Sports

By John Bernhardt
First impressions count. How hard and how fast a basketball team gets out of the gate sets the tone and establishes a persona that can define a team.

With little more than a preview of what their teams can do, the area girls’ basketball coaches are excited about moving forward and anxious to see the round ball script unfold. All three hardwood mentors; Susie Little of Andes, Kyle Holden of Margaretville and Lisa Faraci of Roxbury are impressed with the focus and positive energy their squads have brought to the preseason.

By John Bernhardt
“A good soccer player plays where the ball is. A great soccer player plays where the ball is going to be.”

Cherry Valley put that soccer maxim to the test on Saturday in Oneonta as the Patriots downed Margaretville, 3-0, to become Section IV, Class D champions. It was almost as if Cherry Valley used a built in soccer radar tracking system to trail the flight of the ball. The Patriots were everywhere.

The Delaware League has announced its golf all-stars for the 2011 season.

Earning first-team recognition were Mychal Grant of Gilboa-Conesville; Dylan Legg and Reno Romito of Hunter-Tannersville; Jacob Pasa of Jefferson; Mitch Hull of Margaretville and Russell Pelham and Dan Marino of Windham

Earning second-team recognition were Gavin Cobb of Davenport; Cole Fancher of Gilboa-Conesville; Sarah Murin of Hunter-Tannersville, Marshall Bouton and Ian Williams of Margaretville; Kendal Sprague of Roxbury and Skyler Schoonmaker of Windham.

By John Bernhardt
For all but one of the Southern Delaware County soccer teams, postseason play was “The Great Vanishing Act of 2011.”

The lose-and-go home finality of the Section IV playoffs seemed to shrink the size of the goals to the point where it was impossible to score. The Roxbury boys’ and girls’ teams and the Margaretville girls failed to score a single regulation time goal between them as each disappeared from the playoffs after opening round play. Only the Margaretville boys remain in action.

Wet start to season

Delaware League Soccer All-Stars have been named for the 2001 season.

Boys’ First Team
Davenport: Nate Moorby and Troy Palmer. Downsville: Jared Stone. Jefferson: Jacob Pasa and C.J. Kemler. Margaretville: Ian Williams. Roxbury: Kyle Ciaravino.
South Kortright: Trevor Holdridge, Jon Cianciullo – Jesse Boest and Sage Beemer. Stamford: Mike Callagy and Erik Ehrhart.

Boys’ Second Team
Davenport: Robert Meyerhoff and Garrett Reynolds.

By John Bernhardt
All aboard! The Section IV soccer playoff train is ready to depart. For the first time in memory, all four local high school soccer teams will be making the trip. Both the girls’ and boys’ teams from Margaretville and Roxbury will begin their quest for a Section IV soccer championship this week.

By John Bernhardt
Syn-er-gy. (n) Also called synergism. The working together of two or more things, people, or organizations, especially when the result is greater than the sum of their individual effects or capabilities.

Something special is going on with the Lady Rockets in Roxbury. It’s not complicated. It’s not unreachable. It’s not dependent on raw athletic ability or extraordinary playing skills. Yet, finding it and putting it to work is rare.

By John Bernhardt
The Margaretville boys’ soccer team has posted a help wanted sign. A 2-2 tie with Davenport last week leaves the Blue Devils needing outside help to have any chance of winning their fifth straight Delaware League Upper Division championship. With their title hopes dimming, Margaretville can’t catch Davenport without help from another Delaware League team.

By John Bernhardt
He already has over 500 wins on the basketball court, but Davenport coaching legend Ray Preston is not done yet. Preston won his 399th girls soccer game when his team edged Margaretville, 2-1, in a game played in Davenport last week.

The Blue Devils used an unassisted Amy Filupiet goal to carry a 1-0 lead into the second half, but Davenport rallied. As she has so many times this season, Sarah Haight had a hand in the turnaround. The high-scoring sophomore used a Sam Maidens pass to beat Margaretville goalie

By John Bernhardt
The Roxbury Rockets’ girls’ soccer team is on a roll. The Rockets edged Gilboa, 1-0, Monday night running their win streak to four games.

The steak puts Roxbury in the thick of the Delaware League’s Mountain Division title chase. Roxbury’s league record stands at 3-1-2. Downsville is the only other Mountain Division team with fewer than two league losses.