Anne Delaney

Delaney: Clive enjoying the ride

2009-11-20T15:29:00.000-08:00

Coaches, at least many of the scholastic coaches I talk to, don't take a lot of credit for their team's success.

Does that mean they take the blame when a team struggles? I don't know. I'm going to find out, for sure. All I know is, when I ask coaches what a big win means to them, how do they feel about it as a competitor, the answer is often the same:

"It's about the kids." Yes, true to a point. A high school team from what I've seen is a team of players and coaches. Players have a role, coaches have a role and they're all important in mixing up a winner.

Reluctantly, Sauquoit Valley girls soccer coach Tim Clive admitted feeling good with his role on the Indians' team. Sauquoit Valley plays Section XI Stony Brook for the state Class C championship at 9 a.m. today (Nov. 21) at Cortland State.

"It makes me feel, you take a deep breath and say it's all worth," Clive said.

The 63-year-old has been coaching soccer for 32 years, 17 of those with the Sauquoit Valley girls. There were another 16 with the Indians' girls basketball team and he's getting his first sniff of a state semifinal appearance.

Sauquoit Valley (22-0) defeated Section VI Frewsburg 1-0 in Friday's semifinal.

"You don't do it for the money," Clive said. "I feel very content right now in my coaching career. It's very gratifying on my end."

Delaney: English lads in New Hartford

2009-11-19T12:10:00.000-08:00

A couple of English-born lads are helping the New Hartford boys soccer team in its quest to win another New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class A title.

Ben Toach and Joel Kamilow will both get plenty of minutes this weekend when the Spartans (19-2) play Section I Byram Hills in a state semifinal at 9 a.m. Saturday at the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta. New Hartford shared the 2004 Class A title in its first appearance in the state Final Four.

Toach, a starter, is a junior midfielder and forward with 9 goals and 10 assists. Kamilow, also a junior, plays the same positions. He has 9 goals and 2 assists.

Coincidentally, both young men came to the U.S. seven years ago when they were 10. Toach is from New Castle Upon Tyne on the coast in North East England. Kamilow was born and raised in Harrogate in North Yorkshire, which is also on the coast in North East England. Harrogate and New Castle Upon Tyne are 89 miles apart.

"The accent went away after three years," Toach said. "Some words it comes back."

Their experience with soccer in England were drastically different. Toach had a ball on his foot as soon as he could walk. Toach's parents, David and Jill, were born in England, and Ben lived and breathed the game. David Toach works for Con Med and is the junior varsity coach at New Hartford.

"Over there you want to play non stop," Ben said. "It's on your mind all of the time."

Kamilow was born and raised in rural area and did not play formally until he came to the United States.

"I never played with refs, organized," he said. "When I came here, there was AYSO, signed up and I decided to play."

Kamilow's mother, Hazel, is English. His father John is American and the Kamilows met while John was in England with the military. They are now divorced and Hazel lives in France.

Ben and Joel both had a hard time moving to a new country. Toach, especially, left behind his entire family. He also has a younger sister, Jess.

"I loved it," he said. "The food there is great."

Kamilow's adjustment was made easier by meeting many of his current teammates. But there are often reminders of where he came from.

"People always want to hear your accent," he said.

Delaney: Sunday's game of the day? Not Pats-Colts

2009-11-17T17:53:00.001-08:00

The New England Patriots-Indianapolis Colts game Sunday night was mildly entertaining.
A solid seven on a scale of 1 to 10.

The game of the day Sunday was in Morgantown, West Virginia. The St. John’s University and University of Notre Dame men’s soccer teams met for the Big East Tournament title.

Tough to beat that action. The then-unranked Fighting Irish, who had the better of the play for most of the match, against the 24th-ranked Red Storm. Both teams No. 2 seeds in their respective divisions.

Burly Notre Dame forward Bright Dike was entertaining. The Big East Offensive Player of the Year muscled his way through the Red Storm defense a couple of times and picked up a yellow card on an interesting call. Dike, Notre Dame’s leading scorer, had at least two chances and maybe three good shots at the St. John’s net but ended up with near misses.

The match was scoreless through regulation – Notre Dame had 11 shots to 9 for St. John’s. Two politically correct sudden-victory overtime sessions were also scoreless.

