Area youths head to national track event
BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. » A group of track and field athletes from the Spa City Running Club have qualified for the USATF National Junior Olympic Championships set for July 24-30 in Lawrence, Kan.
The youths, ranging in age from 8-15, qualified by placing in the top 5 in their events during the Northeast Regional Junior Olympic Championships July 6-9 at Fitchburg University in Massachusetts.
The Spa City athletes and their national qualifying events are Faith DeMars in the 2000 meter steeplechase, 3000 meters and 1500 meters; Ajai Mangal in the shot put; Devante Marshall in the triple jump; Carly Ruisi in the discus; Olivia Skylstad in the 2000 meter steeplechase, 3000 meters and 400 meter hurdles; Sarah Skylstad in the discus and Tyler Skylstad in the turbo javelin and
shot put.
To help club members with expenses related to traveling to the national competition, the club is hosting a basket raffle fundraiser. To see all the available baskets and to purchase raffle tickets, please visit the club’s website at www.spacityrunningclub. com/donate and scroll down to the “Raffle” section.
Youth baseball
SARATOGA YMCA YOUTH BASKETBALL LEAGUE » In the first game of season, Mike & Steve’s “L” Raisers went on a 32-9 second half run to take a 47-21 victory over Cudney’s Launderers. The “L” Raisers got a gamehigh 16 points from Gaven Planavsky while teammate Nate Scott contributed 12 points. Cudneys was led by Gordon Murray and Kemauri Johnson with seven points apiece.
In a defensive battle, Raloid Tools got a 21-9 victory over Village Photo. Liam DaGastino had nine points and Charles DaGastino added seven points in the win while Village Photo got four points from both Cody Belden and Antonio Calderon.
In an overtime game that was close throughout, D’Andrea’s Pizza came away with a 40-35 win over Mexican Connection. The pizza makers were led by Jackson Reynolds with 15 points along with Trey Stanislowsky and Aiden Dunn who scored 12 and 10 points respectively. Arieon Rose had 10 points and Logan Bavan had eight in the loss.
College basketball
SAINTS’ WRIGHT SIGNS PRO DEAL » Recent Siena Basketball graduate Marquis Wright will begin his professional basketball career in Hungary. The Waldorf, Maryland native has signed with Egis Kormend which competes in Hungary’s top division, the Nemetzi Bajnoksag I/A.
“I’m very excited,” said Wright. “All of the hard work I’ve put in has definitely paid off. I’m still trying to rise to the top, and hopefully this opportunity is the start of something special. Right now, I’m just trying to stay humble and be hungry.”
Wright was named an NABC District I Second Team, Second Team AllMAAC and MAAC All-Tournament Team selection this past season while helping guide Siena to the program’s first MAAC Championship Game appearance in seven years. The Saints’ floor general was a twotime MAAC Player of the Week last winter, while ranking third in the conference in assists (5.0) and sixth in scoring (16.8).
Wright graduated ranking third all-time in Siena Basketball history in assists (614), fifth in steals (199), and 10th in scoring (1,546). He was named Siena’s 201415 Doc Marcelle Team MVP, and in 2013-14 was tabbed a Kyle Macy Freshman AllAmerican, Siena College’s Male Rookie of the Year, and a MAAC All-Rookie Team honoree.
Earlier this summer, Wright was invited to and participated in an NBA Draft pre-draft workout with the Washington Wizards. Last week he competed in both the Worldwide Invitational and Scorers 1st Showcase in Las Vegas.
Wright becomes the second recent Siena Basketball graduate to ink a pro deal in Europe, joining Brett Bisping who signed last month with Boras Basket in Sweden’s premier league. SAINTS ADD GUARD BENTLEY » Siena Basketball Head Coach Jimmy Patsos announced Christian Bentley as the fifth addition to the Saints’ Class of 2021. The Brampton, Ontario native spent the past two years at First Love Christian Academy in Washington, Pennsylvania, where he was a teammate of fellow incoming freshman Prince Oduro.
“Christian is a very versatile, physical guard,” Patsos said. “He’s a very bright kid who can play both the one and the two, and knock down the open three. We expect him to compete for minutes right away at both guard positions.”
The 6-2, 200-pound guard played his high school basketball with Crawford Adventist Academy in his native Canada, before matriculating to First Love which he helped lead to a 24-3 record and Slam National Post-Grad Championship appearance in March.
