Tuesday April 23, 2024 
Averill Park Sports By Isaac Joseph
AVERILL PARK – Hello Warrior Fans! I am extremely excited to report that Averill Park girls basketball, boys basketball, wrestling, competitive cheer, and the Capital District Jets hockey team have all kicked off their seasons this week, bringing our student athletes back into action.
The girls basketball team opened up their season on 2/15 with a 48-42 win over Niskayuna. Anna Jankovic and Amelia Wood dropped 15 points each to lead the girls team while Taylor Holohan also contributed with 11 in the win. The girls team came out with a 63-24 blowout win on 2/16 against Schenectady. Amelia Wood scored 22 to lead AP, while Julia Gelder added 13 points in the winning effort. The girls basketball team remained undefeated, beating Burnt Hills on 2/18 with a final score of 53-33. Anna Jankovic, Amelia Wood, and Taylor Holohan were all in double figures, scoring 16,15, and 11 respectively. On 2/20, the girls basketball team won in a nail biter versus Saratoga on their senior day by a score of 44-41. Amelia Wood again had 15 points while Anna Jankovic contributed with 10. The girls basketball team will face Troy in their next game on 2/26.
The boys basketball team fell 48-37 against Schenectady on 2/16. Nick Clemenzi led the boys team in scoring with 9 points. The boys team picked up their first win of the season on 2/19 against Burnt Hills by a score of 58-49. The game, originally scheduled for 2/18, was postponed for the next day after power went out at the high school during the first quarter. The boys team trailed by 9 mid way through the third quarter but made a huge run to close out the game, including a 28 point fourth quarter. Seniors Ben Romer, Mike Sullivan, and Nick Clemenzi were all in double figures scoring 17, 15, and 14 respectively. Colin Hansen also added 7 points and 8 assists in the basketball team’s win. The boys team fell to Saratoga 66-31 on 2/20. Ben Romer scored 10 in the losing effort. The boys basketball team will travel to Troy on 2/26 for their next game.
The Capital District Jets hockey team opened up their season on 2/18 with a 10-3 loss to a dominant Bethlehem team. Kyle Millington and Cole Davidson scored in the loss. The Jets lost again to Bethlehem on 2/19 by a score of 9-1. Jack Culiton scored the lone goal for the Jets. The hockey team will take on Lasalle in their next game on 2/26.
The wrestling team kicked off their season on 2/19 against Saratoga, which also marked their Senior Night! The wrestling team will face Colonie in their next match on 2/25.
Due to covid-19 safety precautions, all games are being played without spectators. Please remember, Averill Park home games are being live streamed on the Averill Park CSD athletics youtube channel. Tune in to support our student athletes!
I will be back next week to report on AP scores and highlights. Go Warriors!
Scholar Athlete of the Week By Tyler Michaels
AVERILL PARK – This week’s Scholar Athlete is Donald Ullman. Donald is a captain on the Varsity soccer team, where he plays as a defensive midfielder. Donald began playing recreational soccer in kindergarten, and has been playing for the twelve years since. Last year, Donald gave back to the program that helped him begin by refereeing games for kindergarteners. Donald plays on a travel soccer team during his offseason, which helps him prepare for his school soccer season. Donald said his favorite part about his sport is the community that is built within each team. “You are heavily reliant on everyone on your team for victory, so it forces you to build lasting connections so you can push each other to do better. Being a teammate on and off the field is incredibly important.” Donald said that the most difficult part about his sport is coordinating with your teammates to make a play work. Donald explained that everybody must be motivated and willing to put forth their best efforts to make the team a success. It is extremely important to make sure that everyone maintains positive morale and is focusing on the game at hand. Next year, Donald plans on playing soccer Division 3 at college.
In addition to his athletic successes, Donald excels academically. Donald has a 3.7 GPA, and participates in the New Visions STEM program. This is a select curriculum which, in conjunction with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, teaches students project based learning to solve problems.
Donald would advise a younger athlete that the score of the game doesn’t really matter. Rather, it’s the experiences and friendships you build that make the sport worthwhile. Next year, Donald plans on attending college at an engineering school such as RPI or RIT. Donald was recently accepted by RIT and hopes to hear back from other schools soon. We wish Donald the best as he finishes his senior year and prepares for college.