St. John’s (9-2-9) took home the trophy, 5-3 in penalty kicks. The match was the third decided on PKs for Notre Dame (10-7-4), which finished the tournament 0-0-3.

Both teams received bids to the NCAA Tournament. St. John’s got the Big East automatic bid and will host either Dartmouth or Boston College on Sunday. Notre Dame hosts Wisconsin-Green Bay Thursday with the winner playing at Northwestern on Sunday.

Delaney: Not winter yet

2009-11-16T15:50:00.000-08:00

I was driving west on Oriskany Boulevard late this afternoon when I noticed the sun setting. It was a beautiful strip of orange light in the sky.

It was not even 5 p.m. Winter's coming, I thought. I dread it.

On the way back to the office, travelling east on Oriskany Boulevard, I noticed another Mohawk Valley sign of the changing seasons. Voss' Bar-B-Q was closed up. The picnic tables were turned on their sides and chained to the front of the building, as if protecting it from the impending winter. Wasn't it just days ago people waited in line?

The separate scenes reminded me of lyrics from the Billy Joel song 'Famous Last Words.'

Sitting here in Avalon, looking at the pouring rain
Summertime has come and gone and everybody's home again
Closing down for the season, I found the last of the souvenirs
I can still taste the wedding cake and it's sweet after all these years.

Delaney: Three area soccer teams ready for state semifinals

2009-11-16T12:11:00.000-08:00

Three Utica-area soccer teams play state semifinal games this weekend.

The Class C No. 1 Sauquoit Valley girls (21-0) play Section VI champion Frewsburg at 9 a.m. Friday at Homer High School. In the other semifinal, Stony Brooks meets Plattsburgh Seton Catholic at 9 a.m. Friday at Tompkins-Cortland Community College. The Class C championship game is 9 a.m. Saturday at Cortland State.

The New Hartford and Hamilton Central boys teams play semifinals Saturday at the National Soccer Hall of Fame Complex in Oneonta. Class A New Hartford plays at 9 a.m. vs. Byram Hills of Section I. Class D Hamilton plays Section VII Chazy at 1 p.m. in a rematch of last year's final.

Hamilton scored three goals in the final 18 minutes of regulation against Chazy last year, and Dan Kraynak gave the Emerald Knights the title with a goal 41 seconds into overtime of a 4-3 win.

State-ranked No. 1 Chazy (18-0-2) returns to the state semifinals with a young team according to a story in the Lake Placid News. Chazy coach Rob McAuliffe said in a November 14 story the Eagles start three freshman and two sophomores.

Chazy has won 11-straight Section VII titles and state championships in 2004, 2005 and 2007 according to a Chazy Varsity Boys Soccer Alumni page on Facebook.

Delaney: Hansen clinches spot on luge national team

2009-11-16T11:07:00.000-08:00

Kate Hansen, a 17-year-old from LaCanada, Calif., won the fourth of four USA Luge race-offs Sunday to clinch a spot on the women's World Cup National team.

Hansen's two-run time of 1-minute, 40.975 seconds assures her of racing with the US National team for the first two World Cup series races in Calgary and Igls, Austria.

In this blog last week I incorrectly wrote that Hansen and 16-year-old Emily Sweeney locked up spots on the U.S. fall World Cup team. I should have used the words 'may have locked up spots.' At the time, Hansen and Sweeney were in first and second place, respectively, after three of the four team race offs.

After Sunday's racing in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada - the site of the luge venue for the February Olympics - Hansen made the U.S. team with Megan Sweeney, who was second. Reigning World Champion Erin Hamlin and Julia Clukey, who was fifth at the World Championships earlier this year, already earned spots for the fall team.

Emily Sweeney, a junior national championship bronze medalist, was fourth in Sunday's race off and will compete in the first two Nations Cup events of the season.

If either Hansen, Megan Sweeney or Clukey fail to get a top nine finish in one of the first two World Cup competitions, they will will face Emily Sweeney in a race off for the third World Cup stop in Altenberg, Germany.

Out of the mix for the World Cup team is two-time Olympian Courtney Zablocki. Zablocki, 28, was eliminated from the race-offs last week. Ashley Walden, a 2002 Olympian, was eliminated from World Cup team contention in Sunday's race-off in Whistler. Walden was third behind Hansen and Megan Sweeney.

