Tag Archives: Chuck Walley

Outside the Box by Chuck Walley A Look at Webb Sports

Congratulations: Golf team takes home sectional crown First time in Town of Webb School history

As you all know, Old Forge is home to one of the smallest Class D schools around-and that’s not a bad thing. There are countless advantages to the environment our kids enjoy when they step off the bus ever morning.

To be fair, however, it can create some challenges when assembling teams. Not only is there a smaller talent pool from which these squads must be formed, but many of the student-athletes participate in two sports.

That reality makes this year’s accomplishments in Varsity Golf as well as Boys and Girls Track and Field all the more impressive.

In fact, be prepared to be blown away by the unprecedented success of these three teams.

Varsity Golf

Coming off last week’s CSC Northern Division Championship, all eyes were on these guys. After all, if they could continue swinging the clubs as they had been, there was a pretty good chance that they could make some noise at Sectionals.

Sure enough, that’s exactly what they did, although I’m not sure anyone expected things to play out quite so favorably.

On Monday, May 23, New York Mills’ Twin Ponds Country Club played host to the Section III Championships. Entrants would face a full eighteen holes on this challenging course, testing both stamina and consistency.

Apparently, they were more than up for it, as they posted a tremendous four-player team score of 338, as follows: Damon Kull (79); Colin Criss (82); Ben Hannah (86); and Devin Daiker (91).

And what did that get them for their efforts? Only the school’s first-ever Section III Championship!

Yes, it’s true. The team brought home the gold and finished their season in style, to say the least. I don’t know if a simple “congratulations” will suffice, but I hope they know how much this means to all of their fans and the town in general.

Nice work, team. Ya’ did yourselves proud. Not to mention that Hannah, Criss, and Kull are all moving on to the State Qualifiers on May 26th and 28th at Seven Oaks Country Club in Hamilton. Best of luck to you three as well.

That’s not all, though. Read on and find out what might possibly be the best Spring sports season of all time looks like.

Boys and Girls Varsity

Track and Field

New York Mills will be remembered as a particularly friendly place for local athletes as both track teams would compete in the Center State Conference Division III Championship Meet on Thursday, May 19, only a few days prior to their club-toting pals.

Competing against Remsen, Hamilton, New York Mills, Oriskany, Poland, and Owen D. Young, the girls had their work cut out for them. Suffice it to say, they never flinched.

The points rolled in from team leaders Caitlyn Bailey and Maddie Phaneuf to be sure. There were also some pleasant surprises from numerous members who all contributed mightily to the final outcome.

Bailey finished first in the high hurdles and second in the intermediates. Pheneuf had a strong showing with a second in the 1500 and a fourth in the 800.

Lauren Holt’s outing was also key, as she pointed in the triple jump (2nd), high jump (2nd), and pole vault (3rd).

Jessica Hannah earned a fourth place ribbon in the high hurdles along with a sixth place finish in the intermediates and was joined by Sarah Branch (4th-100 meters), Ada Rannels (4th-shot put), and Elizabeth Getty ( 6th-long jump; 6th-triple jump) to round out the scoring.

At the end of the day, they compiled enough points to finish in second place overall, which is the strongest showing for our girls in recent memory. Remsen, who has been a frontrunner all season, won the meet.

As for the guys… well, what can you say? Their run of excellence just rolls on and on. I’d like to use the word dominating to describe their day, but it doesn’t really do them justice.

Hitting on all cylinders, their top four scorers amassed enough points (144) to win the thing all by themselves. That was hardly the case, though, as they managed a team total of 232, enough to exactly double that of their closest competitor, New York Mills, who finished with 116 points.

As has been the case all year, Connor Rockhill and Ethan Kress were superb. They won three events each, including the high hurdles, intermediates, and pole vault (Rockhill) and the triple jump, high jump, and discus (Kress).

Not to be outdone, Trevor Godemann came in first in the 400, 800, and long jump. When you add in Ryan Queen’s win in the 1600, the team’s jaw-dropping ways are clear, with ten first-place finishes out of the fourteen individual events.

And those are just the winning ribbons-there’s a whole lot more to report.

Other points came from Kevin Kress (2nd-high jump, high hurdles, 200 meter dash, pole vault); Queen (2nd-3200); Godemann (2nd-triple jump); Ethan Kress (2nd-long jump); Lance Frymire (2nd-100 ; 3rd-200; 4th-400); Rex Rimato (3rd-800, triple jump); Rockhill (3rd-triple jump); Pat Venetz ( 3rd-discus, 4th-shot put); Dane Daiker (4th-pole vault); Ken Pastore (5th-3200); John Landl (5th-400); Will Johnson (6th-3200); Hanson Schmid (6th-intermediates).

Despite the unbelievable result, the celebration was short-lived. This team and their coach, Tim Leach, know that there is a bigger fish in the pond, just waiting to be hooked, cleaned and wolfed down.

