Section 1 teams is to prove we can compete throughout the state. . . . We got beat two years ago by Canandaigua in the semifinals. We have a few guys in the locker room who were there during that time, so that was important to get that win."
With momentum restored after a recent 1-2 stretch, the final eight regular-season games are against Section II opponents. A Feb. 4 contest against Glens Falls at the Glens Falls Civic Center shapes up as a potential winner-take-all for the Capital District High School Hockey League Division II championship.
"We think we have a chance to win every game," Williams said. "We're gaining more confidence each game and the goaltending is improving on a game-by-game basis. The guys are really stepping up. We've worked a ton on our defense this year, that's really shaping up."
That's reflected by a 74-33 goals margin for the season. Junior Travis Marlow is 6-1 with a 1.95 goals-against average, and sophomore Dylan Hafner is close behind at 7-1-1 and 2.17. On offense, the first line of sophomore Kevin Valenti and seniors Kevin Corbett and Kenny Hand has been devastating. Valenti and Corbett have 14 goals apiece with 12 and 14 assists, respectively. Hand's stats line is a respectable 10-11-21.
Depth will matter in March in Utica if the Spartans make yet another trip to New York's Frozen Four, as will experience. Besides a 59-10-3 record since the start of the 2006-07 season, the Spartans have the two recent trips to Utica and a resume this season that includes victories over No. 4 Pelham, No.7 Webster Schroeder and No. 8 Glens Falls, plus a mid-December battle with No. 3 Cazenovia that ended in a 1-1 tie.
Williams remains cautious, but he likes what he's seeing.
"There are guys in the locker room who have seen two years of what could have been," he said. "And last year was real close. If anything it was a motivating factor for wanting to get back to the final four."
Female wrestler closes in 100: Onondaga senior Anna Cummings is expected to make Section 3 history this week by becoming the first girl to win 100 career wrestling matches, The Post-Standard reported. The 103-pounder is 99-64 in five varsity seasons heading into a dual tonight at Jordan-Elbridge.
Cummings is 15-10 this season, including a second-place finish at the Cazenovia Tournament. She was selected the outstanding wrestler last week after going 4-0 at the Hannibal Duals.
500 for Castellano: Northport girls coach Rich Castellano chalked up his 500th victory Tuesday with a 68-34 romp against Walt Whitman in a Coaches vs. Cancer doubleheader.
A number of his former players were on hand for the milestone.