Delaney: Six teams, three sites for state regionals

2009-11-12T19:30:00.000-08:00

Four area boys and girls soccer teams and two field hockey teams play state regional games this weekend.

The Sauquoit Valley girls soccer team is only one of the six not playing regional games in Section III on Saturday. The Class C undefeated and state-ranked No. 1 Indians (20-0) travel to Ithaca High School for a 1 p.m. match against No. 2 Elmira Notre Dame.

The Camden and RFA field hockey teams are involved in a tripleheader Saturday at Cicero-North Syracuse High School. Class B Camden plays Maine-Endwell at 12 p.m. (noon), Class A RFA meets Greene (17-0) at 2 p.m. and Cazenovia follows at 4 p.m.

There is also a boys soccer tripleheader Saturday at Chittenango High School. Cooperstown, Hamilton and New Hartford are involved in a day-long series of matches with spots in the state semifinals on the line. Class C Cooperstown meets Marathon at 11 a.m., Class D Hamilton plays Margaretville at 1:15 p.m. and New Hartford meets Massena at 3:30 p.m.

Delaney: Jeckos in goal

2009-11-10T19:35:00.000-08:00

Vanessa Jecko isn't the only goalkeeper in her house.

Jecko, a Sauquoit Valley sophomore, is the keeper for undefeated Indians girls soccer team. Her twin sister, Jessica, is the goalie on the Sauquoit Valley field hockey team.

The 15-year-old Jecko sisters both played soccer until 7th grade. Jessica, who's an hour older, went to field hockey for something different. She played a field position for a while but then tried goalie and found she liked the contact.

Vanessa Jecko moved to goal about the same time as her sister because of asthma that made it difficult for her to play on the field.

"It keeps me involved in what's happening," Vanessa said.

Despite the differences in their sports, the Jeckos help each other improve their goalie skills. Each have to have good footwork. In the backyard, Vanessa gets a field hockey stick and takes shots on Jessica. The girls and their father, Jim, also go to a field on the Sauquoit Valley campus and shoot balls at a goal for Vanessa.

"I like watching when she makes a great save and everyone goes 'Oh,'" Jessica said. "It's great to watch."

It's not always a pretty sight when a field hockey goalie runs on and off the field. A jog to the bench can be a cumbersome activity.

"With all of the equipment, you think she's going to fall one time," Vanessa said.

Delaney: Holland Patent's Felice recognized at C-NS

2009-11-07T22:41:00.000-08:00

Former Holland Patent field hockey coach and athletic director Barb Felice was honored Saturday evening between Section III championship games at Cicero-North Syracuse.

The 2009 Section III field hockey program is dedicated to Felice, and she was recognized after RFA defeated Liverpool 1-0 to win the Class A title.

Felice, who was born and raised in Utica, coached Holland Patent to six Tri Valley League titles, five Section III titles, two state regional championships and two appearances in the state Final Four. Felice's coaching record with the Golden Knights was 158-86-41.

Felice was a three-sport athlete at Utica Catholic Academy and at Bridgeport University. She was the fourth female to serve as Section III president (2002-2004) and Felice held other positions within the organization including vice president of girls sports and on the athletic council.

A deserved honor for Felice, who was always gracious with her time as a coach and administrator and willing to explain issues related to Section III sports. Congratulations Barb.

Delaney: Kraynak, not Hamilton, outperforms Poland

2009-11-07T20:58:00.000-08:00

Poland boys soccer coach Greg Haver was subdued Friday evening.

Understandable. Haver's Tornadoes just lost their fourth-consecutive match and second-straight Class D final to rival Hamilton.

No shame there, though. Hamilton is the defending Class D state champion and its four wins over Poland were all by one goal. The first three, dating back to last year's sectional final, were 1-0 games. On Friday, Hamilton came from behind twice to win 3-2 on a cold evening at Waterville High School.

Haver, who won the 2005-2007 Class D titles at Poland, said his team was outplayed by the fourth-seeded and state unranked Emerald Knights.

I do not think Poland was outplayed the entire game. Hamilton definitely had the upper hand - or foot, preferably - in the first 22 minutes of the match. Then Poland scored a beautiful transition goal in the 19th minute and the quality of Poland's play improved.

