Local Spring Sports 2017

Tupper reloads with young crop of players T UPPER L AKE B ASEBALL

Roster

By JUSTIN A. LEVINE Sports Writer TUPPER LAKE — The Tupper Lake baseball team lost several players from last year’s team to graduation, but had no problem filling out the ranks this season with a crop of up and comers.

The lone senior on the team is Jordan Young, but head coach Travis Dupuis will have a dugout full of juniors and sophomores. The Lumberjacks return just two starters from last year’s team.

Dupuis is looking to returning starters Mike Hyde and Ben Casagrain, both juniors, for leadership on the field.

Casagrain played second base last year, but Dupuis anticipates moving him to shortstop because he already has a full season in the infield under his belt.

Casagrain acknowledges his role as a team leader, but takes the added responsibility in stride.

“You’ve just got to learn how to deal with it, how to overcome that pressure,” he said. “I just want to do better so everyone else does better.”

Casagrain’s advice to the younger players is just to relax and have fun.

Hyde is in his third year of varsity baseball for the Lumberjacks, and has been a

PAGE 2

utility player in the past.

Dupuis expects Hyde’s flexibility to be an asset again this season.

“He’s going to end up pitching a little bit for us this year,” Dupuis said. “He was one of our better hitters at the end of last season and was kind of getting into a groove, so we really want him to continue that.”

Hyde is happy to accept the challenge of playing different positions, but also thinks the team, though young, is in a good place.

“I’m going to be everywhere,” Hyde said. “There’s a lot of skills that we picked up last year. I’m hoping that we have a good record and work together as a team.”

“We want a winning record, but we’re hoping to be in every game and give ourselves a chance to win,” Dupuis said. “That’s our

goal every year, is just to be in every game.”

The team finished last season with an 8-6 record, and Dupuis credits the team’s effort to keep games close and not allow any blowouts.

He thinks the group this year will be able to repeat that determination.

Due to rule changes enacted this season, Dupuis is

Tupper Lake baseball team expecting most of the kids on the team to pitch, since pitchers are required to take days of rest if they throw more than a certain number of pitches.

“We don’t have anyone who’s pitched on varsity before,” he said. “We have guys who have worked on it in practice but never thrown in a game. So we’re trying to

(Enterprise photo — Justin A. Levine)

Senior Jordan Young Juniors Ryeleigh Shore Gage Beaudette Quinn Shaheen Drew Denis Ben Casagrain Mike Hyde Ryan Savage Sophomores Jack Skiff Brennan McComber Bryce Richards Chris Gillman Braydyn McCottery Freshman Skyler Pickering

find seven or eight guys who will be able to give us an inning here or there.”

Dupuis said that if a pitcher throws 30 or fewer pitches, then that player can pitch again the next day. But if he throws between 31 and 65 pitches, the player is required to have two nights rest before pitching again.

Between 66 and 90 pitches

requires three nights rest and over that incurs a minimum of four nights rest.

Due to the weather this spring, the baseball season will be condensed with several games rescheduled to later in the season, making the pitching rules a big factor.

The Lumberjacks are scheduled to kick off the season April 11 at Chateaugay.

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Diamond breakthrough in the making S ARANAC L AKE B ASEBALL

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By LOU REUTER Senior Sports Writer SARANAC LAKE — When it comes to baseball in the Champlain Valley Athletic Conference, Saranac Lake has never really been known as one of the powerhouse teams. But the Red Storm are hoping to turn that around this spring.

With 11 players on a 13member roster returning for their third season at the varsity level, Saranac Lake brings loads of experience to the diamond as it looks to give every team in the league a run for their money.

And with a new pitch-count rule put into motion by NYSPHSAA for high school baseball starting this year, the Red Storm has a plus on their side in the fact that at least half the team should be able to work the mound during the season.

“We have six or seven guys who we feel pretty good about,” Saranac Lake head coach Mark Farmer said, regarding his pitching possibilities. “And we’re going to need all those guys — no doubt about it.”

Ten players on the roster are seniors, and Joe Viscardo and Drew Sturgeon are two keys to watch for this season.

Sturgeon is back after leading the CVAC in batting in 2016 with a .592 average, and Viscardo returns as Saranac Lake’s most-used pitcher last spring.

FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 2017

“Drew Sturgeon just ripped it up last year. It was crazy ridiculous,” Farmer said. “I think Joe Viscardo was our ace without a doubt.

He logged the most innings, but we’ve got three or four guys who are just a clip behind him.”

Ben Salls, Casey Sturgeon, Mike Miller, Brandon Meyer, Matt Kratz and Will Coats, a transfer from AuSable Valley, could all be throwing for Saranac Lake in addition to Viscardo.

Farmer expects that the team’s lineup in the field will see considerable changes throughout the season, and said his players should be taking on many positions depending who is on the mound.

“There is going to be a lot of shuffling round, so basically our team is kind of divided into infielders and outfielders,” Farmer said.

“If you’re an infielder you

will play multiple positions, and the outfield will be the same.”

With essentially the same roster it has this spring, Saranac Lake posted a 7-23 combined record during the past two seasons. Farmer and his players have seen significant improvement during that run, and hope taking lumps in the past will lead to success this time around.

“We started two years ago with basically a JV team playing in a varsity league,”

Contact

Saranac Lake baseball team Farmer said. “We’re hopeful the last two years of experience the majority of the team has will pay dividends for us this year.

“High school games are more often lost than won,” Farmer continued. “Two years ago we made 50 errors, and you’re not going to win games like that. Last year, we cut that in half, and if we’re going to be successful, we are going to have to make plays that don’t beat us.”

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(Enterprise photo — Lou Reuter)

Seniors Nick Stevens Ben Salls Will Coats Drew Sturgeon Brandon Meyer Joe Viscardo Derek Strack Curtis Bordeau Liam McCloskey Kyle Woodruff Juniors Mike Miller Matt Kratts Casey Sturgeon

“Obviously the goal of every season is to win the championship,” Drew Sturgeon said. “In past years, we’ve been pretty young, and our goal was to get better for this year.

