The longest of the three sports seasons at the high school level came to end for the Wasaren League on Saturday when the Greenwich girls fell to Millbrook in a state semifinal run.  The Lady Witches were the last team standing from the Wasaren this basketball campaign and did the league proud, advancing to the Class C Final Four. Greenwich finished a truly exceptional year at 26-1 with League, Sectional and Regional titles under their belts.  

While Greenwich was the most accomplished team from the Wasaren this winter, many other squads built fine seasons for themselves as well.

Tamarac and Mechanicville, the league’s Class B schools, both enjoyed strong years on the girl’s side of things as did Cambridge, Emma Willard and even the Warriors of Stillwater who closed out the year playing winning basketball with a young squad.

For decades the boy’s side has been a gauntlet run that tests every school nearly on a nightly basis, and the 2022-23 season was no exception. 

A deep and talented Tamarac squad earned the league title and advanced to the Class B semifinals.  Hoosic Valley and Stilllwater were also teams with a host of talented players, showcasing their abilities on their way to sectional finals in Classes C and CC. 

Greenwich, Hoosick Falls and Mechanicville also put together solid years, all finishing well above the .500 mark, while Waterford and Spa Catholic proved to be tough outs more nights than not.  

Individually five players from the league reached the 1000 career points plateau, with Hoosic Valley’s Isaiah Eckler and Logan Reilly, Tamarac’s Joey Poulin, and Greenwich’s Adrianna Rojas and Norah Niesz all joining the 1000-point club. 

Our Wasaren Sportsnet Players of the Week included Joey Poulin (Tamarac), Schuylar Nolan (Cambridge), Isaiah Eckler (Hoosic Valley), Jaxon Mueller (Stillwater), Adrianna Rojas (Greenwich), Myanna Faraj (Tamarac), Logan Reilly (Hoosic Valley), Derick Pontore (Waterford), and Norah Niesz (Greenwich). 

Congratulations to all the players and coaches who make the Wasaren what it is, one of the finest small school conferences in the state.   

Personally I’d like to thank the league coaches who sent me game results over the course of the season making recaps so much easier and our sponsoring businesses, Toyota of Clifton Park, Bonnier’s Service, Devito Salvadore Family, LaVigna Insurance, Legends Barbershop, Val’s, Dicarlo’s Auto Body, Gunning Elite Training, The Connor’s Agency, and Off-Broadway Hair Design for their help in promoting the athletes of the Wasaren.

Lastly a thank you to everyone who followed our written coverage and podcasts this year and helped me out along the way.  

Millbrook 70   Greenwich 52

Leading Scorers:  Millbrook – Natalie Fox 19       Emily Grassier 18      Beth Bosan 15        Hudson Heitman 10         Witches – Norah Niesz 22         Grace Autiello 16        Brooke Kuzmich 10

Key Stat:  Millbrook used a 20-5 third period to take control.

Take Away:  Millbrook held a 37-29 advantage at halftime and used a big third frame to pull away from the Witches, on their way to the Class C state semifinal win at HVCC on Saturday.  Millbrook moves to Sunday’s championship game where a win will give them three state titles in the last four years. Greenwich wraps up an outstanding season at 26-1 earning league, sectional and regional titles during the campaign.  

Greenwich 60   Canton 32

Leading Scorers:  Witches – Brooke Kuzmich 26 5 3’s          Reegan Mullen 16        Norah Niesz 12            Canton – Ava Hoy 10

Key Stat:  Greenwich held a 7-3 advantage in made threes.

Take Away:  After falling behind 5-2 in the early going, Greenwich quickly gained the lead and steadily pulled away for the comfortable Class C regional final victory.  The Witches placed three players in doubles and won every quarter, holding Canton to single numbers in three of the four periods.  With the “W” Greenwich moves to 25-0 on the season and more importantly, earns a berth in the state Final Four next Saturday at HVCC in a 2:15 tip.  

Greenwich 49   Northeastern Clinton 41

Leading Scorers:  Witches – Norah Niesz 19 3 3’s         Brooke Kuzmich 16 3 3’s          Reegan Mullen 11              Eagles – Bailee LaFountaine 18         Desiree Dubois 13

Key Stat:  Greenwich outscored the Eagles 19-11 in the third frame.  

Take Away:  The Witches ran out to a 17-4 lead after the first period, only to see Northeastern Clinton battle back, and pull even, early in the third quarter. But Greenwich rallied to close out the third frame, led my Niesz’s 12 points, taking a 40-30 lead into the final eight minutes where they held off the Eagles from Section VII.  The Witches (25-0) advance to face Canton in the regional final on Saturday at SUNY Potsdam in a 2:45 run.

