AP Sports 05.23.19

By Eric Schuman

This past week brought about thrilling events and results for Averill Park sports! After defeating Ballston Spa 7-0 in the quarterfinals of the Sectional tournament on 5/15, AP’s boy’s tennis team traveled to longtime rivals and 2-time defending sectional champions, Burnt Hills on 5/16. The Warriors went on to win 4-3 in a match that went down to the wire. After losing his first set, Tristan Shelhamer came back and won (3-6, 6-3, 6-2) to send AP into the Sectional Finals. Other wins came from Eric Schuman, Ryan Baker/Logan Bielawski, and Nico DonVito/Xander Michaels.

AP’s boys and girls track teams competed in the Suburban Council Championships on 5/14 and 5/15. Highlights for the boys included Michael Beskid taking 2nd in the 200m and Jamie Cocca and Marty Bond coming in 1st and 4th respectively in the shot put. For the girls, Anna Jankovic won the pentathlon, Sophia Morone and Lydia Ware placed 2nd and 3rd in the 400m, and Fiona Carroll took second place in pole vault. AP also competed in the Eddy Meet on 5/18. Jamie Cocca won both the disc and shotput events and Fiona Carroll placed 4th in the pole vault with a PR of 10’. Lydia Ware came in 4th in the 200m tearing down her own school record with a time of 25.62.

AP softball had a busy week with four games. On 5/15, the Warriors fell to Columbia 4-3. This was followed by a 9-1 loss to Ballston Spa on 5/16. On 5/17, AP got back in the win column with an 8-2 victory over Guilderland. The Warriors closed the week on 5/18 with an 8-3 win against Troy. McKenzie Swinson doubled 3 times and Kelsey Mohl added 2 RBI’s to propel AP’s offense.

The unified basketball team lost 61-50 on 5/13 to Schenectady. On 5/16, the Warriors defeated Burnt Hills 51-33 behind 9 points from Bridget Mulligan and 7 from Nicholas Witzke.

Boys lacrosse fell to Columbia 15-5 on 5/16. Will Fleming provided 3 goals for AP and Austin Bradway recorded 25 saves. AP received the #4 seed in their sectional tournament but fell to Scotia 12-11 in overtime on 5/18.

Boys baseball took on Columbia and lost in a close 6-4 matchup on 5/15. On 5/16, AP fell to Ballston Spa 10-2. This was followed by a 5-3 loss to Guilderland on 5/17.

Make sure to come out and support AP’s athletes in their upcoming sectional events. Go Warriors!

Photo

This week’s scholar athlete is Morgan VanDervoort. Morgan is a captain on the Varsity Softball team. Morgan has played softball for almost ten years. “I started out with baseball, as I got older, I saw all my friends were playing softball. I decided to make the switch when I was 8.”

Morgan’s favorite part of her sport is “being able to play with the same girls since elementary and middle school; it makes playing so much more enjoyable and stress free. After being together for so many years, you really begin to click as a team.” Morgan and her team’s years of hard work helped them to reach the state semifinals. This year, Morgan hopes to lead her team to the state championship.

Morgan works hard both on the field and in the classroom. Throughout high school, Morgan has maintained a GPA of 90. This year, Morgan is taking courses such as Financial Algebra, Ceramics, Forensics, Participation in Government, Literature and Cinema, Economics, and Science Fiction and Fantasy. In her future, Morgan will be attending Hudson Valley Community College to enter the Exercise Science Program there, as well as play softball. Later, she plans to transfer to Russell Sage in order to become a sports nutritionist.

Morgan does not only contribute her successes to her own efforts, but the help of others as well. “My family definitely inspires me to work hard in school and softball. They want to see me succeed. Knowing how happy that would make them makes me work that much harder.” Morgan also says that her teammates help push her to become a better player, “We all play for each other, not ourselves.”

We all wish Morgan the best as she finishes her senior season at Averill Park and prepares to enter college.

The Averill Park 2019 Unified Basketball team squared off with Schenectady HS on Monday, May 13th.  AP came up short with a 61-50 loss.

L-R, Back row, Head Coach Mike Conroy, Katy Story, Michael Minehan, Cameron Groff, Jeremy Gregware, AJ LaBounty, Nathaniel White, Nicholas Witzke, Damion Woodward, Coach Alicia Jahn, Resource Officer Nikles.

Front row, Scott Peterson, Logan Bruce, Laura Williams, Stephanie Mangene, Bridget Mulligan, Shawn Cornelius, Ashley Mazzacco, 

Mario Hepp, Coach Emma Burdick.  Laying down, Joe Natalie.