We’ve been waiting for this year for a long time. Every season, our batting averages have gone up, our errors have gone down and our pitchers have all gotten better. This is our year.”

“I think we have the most experience in the whole

league this year, and I think that’s going to play well for us,” Viscardo added.

“We’ve been working over the past few years to really build this program.

“We’re a team full of veterans, and I think a lot of perseverance as well, because we had to go through those couple years where we weren’t winning a lot of games. I think this is the year we finally break through and all that hard work pays off.”

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PAGE 3

Cassidy, Damp provide reliability in lineup L AKE P LACID B ASEBALL

Roster

Seniors Kamm Cassidy Evan Damp Patrick Quinn Juniors Colin Bentley Logan Brown Colin Hayes Jarell Paul Sophomores Jacob Coursen Jesse Izzo Duncan Segger Scott Sharlow Varsity reserves Sophomores Colin Brandes Jarrett Hathaway Colden Lawrence Noah Marshall Gage Perry

By LOU REUTER Senior Sports Writer LAKE PLACID — During recent seasons, the Lake Placid baseball team has been able to ride a handful of seniors and some experienced underclassmen to success at the varsity level.

But with just two seniors returning this spring, head coach Brian Brandes and assistant Ron Rossi will look toward a bit of a youth movement as the Blue Bombers look to hold their ground as one of the top small-school programs in Section VII. “Ron and I are excited and apprehensive,” Brandes said.

“We think we have a competitive team on paper. The kids are working hard. We have a good mix of experience and younger players, but will that turn into outs on the field and hits at the plate?”

Whereas many uncertainties may abound heading into season, there is no question about the talent of Lake Placid’s two returning seniors — Kamm Cassidy and Evan Damp. Cassidy enters his fifth season of varsity baseball and returns as the top Blue Bombers pitcher.

He’s strong at the plate, and with Damp, who was one of the best hitters in the

PAGE 4

Front row, from left: Scott Sharlow, Colin Hayes, Jesse Izzo, Jarrett Hathaway, Jarell Paul, Duncan Segger, Colden Lawrence and Tyler Hinckley. Back row, from left: head coach Brian Brandes, Jake Coursen, Evan Damp, Logan Brown, Pat Quinn, Kamm Cassidy, Gage Perry and assistant coach Ron Rossi. Missing from the photo is Colin Bentley.

Champlain Valley Athletic Conference in 2016, the Blue Bombers will have a dangerous one-two punch near the top of the batting order.

“Kamm and Evan will definitely lead us at the plate,” Brandes said. “After that, we’ll be looking for other guys to get on base for them. I think a key for our season is those six, seven, eight and nine hitters. If we can get our first four or five to the plate doing well, and we get those other guys going, we’ll be fine.”

With a new pitch count rule in New York high school baseball this season, having a strong supply of arms will also be a factor for Lake Placid, as will be the case for all the competition this spring.

Brandes said Cassidy can be as effective as anybody in the league, and is hoping that another five or so pitchers can also do the job on the

mound. Included in that group are sophomores Jesse Izzo, Jay Coursen and Scott Sharlow, who were all firstyear varsity players as freshmen in 2016.

Brandes said Damp, a third-year varsity starter who has played mainly at first base, should also spend some time pitching, which would be a new position for the rangy three-sport athlete.

Senior Patrick Quinn, an outfielder, will join the varsity team for the first time.

Logan Brown and Colin Hayes are juniors back for another season of varsity and are projected starters in the infield.

Juniors Colin Bentley and Jarell Paul are first-year varsity players as juniors who expect to take on starting roles. Duncan Segger has moved up from junior varsity and will see time starting at catcher for the Blue Bombers as a sophomore.

Brandes said there are

three programs in the CVAC that are not fielding junior varsity teams this year, and when Lake Placid faces those squads, he will bring up a handful of sophomores to bolster the roster. Those players include Colin Brandes, Jarrett Hathaway, Colden Lawrence, Noah Marshall and Gage Perry.

Lake Placid competes as a Class D team in Section VII. The Blue Bombers claimed Section VII titles for three straight years starting in

2013, and reached the championship game again last season, where they fell to Northern Adirondack, one of the teams that Lake Placid will have to contend with again this spring.

“Our No. 1 goal is to compete with everybody in the CVAC,” Brandes said. “No. 2 is end the season with all the same pitching arms we started with. No. 3 will be getting to the finals again, and beyond if we can do that.”

(Enterprise photo — Lou Reuter)

Best Wishes STUDENT ATHLETES For a successful spring season!

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Tupper looks to build on last season’s gains T UPPER L AKE S OFTBALL

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By JUSTIN A. LEVINE Sports Writer TUPPER LAKE — The Tupper Lake softball team won four games last year, their first time claiming any victories in quite a few seasons, and returning coach Brian Bennett is looking to build on that success this year.

The Lumberjacks finished 4-12 overall last year.

“The first win we got last year was the first win in three years,” Bennett, who is in his second year as varsity coach, said. “So it’s on the up.”

Bennett has a young team with just three seniors, but only lost one starter to graduation from last season.

Despite their age, the players on the team come into the season with experience under their belts.

“Last year was more of rebuilding the program,” he said. “This year is more of ‘OK, now we’ve rebuilt the program, let’s get some wins and actually focus on the playoffs.’”

Bennett said there were only two seniors on the team last year, and he spent a lot of the season teaching the young team the basics of the game.

But with so many returning players, he thinks the fundamentals are there and is looking to translate that knowledge into victories.

“I tell them every day, we’re weeks ahead of where we were last year and we can

FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 2017

(Enterprise photo — Justin A. Levine)

Seniors Mya Landry Sarah McGowan Kaitlyn Gilman Juniors Rebecca Delair Ziona Oldham Sophomores Kailyn Exware Madison Mousaw Mariah Burnett Alexandra Bishop Freshmen Claire Denis Loren Kavanagh Mecalyn Sousa

Tupper Lake softball team focus on minor things that we couldn’t even get to last year,” he said. “And that will help us later in the season.”