On Wednesday, May 25, right at deadline, this squad will be in Remsen as they attempt to Three-Peat as Section III Champs. Now that would make for a tasty supper! More on their exploits next week.

 

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Outside the Box by Chuck Walley

Another big week: Boys track team continues dominance;

golf team impresses with strong play, nary a weakness Jessica Menges has nice outing, pitches lady Eskimos to extra innings victory over Rome Catholic Is it me, or does the Spring sports season seem to fly by like no other? It feels like we just got started and, here we are, staring at the closing weeks.

I, for one, will miss the action but, on a positive note, am greatly looking forward to the joys of summer. Undoubtedly, there are a plethora of students who will second that motion!

Varsity Track and Field

With League and Sectional meets on the near horizon, the guys and gals got in a fine tune-up last Wednesday, May 11 at Remsen.

Oriskany and Morrisville-Eaton were also on hand to round out the field.

The girls looked solid as they cruised to a second-place team finish, with Remsen taking home top honors.

Two of the top performances came from Maddie Phaneuf and Caitlyn Bailey, who each earned first and second place ribbons.

Phaneuf’s were in the 1500 (1st) and 800 (2nd), while Bailey’s occurred in the 100 high hurdles (1st) and 400 intermediate hurdles (2nd).

Lauren Holt continued her strong season with a second place finish in the high jump as well as third place in the pole vault.

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Meanwhile, the guys dominated the meet and won going away. None was more impressive on the day than Connor Rockhill, however.

All Connor did was to win the high hurdles and 400 hurdles, place second in the high jump, and then wrap up the remarkable showing by breaking his own pole vault record with a mark of 13 feet.

Also adding a slew of points was Ethan Kress, who won the triple-jump and discus while placing third in the long jump to boot.

Lance Frymire had a terrific meet, winning both the 100 and 200 meter dashes as he had personal bests in both events. Continue reading →

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Outside the Box by Chuck Walley

Golf and tracks teams proving dominant in league play, their performances jaw-droppingly impressive at times Though Spring Break forces a late start to the Town of Webb sports schedule and frequently causes disadvantages for our school, the Varsity Golf team bucked that trend with extreme prejudice last week. Continue reading →

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Outside the Box A Look at Webb Sports

Sophomore Ethan Kress breaks school track record John Best’s mark had stood almost 40 years. New record also set in pole vault by Connor Rockhill

I’ve been spending some time in the gym lately trying to stay true to this year’s New Year’s resolution, having faced the fact that serious attention to diet and exercise was long overdue.

And I’ve been running into old friends who are also “getting into shape” although, in my own defense, I was already in shape—round is a shape, isn’t it?

Among the guys I bumped into was Tim Leach, who was taking some good-natured ribbing regarding the qualifications for coaching track.

“How hard can it be? You just tell ‘em to get out there and run around in a circle as fast as they can.”

While the fellow poking fun surely knew better, others may underestimate just what goes into getting the most out of a track team, be it boys or girls.

This season the boys will be going for an unprecedented Three-Peat as Sectional Champs, so let’s look closer at the coach’s role.

First, as opposed to any of the “team sports,” there are a wide variety of events, each of which utilizes different techniques.

Running events, for example, require participants to consider stride length, pace, and breathing, among other things.

Jumping events such as the high jump, long jump, and triple-jump require completely different skill sets, although running is still involved.

The same can be said for throwing events, which rely heavily on technique and strength.

While pretty much everyone on a soccer or basketball team can benefit from learning the same fundamentals, a track team’s success is quite the opposite.

Then, once you’ve got everyone prepared for their individual events, it’s time for the really hard part—strategizing.

This is especially crucial for coaches with smaller teams such as Old Forge.

Since each athlete may only participate in four events at a meet, a lot of thought goes into who will compete and in which event.

This planning is a misunderstood and underappreciated facet of our track seasons.

A coach might, for example, keep his athletes out of a particular individual race, such as the 800 meters, in order that they be available for a relay which he projects they can score more points in.

Such strategizing requires that you not only know your own athletes’ strengths and weaknesses, but those of every other team you will be facing. That involves a lot of research and number-crunching.

For two years in a row Tim Leach has taken the information at his disposal and led his squads to Sectional titles.

This year he only has thirteen boys to work with—about half the size of recent teams.

Still, he maintains an optimistic outlook.

“We are quite small in number, but we have some truly outstanding athletes,” he said. “We’ll line up, do our best, and see what happens. Honestly, if we can stay healthy, I like our chances.”

With his experience, and the guys recognizing the rare opportunity to bring home yet another title, I wouldn’t bet against them.

Girls Varsity Track

With Spring Break behind them, and the snow finally becoming a memory, the girls traveled south on Wednesday, April 27 to take on Cooperstown and host New York Mills.

Showing very little rust, despite a complete dearth of practice leading into the meet, several of the athletes put up fine performances.

