OSWEGO, NY — This past Sunday, the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) COVID-19 task force met once again to create a plan for the return of fall interscholastic athletics. The group has been reading over documents from the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) which has guidance and recommendations on this ever-changing situation, created by the COVID-19 pandemic. This group has met five times so far and plans to release a comprehensive document containing information for schools across the state, which will be released this Friday, September 4th.
The newest news to come from the NYSPHSAA is the change to push the start date of the winter sports season from November 16th to November 30th. The association did this to allot time to schools and sections to complete this condensed fall athletic season. Currently, only low risk to moderate risk fall sports will be allowed to compete against other schools in their section. Football and Volleyball will be allowed to practice but cannot play due to the sports being categorized as both high risk sports. WTOP 10 will continue to update readers on the developing story as teams can begin practices on September 21st.
NYSPHSAA Press Release: http://www.nysphsaa.org/News-Media/Headline-News/Article/id/8643
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Oswego State women’s basketball concludes 2021-22 season celebrating two seniors
OSWEGO, N.Y. — The Oswego State women’s basketball team concluded the 2021-22 season last weekend, honoring seniors Danielle Caivana and Raiven Encarnacion in the process. The Lakers fell to SUNY Brockport 56-55 on Friday and Fredonia 68-60 on Saturday, bringing their season record to 5-19. In their second matchup of the season, the Lakers and Golden Eagles played a hard fought game from start to finish. After the opening tip, Brockport took an early 8-6 lead before the Lakers went on a 14-2 run. With 2:42 left in the first quarter, Oswego led 20-10. Danielle Caivana scored nine points in the quarter, shooting 3-3 from behind the arc. Heading into the second frame, Brockport stormed back to knot the game up at 20. However, eight points from Logan Castiglione helped the Lakers regain the lead and go into the half up 37-25. After a back-and-forth third quarter, Brockport brought the deficit to seven entering the final ten minutes. The Golden Eagles continued to fight down the stretch and pulled the game within two points with just over a minute remaining in regulation. Castiglione, who was great defensively in this game, came up with a clutch steal to maintain the Oswego lead with 30 seconds remaining. After some scrappy play, an Oswego foul put Brockport on the free throw line down just one point. The Golden Eagles nailed both free throws to take their first lead since the opening quarter. The Lakers got a last-second shot off in time, but it would fall short, giving Brockport the victory. Shania Iglesias finished the contest with 16 points while Caivana (15) and Castiglione (10) both scored double-digit points.
Before the tip-off of Saturday’s senior night game, Oswego celebrated Caivana and Encarnacion for their accomplishments with the team. Both teams exchanged a flurry of baskets throughout the first quarter, with Fredonia up 18-16 heading into the second. The Lakers quickly took their first lead of the game off a Diamond Pickett three-point shot. The Blue Devils and Lakers went shot-for-shot throughout the frame, with Fredonia escaping the the quarter up 32-27. To begin the second half, Fredonia went on a small scoring run. Though, Encarnacion scored two buckets and a free throw to bring the deficit to five. Despite Oswego’s persistence, Fredonia went into the final quarter with a nine point lead. The Lakers would bring the game within six points with 30 seconds remaining, but it was too little, too late for the home team. Diamond Pickett finished with her fifth double-double of the season, putting up 19 points, 16 boards, three assists, and three steals. Encarnacion and Caivana combined for 25 points in their final game as Lakers. With this win, the Blue Devils clinched the sixth and final playoff berth in the SUNYAC Championship.
Although it wasn’t the outcome the team was hoping for, the Lakers have a bright future lead by their young star athletes. Oswego saw major contributions from the likes of Catie Lilly, Chastin Giles, and Diamond Pickett throughout the course of the season and will look to build upon their performances from this season. The team will reload in the offseason and look towards the 2022-23 season, where they hope to make it back to the SUNYAC playoffs once again.
Image Provided By Will Rogers, WTOP 10 Photography Department
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Baseball takes series against rivals Plattsburgh
Oswego, N.Y. – The Oswego State Lakers found themselves in a weekend set against school rivals the Plattsburgh Cardinals. The Lakers came into the series on a six game SUNYAC win streak, though were on a three game losing streak after taking back-to-back losses to St. John Fisher the previous Saturday and a mid-week loss to Ithaca. Plattsburgh came in on a four game win streak, including a sweep of the New Paltz Hawks.
