AHS cross country teams wrap up Foothill Council play
The Amsterdam High School boys and girls cross country teams completed the 2016 Foothills Council league dual meet season on Tuesday afternoon against Johnstown at Bob’s Trees in Galway. Both AHS varsity teams dropped closely contested meets with the Lady Bills besting the Lady Rams 27-28, and the Bills prevailing over the Rams 27-29. Several AHS runners posted season best times.
Amsterdam junior Olivia Lazarou won the girls varsity race with a time of 18 minutes and ten seconds. Lazarou completed the 2.82 mile course nearly a minute faster than Johnstown’s Julia Sarullo (19:02), who was the Lady Bills top finisher. Sarullo was followed by teammate Aylene Newman (19:26). Amsterdam freshman Kayla Sondrup (21:02) crossed the line in fourth place and tied the meet early, but Johnstown’s Julia Preston (21:04) kept the Lady Bills a single point ahead with her fifth place finish ahead of AHS’ Brook Marshall (21:15), and Casey VanValkenberg (21:30) sealed the win for Johnstown with her seventh place finish in front of Amsterdam’s Sydney Sczezapanik (22:08).
The win for Lazarou was her eighth straight in Foothills Council dual meets, and twelfth straight over Foothills Council south division teams since she joined the varsity program in 2014. Lazarou’s only second place finish in a Foothills Council dual meet was to Schuylerville’s Ashley Watson during a Foothills Council crossover meet in her freshman year in 2014. Both Lazarou and Watson will be among the top contenders at the Foothills Council championships at Saratoga Springs State Park on October 24.
Rounding out the field for the Lady Rams were Gaby Maroto (22:11), Natalia Quinones (24:07), Gabby Feliciano (25:06), the Lady Rams lone senior Mikayla Pine (25:43), Emma Kelly (26:13), and Dalia Quinones (26:53).
Completing the lineup for Johnstown were Katie Romano (22:11), Lindsey Fiore (23:06), and Lauryn Wilson (24:35).
Johnstown’s Brandon Mraz won the varsity boys race crossing the line in 16:49. The Amsterdam boys were led by junior Ryan Kamanu’s second place effort with a time of 17:05. Kamanu and Mraz will be among the top contenders for the Foothills Council varsity boys title on October 24.
Daniel Bublak (17:08) gave the AHS boys a brief lead, but Johnstown’s Gabe Cole (17:28), and Michael Simone (17:53) gave the Bills the advantage they needed. Trevor Dzikowicz (18:11), and John Companion (18:14) were next across the line for AHS. Zack Ropeter (18:17), Mark Cwiakala (18:22) and Nathan Cotton (18:23) sealed the win for Johnstown.
The Amsterdam boys lone senior Antonio Natole (18:28) completed the top ten finishers. Rounding out the order of finish for the Rams were Chris Pikul (19:10), Marcos Santiago (19:14), Marco Rivera (23:09), Nick Rodecker (24:52), Lucas Tepan (25:38), and Jon Santiago (26:37).
Also completing the course for Johnstown were; Dominic Discosia (18:54), Alfio Demarco (19:16), Will Dickson (20:46), Christian Germany (20:48), Justin Ferraro (21:17), Cody Draper (25:20), and Shain Krutz (27:17).
The Amsterdam teams will finish the season with a pair of invitationals beginning this Saturday at Indian Meadows Park in Glenville for the Tartan Invitational. The following Saturday, October 15, the AHS teams will head to Saratoga State Park for the Burnt Hills Invitational. Both the Foothills Council championships (Oct. 24) and the Section 2 Championships (Nov. 4) will also be held at Saratoga State Park.
South Glens Falls bests AHS volleyball in three games
After traveling to face the defending Section 2 Class B champion Hudson Falls Lady Tigers on Wednesday night, the AHS volleyball team was back in action against another of the top teams in a very competitive Foothills Council. Amsterdam dropped a 25-7, 25-15, 25-10 decision to the South Glens Falls Lady Bulldogs on Thursday night at the AHS gym, but the team kept battling until the final point.