Tupper Lake’s starting pitcher from last year, Allie Bishop, will be back in the circle this year as a sophomore.

Bishop said her arm got a bit creaky toward the end of last year, but is feeling strong this preseason. “(It feels) better,” Bishop said. “I pitched a lot last year and just got worn out. (I’d like) a lot of teamwork and improvement. I want the whole team to enjoy it and want to be there.”

Junior Rebecca Delair is

also returning this year. Last season, Delair played every position except catcher and Bennett sees her as a team leader coming into this season.

“(We’ll) hopefully see a lot of improvement and have a nice team that’s connected and can work together as a family,” Delair said. “I’m

going to try and lead them the best I can and hopefully be successful throughout the season and make sure everyone is at their top potential.”

Both girls said last year’s season was exciting and fun.

“It felt like we wanted to be there and we were trying,” Delair said.

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PAGE 5

S ARANAC L AKE S OFTBALL

Storm look to turn experience into victories Roster

Seniors Morgan Farmer Iris Glinski Andrea Boon Kendra Martin Briana Fenton Lindsay Reeve Makayla Schmidt Katie Holvik Juniors Jayda Buckley Kayleigh Merrill Natalie Dewey Hanna Gochenaur

By LOU REUTER Senior Sports Writer SARANAC LAKE — The goal for the Saranac Lake softball team this season is simple. A veteran Red Storm squad wants to win games.

And with eight starters returning for their final season as starters, and four more junior varsity veterans moving up as juniors, coach Deb Yando hopes it’s the right combination to make that happen.

“Basically, our goal is to keep our heads in the game and win,” Yando said. “We want to have a much better record than we have in the past. I think this year is our year. We have a veteran team. We’ve got a pretty good shot at a winning record this year.”

Arguably the most important position in softball is the pitcher, and Saranac Lake should be in good hands there as Morgan Farmer is back for her final year. The senior made huge strides during the Red Storm’s 2016 campaign, and she’ll be backed up by senior Andrea Boon and junior Jayda Buckley.

Buckley, along with senior Briana Fenton, are listed as Saranac Lake’s second basemen, and senior Kendra Martin will return to her spot at first base. Makayla Schmidt will line up at third base, and junior Kayleigh Merrill rounds out the infield at shortstop.

In addition to pitching,

PAGE 6

Front row, from left: Jayda Buckley, Hannah Gochenaur, Morgan Farmer, Kendra Martin, Makayla Schmidt and Briana Fenton. Back row, from left: coach Deb Yando, Kayleigh Merrill, Andrea Boon, Natalie Dewey, Iris Glinski, Lindsay Reeve and Katy Holvik.

Boon could also see action at third base and catcher.

Senior Lindsay Reeve will lead the outfielders in center.

Also playing the outfield will be returner Katie Holvik and newcomers Natalie Dewey and Hanna Gochenaur.

Senior Iris Glinski returns for her third year starting behind the plate.

A host of Saranac Lake’s players are on varsity for their third seasons, and Yando hopes that experience will also pay off at the plate.

She said Reeve, Martin and Merrill, a first-year player, could be some of the team’s top hitters this spring, although the team hadn’t had the opportunity to get in outdoor practice time prior to

spring break. Yando added that Buckley and Fenton could also be big producers at the plate.

“Lindsay is a really good hitter, Kayleigh is looking great and Kendra said she

worked hard all summer and looks good in the cage,” Yando said. “I think our bats can be pretty good.”

After struggling with wins and losses during recent seasons, Yando said Saranac

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Lake is fielding an experienced, athletic team seeking success.

“Many of these girls have been working in the offseason, and it shows,” Yando said. “They are veterans who

(Enterprise photo — Lou Reuter)

work well together, and they are really, really close. I think just being so close, they already know each other so well, we’re hoping everything just falls into place on the field.”

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L AKE P LACID S OFTBALL

Blue Bombers in the mix as Class C contender Roster

Seniors Paige Megliore Hanna Whitney Elaina Smith Juniors Emily Jesmer Cadence Lewis Katelyn Thompson Faith Fell Shelby Jewtraw Sophomores Caitlyn Lopez Makeda Thompson MacKenzie Kondrat

By LOU REUTER Senior Sports Writer LAKE PLACID — With the customary late arrival of spring, coupled with the timing of vacation this year, the Lake Placid Blue Bombers are going to play a great deal of softball in a short amount of time once their packed schedule really gets rolling.

And with not a lot of depth, it will be an all hands on deck scenario for the Blue Bombers, who feature a mix of veterans and new players with junior varsity experience on an 11-player roster.

“For us to have success, everybody is going to have to play well, play their role,” long-time coach Donna Moody said. “After we get back from vacation, we’ll only have three practices the rest of the way. It’s going to be a lot of games in a short period of time. We’re going to learn as we go.”

Four players, including three seniors, return to varsity, and the rest of the roster all moved up from the Blue Bombers’ junior varsity.

This marks the second year Keene student-athletes are on the team, and two talented seniors from that school, Elaina Smith and Hanna Whitney, are among Lake Placid’s impact players. Whitney is back as a second-year starter at catcher, and is one of the Blue Bombers’ top threats at the plate.

Meanwhile, Smith returns

FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 2017

Front row, from left: Cadence Lewis, Katelyn Thompson, Emily Jesmer, Hanna Whitney, MacKenzie Kondrat. Back row, from left: Makeda Thompson, Faith Fell, Paige Megliore, Caitlyn Lopez and Shelby Jewtraw. Elaina Smith is not pictured.

(Enterprise photo — Lou Reuter)

as Lake Placid’s top pitcher, and will be joined at the position by Faith Fell and Shelby Jewtraw, who both worked the circle a season ago on junior varsity.

Paige Megliore rounds out Lake Placid’s trio of returning senior starters, and Emily Jesmer, is back as a junior after starting at third base in 2016.

Lake Placid is a Class C team competing in the Champlain Valley Athletic Conference. The Blue Bombers are joined by Ticonderoga and AuSable

Valley as Class C squads in the CVAC, and the trio will battle it out for the Section

VII title in the postseason.

