Friday April 19, 2024 
Averill Park Sports By Isaac Joseph
AVERILL PARK – AP’s fall regular season for all sports has wrapped up, and sectional play has officially begun for our teams last week.
The girls soccer team defeated Lansingburgh 4-0 in their first sectional game on 10/22. Senior Bailee Lange scored the game’s first goal to give AP the 1-0 lead going into the half. The Warriors didn’t look back from there, with Senior Merry Gaylord scoring twice and Gabby Geise adding an insurance goal to help the girls walk away with the shutout win. Congratulations to our lady warriors!
The boys soccer team beat Scotia in their first sectional game on 10/23 with a 2-1 final score. Carter Morse scored early in the first half but Scotia immediately answered to tie the game up at one. Carter Dee scored to give AP the lead later in the half and the defense held up the rest of the game to secure the win. Way to go warrior boys!
The football team had a huge 48-0 win against Albany in their senior night game on 10/22. Gavin Giordano, Nick Temple, Dan Milanese, Ryan Heffner, and Charlie Ratigan all rushed in for touchdowns while Jack Adams caught a pass in the endzone from Giordano. Mason Brown also had a pick six for the Warriors. The football team will face Columbia in their final regular season game on 10/29. Good Luck Warriors!
The girls tennis team wrapped up their season at the individual sectionals tournament on 10/19. The doubles team of Dayna Densmore & Avery Kittleson advanced to the third round, beating teams from Cairo-Durham and Emma Willard. Congrats to the tennis team on a great season!
The volleyball team lost 25-11, 25-7, 25-3 to Burnt Hills on 10/19. They also lost to Saratoga 25-17, 25-14, 26-24 on 10/21. Olivia Kronau had 9 assists and 13 service points in the game while Bella Mahar had 5 kills and Molly Eaton had 6 blocks.
The Troy-AP swim team lost 52-42 against Burnt Hills-Scotia in their final regular season meet on 10/19. Congrats to the swim team on a fantastic season!
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 Avery Kittleson. Avery is a captain for the Varsity tennis team, where she plays on the singles ladder. Avery began playing tennis in her freshman year after switching over from soccer, and has now been playing the sport for four years. To prepare for her season, Avery makes sure she runs, lifts, and gets onto the courts to play as much as possible. Avery’s favorite part about her sport is her teammates; Avery loves her team and having the chance to play with them. Avery also noted that the mental state required to play tennis can be challenging to maintain. “Tennis is a mental sport. It can be so easy to get in your head so you have to stay concentrated.” This year, Avery is proud of making it past the first two rounds of sectionals and into the round of 16 with Dayna Densmore as her doubles partner.
In addition to her athletic accomplishments, Avery is successful academically. Avery has a 97.43 GPA, and is enrolled in the New Visions Medical Program. To balance school and sports, Avery prioritizes her homework over sports. Avery also ensures that she gets the most out of her study hall, and uses it to get as much work done as possible. Avery is also a member of the National Honor Society, and in her free time Avery enjoys hanging out with friends.
Avery’s parents and grandparents have been her role models. They always inspire Avery to work hard in school, and Avery does her best to make them proud. Avery also noted that Coach G and Coach Abb have helped her excel in her sport by supporting her and molding her into the player she is today. Avery would advise a younger athlete to “enjoy high school and to participate in plenty of sports and activities.” Avery is currently applying to colleges, and next year Avery plans on majoring in biology on a pre-med track. We wish Avery the best as she finishes her senior year and prepares for college.
