Last Updated: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 9:22:20 PM
By MICHAEL KELLY
For the C-S-E
FORT PLAIN — Roughly 32 weeks into carrying her first child, Katie McCumber is far from bed-ridden.
However, it is probably for the best if she stays confined to her team’s softball dugout while she finishes out the season coaching her Fort Plain Lady Hilltoppers.
The 27-year-old McCumber has not missed a game while coaching with her ever-expanding midsection this season, a campaign in which her team is having its best season during her four-year tenur ...
By MICHAEL KELLY
For the C-S-E
MAYFIELD — A couple of days after making five errors in a lopsided loss, the Mayfield Lady Panthers softball team responded in a big way last Thursday afternoon, May 3, against the Fort Plain Lady Hilltoppers.
Behind starting pitcher Anna Husain, Mayfield’s defense had a perfect day in the field, making several standout plays in support of the left-handed hurler in her complete-game shutout. Husain and the Lady Panthers bested the Lady Hilltoppers, 3-0 ...
By MICHAEL KELLY
For the C-S-E
FORT PLAIN — Slow starts are becoming the norm for the Fort Plain Lady Hilltoppers.
“We seem to kind of be getting ourselves in this hole here, (where) we are waiting until the third, fourth or fifth inning to create runs,” Fort Plain head coach Katie McCumber said.
Last Thursday, against Northville Falcons pitcher Allison Wadsworth, the Lady Hilltoppers awoke with a start in the third inning. Fort Plain scored three runs in the third inning, fou ...
FONDA — Early afternoon rain caused the cancellation of the racing activities Saturday at the Fonda Speedway. On the racing card for the evening were supposed to be the Modifieds, 602 Sportsman, Pro Stocks, Street Stocks, and the Capital Region Sprint Car Agency (CRSA) 305 Sprint Cars. The same lineup will now be featured on the schedule at the Track of Champions on April 28 with the CRSA event being the first points race of the 2012 racing season for the series. Starting time will be 7 p. ...
Softball
Non-league
Fort Plain 15, St. Johnsville 0 (six innings)
Jamie Fredericks had a double, three RBI and struck out five to help lead the Lady Hilltoppers to the home victory.
Also for Fort Plain, Allehah Van Loan had three singles, while Jenna Barhydt, Tara Schuyler and Kendra Trembley each had two hits.
For St. Johnsville, Rylie Smith and Dezire Jones each singled.
Baseball
Western Athletic Conference
St. Johnsville 3, Mayfield 1
MAYFIELD — Freshman John Vicciarelli scattered fi ...
FONDA — The opening of the regular season at any speedway is an important one for drivers because the ones who do well can get a jump start on the season long point’s battle at their home tracks.
Getting a jump start on their quest for the 2012 point championships at the Track of Champions Fonda Speedway on Saturday evening were Stewart Friesen (Modified), John Scarborough (602 Sportsman), Pete Broderson (Pro Stock), Dave Horning Sr. (Street Stock) and defending track champion Ben Ri ...
Godlewski, Little Falls blank St.J.
ST. JOHNSVILLE — Lucas Godlewski tossed a complete game two-hit shutout to lead Little Falls to an 18-0 rout of St. Johnsville in non-league baseball action Tuesday.
Godlewski racked up 13 strikeouts to pick up the victory. Brothers Mitchell and Tyler Baumeister led the Little Falls offense, each ripping two singles and a triple.
The St. Johnsville pitching trio of James Looman, Jonny Vicciarrelli and Brandon Campione surrendered 12 hits, while the Sain ...
Fuccillo supports local youth baseball
NELLISTON — In the spirit of community collaboration and teamwork taught through youth sports, Fuccillo Chevrolet of Nelliston, Inc. is supporting Fort Plain Little League through the Chevy Youth Baseball Program. This sponsorship will include both monetary and equipment donations during the Spring 2012 youth baseball season.
Chevy Youth Baseball is a grassroots initiative that establishes a positive relationship between local dealers and the communi ...
By ADAM SHINDER
For the C-S-E
FORT PLAIN — Entering his 37th season commanding the home dugout at Fort Plain, Craig Phillips has a tough task on his hands.
