Rain, rain, go away.
There was concern heading into Friday if the weather would play a factor in the day. One game saw the rain stay away, one saw it come at the end and one had it delay the contest.
While baseball and softball games danced around the weather, golf concluded its sectional with boys’ individual play.
Peru golfers carry the day
SARANAC LAKE — A day after Peru was unable to defend its sectional championship, the Nighthawks showed they were still in the conversation.
Early this season, Peru head coach Ryon O’Connell stated his top three golfers were close in play that any day one could better the other. That was the case Friday as Cooper Sweeney followed a 78 on his first day with a 70 to win the Section VII individual championship with a two-day total of 148.
Teammate Patrick Clark was just one stroke behind with a 79-70-149 performance. Ti’s Noah Wells and Moriah’s Silas Reeder tied Clark with a 149.
The top 9 golfers – including these four – will take part in the State Championship at Mill Creek Golf Club in Rochester.
The other five headed to states are: Peru’s Liam Clark, Saranac Lake’s Ryan McGinnis-Theis and Jonah Peckham, Saranac’s Rhys Fraser and Lake Placid’s Carver Bell.
Ti Triumphs
TICONDEROGA — Ti starting pitcher Clara Mitchell said it best, “It’s hard to beat a team three times.”
In their two previous meetings, the Sentinels outscored the Bobcats by a combined total of 43-0.
Were there early nerves? Maybe. But, Ti quickly showed why its the class of Section VII Class C with an 18-3 victory over NAC in the Class C championship,
With the win, Ti now waits for the Section II champion. Galway and Greenwich play tomorrow, with the winner traveling to Plattsburgh next week for a ticket to the Final Four on the line.
The Sentinels know the task at hand and may use the weekend to enjoy the win, if they don’t have travel ball to briefly distract. Come Monday, all attention will be on their next opponent.
Speaking of the weather, it was windy and sunny while storm clouds stayed away.
Saranac defends
PLATTSBURGH — Saranac on the other hand proved the adage and Mitchell right.
The Spartans lost in their first two meetings to NCCS, 9-0 and 4-2.
Trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the 4th, Saranac exploded with six runs – including a Maddie Gagnier 3-run home run – to grab the lead and eventual win with a 9-5 score.
This gave Saranac it’s fourth straight sectional title as it claimed the Section VII Class B championship.
The Spartans await the winner of Section II that will be determined tomorrow between Chatham and Hoosick Falls.
The rain stayed away and only fell once the game was over.
Rally caps
A day after trailing 2-0 in the late innings, the Ti baseball team found itself down again.
In the Class C baseball championship game, Moriah held a 7-1 advantage after two innings. The Sentinels rallied with three runs in the 3rd and 4th innings to square things at 7-7.
The game would need nine innings, but Ti plated five in the top of the 9th to put the game away and clinch the Section VII crown.
Ti heads to a regional final next Saturday against Section X. It will be hosted by Section X and will be against the winner of St. Lawrence and Tupper Lake, who play Monday.
Cougars advance
It became the first series that needed all three games, and had a little extra as the rain made its presence felt. A delay in the game, stymied any momentum Saranac had as NCCS prevailed, 10-7.
Game was halted at 3-2 with the Cougars ahead due to rain. When the game resumed NCCS built a 10-3 lead after six innings.
The Spartans ran out of steam scoring four in the top of the seventh to fall to the Cougars.
NCCS now advances to a regional semifinal as they’ll face Section II’s Taconic Hills, Thursday at Plattsburgh High.
Full analysis and breakdowns of these games, including Saturday’s Section VII championships can be found on pressrepublican.com on Monday and in Tuesday’s newspaper.