By Doug La Rocque
Last week the Lady Mountaineers coach Fleda Berschwinger told The Eastwick Press her team was having some problems finding the basket.[private] Not so much this past week, as Berlin edged out Hawthorne Valley 27-20 to post its first win of the season. Haley Maxon was the leading scorer with 11 points, while Parker Crandall added seven more. Two nights later, Berlin downed Doane Stuart 39 – 14. Haley Maxon again topped the score sheet with another 11 points. Amanda Despart and Kaley Culbertson added eight each. The week started with a loss to Loudonville Christian by a score of 53-24. Haley Maxon had eight points for Berlin, Amanda Despart six and Kaley Culbertson 4. Coach Berschwinger said her team is passing better, “gaining confidence, and starting to believe in themselves.”
The New Lebanon Girls started the week off with a loss to Emma Willard, 47-22. Sierra Putnam had six points, Antonia Jarimillo and Ashley Tyner five points each. The Lady Tigers rolled over Hawthorne Valley two nights later, 51-17. Antonio Jarimillo and Aalyah Stalker each tossed down 11 points in the win, and Lexi McLaughlin had another eight.
The Berlin Boys game against Loudonville Christian was scrubbed by weather, but Friday night the Mountaineers did a little scrubbing of their own, rolling over the Doane Stuart Thunder Chickens 74-28. Ryan Willis had 21 points for Berlin, Tyler Kellar 19 and Ryan Gosse 14 more. Hunter Harrison had 10 points in the blowout while Josh Hendricks added another nine.
The New Lebanon Boys fell to the Heatly Hornets 53-37. Clayton Erickson’s 15 points led the way for the Tigers, while Brandon Napoli also tossed down 12.
After a long break, the combined Berlin-New Lebanon wrestlers lost their first match of the week at Catskill. Seniors Jesse Davis and Mike Hicks recorded pins. Coach D.J. Connolly said his young team “worked hard but were just outwrestled by Catskill.” The modified squad was 3 for 4 on the afternoon, Matt Kluck winning both his matches. The wrestling team traveled to Ichabod Crane for a two day meet, recording a victory against Duanesburg but losing to the much larger schools Columbia, Oneonta, South Glens Falls and the host Riders. Coach Connolly said praise was due to Josh Montayne, whose efforts he called “unbelievable. Senior Chris Houle was named the team’s Most Outstanding Wrestler, recording another 3 wins. [/private]