“They always have strong programs,” Moody said of

her Class C foes. “I think we are capable of having a .500 record for sure, but we’ll

have to be ready every day.

There is no team in this league you can look past.”

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PAGE 7

New coach looks to guide young golfers

By JUSTIN A. LEVINE Sports Writer TUPPER LAKE — A new coach is at the helm of the Tupper Lake golf team this year, and is hoping to guide his young team through a bit of a rebuilding period.

First-year coach Matthew Bancroft has years of experience coaching soccer and tennis, but wants to provide guidance to the team made up entirely of underclassmen and middle schoolers.

“I’m looking for growth,” Bancroft said. “If we can find a way to win a few matches, I’m happy. If we can get a couple wins that would be great, but I’d rather see them grow so they’re good as seniors.”

Despite the young age of the team, there are a couple returning match players with the freshman pair of Bryce Davison and Layne Davison.

PAGE 8

Roster

Sophomores Jeremiah Bell Emily Burns Alex Dukette Charlotte Price Freshmen Bryce Davison Layne Davison Logan Dominie Riley Gillis Hayden Ormsby Chance Rolley Nick Skiff Eighth-graders Brandon Boudreau Colby Boudreau Pat Clark Emily Sipler Seventh grade David Rogers

“My plan, as of right now, is as long as the kids are committed and they’re

Tupper Lake golf team

showing up, I’d like to take as many with us as possible to matches so they have the chance to learn and play on different courses,” Bancroft said. “I want to get as many of them as I can to get the experience, that’s how they’ll get better.”

Bryce Davison is simply looking to get outside and play golf this year.

“I’m just looking forward to playing golf because that’s my favorite sport,” he said. “I was four for most of the year (last year), but when all the seniors went I was five, so that’s pretty good for an eighthgrader.”

Davison, who also plays basketball, said he is hoping to improve his short game this year.

Hayden Ormsby, another freshman who was on the team last year but didn’t make it to match play, said

he only has room to improve. “(I played) awful, putting it lightly,” he said. “It was the first year I had ever played, but (this year) is the same thing I went for last year, which is just to have fun.”

“The biggest (goal) is that they have fun,” Bancroft said. “Golf is such a focus game; you’re walking around and thinking about your shot. The pressure can get to some people a lot more because of the lack of activity that happens from shot to shot.

“So building up that mental fortitude, getting your focus in place and ready for your next play, I think that will really help with the young team.”

The Tupper Lake golf team opens its season on May 3 against NorwoodNorfolk at the Raymondville Golf Course.

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(Enterprise photo — Justin A. Levine)

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Changing of the guard at Saranac Lake S ARANAC L AKE G OLF

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By LOU REUTER Senior Sports Writer SARANAC LAKE — After being guided for years by coach Chris Stevens, and Jim Hayden before that, the Saranac Lake golf team enters the season with a brand-new look.

Peter Frenette and Tim Munn, who have a wealth of experience coaching multiple sports at Saranac Lake over the years, will guide the team this spring. And for the most part, there will be a changing of the guard when it comes to the golfers, as the Red Storm look to replace four players who helped lead the team to the Section VII crown a season ago.

Despite losing four players to graduation and another who transferred, Saranac Lake does have some solid golfers back. Senior Tanner Courcelle leads the way as one of the more talented, experienced players in the Champlain Valley Athletic

Conference.

Saranac Lake has two more seniors on the roster, with Kyler Darrah returning as a top six player, and Gunnar Cross back for his final season after seeing mainly exhibition action in 2016.

Kyler Darrah

(Enterprise photos — Lou Reuter)

Seniors Tanner Courcelle Gunnar Cross Kyler Darrah Juniors Billy Bentz Connor OʼBrien Sophomores Sam Branch Will McClure Zach Gladd Paige Foley Ray Amell Freshmen Zach Churco Logan Brown Tyler DeAngelis Seventh-grader Carson Ryan

“The golf team is looking toward another successful season,” Frenette said. “We have three seniors returning, and they should provide some good leadership and experience.”

The Red Storm enter the season with a roster of 14.

Frenette said Ray Amell, Connor O’Brien, Zach Churco, Bill Bentz, Zach Gladd and Will McClure have all shown potential in

the preseason, which unfortunately has been held entirely indoors.

“They are all looking good in practice so far,” Frenette said. “I am expecting some good competition for the next three spots, and it will be interesting once we get outdoors to see what they can do on the course. We are all looking forward to playing and winning some matches.”

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L AKE P LACID G OLF

Blue Bombers’ lofty goals well within reach

By LOU REUTER Senior Sports Writer LAKE PLACID — Under most circumstances, expecting to have an undefeated season is setting a pretty lofty goal.

But that’s exactly what Lake Placid’s golfers are predicting for the spring, and then some, and the Blue Bombers have good reason to be entering the season with that mindset.

Lake Placid has all six of its top players back from last year’s unbeaten Champlain Valley Athletic Conference team, and they’ll have the added incentive of performing better in the postseason after they failed to claim the Section VII championship and finished runner-up to rival Saranac Lake.

In fact, the Blue Bombers will look for their fourthstraight unbeaten CVAC campaign, and although it’s not a lock, it would be a shocker if they are unable to pull off a 10-0 run. The team’s returning top six each finished with averages of 44 or lower in 2016, and they’re heading into a season where much of the competition has lost a good bulk of its players to graduation.

“We expect to win the league and go undefeated and hopefully win sectionals,” longtime coach John Glinski said. “The averages last year were by far the best I’ve ever had. We had three guys averaging in the 30s, our sixth guy was around 44, and I didn’t have one guy with an average like that during the lean years.”

Four seniors, a junior and a freshman comprise Lake Placid’s top six, and seven more golfers fill out the roster with their eyes turned toward the future.

Bjorn Kroes leads the Blue Bombers. The senior comes back for his fifth and final season with the team after finishing last year with a nine-hole average of 36.6 strokes.

