The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

Sports Outdoors

Cherry Plain State Park To Host Winter Fun Day

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Cherry Plain is a hidden gem for many campers in upstate New York, but few explore its beauty in the Winter. On Saturday, February 21, the Friends of Cherry Plain State Park (FCP) will host Winter Fun Day, a free event to bring the Capital Region out to this picturesque park. The event will be based at the Cherry Plain State Park entrance on Miller Road in Cherry Plain, New York from 10 am to 3 pm.

Volunteers will host snowshoe hikes and cross-country ski treks.  A Winter Adventure at 11am and an Animal Tracking outing at 1:30 pm will be featured. Members of the FCP will be on-hand throughout the day to direct and guide small parties ready to head out into the various areas of the adjacent Capital District Wildlife Management Area.

Free snowshoe demos will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. The park has snowy hillsides for kids to enjoy, and the park will offer kids’ craft activities indoors when they need to warm up.

There will be a bonfire, hot chocolate, hot dogs, and marshmallows for roasting. Participants are invited to bring their own potluck dish to share at this community-spirited day. You will meet some wonderful people and have a chance to explore this special park during a quieter time of year.   Participants are also encouraged to dress warmly and bring along their outdoor gear for a day of adventuring.

FCP thanks the Town of Berlin for plowing a loop near the park entrance to provide parking.  However, as parking will be in short supply, everyone is encouraged to car-pool when possible.

Join us for this free outdoor event close to home! For further information or offers to help at the event, please call Fran Egbert at 674-3214. You may also call Grafton Lakes State Park’s Naturalist for more event information at 279-1155.

Woods Forum Scheduled For February 25

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Did you know that the Rensselaer Plateau is the fifth largest forest in New York State, and that it is 90% forested, and that those forests are 90% privately owned?

Whether its two, 20 or 200 acres, do you love your land and value your woods?  Then attend a Woods Forum conducted by the Rensselaer Plateau Alliance (RPA) on Wednesday, February 25 at 7 pm at the Poestenkill Town Hall (38 Davis Drive, Poestenkill, NY).

Join fellow woodland owners and forestry professionals for a discussion on how to maintain the value of your woods for timber harvesting, recreation, wildlife and for future generations.   Discuss how to care for your woods today and plan for its future.  Talk with and hear about the experiences of other landowners. Attendees will receive a copy of the new Guide for Landowners intended to help landowners find information in the recently published Rensselaer Plateau Regional Conservation Plan that is useful to them. Both of these resources and much more are now on the RPA website at http://rensselaerplateau.org/RensselaerPlateau/ConservationPlan.aspx. Refreshments will be served.  Please call Sarah Parks at 302-584-7748 for additional information.  This program is co-sponsored by New York Forest Owners Association, the Rensselaer Land Trust and the Agricultural Stewardship Association.

Keep informed of the many activities going on with RPA or the more than 30 Alliance organizations by checking out our new data-base driven calendar of events at http://renpa.azurewebsites.net/.

The Panther Boys Basketball Team Wins a Thriller In Lake George

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by Steve Bradley

A very busy stretch for the Panthers boys concluded Saturday evening in Lake George. Over the past 11 days the team played 7 games, concluding with the team adding another two victories to their undefeated season. Over the past weekend the boys easily defeated Mechanicville and, in a thriller, pulled out a win over Lake George. With midterm tests beginning Monday and no games scheduled during this week, the boys will get a much deserved rest until Friday.

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Berlin’s Kyle Burdick Is BCS December Scholar Athlete

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BCS Senior Kyle Burdick has played soccer since he was four years old. His experience and commitment was evident this year as the team was undefeated during the regular season becoming CHVL league champions. The team also reached the third round of sectionals, only losing to Lake George – their toughest competitor.

[Read more…] about Berlin’s Kyle Burdick Is BCS December Scholar Athlete

HFCS Bowlers End Season Undefeated

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On Wednesday, January 21, the Hoosick Falls bowling team defeated Schuylerville, in a non-league match, by the score of 3-1 ending its season undefeated with a 14-0 overall record.  Hoosick Falls had total match pins of 3,170 and Schuylerville had total match pins of 3,120.  Top bowler for Schuylerville was Stephan Matos with a 225-564.

Top bowlers for Hoosick Falls were  Eric Bloomer 221-585, A.J. Hurlburt 191-550, Josh McCart 197-544, Ken Marbot 197-521, Jennifer Sargood 198-519, Kyla Day 183-507 and Jon Bossoni 185-507.

“This was a big win for the team, giving us an overall record of 14-0.  Both teams struggled from time to time but our kids stayed very patient and did what they had to do to win the match.  Even though our scores weren’t that high, it gave the team some experience for our tournaments coming up in a few weeks.  Being patient and adjusting to changing lane conditions during a match are key to any match or tournament especially when you have to bowl six games in a day.  Our first tournament will be the Adirondack League Tournament at Broadway Lanes in Fort Edward on Tuesday, February 3, starting at 9:30 am. Then we have Sectionals at Boulevard Lanes in Schenectady on Friday, February 6, starting at 9:30 am,” said  Coach Lang.

Darrow Student To Compete In Fencing Junior Olympics

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Catherine “Catt” Gagnon, of Rensselaer, a sophomore at Darrow School in New Lebanon, is now making final preparations to compete in the USA Fencing (USAF) 2015 Junior Olympic Championships to be held in Richmond, VA, February 13 to 16.

Gagnon, who has been fencing since she was 9 years old and is a member of the Beaches Saber Club of Troy, qualified for the Junior Olympics after placing 34th out of 117 competitors in the junior division at the 2014 USAF National Championships in Columbus, Ohio, last summer. She had qualified for the nationals by competing earlier in the year at a tournament held at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie.

“I am very excited. This is a big opportunity for me,” said Gagnon, who has fenced at the college level with students in the RPI Fencing Club in Troy. She has also been invited to compete with the Fencing Club at SUNY Albany. The experience, she said, gave her the confidence to compete in the Olympic qualifier against opponents from across the country at varying skill levels. “I surprised myself,” she said. “I was fencing against opponents with more experience and skill, but I did pretty well.”

Gagnon has also used her fencing experience to complete an independent study program in fencing at Darrow. In addition to the Junior Olympics, she also hopes to compete in the USAF Summer Nationals to be held in San Jose, CA, June 27 to July 6.

Rensselaer Land Trust Snowshoe/Ski Outing At Mattison Hollow

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On Saturday, February 7, at 1 pm, the Rensselaer Land Trust will lead a snowshoe/cross-country ski trip at Mattison Hollow in Cherry Plain. We’ll use private trails to see a waterfall in its winter splendor. If snow conditions are poor, we’ll hike. Contact Francille Egbert at 674-3214 or fran.egbert@gmail.com to reserve a spot and get parking directions.

Early February Events At GLSP

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• Monday, February 2 – Almost Full Moon Outing at 6 pm. Savor winter under the glow of the moon. Meet at the Shaver Pond Center. Space is limited so please pre-register at 279-1155; let us know if you need snowshoes for the outing. This event is sponsored by Friends of GLSP

• Thursday, February 5 – Friends of Grafton Lakes State Park Meeting at 7 pm.  Join this wonderful group of outdoor enthusiasts as they make plans for trail improvements, Park events and new amenities for the public.  Meet at the Park Office.

• Monday, February 16 – Snowshoe Explore at 1 pm.  Learn to use snowshoes and head out into GLSP on an adventure.