The Tornadoes did not have an answer for Hamilton midfielder-forward Dan Kraynak. The junior scored two long-range goals on well-struck, hard shots both from at least 25 yards out. Poland either did not account for Kraynak taking those shots or they failed to defend properly.

"I can't think of another kid who shoots from that distance and puts them on goal," Haver said. "He's a great player. We tried to get out on him. He's a great enough player that we get out on him and he gets around you."

Delaney: An 'A' for RFA and Liverpool stick skills

2009-11-07T20:25:00.000-08:00

There was a noticeable difference in the quality of stick skills among Class A field hockey players Saturday from the Class B athletes in two Section III championship games at Cicero-North Syracuse Saturday.

Overall, the Class A Rome Free Academy and Liverpool athletes showed themselves to be better stick handlers in their final at the Michael J. Bragman Athletic Complex.

The RFA and Liverpool players regularly controlled a ball in the air with the stick, or quickly changed directions while maintaining possession. A long pass in the Class A game was more likely to land on a teammates' stick than in the Class B final between Vernon-Verona-Sherrill and Camden.

RFA coach Linda Harjung said artificial turf is one reason for the difference. RFA and Liverpool both play home games on turf, as does Camden. VVS's home field is grass.

The faster artificial surface allows players to improve and develop better stick skills than athletes who play a majority of games on grass.

"We also have a lot of ice hockey players and that is a huge help," Harjung said.

Delaney: Poland, Hamilton boys in Round III

2009-11-03T20:02:00.000-08:00

For the second-consecutive season, and third time in four years, the Hamilton and Poland Central boys soccer teams will play for a Section III Class D title.

The teams will play either Friday or Saturday at site and time to be determined. Regardless of the site, second-seeded Poland (15-3) will be the home team. Defending Section III and state champion Hamilton (15-3-1) is the fourth seed.

Hamilton advanced on Dan Kraynak's hat trick in a 3-0 semifinal win over top-seeded and state-ranked No. 11 Copenhagen Tuesday. Dean Agen scored a late goal for Poland in its 1-0 win over Cincinnatus.

Hamilton enters the final with a three-match winning streak - all 1-0 wins - against Poland (15-3). The Emerald Knights defeated Poland in last year's sectional final and also swept both regular-season games.

Hamilton's run gives the Emerald Knights a 5-5-1 record against Poland dating back to 2005. The teams were CSC league rivals until this year when realignment moved Hamilton to Division II.

Poland, which won three-consecutive Class D titles from 2005-2007, defeated Hamilton in the 2006 final and the Tornadoes also beat Hamilton in a sectional semifinal match a year later.

In the Oct. 24 New York State Sportswriters poll, Poland is tied for No. 20 and Hamilton is not ranked.

Delaney: Sauquoit girls can go "all the way."

2009-11-01T01:24:00.001-07:00

Earlier this fall Sauquoit Valley girls soccer coach Tim Clive told me to make my reservations for the state tournament. Cllive expected his Indians to be there. At least one area girls coach agrees.

Through two Section III matches, undefeated Sauquoit is in good shape. The Indians advanced to the Class C-1 final after a 3-1 victory over league rival Waterville Saturday. Top-seeded Sauquoit (18-0) plays No. 2 Tully at Chittenango Wednesday (Nov. 4).

If Sauquoit defeats Tully, they'll go to Cortland State for the overall Class C championship. And then for the state-ranked No. 2 Indians?

"All the way," said Westmoreland coach Rick Trinco after Sauquoit defeated the Bulldogs 7-0 in a quarterfinal match. "I say that because this group, they came up together. All year long this has been a dream team. They know where they're going to be on the field."

Delaney: Perspective on a disappointing game

2009-10-31T20:20:00.000-07:00

I do not like to make too much out of a high school team losing a playoff game because in the big picture of life, does it really matter?

I am probably more inclined to take this position when action on the field is difficult to watch. In sports there are winners and losers, and somehow I always feel worse for the losing team than I feel joy for the winners.

I think you’d agree if you'd seen Nick Roberts last week. Roberts is a sophomore on the Holland Patent boys soccer team, and Wednesday afternoon he experienced an on-field disappointment I can only imagine.