Junior Drew Maiorca returns with a 37 average, and senior Ryan

PAGE 10

Roster

Seniors Bjorn Kroes Kevin Geesler Ryan Kane Sean Moore Juniors Drew Maiorca Bryce Parries Sophomores Jackson Deeney Noah Tavares Cole Jacques Freshman Hunter Wilmot Eighth-grader Lars Kroes Seventh-graders Brendan Bullock Tanner Foley

Kane brings his 37 average back to the links.

Seniors Kevin Geesler (41) and Sean Moore (42) and freshman Lars Kroes (44) round out Lake Placid’s top six.

Glinski knows he’ll have holes to fill after this spring, and that’s where the rest of the lineup comes into play.

That group is comprised of returning players Noah Tavares and Bryce Paries and newcomers Brendan Bullock, Jackson Deeney, Tanner Foley, Hunter Wilmot and Cole Jacques.

In addition to vying for league and sectional team titles, the Blue Bombers have also set an objective of sending more golfers to the state championships than the two that represented the team at Cornell University a year ago. In order to do that, Lake Placid will have to have a good contingent of golfers finishing in the top nine during the two-day Section VII championships, which will be held this year at the Barracks Golf Course in Plattsburgh.

Bjorn Kroes and Maiorca represented Section VII at Cornell last spring, and Kroes said qualifying for the state championships for the fourth time is one of his per-

The 2017 Lake Placid golf team. Front row, from the left, Brendan Bullock, Tanner Foley, Noah Tavares and Cole Jacques. Back row, from the left, Lars Kroes, Ryan Kane, Drew Maiorca, Kevin Geesler, Sean Moore and Bjorn Kroes. sonal goals. He could also have a chance to be the top finisher at the Section VII tournament, after finishing runner-up to Moriah’s Joey Stahl.

When it comes to the team, Kroes stated that getting over the hump at sectionals is the main focus.

Despite going unbeaten the past three years in the CVAC, the Blue Bombers were only able to notch the Section VII crown during the 2015 season.

“Definitely we’ve had some demons with that in the past four years,” he said.

“We won two years ago.

Last year we went undefeated but lost in sectional play.

We sort of blew up in the final, so it’s a challenge we want to achieve for our four seniors and Drew and Lars.

We’re coming in with a solid team from the past four years. We’re hoping to keep that going and improve.”

Glinski said that early on, it looks like Moriah may offer Lake Placid one of its toughest tests during the season. While teams like Saranac Lake and AuSable Valley lost most of their players from a season ago, the Vikings return both Section VII individual champion Joey Stahl and teammate Kyle Wilson, who both competed in Cornell a year ago.

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(Enterprise photo — Lou Reuter)

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Tupper Lake track and field team

Zurek takes on leadership role for Lumberjacks

By JUSTIN A. LEVINE Sports Writer TUPPER LAKE — Tupper Lake senior Katie Zurek is a natural leader when it comes to sports here. Whether it’s soccer, basketball or track and field, all of her coaches rely on Zurek to lend a steady hand during the season.

And this spring will be no different as Zurek heads back to the throwing circle for the shot put and discus competitions.

“Throwing farther than last year and doing better overall with technique and distance,” Zurek said of her goals for the season.

Zurek’s longest shot put of 2016 was just shy of 39 feet.

“I think it’s just nice to throw something sometimes,” she said.

Zurek also throws the discus, and though she doesn’t compete in any of the running events, she is seen as a leader by both the coaches and her teammates.

“I just kind of take it and go with it,” she said. “But

FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 2017

Roster

GIRLS Seniors Hannah Berg Tess Klossner Casey O'Connor Morgan Sovey Katie Zurek Sophomores Sophia Martin Kasandra Sipler Freshmen Ana Cuttaia Sandra Kwasniak Eighth-graders Rylee Fletcher Samantha Higgins Isabella Rust Seventh-graders Ruby Ladue London Tyo

we have some really nice teammates who help out with everything, so it’s nice to be around.

“Keep moving forward, do your best and everything will just happen,” is the advice she’s giving to the younger members of the

BOYS Seniors Logan Savage Kiley Stradley Alan Stuart Matthew Varden Justin Walsh Juniors Ian Berg Austin Patoine Cody Pioli Kameron Sarvis Sophomores Connor Jessie Jaden LaValley Bradley McLear Ben Reichter-Lanthier Kyler teRiele Matthew Whitmore Freshmen Aaron Clark Patrick Cote Scott Stuart

team.

Tupper Lake does not have enough athletes to effectively compete for team points against larger schools. Track and field meets are won by scoring points, and larger schools have more kids in more

events, which nets them higher point totals.

“With the small numbers, we really can’t compete with the bigger teams,” Duval said. “We just can’t fill the events. In the bigger meets, we do well because there’s so many schools that evens it out.”

Duval said he hopes the team does better since the number of kids participating in track and field is up since last year.

“In track and field, two or three kids with four events each, you can fill a lot of spots,” he said. “So we may be a little more competitive during dual meet season.

“We’re hoping to do better than last year, and we think we will.”

Senior Alan Stuart had a good year in sprints and high jump last year and is looking to improve on those successes. He is hoping to break a school record on the track this year.

“I’m hoping to improve on my time for the 100meter to try and get the

school record,” which sits at 11.2 seconds Stuart said.

He posted an 11.8 finish last year.

“There’s plenty of room for improvement in the high jump,” he said. “I have the height but not the form. After everyone else is done with practice, I’m going to set the bar higher.”

Tupper Lake opens its season with a home meet on May 3 against Ogdensburg and Potsdam.

(Enterprise photo — Justin A. Levine)

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Red Storm hope big numbers lead to big success Saranac Lake track and field team

By JUSTIN A. LEVINE Sports Writer SARANAC LAKE — The Saranac Lake track and field team has no shortage of talent to propel itself through this season, and boys coach Cy Ellsworth has high expectations for his large and experienced team.

“This is my third year as a head coach, and we’ve really seen tremendous growth as a program,” he said. “We’ve been able to kind of recruit kids that are looking to be better athletes in their other sports. So that’s what we’re selling: When they come to us, they’re going to be better athletes in their other sports, they’re going to be physically fit. And we have some athletes that want to compete in track and field in college.”