Maddie Phaneuf picked up right where she left off last year, leaving little doubt as to her level of determination to dominate her events, winning both the 800 and 1500.

Another Old Forge standout, Caitlyn Bailey, also took home two firsts in winning the 100 and 400 meter hurdles.

Lauren Holt had a remarkable day as she pointed in three events, including the pole vault (2nd), high jump (3rd), and 400 dash (3rd).

Sarah Branch also had multiple wins, placing third in both the 100 and 200 meters.

Finally, in her very first attempt at the grueling 3000 meter run, Taylor Payne impressed with a second place finish.

Boys Varsity Track

The guys were also in action at New York Mills and had an exceptional outing, losing to a much larger Cooperstown squad but besting Mills 65-62.

As he often does, Coach Leach used this early-season meet to get a feel for his athletes. Clearly, while being competitive on this day was in the plans, his primary goal centered on learning what matchups would provide an edge for later in the season.

If early results are any indication, these guys are going to present Coach Leach wit Continue reading →

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Outside the Box A Look at Webb Sports

There are a number of aspects that make writing for The Weekly Adirondack a uniquely rewarding experience.

To begin, the entire staff has a genuine connection to, and interest in, the community.  That commitment and dedication shows up every week, providing readers with reporting that is not only fair and accurate, but also reflects the true essence of local residents.

The opportunity to cover the exploits of our student-athletes is also especially gratifying.  It might sound corny but, as the song lyric says, “I believe the children are our future”.  Watching these kids grow into young adults over the last few years has been one of the great experiences of my life.

Another benefit which our small-town environment provides is the chance to get direct feedback from friends, neighbors, and the citizenry in general.

Last week, for example, I tackled a difficult topic which had the potential to raise a few hackles.  And, believe it or not, not every newspaper columnist thrives on, or seeks out, controversy.

Thankfully, folks in these parts seem to possess a spirit of acceptance and a willingness to genuinely consider opinions that might not, at first glance, coincide with their own.

Over the last several days, as people shared their own thoughts on our most recent “touchy subject”, I thanked my lucky stars that we find ourselves in this time and place.  The fact that we are able to have these conversations in a civil manner perhaps says more about who we are than anything else.

I look forward to contributing toward a healthy process of discourse in the future and genuinely appreciate it when people call or walk up and chat.  Your opinion counts every bit as much as mine, so don’t ever hesitate to speak your mind!

For the next month or so, however, you won’t be seeing me bopping around town as I’m soon to be heading out on a book tour.  Know that, until I return, I’ll be praying for lots of snow – the local economy could sure use a boost – and can’t wait to see how the Eskimos are doing.  Until then . . .

Girls JV Basketball

We only have one result from last week to report, but it was a doozie.  The ladies hit the road on Monday, January 10 to take on LaFargeville, a team still smarting from a previous loss to the Eskimos.

Despite their opponents’ revenge factor, Coach Andrew Huntress had the team ready to roll, and they made an early statement in opening a 27-11 halftime bulge.

LaFargeville attempted to create confusion by clogging the paint early in the second half but the girls responded nicely, taking what the defense gave them.  During that stretch, Katie Connell drained a number of jumpers, totaling 17 points in the half.

Having hit those outside shots, the inside opened back up and Mercedes Rice went to work, striking for five layups.

The game ended with a final score of 44-28, providing a shot of confidence for a team that has been improving consistently.

Connell gave fans a glimpse of some serious hardcourt potential with 19 points, seven rebounds, and a devastating nine blocked shots.  Rice had a tremendous game as well in scoring a dozen points and snatching fifteen rebounds.

Several other players had a hand in the win, including Sam Notley (6 pts., 6 stls., 5 reb., 4 assists); Jodi Bolton (5 pts.; 2 assists); and Kayla Yuckel (2 pts., 2 assists), not to mention fine defense from the entire squad.

Boys Varsity Basketball

Several players were called up from Jayvee to replace a depleted Varsity team, so there are no results for that group.

It’s great that some younger players got a taste of the “big leagues”, but a little unfortunate that it had to come at a time when the Eskimos were facing New York Mills and Oriskany, easily the two strongest squads in the League.

To be perfectly honest, Old Forge would have had their hands full with both of those teams even if they had been at full strength.  That said, neither score was close and, in fact, many fans were disappointed in New York Mills’ Coach Mike Adey’s apparent decision to run the score up.

No sour grapes, though, as all of our student-athletes stepped up and gave it everything they had.  Once again, adversity does provide an opportunity and the Eskimos made the best of a rough situation.

Kevin Kress, for example, managed 17 points against Oriskany.  Dane Daiker, P.J. Perkins, Patrick Venetz, and Kenny Pastore all found themselves in the box score as well.

I’ve spoken with several of the guys and, to their credit, they’ve managed to keep their chins up.  I sincerely hope that, as missing players return, fences will be mended and they can all work together towards a strong finish to their season.

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