When Amsterdam coach Christine Sherlock was asked about what effort she was expecting against the top team in the Foothills Council north division, she replied, “Exactly what I saw…They played with a lot of heart.”
The Lady Rams best effort came in the second game where they burst out to a 5-0 lead behind the serve of senior Morgan Durinick and the hitting of seniors Kateland Cooks and Maria Lomanto. The Lady Bulldogs responded with the serving of Alison Taylor and the hitting of Mackenzie Collier and Claire Carpenter to knot things up at 5-5, but could not pull away as Amsterdam was successful on a series of volleys with several saves by Alyssa Kuchis and Cinderea Chrzanowski that kept the Lady Rams within striking distance. A kill by AHS’ Giuliana Pritchard closed the gap to 10-9, and later a kill by Lomanto cut it to 14-12 showed that the home team had plenty of fight in them. Taylor and Morghan Fisk finally managed to put together consecutive points off their serve to help the Lady Bulldogs take the second game and control of the match.
“They went out and fought,” Coach Sherlock said. “There were some great digs and some great saving plays out on the court tonight.”
Amsterdam continued to battle in the third game getting kills from Durinick to break Taylors’ serve, and from Alexandria Iglesias to stop Taylor Wells serve tying things up a 2-2. Kuchis offered up an ace to give AHS a 3-2 lead, and Lomanto’s next kill kept the Lady Rams in front at 4-3, but Haylee Scarincio eventually gave South High a 7-4 lead with three straight points off her serve and the Lady Bulldogs stayed out in front the remainder of the game. Kills by Lomanto and Pritchard briefly stopped the Lady Bulldogs momentum, but Taylor and Wells helped South High build a double digit lead and take the match. Wells led South Glens Falls with 20 service points, Taylor was next with 12 points from serve.
South Glens Falls went on a run late in the first game behind seven points from Wells to take command at 24-7. A kill by Cooks stopped the surge but the Lady Rams couldn’t hold their serve and a hit out of bounds ended the opening set.
Amsterdam was led by Durinick’s six service points including one ace, and 12 assists. Chrzanowski added nine digs leading the AHS defense. Lomanto led the AHS offense with five kills. Kuchis and Pritchard each had a pair of kills, Cooks had three kills, and Iglesias had one kill.
Collier had 14 assists to go along with her team high eight kills for South Glens Falls. Claire Carpenter contributed six kills, and Annika Krippin and Krysten Lemay each added a pair of kills for the Lady Bulldogs.
“I was proud of them,” Coach Sherlock said. “They faced a great team tonight, one that will probably go to states. They will face another one Tuesday. There are no easy teams in the Foothills Council, only great competition.”
Amsterdam (4-8 overall, 3-7 Foothills Council) will host the Queensbury Lady Spartans on Tuesday at Amsterdam High School. Start of the varsity match is 6pm.
The Foothills Council sent two teams to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) volleyball championships last year. Both Broadalbin-Perth (Class C) and Hudson Falls (Class B) were part of a group of five Section 2 teams that competed for state titles. Amsterdam will face the Broadalbin-Perth Lady Patriots on October 18 at AHS for the second meeting of the two division rivals. Overall, the Lady Rams will have played three Section 2 champion, and state finalist teams (Broadalbin-Perth, Hudson Falls, Mayfield) by seasons end. Should the Lady Rams qualify for sectionals, a meeting with yet another state championship team, the Burnt Hills- Ballston Lake Lady Spartans (Class A) could be looming.
Senior night for the Lady Rams will be held on Wednesday, October 19 against Berne-Knox-Westerlo. The Lady Rams and their fans will honor six seniors; Morgan Durinick, Maria Lomanto, Kateland Cooks, Cinderea Chrzanowski, Ashlin Glionna, and Gianna Petrone.