Ellsworth, who participated in throwing events himself, said the Red Storm track and field team benefits from the experience and expertise of having distance, sprint and throwing coaches.

He also said the deep pool of talent the more than 90 kids provides is also a huge boon to the team.

In addition to the older

PAGE 12

kids, Ellsworth said there is a lot to look forward to while watching the modified athletes.

He said the team has performed well in the past, with the boys finishing last season with a 4-4 record and the girls at 6-2.

“Now we’re looking for results — that’s where we’re at right now,” he said. “I’ve coached sports for a lot of years, I played college football at a really high level, and this is the most fun I’ve ever had coaching.”

Ellsworth said the boys should have a strong showing in the throwing events and that the distance runners should also put up good times this year.

Girls coach Jason Wamsganz said his experienced crew should be able to repeat last year’s winning season success.

“I would like to think we could have a little bit better showing in sectionals,” Wamsganz said. “I’m hoping we can get over that bridge just a little bit and have a better showing at sectionals.”

Senior Jada Meadows will

be a team captain again this year, and is looking forward to getting outside to compete.

“Preseason is really long, so it kind of takes a while for people to get into track,” she said. “But once the meets start we start having a lot of fun and really get into it.”

“I’m looking forward to meets, too. There’s such a great sense of teamwork on the track team,” senior Eliza Cowan said. “Even though it’s an individual sport, everybody comes together and it’s super supportive.”

Cowan echoed Ellsworth’s positive assessment of the younger kids coming up through the ranks.

“We have a lot of young talent,” she said. “We have a lot of eighth-graders that are super impressive this year, as well as underclassmen. So the future definitely looks bright.”

Wamsganz said one bright spot on the girls team will be sprints. Senior sprinter Randi Rondeau, who will compete in the 100, 200 and the 4x100, also wants to get into long jumping.

“I need a fourth event to round it out,” Rondeau said.

“I would really like to start jumping because I think it will be sort of a relaxing event instead of doing more running.

“We have such a big team and so many new people, and it’s going to be nice to watch them grow and get better.”

On the guys’ side, David Sullivan wants to improve on his stellar throwing season last year.

“I just want to have a great year like I did last year in discus,” he said. “I was really comfortable last year and I just had a great year. I got better as the season progressed.”

Sullivan said at the state qualifiers last year, he had a monster 40-plus foot shot put throw that showed him he could compete with the

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best in that event as well.

“My favorite part of track and field is not only throwing, but watching my teammates throw and watching them progress,” he said. “It’s great to just watch the disc fly and the shot put go.”

Distance runner Tyler Martin is also optimistic about the season.

“We’ve got a really great group of guys overall,” Martin said. “I run the 4x8, that’s my favorite event and we’ve got a good group going for that and I’m hoping we can make states.”

The Saranac Lake track and field team opens the season at home on April 25.

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L AKE P LACID T RACK

F IELD

By JUSTIN A. LEVINE Sports Writer LAKE PLACID — When it comes to going fast, kids in Lake Placid have a leg up. Whether it’s cross-country skiing or running, Blue Bombers coaches Mel and Bill Frazer have plenty of talent to work with.

Coming off a cross-country skiing season that saw Lake Placid capture several state titles, skiers Gabby Armstrong, Grace McGrew, Marli Damp, Scott Schulz and James Flanigan are flying high going into the track and field season.

Despite a March snowstorm that kept the team off the track for much of the preseason, athletes and coaches alike are looking forward to the season.

“If we can continue to defend the title to Division II, that would be the goal,” Bill Frazer said. “But this year, that’s going to be harder. We’re missing some of those field events. Some of the main people we had in the field events have graduated.”

Frazer, who coaches the team along with his wife Mel, is still hopeful despite the loss of students who have done well in the past.

“That being said, there’s some ninth- and 10thgraders that are new to the sport, so we’ll see,” he said.

“Another thing we try to do is show up and compete with the big schools. We know that they’re going to beat us (based on numbers), but if we can compete with them in every event that we do, then we’re happy.”

Track and field meets are won or lost based on points, and larger schools have an advantage with more athletes competing in more events, thus earning them more points. But individual athletes from each school can shine regardless of the team’s points.

“Another big goal is to try send both a girls and boys 4x8 team to states,”

FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 2017

Roster

BOYS Seniors Birk Albert Stuart Baird Isaac Favata David Mihill Trent White Juniors Justin Briggs Carter Grady Tony Matos Scott Schulz Sophomores Jacob Novick Julius Preston Sean Ransom Hunter Spotts Freshmen Remi Borden James Flanigan Justin Novick Michael Skutt Andrew VanSlyke Eighth-graders Spencer Daby Cooper Grady Joose Kahkonen Van Ledger

Frazer said.

The Frazers are looking to the older and younger,

Lake Placid track and field team

Patrick Manning Bauer Ward

GIRLS Seniors Gabby Armstrong Lissy Ashley Grace McGrew Juniors Graci Daby Gabby Gorodetsky Alex Hartnett Olivia Sawyer Jasmine Zhang Sophomores Lily Flanigan Faith Rand Sara Rose-McCandlish Sydney Terpening Freshmen Beatrice Hollander Anya Morgan Eighth-graders Jazzy Coolidge Marli Damp Seventh-grader Annie Rose-McCandlish

but more experienced members of their team to lead the way this year.

Armstrong and McGrew, both seniors, should put up good times, while senior Stuart Baird and Schulz, a junior, will pace the boys.

There is lack of depth for the team in the throwing events, but Frazer looks with optimism at the jumpers.

“Trent (White) in the long jump, this year he really wants to beat the school record,” Frazer said.

“Another one would be Tony Mattos in the triple jump. He’s getting closer to breaking the school record, so he’s going to be another one (to watch).”

McGrew will participate mostly in sprint races, and possibly the long jump as well. “(I’m looking forward to) the 100, it’s the shortest,” McGrew said. “And the 4x4, we have a really good team this year. (I’m) looking forward to going fast (and) doing pretty well and beating some personal records from last year.”

