Leading off today: Add Hinsdale to the list of small Western New York schools having to drop varsity football for the upcoming season, The Observer in Dunkirk reported this week.

   The school joins Brocton and Archbishop Walsh in Olean as late summer victims of low turnouts for practice for 2009 season that's set to begin Sept. 4.

   With Brocton and Hinsdale gone, Section 6 schedules have been revised to fill holes, Class D divisional chairman and Forestville coach Scot Greenough said. Where possible, Central Division teams (Forestville, Frewsburg, Pine Valley, Randolph and Silver Creek) were paired with East Division (Cattaraugus-Little Valley, Ellicottville, Franklinville, Portville and West Valley) schools with common open dates.

   Additional juggling was done to reduce the number of instances in which two teams would face each other more than once during the regular season.

   "The biggest concern to most people," Greenough told the paper, "is whether or not we will be able to get those teams back and people are worried that other schools may be in that situation with low numbers. Down the road, hopefully, the rest of us are able to maintain the programs and Brocton will be able to come back next year."

   Roosevelt catches a break: Yonkers Roosevelt learned this week that star running back Dave Thomas has been granted an extra year of eligibility by Section 1.

   "You should have seen the reaction when I told the kids this morning," coach Mike Meade told The Journal News. "It was like we had just won the Super Bowl."

   Thomas missed his freshman season with a severely broken bone in his left hand and did not graduate last spring after rushing for 1,099 yards and 15 TDs in the fall as the Indians went 4-5.

   The 5-foot-10 standout has received interest as a cornerback from Albany, Rutgers and several other Division I schools accoring to the paper.

   Kudos for Pittsford: Pittsford Central School District has been named the New York State Public High School Athletic Association's state Sportsmanship School of the Year, the Democrat and Chronicle reported.

   The NYSPHSAA recognized Pittsford's Rainbow Classic, girls and boys varsity basketball games held the last eight seasons to raise nearly $200,000 for Golisano

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Children's Hospital at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

   Raising awareness: The mother of a Staten Island track star who died from an accidental overdose of topical muscle cream is seeking better warning labels on liniments.

   Arielle Newman, a Notre Dame Academy runner and two-time Staten Island Cross Country champion, died in early 2007 after an accidental overdose of methyl salicylate, an ingredient found in products such as BenGay, IcyHot and Tiger Balm, which help soothe muscle aches.

   Her death resulted in a probe by the Food and Drug Administration, but Alice-Lynn Newman told The Advance her daughter's death has not resulted in sufficient changes.

   "If I knew there was a danger, I would have kept it under lock and key," she told the paper.

   Saturday's scrimmages: We've accounted for more than 200 of the teams participating in football scrimmages this Saturday. You can check out the current list and use the e-mail link on that page to send us info on other scrimmages.

   Extra points: Scout.com reported this week that Albertus Magnus senior Kevin Umejei is leaving for the Miami, Fla., area before the start of the upcoming season. The 6-foot-1, 280-pound linebacker/defensive end has attracted interest from a few Big East and ACC schools.