We break down Wednesday night’s Class C regional matchup at Clinton Community College between the Greenwich Witches and the Northeastern Clinton Cougars.

Greenwich 51   Duanesburg 43

Leading Scorers:  Witches – Brooke Kuzmich 21         Reegan Mullen 12            Eagles – Alison O’Hanlon 16        Alex Moses 18 5 3’s 

Key Stat:  Greenwich outscored the Eagles 22-17 in the final frame.

Take Away:  In a close game throughout that was tied 8-8 after the first and saw the Witches take a 29-26 lead into the fourth, Greenwich closed things out with a 22-point quarter, clinching the Section II C-CC playoff. Duanesburg held a 6-1 advantage in made threes, but Greenwich dominated in made two-point goals holding a 17-7 edge.  With the victory Greenwich moves to 24-0 on the season and advances to regional play on Wednesday at Clinton Community College in Plattsburg.

Duanesburg 58   Hoosic Valley 49

Leading Scorers:  Eagles – Jeffrey Mulhern 18        Michael Leak 16            Peyton Fall 11            Valley – Chris Jones 14          Logan Reilly 12        Isaiah Eckler 11

Key Stat:  Duanesburg outscored the Valley 39-29 in the second half.

Take Away:  Hoosic Valley took a narrow 20-19 advantage into the break, but Duanesburg used an 18-12 third frame to gain the lead and closed out the win over the final eight minutes to earn the Section II Class C championship.  Duanesburg moves on to the Class C-CC playoff on Sunday in a matchup with Chatham.  Hoosic Valley finishes an excellent season with a 19-4 mark.

Chatham 58   Stillwater 56

Leading Scorers:  Chatham – Matt Thorson 20        Jacob Baccaro 14            Warriors – Thomas McDonough 22 3 3’s         Jaxon Mueller 15         Lukas Lilac 13 3 3’s

Take Away: Trailing by one with time winding down, Chatham’s Anthony O’Dell drilled a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer to lift the Panthers to the win in the Section II Class CC championship game.  Chatham moves on to the C-CC playoff with Duanesburg on Sunday.  Stillwater completes an outstanding year at 18-5.  

We break down Class C and CC boys finals and the Class C-CC playoff for the girls.

Glens Falls 69   Tamarac 67

Leading Scorers: GF – Kellen Driscoll 26         Oscar Lilac 13 3 3’s         Cooper Nadler 11         Alex Cygan 10            Bengals – Joey Poulin 32 4 3’s         James Blake II 12

Key Stat:  Glens Falls outscored Tamarac 24-12 in the third frame.

Taske Away:  Tamarc built a 35-29 halftime lead, but Glens Falls used a big third period to take the lead highlighted by a pair of threes on back-to-back possessions by Lilac late in the quarter, giving the Falls a 48-42 advantage that they never relinquished. Glens Falls held off the Bengals down the stretch weathering a pair of Poulin triples in the last 10 seconds to notch the Class B semifinal victory and advance to the championship game on Saturday at the Cool Insuring Arena in a matchup with top-seeded Catholic Central.  Tamarac finishes an outstanding season at 20-3 with a Wasaren championship including an undefeated campaign in league play.  

Greenwich 53   Corinth 39

Leading Scorers:  Witches – Brooke Kuzmich 17  7 steals      Norah Niesz 14  7 steals        Tomahawks – Taylor Stone 14          Emily Dingmon 12

Key Stat:  Greenwich held a 21-8 advantage at the end of the first period.

Take Away:  The Witches built a 31-15 lead by halftime and maintained a double-digit advantage the rest of the way in clinching the Section II Class CC championship.  The top-seeded Witches held Corinth in the 30’s shutting out the Tomahawks for the final 5:30 of the second period.  Greenwich moves to 23-0 on the year and will face Duanesburg in the C-CC playoff on Friday at HVCC in a 4:30 run.

Hoosic Valley 67   Warrensburg 36

Leading Scorers:  Valley – Isaiah Eckler 15       Chris Jones 15        Isaac Wiley 11 3 3’s            Burghers – Steve Schloss 20 4 3’s  

Key Stat:  The Indians held Warrensburg to 14 second-half points.  

Take Away:  Tied after the first eight minutes the Valley took a 29-22 lead into the break, then gained control with a 19-5 third frame on their way to the Class C semifinal “W”.  The second-seeded Indians put three players in doubles, nine in the scoring column, drilled nine triples and held Corinth under 40 points in the victory.  Hoosic Valley (19-3), advances to the Class C title game on Friday at 5:00 at the Cool Insuring Arena, facing the top-seeded and NYS #1 Duanesburg Eagles.