This is McGrew’s fourth

year on the team. She said the team has become a cohesive unit.

“It’s a pretty happy, open group of people,” she said.

McGrew and Frazer both said the weather hasn’t held the team back too much, with indoor workouts and weight-lifting occupying practice time. Frazer said the distance runners have been out running regardless of the weather.

Junior Carter Grady is in his second year on the team and wants to set a record by the end of the season.

(Enterprise photo — Justin A. Levine)

Lake Placid seeks to sustain momentum AND

“This year I’m looking to break a school record in the 100,” he said. “Last year I was off by 0.2 (seconds) of the record, which I think is 11.2 (seconds).”

Grady lives in Wilmington, and said both his parents also participated in the 100 when they were younger.

The Blue Bombers open the season at home against Plattsburgh on April 27.

Lake Placid will host the Section VII championships at the North Elba Show Grounds track on May 20.

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PAGE 13

Red Storm boys shake ‘slouch’ status S ARANAC L AKE B OYS L ACROSSE

Roster

By LOU REUTER Senior Sports Writer SARANAC LAKE — Head Saranac Lake boys varsity lacrosse coach Dermott Morgan said it’s already been a successful season after watching his team get off to a 4-1 start.

The big question, however, is how well the Red Storm will be able to compete against the traditional powers in Section X. With just two seniors on the roster, Saranac Lake is fielding a young squad this spring, but there is some experience in the ranks, as well as some lacrosse talent.

The Red Storm kicked off the season with non-league wins over first-year program Plattsburgh, and Indian River, and then went on to take down Section X foes Ogdensburg and Potsdam before losing their first game of the season on April 2 against Salmon River.

Morgan said he hopes the early victory over Indian River will provide his players with a positive boost for the rest of the schedule.

“Indian River, they’re no easy team to beat,” Morgan said. “When we beat them, and we were up 8-2 at one point, I think the kids started

PAGE 14

looking around saying ‘We can compete this year.’ I think it was one of those games where they got a lot of confidence.

“This is about the ninth or 10th year I’ve been a varsity coach, and this is the best fundamentally skilled group I’ve had,” Morgan continued. “There’s probably about eight or 10 of these kids that I’ve been coaching all the way up through the Tri-Lakes youth lacrosse program. I think we’re taking a step forward this year.

Saranac Lake is no slouch anymore.”

JB Chapin, a captain and three-year starter, and Bryon Byrne are Saranac Lake’s two seniors. The roster also features nine juniors and nine sophomores, with 10 players on the team from Lake Placid.

Morgan said a strength for

(Enterprise photo — Lou Reuter)

Seniors Bryon Byrne JB Chapin Juniors Hunter LaHart Emery Swanson Jarrett Ashton Ward Walton Bryan Sullivan DJ Morgan Brett Dawson Ethan Paye Nick Woodard Sophomores Rylan Christy Hayden Plank Nick Courtney Joey Jamison Aiden Mellon Sully Fogarty Bruno Freeman Brandon Miner Matt White

Saranac Lake boys lacrosse team

this year’s squad should be at attack, where Chapin and junior DJ Morgan lead the way. Morgan, a tri-captain along with Chapin and junior goalie Ward Walton, started the season on fire, netting 15 goals in the Red Storm’s first four games.

Chapin also had multiplepoint outings in all four matches. Junior Emery Swanson and sophomore Hayden Plank are two more scoring threats in the Red Storm arsenal.

Graduation took its biggest toll on the Saranac Lake’s defensive side of the field with Bryce Hartman and Matt Willette playing their final seasons in 2016.

Fortunately, those holes look they will be sufficiently filled by veteran juniors Jarrett Ashton and Brett Dawson, who have switched from midfield positions to

long poles while joining returning defenders Nick Woodard and Ethan Paye.

In the early going, both players have shown their prowess as defenders who can get involved on the offensive end as well.

“Jarrett, an all-league football player, and Brett, an all-league hockey player, didn’t want to go to midfield this year, and with the loss of Matt and Bryce, we really didn’t have a strong defense coming back,” Morgan said.

“Except for Ethan and Nick, we didn’t have any returning veterans back there, and all of a sudden, Jarrett and Brett decided to try long-pole out.

They’re amazing. They’re the primary reason why we are so successful so far.”

Morgan said one of the pair’s greatest assets is running Saranac Lake’s transition game.

Section X has seven teams, with Massena, which could be the best in the league, the only Class C representative. The Red Storm, Canton, Salmon River, St. Lawrence Central, Potsdam and Ogdensburg, are Class D teams under New York state’s new postseason lacrosse format.

“I think we’re in the mid-

dle of the geography of the league,” Morgan said. “We went out and proved we can be ahead of OFA and Potsdam, and hopefully, we could be right in there with St. Lawrence and Salmon. I don’t think we’re going to be good enough to catch Canton or Massena, but I think if we stay healthy, we could surprise some teams.”

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By the Enterprise staff SARANAC LAKE — The Saranac Lake girls lacrosse team has at least two objectives in mind as it enters another season of Section X action. The Red Storm are looking to play as well as they can while gaining valuable experience along the way.

After serving as co-head coach a season ago along with Chris Grant, Shannon Muldowney takes over the job on her own this spring.

And saying that she has a young team would most likely be an understatement Returning veteran Aurelle Fogarty is the lone senior on a

FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 2017

Senior Aurelle Fogarty Sophomores Hannah Bradley Meghan Byrne Julia Chapin Kylee Clark Ryley Fischer Holly Kurtz Mistre Newton Lindsey Rath

Roster

Red Storm roster that has no juniors and nine sophomores, with the rest of the group ranging from a single seventhgrader through freshmen.

But despite their youth, the

(Enterprise photo — Lou Reuter)

S ARANAC L AKE G IRLS L ACROSSE

Saranac Lake girls lacrosse team

Young laxers carry the torch for Saranac Lake girls team

Erica Swirsky Freshmen Sydney Andronica Olivia Paul Eighth-graders Lydia Bullock Rylee Preston Seventh-grader Katherine Broderick Alexandria LaDue

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Red Storm have tasted the level of competition at the varsity level, as 11 players on the 16-member roster are back from last season’s squad.

