Amsterdam 7th grade modified team finishes undefeated –
The Amsterdam seventh grade modified football team completed an undefeated season in 2017 going 7-0 overall against Foothills Council and Suburban Council opponents.
During the fall sports season, the youngest version of the Rugged Rams defeated Class A and B opponents including Foothills Council teams; Broadalbin- Perth, Gloversville, Johnstown, and Scotia- Glenville, and were victorious over Class AA Suburban Council schools Saratoga Springs, Guilderland, and Schenectady. Heading into their last two games of the season the young Rams squad had outscored their opponents 97 to 20, and posted shutouts over Broadalbin- Perth and Guilderland. Amsterdam wrapped up its 2017 campaign with late October wins over Johnstown and Scotia- Glenville.
Members of the undefeated Amsterdam modified team include; Marcos Reyes, Keydany DeJesus, Ryan Reagan, Armani Ayala, Conor Unser, Louie Gonzalez, Connor Loucks, Justin Sanchez, Carson Shaffer, Renso Montalvo, Christian Delgado, Devin Smith, Nathan DiManno, Jordan Olmack, Jai Vellon, KJ Constantino, James Weidaw, Xavier DeJesus, Avery Bowen, Ceasar Thompson, Cody Hamm, Marc Schultz, Cameron Henderson, and Nicholas Inestimable. Coaches are Rob Hisert and Larry Bradwell.
Lazarou brings home 10th place medal at state championship –
Amsterdam High School senior Olivia Lazarou placed tenth at the 2017 NYSPHSAA Cross Country Championships in the Girls Class B race at Wayne High School today. Lazarou was the top Section 2 runner crossing the finish line with a time of 20 minutes, and 52.2 seconds. The top ten finish earned Lazarou a medal at the championships, and with that she became the first AHS girl to medal in both track and field and cross country. Overall Lazarou’s time was 56th out of 471 runners.
Lady Rams swim team eleventh at sectionals –
The Amsterdam Lady Rams varsity swimming and diving team scored 47 points, the majority of which came from their talented relay teams to finish in eleventh place at the 2017 New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Section 2 Division 2 Girls Swimming and Diving Championships on November 2- 4, at Shenendehowa High School.
The Lady Rams three relay teams turned in the best efforts for AHS scoring 46 of the teams’ 47 points. AHS senior Paige Bertuch, juniors Anastacia Montalvo and Julianna Busseno, and sophomore Azia Aldi brought home 18 points with a ninth place overall finish (1st in Class B) in the 200 yard medley relay with a time of two minutes, 16.98 seconds (2:16.98). It was Amsterdam’s best effort in the relay events, and the beginning of a good afternoon for the AHS relay teams.
Aldi, Montalvo, senior Tessa Conti, and junior Kelly Kilgallen turned in a tenth place overall finish in the 200 yard freestyle relay with a 2:01.67 time to add another 14 points to the AHS total, and the 400 yard freestyle relay team of Conti, Bertuch, Busseno, and Kilgallen completed the race in 4:35.74 for a second tenth place finish and another 14 points for the Lady Sea Rams.
Team captain Paige Bertuch was the only Lady Rams swimmer to qualify for an event final, and as she has done since her first time in the Lynch pool, led by example and placed 16th in the 100 yard breast stroke, getting one point for her team with a finishing time of 1:20.59.
Bertuch just missed the event final in the 200 yard individual medley posting a time of 2:41.09 to place 17th overall. Conti (1:05.98), Aldi (1:07.94), and Kilgallen (1:08.94) placed 24th, 29th, and 32nd respectively in the 100 yard freestyle. Conti (2:24.48) was 24th in the 200 yard freestyle, Busseno (1:18.61) was 25th, and Olivia Brahler (1:24.53) was 27th in the 100 yard butterfly, and Montalvo (1:20.02), Busseno (1:20.13), Amelia Barkevich (1:22.62), and Brahler (1:28.41) were 27th, 28th, 29th, and 32nd respectively in the 100 yard backstroke. The Lady Rams entered four in that event, and all improved their times. Mohonasen- Schlamont won the NYSPHSAA Section s Division 2 title with a total of 420 points.
No Amsterdam swimmers were named when the Foothills Council announced its 2017 girls swimming and diving all stars. Emily Miles of Fonda- Johnstown received first team recognition in the 100 yard freestyle, and second team in the 100 yard breaststroke. Miles was also recognized in two relay events joining Emma Rizzo, Abigail Rizzo, and Sophia Frenyea as a second team selection for the 400 yard freestyle relay, and teamed with Emma Rizzo, Frenyea, and Angelina Atwood for an honorable mention in the 200 yard medley relay. Gloversville- Mayfield’s Isabelle Willis earned an honorable mention in the 500 yard freestyle. Every other Foothills Council school had at least one athlete named to the 2017 all star team.
Authors Notes:
Somehow not one member of the 2017 Lady Rams swim team was chosen for the Foothills Council All Star team. I believe it’s an oversight that talented and dedicated athletes like Paige Bertuch, Tessa Conti, Kelly Kilgallen, Julianna Busseno, Anastacia Montalvo, and Azia Aldi were left. There are times when high school sports needs to consider more than statistics when determining post season awards. The students who participate in high school sports are amateur athletes, not professionals. When it comes to league All Star team selections, no team should be left out.