The heart and soul of last year’s Section II Class C championship team — the Hilltoppers’ ninth sectional title under Phillips — departed en masse when graduation came around in June 2011, leaving a mostly inexperienced team that forced Phillips to scour his program for sophomores, freshmen and even an eighth gr ...
By ADAM SHINDER
For the C-S-E
CANAJOHARIE — The last two seasons couldn’t have been much more different for the Canajoharie High School baseball team.
The 2010 season was a triumph for the Cougars and head coach Brent Watterson, with a veteran team led by star pitcher Dane O’Neil peaking at the end of the season with a run to the Section II Class CC championship.
Then came 2011, and with the bulk of the primary contributors from that championship team gone, the Cougars suffere ...
By LINDA KELLETT
C-S-E News Staff
FORT PLAIN — Fort Plain ‘Toppers’ and Lady Hilltoppers’ coaches took to the podium late last week to laud the accomplishments of modified, junior varsity and varsity athletes during the Fort Plain School District’s winter sports reception in the junior/senior high school auditorium.
Sports represented during the annual event Thursday night included girls’ and boys’ basketball, bowling, cheerleading, swimming and wrestli ...
By ADAM SHINDER
For the C-S-E
FORT PLAIN — In his senior season for the Fort Plain boys basketball team, Harold Dettmer wore a whole lot of hats.
If Hilltoppers head coach Casey Russom needed a go-to scorer, Dettmer was his man. Leading rebounder? Dettmer had that covered, too. A guy who could just as comfortably jump center as play point guard? Dettmer did it all.
“Whatever we needed him to do, he would do,” Russom said.
But, most importantly, said Russom, Dettmer provided in ...
By MICHAEL KELLY
For the C-S-E
Canajoharie Lady Cougars senior Mackenzie Stahler spent countless hours of this past summer and fall preparing for her final high school basketball season.
It showed.
After a season in which the senior led the Lady Cougars in scoring, assists, steals and blocks, Stahler has been named the Recorder’s 2011-12 Girls Basketball Player of the Year.
Regularly flirting with triple-doubles throughout the season, Stahler led her Lady Cougars to a second consecutive r ...
By MICHAEL KELLY
For the C-S-E
CANAJOHARIE — After being involved in high school girls basketball for the majority of the past 30 years, Canajoharie Lady Cougars head coach Marie Stahler is calling it a career — sort of.
Stahler said she’s known for some time that this would be her last season manning the bench for the Lady Cougars, but that she still intends to stay an active participant with girls basketball.
“I just felt that maybe it was time to step down from the he ...
By ADAM SHINDER
For the C-S-E
CANAJOHARIE — Monday night, the Canajoharie Lady Cougars and Fort Plain Lady Hilltoppers had one last chance to make a good impression heading into Wednesday’s seeding meeting for the Section II Class C girls basketball tournament.
Mackenzie Stahler made sure the Lady Cougars got the last word.
Stahler capped off the regular season in style with 17 points, 12 rebounds, four steals and two blocked shots, while effectively shutting down Fort Plain’s ...
By MICHAEL KELLY
For the C-S-E
JOHNSTOWN — Fort Plain head coach Casey Russom tried out every defense in his team’s arsenal, just trying to find a way to slow down Mekeel Christian Academy’s Collin Stewart for long enough for the Hilltoppers to break through against the Lions Tuesday night.
But none of the Hilltoppers’ schemes worked, as the 6-foot-7-inch Stewart poured in a seemingly effortless 47 points — a career-high tally — in the Lions’ 76-59 West ...
By MICHAEL KELLY
For the C-S-E
FORT PLAIN — Harold Dettmer more than did his Senior Night right.
The Fort Plain senior scored a career-high 27 points and grabbed eight rebounds, as the Hilltoppers pushed past St. Johnsville, 49-36, Friday night, the victory securing the home team a share of the Western Athletic Conference North Division title with Canajoharie.
While the game was close until midway through the third quarter, Fort Plain head coach Casey Russom was never too worried.
“ ...