Youth golf
NENY PGA JUNIOR GOLF TOUR EVENT » Evan Sitts shot an even 72 to win the NENY PGA Junior Golf Tour’s Summer Classic No. 5 boys 16-18 division at Fairways of Halfmoon Tuesday night. Nick Rumsey and Scott VanDenburgh both shot 5-over 77s to tie for second.
Aidan Fitzgerald carded a plus-3 75 to take first in the boys 13-15 age group. Paul Goetz III and Michael Kelley shot 77 apiece to tie for second place.
Matthew McClenon won the boys 8-12 age division with 47 points. Austin Shulkin had 44 to finish second and Dixon Boggs took third with 42 points.
Laura Rentz shot a 6-over 78 to win the girls 16-18 division at Fairways of Halfmoon. Clifton Park’s Emma VanDeCar was second and Sydney Hillenbrandt was third.
Schuyler Lorette topped Grace Kochan in a headto-head competition in the girls 13-15 division and Shea Hildenbrandt topped Kennedy Swedick 43-41 to win the girls 8-12 age group.
NY-Penn League
CONNECTICUT 3, TRI-CITY 1 » The Tri-City ValleyCats suffered a series finale loss to the Connecticut Tigers by a final score of 3-1 Thursday. Jhonny Mateo (1-1) picked up his first win of the year in relief of starter Dane Myers for the Tigers, while Tyler Ivey (0-2) suffered the loss for the ‘Cats.
The game began as pitcher’s duel, with Ivey and Myers going out for out. That ended in the fourth inning, when Dylan Rosa drove in a run on an RBI double, and Randel Alcantara added another run on an RBI sacrifice fly. Ivey was replaced by Carlos Hiraldo in the fifth inning, who gave up another run on an RBI single by Colby Bortles to make it 3-0.
The ‘Cats got one back in the seventh inning, when J.J. Matijevic hit his third home run of the year, a solo shot to right field that made it 3-1. From then on, Tigers pitching shut down the ‘Cats.
The Tigers took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, thanks to some brilliant pitching by Myers and Mateo. Myers picked up four strikeouts over three nohit innings, while Mateo allowed one hit in the sixth, but otherwise had a clean sheet over three innings. Clate Schmidt and Wladimir Pinto secured the win with a scoreless inning each.
Tyler Ivey turned in his best start of the year, going four innings, allowing just two earned runs while striking out two. Carlos Hiraldo provided relief support, going an additional three innings, allowing just one run and striking out three. However, the Tigers were able to get more RBI opportunities, and cashed in, for a narrow victory.
The ‘Cats will now travel to Lowell for a three game series with the Spinners, and won’t return home until their three game series with the Staten Island Yankees on July 27th.
Taekwondo
Risen Taekwondo sent four athletes and brought home three medals from the USA Taekwondo National Championships in Detroit, Mich. Master Eugene Refino, a Risen coowner, won a silver medal in the 30-39 Board Breaking division for black belts.
Lindsay Gottung brought home a bronze medal in the 12-14 black belt board breaking division with a nearly flawless routine.
Michael Satterlee also brought home a bronze medal in the 10-11 red belt board breaking division. It was his second medal at the National Championships.
In addition to the national medals, Micaela Choi, Haylie Satterlee, Aishani Aialavajjala, Andrew Nguyen, Kevin Nguyen, and Michael Gessler — other students at the school — combined for 24 medals in total (8 gold, 7 silver and 9 bronze) from competing throughout the East Coast this year. Sam Clifford brought home a silver medal from the National Championships in 2015, while Micaela Choi and Andrew Nguyen also brought home a silver and bronze medals respectively in 2016.
“We are very proud of how much they have grown in the last two to three years since they began training competitively.” Refino said. “Tournaments were my favorite part of Taekwondo growing up, and it is truly a privilege to be able to give back and give all our students the same opportunity.”
Refino is a 5th degree black belt and he is the National Champion in 2010.
“I like tournaments because when I do my forms at a tournament, I forget about everything else,” Satterlee said. “About school and all the drama that is happening, even about homework and grades. In that moment, I’m just focusing on how I’m doing and what I’m doing.”
“Throughout the entire process, our goal for them was to have fun, to challenge themselves, and to continue learning and enjoying Taekwondo.” Risen co-owner Yumi Kageyama said. “We are most proud of how they support one another, and how they push themselves and improve despite setbacks and injuries.” She added.
Youth lacrosse
NATIONAL LACROSSE SHOWCASE » Gregg Dort, an 8thgrader at Ballston Spa Middle School, represented a team from New York State in the 2017 National Lacrosse Classic at River City Sportsplex in Richmond, Va. Dort was named to the All-Star team at the event.