Roberts missed a shootout-round penalty kick in a Section III playoff game Wednesday against Manlius-Pebble Hill. Roberts' PK would've tied the shootout. Manlius-Pebble Hill's goalkeeper made a great play on the stop and Holland Patent's season ended.

Roberts walked off the muddy field with his jersey pulled over his head as MP-H players rushed past to celebrate with keeper Jordan Gentile.

The shooter in a penalty kick has the advantage of knowing what he is going to do with the ball. The keeper is left to guess, and Gentile guessed right with a sliding deflection.

Roberts’ miss wasn’t the reason Holland Patent did not advance, though he probably didn't feel that way late Wednesday afternoon. Augie Allen tied the game for the Golden Knights in the second half by being in the right place at the right time. M-PH looked more skilled, but Holland Patent hung in and forced overtime. The Golden Knights had chances to score and failed to capitalize during regulation and through two sudden-death overtime sessions.

Holland Patent coach Ron Haier said after the game he didn’t know what to tell his players when they talked. Before the game Haier asked his players to essentially “leave it on the field,” and afterward the coach was satisfied they did that.

So where does that leave Roberts? I’ve thought about him for several days. He felt so badly after the miss he hid his face from his teammates and coaches. I wish for him the benefit of time will put the game in perspective.

I want to tell Roberts a game on a playing field does not compare with a loved one’s illness or a young mother leaving her family to serve in Afghanistan. Those are the realities that should make us stop and think about what is important.

I want to tell Roberts that. But after seeing his disappointment, I’m not sure I believe it.

Delaney: New coach at Notre Dame, hoops is coming

2009-10-29T00:06:00.000-07:00

For the second time in two years, there will be a new girls basketball coach at Notre Dame this season.

Former Notre Dame and Utica College standout Michael Plonisch takes over the Jugglers this year with help from Dennis Brenon. Plonisch and Brenon replace former RFA coach Karen Gaesser, who is not coming back after one year at Notre Dame. Gaesser took over at Notre Dame after longtime coach Bill Farley resigned in July 2008.

Delaney: Clukey's a gamer

2009-10-23T21:04:00.000-07:00

Who says a luge athlete is not an athlete?

Well, no one at the United States Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid would make such a claim. And after seeing Julia Clukey on Monday it would be hard for anyone to deny it.

Clukey, a 24-year-old from Augusta, Maine, had knee surgery Sept. 28 after crashing on the Lake Placid track during summer wheel training. Eleven days after the operation, Clukey won the USA start championship.

She was back on the track this week, hobbling to the start line with crutches and a brace on her right knee.

"It's an eight week recovery, but I get one-on-one training every day," Clukey said. "I'm there (in sports medicine) every day doing exercises, therapy, ice, electrical stimulation. Anytime, I can call someone to get assistance."

Clukey sustained a ligament tear, a paritally torn meniscus and bone contusions in the August crash. She twisted her knee, and suspected something was wrong but figured she could rehabilitate the injury on her own. An MRI confirmed the damage, she had surgery and her quick recovery is due to the access to quality care all of the U.S. athletes have.

Delaney: Slider Sweeney pulls upset

2009-10-23T20:16:00.000-07:00

Emily Sweeney, a 17-year-old USA Luge Junior National Team member, won a qualifying race at the Mt. Van Hoevenberg track in Lake Placid Friday.

The race was the second in a series of four races to determine personnel for the fall 2009 World Cup team. More race-offs will be held in Park City, Utah on Nov. 6 and final cuts for the fall team are Nov. 15 in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada.

Chris Mazdzer won the men's race again, repeating from Oct. 21.

Sweeney had a two-run time of 1-minute, 29.446 seconds. Kate Hansen, the 2008 Junior World Champion, was second (1:29.460) and 2002 Olympian Ashley Walden was third (1:29.548). Walden leads the points race with 165. Sweeney is second with 135 and Hansen is third (123).

Erin Hamlin and Julia Clukey are exempt from the race-off series based on their respective World and National Championship results from last season.

Trent Matheson was second in the men's race (1:46.645) and Robby Huerbin was third (1:46.871). Mazdzer leads the points race with 200 points, Matheson is second with 160 and Huerbin (118) advances to the next race-off on a tie-breaker advantage over Joe Mortensen.

