Saturday April 20, 2024 
Averill Park Sports By Issac Joseph
AVERILL PARK – Hello Warrior fans! We had a wonderful week of successful competition. Every varsity team had wins in last week’s competition!
The boys basketball team picked up their first win of the season over Saratoga on 12/14, with a 49-44 final score. Dan Coiteux led the way with 24 points and Nicholas Galuski added 14. The boys team will travel to South Glens Falls on 12/23 for their next game.
The girls basketball team stayed undefeated, beating Saratoga 64-49 on 12/14. Amelia Wood scored 25, followed by Taylor Holohan with 13 and Michelina Lombardi with 11. The girls will face Pittsford Mendon in their next game on 12/29.
The hockey team defeated CBA 7-2 on 12/17. Cole Davidson scored twice and Kyle Millington added another. Brendan Walsh and Millington also had assists in the winning effort. The Jets then went on to win their match against Burnt Hills on 12/18, with an 8-1 final. Kyle Millington scored in the hockey team’s win. The Jets will take on Bethlehem on 12/28 for their next game.
The wrestling team beat Guilderland 57-18 on 12/15. Austin Rouleau, Reese Bunney, Jet Warland, Jacob Hanlon, LJ Welcome, Jacob White, Luke Hempel, Nick Tempel, Mike Steen and Eli Goosmann all won their matches. The wrestling team will compete in the Cooperstown Invitational on 12/29.
The boys bowling team remained undefeated, beating Albany 27-5 on 12/14. Mike Angrisano had a 586 triple and Joe Minehan had a 242 single in the win. The boys moved to 5-0 on 12/16, defeating Shenendehowa 26-6. Jake Keller, Hunter Willett, and Mike Angrisano had high triples of 662, 647, and 623 respectively. The bowling team hopes to remain undefeated in their next match against Shaker on 12/23.
The girls bowling team defeated Niskayuna 25-7 on 12/13. Laney Brown had a 525 triple and a 200 single. The girls stayed hot on the week, beating Ballston Spa 17.5-14.5 on 12/15. Laney Brown had another big match, boasting a 224 single and 624 series.
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 Danielle LaPier. Dani plays on the Varsity tennis team where she is fifth on the singles ladder. Dani began playing tennis in her freshman year when looking to switch sports from soccer. She quickly fell in love with tennis because of her bond with her teammates and Coach Minkler’s willingness to help her become a better player. To prepare for her season, Dani went to the tennis courts over the summer to play with her friends as much as possible. Dani’s favorite part about her sport is the chance to spend time with her friends and practice with them. “Whether we were hitting, serving or practicing tiebreakers, we were having fun. Since it was my senior season, I really appreciated the time I spent with my teammates.” Dani also loved the adrenaline she got from close matches, and enjoys playing against opponents who are evenly matched. For Dani, the most difficult part about her sport is maintaining focus and keeping calm throughout her match. Dani said that she can easily get into her own head, which only makes her more frustrated and more prone to make mistakes. In her sophomore year, Danielle dislocated her patella (kneecap) during the tennis preseason. She was unfortunately unable to play that year, but after surgery and physical therapy Dani continued her tennis career. This year, Dani managed to win her match at sectionals in the final tiebreaker and earned the Scholar Athlete Award. She also met her goal of playing on the singles ladder, and next year hopes to play for a club tennis team.
Dani succeeds academically as well as athletically. Dani has a 97.98 GPA while taking a difficult course load including Advanced Placement Statistics, AP Government and Politics, and AP Biology. Dani is also ranked fourth in her class of 225 students. To balance school and sports, Dani pays attention in class to ensure she understands the material and practices tennis to keep her skill consistent. Dani is also the Vice President of the National Honor Society and the secretary for the senior class. In her spare time Dani tutors other students in math and enjoys hiking or walking her dog.
Dani’s parents serve as her role models and inspire her to work her hardest at everything that she does. Dani also noted that Coach Mink, Coach G, and Coach Ab all help her improve her skills and that she is grateful for all of the time they dedicated to the team. Dani would advise a younger athlete to “Keep practicing and improving your skills especially serving, work on being consistent, and most importantly have fun and enjoy it.” Next year Dani plans on majoring in nursing at a four year college, and hopes to later continue into the nursing field. We wish Dani the best as she finishes her senior year and prepares for college.