Game one of the three game set was on Friday, and saw Kieran Finnegan on the bump for the Lakers taking on Kolby Mordecki for the Cardinals. Oswego took the lead scoring the first run in the bottom of the second on a Jelani Hamer steal of home. Connor Gonzalski grabbed the lead in the top of the third on a two run homer. Owen Parliment tied it straight back up with a solo shot in the bottom of the third. Once again Plattsburgh wasn’t letting Oswego keep the lead, Jack Defayette singling and scoring Adam Wein to give a 3-2 lead. After a couple of scoreless frames, the the Lakers finally grabbed the lead back, Jacob Levine hitting a two-run homer for a 4-3 Oswego lead. The game ended with that score line. Kieran Finnegan pitched seven strong innings, giving up the three runs, striking out 10, and walking two. Anthony Van Fossen pitched the final two innings without allowing a runs, striking out three and grabbing a save. Kolby Mordecki also pitched seven, gave up all four runs, struck out 11, and walked three.
Game two was moved to Saturday morning, due to predicted weather later on Saturday. Chris Santis took the mound for Plattsburgh, taking on Alek Conrad for Oswego. Oswego took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, as Jelani Hamer stole third and then scored on a throwing error by the catcher. In the top of the third, Plattsburgh tied it on a Connor Gonzalski single. The game finally came untied in the sixth. It started with a Jack Defayette two-run double. Two batters later, Adam Wein doubled scoring Defayette, Plattsburgh took a 4-1 lead. The extended their lead to four runs in the eighth on a Nick Cergol RBI single. The Lakers tried to mount a comeback in the bottom of the ninth. With two runners on, Tishawn Featherstone singled scoring both. That brought up the Lakers most dangerous hitter Owen Parliment, who struck out looking to end the game. Chris Santic went 7.2 innings, allowing only one run walking two and striking out five. Adam Veit, who played the first eight innings at shortstop, came in for the ninth, and got the save. For Oswego Alek Conrad went five innings, gave up one run, without giving a walk and striking out three. Larry Citrola was the first out of the bullpen for Oswego, and he gave up three runs, in two-thirds of an inning and got the loss.
Game three of the series was game two of Saturday’s double header. Adam Veit got the start for Plattsburgh after pitching the ninth of the previous game, for Oswego it was freshman Jonah Shearer. This game was a lot different than the other two had been. It started with a five run second inning for Oswego. It started with a Tim Schinto RBI single. Then CJ McCarthy hit a triple that scored two more runs, and then on a throwing error, made it home clearing the bases and giving Oswego a 4-0 lead. A couple batters later, Tishawn Featherstone hit a single, that would score Jelani Hammer. Plattsburgh grabbed a run in the third and fourth innings, making it 5-2. In the bottom of the fourth Oswego put up another three runs to extend it to 8-2. RBIs by McCarthy, Hamer, and Featherstone. After the top of the sixth, a lightning warning put the game into a 30 min delay, and then the weather finally hit and the game was called, Oswego winning 8-2. Jonah Shearer had an excellent start for the Lakers, pitching 5.1 innings, allowing two runs, neither of them earned, walking one, and striking out five. Adam Veit was charged with all eight of Oswego’s runs, six of them were earned. He only struck out one batter and walked one.
The Lakers now head to a home double header against Clarkson on Tuesday with record of 15-15 (8-4 SUNYAC). They are fourth in the SUNYAC.
IMAGE PROVIDED BY ERIN BLANK, WTOP10 PHOTOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT
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Men’s Basketball season comes to an end in Brockport
BROCKPORT, NY — Men’s Basketball went on the road Friday evening to battle the number one seed in the SUNYAC Championship. The Brockport Golden Eagles are currently 23rd in the nation as the teams faced off in Brockport to decide who would advance to the finals. The Lakers would 67-82 as both teams would score 44 points in the second half and Brockport would move on to the finals. The difference would come in the first half as the Golden Eagles would soar past the Lakers heading into halftime as the home team was up 38-23 at that point. Oswego was led by Jamal Achille as the freshman secured 19 points after netting 7 field goals. Senior Joe Sullivan was right behind him as he netted 16 points for the final time as a Laker. Oswego finished 19-8 overall and were semi-finalists in the SUNYAC Championship.