By LINDA KELLETT
C-S-E News Staff
FORT PLAIN — Pink was the color of choice for local athletes, cheerleaders, coaches, and fans as the Fort Plain Hilltoppers took on visiting St. Johnsville Saints during the Coaches vs. Cancer boys’ basketball game in the gymnasium at the Harry Hoag School Friday night.
Matching pink socks, pink shoe laces, pink shirts, pink neckties, pink hair ribbons and even pink whistles were seen on the court and in the stands as the hometown athletes defeated ...
By ADAM SHINDER
For the C-S-E
CANAJOHARIE — Offense had been on vacation since late in the first quarter last Wednesday at Canajoharie High School when Fort Plain’s Marcus Failing got the ball on the right wing with the clock ticking toward the final minute of the fourth quarter.
As Failing flipped his 3-point shot toward the basket, he drew a bump from Canajoharie’s Joe Horning. When the shot swished neatly through the hoop just as the foul was whistled on Horning, the Fort P ...
By MICHAEL KELLY
For the C-S-E
FORT PLAIN — After rocking and rolling their way through a first half that saw themselves holding as much as a 14-point lead against the Canajoharie Lady Cougars, the upstart Fort Plain Lady Hilltoppers were a tense bunch as they approached head coach Phil Karker, clinging to a one-point lead with just under 10 seconds to play.
But the huddle quickly became a rambunctious one, with Karker and his players sharing a nervous laugh before the biggest moment of t ...
By MICHAEL KELLY
For the C-S-E
FORT PLAIN — Ahead three points with under a minute to play, Fort Plain’s Joe Ray found himself trapped by a pair of Saratoga Central Catholic defenders Wednesday night in a crucial Western Athletic Conference North Division game.
Feeling the pressure, Ray turned his dribble to the sideline — right to where SCC’s Casey Cohan was hoping the Hilltopper might go to, as the lanky senior darted in for a steal and headed up the court ...
But &ldq ...
By ADAM SHINDER
For the C-S-E
CANAJOHARIE — Last Thursday night’s championship game of the Andy Palmer Christmas Classic could best be chalked up as, “one of those nights,” for the Canajoharie Cougars.
One of those nights when absolutely nothing went right.
One of those nights when the Cougars turned the ball over to Johnstown 30-plus times — more than double their season average — and didn’t score a point until six minutes and 23 seconds had elapsed in ...
By MICHAEL KELLY
For the C-S-E
Playing against one of their old Western Athletic Conference South Division rivals last week, the Canajoharie Lady Cougars basketball team suffered its first setback in nearly a month.
The 46-40 defeat at the hands of the Middleburgh Lady Knights was Canajoharie’s first loss since early December, as Middleburgh made things uncomfortable all night for Canajoharie in the finals of the Mayfield Holiday Tournament. The Lady Knights used a full-court press to rat ...
The Capital Region Soccer Committee honored two Fort Plain Soccer players on Sunday, December 11, at the Saratoga Holiday Inn. Junior Chris Hanifin was named Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Northern Division goal keeper of the year, and senior Harold Dettmer was named a Northern Division first team all-star. Zach Sweet and Marcus Failing were also named second team all stars. RIGHT: Chris Hanifin (left) and Harold Dettmer (right) were recently honored for their contributions to Fort Plain socc ...
Canajoharie boys stay unbeaten in WAC
CANAJOHARIE — The recent string of luck for the Galway Golden Eagles boys basketball team ran out last Wednesday night, as the Western Athletic Conference Northern Division-leading Canajoharie Cougars earned the home victory, 58-28.
Fresh off a 32-point effort this past Friday, Canajoharie senior guard Ryan Hodge led the Cougars with 19 points, connecting for five 3-pointers. Josh Gonzalez also added 10 points for the Cougars.
After leading by four po ...
By ADAM SHINDER
For The C-S-E
CANAJOHARIE — It was the (almost) perfect drive.
Down five points to Chatham with 4:47 to play last Thursday night, the Canajoharie Cougars got the ball at their own 12-yard line, and for 10 plays, everything head coach Ken Sullivan dialed up was working like magic.
In those 10 plays, the Cougars chewed up 79 yards, leaving them with a third-and-2 inside the Chatham 10-yard line with one minute to play. That’s when Sullivan took a gamble.
After keeping ...