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PAGE 15

L AKE P LACID T ENNIS

By LOU REUTER Senior Sports Writer LAKE PLACID — Starting this spring with a roster of 14, the season looks bright for the Lake Placid girls tennis team, and so does the future.

Head coach Jon Fremante said this is the largest number of players he has had in his four years leading the Blue Bombers girls. It’s a group mixed with experienced returners, some talented young newcomers and some upperclassmen playing on varsity for the first time.

Fremante said veterans are expected play a big role in leading Lake Placid to success this season, while others will gain experience and learn the game in an effort to help keep the Blue Bombers’ program strong in upcoming years.

“We’ve had three successful years, and a lot of kids are seeing tennis as enjoyable sport that they can learn, play and get better at,” Fremante said. “This year, we expect to have a pretty

Roster

Seniors Victoria O'Leary Aimee Hebert Bella Reid Lane Ridenour Ashley Chris Juniors Chelby Lawrence Laurel Miller Karli Casler Ashley Strack Jennifer Godin Morin Bissonette Sophomore Barrett Smith Eighth-grader Amelia Brady Seventh-grader Sonja Toishi

good season. I’d be happy with six wins. I know Plattsburgh, Beekmantown and Peru always field strong teams. It should be an interesting year.”

Senior Victoria O’Leary leads Lake Placid into Champlain Valley Athletic Conference action as she takes on the No. 1 singles role for the fourth and final

year of her career. O’Leary is one of the top players in the league and should be a contender for the individual Section VII title after reaching the singles championship match in 2016.

“Victoria O’Leary is a very consistent player, a very strong player, strong on the baseline and a strong server,” Fremante said.

“She’s another year older, she has three years of experience playing at the top singles and certainly has a chance at that singles title.

You always know what your are going to get with her.”

Seventh-grader Sonja Toishi is the only new player starting in Lake Placid’s top seven and is stepping in the No. 2 singles spot to begin the season.

Fremante described Toishi as a skilled tennis player who will be getting her first taste of competition.

“She has been playing tennis for years now. Her dad is a coach,” Fremante said.

“Skiing is her top sport, and when it comes to tennis,

(Enterprise photos — Lou Reuter)

Blue Bombers girls to lean on veteran players

Front row from left: Ashley Strack, Sonja Toishia, Laurel Miller, Aimee Hebert, Ashley Chris, Morin Bissonette and Chelby Lawrence. Back row from left: Amelia Brady, Jennifer Godin, Barrett Smith, Victoria O’Leary, Karli Casler, Isabella Reid, Laine Ridernour and coach Jon Fremante.

she’s a tremendous talent, she has tremendous form, she is strong in her ability.

This is her first year playing competitively, and it will be a learning year for sure.”

In her fourth season with the Blue Bombers, junior

Laurel Miller steps into the third singles sport after working her way up from competing at second and first doubles the past two years.

Barrett Smith and Ashley Strack start the season at first

doubles, and they are players who Fremante described as “great athletes who can really cover the court.”

Returning players Chelby Lawrence and Aimee Hebert fill out the top seven, teaming up at second doubles.

“One thing I really see in Sawyer is ability to keep his cool when behind. It’s a skill to be able to not get down on yourself when you’re losing.

He could be down 4-love in a set and rally and bring it back. That being said, he still has to work on closing the deal.”

Despite not playing competitive tennis in the past, Swanson is stepping into the second singles spot heading into the season. Coach Chase said Swanson is comfortable with a racket, he’s experienced in terms of recreational play, he’s athletic and should put up a fight against opponents around the league.

“Those two are pretty solid at the top of the list for us,” Chase said. “After that, I think the ladder will be jostled around a bit.”

One reason for uncertainty is that returning senior Blake Roy has missed the preseason with mononucleosis, and it’s unsure when he will return and where he will fit into the lineup. Fortunately, a two-week spring break should help Roy with some recovery time.

Coach Chase said Roy and Tucker Jakobe, a returning eighth-grader, could slip into the third singles position, or also play in doubles depending on how in-team competition plays out.

Seniors Kyle Kirby and Will Graves and freshman Camden Reiley are also back for another season and are expected to play in doubles slots. Taylor Murphy, a senior, and seventh-grader Levi Groves are newcomers on the Blue Bombers looking to compete in doubles.

Boys blend newcomers with group of returning players

By LOU REUTER Senior Sports Writer LAKE PLACID — After posting a 3-4 record a season ago, the Lake Placid boys tennis team is looking for more success this spring.

And with a mix of returning players who are a year older and have more experience, along with some newcomers who can step into the top seven, the Blue Bombers think they may have the lineup to get the job done.

Although Lake Placid has six players back from last season, and three first-year team members, the competition for spots on the roster is expected to continue during the preseason, and perhaps beyond.

Head coach Tyler Chase, however, said the top two singles positions will be secured by returning junior

PAGE 16

Roster

The Lake Placid boys tennis team from the left: Coach Tyler Chase, Kyle Kirby, Witter Swanson, Sawyer Chase, Taylor Murphy, Camden Reiley and Tucker Jakobe. Missing are Blake Roy, Will Gray and Levi Groves.

Sawyer Chase and first-year player Witter Swanson, a senior from Saranac Lake.

Sawyer Chase returns to No. 1 singles after posting a

3-4 record at that spot a season ago. He’s a veteran looking for a solid campaign going up against the top players the Champlain

Seniors Blake Roy Witter Swanson Taylor Murphy Kyle Kirby Will Gray Junior Sawyer Chase Freshman Camden Reiley Eighth-grader Tucker Jakobe Seventh-grader Levi Groves

Valley Athletic Conference has to offer.

“Sawyer has gotten better and better,” coach Chase said. “He’s been playing once a week all winter long with a group of eight of us at the Northwood School.

¯ SPRING SPORTS 2016 ¯ LAKE PLACID NEWS

FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 2017