Men's singles sliders Tony Benshoof and Bengt Walden are also exempt from the race-off series. The men's doubles teams (Mark Grimmette/Brian Martin; Christian Niccum/Dan Joye; Matt Mortensen/Preston Griffall) are set for the World Cup series, which begins Nov. 17 in Calgary.

The fall team will be made up of 15 athletes (four in men's singles, five in women's singles and three doubles).

Delaney: Grimmette knows how Hamlin feels

2009-10-21T17:24:00.000-07:00

Mark Grimmette has been here before.

One member of the top U.S. men's doubles luge team has been to four Olympics. Grimmette is going for his fifth this fall and third with partner Brian Martin.

Grimmette and Martin have pre-qualified for the U.S.'s 2010 Olympic Luge Team, as has Remsen's Erin Hamlin. Grimmette and Martin can finalize their qualification with a top 5 finish in any of the first four World Cup series races. Hamlin, as the reigning women's singles World Champion, is in the same situation. Earlier this week, Hamlin said she'd like to nail down a spot as soon as possible.

Grimmette, who earned a silver medal with Martin at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, said his place on two of those Olympic teams came down to the fourth and final fall series World Cup race.

"As each race goes by, and you don't accomplish what you need to do, you feel stress," Grimmette said. "You get ramped up a little bit."

Being "ramped up" is not conducive to a good run in a sport where the athletes are navigating a small sled down a narrow track at speeds up to 90 miles per hour. A cool head is the way to go on an ice-covered track.

History is on Martin and Grimmette's side this year. They've done well at all four of the tracks hosting the fall races (Calgary, Igls, Austria, Altenberg, Germany and Lillehammer, Norway).

The biggest challenge among the four is Altenberg, in eastern Germany on the border with the Czech Republic.

"Altenberg is a tough one for us," Grimmette said. "We have had good races there but it's been a long time.

We know what he have to do."

Delaney: Leaving Lake Placid

2009-10-20T20:00:00.000-07:00

Erin Hamlin and her USA Luge teammates leave Lake Placid later this week, and the athletes will be on the road until Christmas.

The lugers started sliding on the ice at the Mt. Van Hoevenberg track on Oct. 5 and they will wrap up East Coast pre-season training Friday. This weekend they'll head out to Park City, Utah - location of the other U.S. luge track - for more sliding.

In mid-November, the Americans will get training time on the Whistler, British Columbia, Canada track that will host February's Winter Olympics. The FIL World Cup series races begin Nov. 17 in Calgary. The three other fall series races: Nov. 24-29 in Igls, Austria; Dec. 1-6 in Altenberg, Germany; Dec. 8-13 in Lillehammer, Norway.

Official training for the Olympic begins Feb. 10. Men's singles racing is Feb. 13-14, women's singles is Feb. 15-16 and the men's doubles are Feb. 17.

By the time the sliders return to Lake Placid for a Christmas break, Hamlin hopes to have locked up a spot on her second Olympic team. Hamlin is pre-qualified for the Olympic with her World Championship gold medal in February on the Lake Placid track. She can finalize her place with a top 5 finish at any of those fall series races.

Hamlin's best bet to do that is probably in Igls, the site of her career best World Cup series finish. Hamlin was fourth in Igls last year.

"I'm very happy it's in the first half," said Hamlin, who describes the Igls track as slow and not technical.

The level-headed, steady-as-she-goes Hamlin does not feel pressure to secure the Olympic berth ASAP.

"I'd like to," she said. "You have to get the same to qualify for Worlds. It's nice to get it out of the way and concentrate on each race."

Delaney: Another undefeated down

2009-10-18T13:07:00.000-07:00

An undefeated and state-ranked area boys soccer team lost for the second time this week.

Class B No. 1 Clinton was the latest squad to get a mark on its record. The Warriors lost their first game Saturday at home to TVL rival New Hartford.

Defending Class D state champion and No. 1 Hamilton lost earlier this week to Mount Markham.

Clinton and New Hartford (Class A) are both good teams with some skilled players. Clinton might have had a slight edge in possession (might have), but the New Hartford transition game is really effective because the Spartans have speed. The speed caused a problem for Warriors on the wings, it looked.

Clinton keeper Rob Larkin played well overall in the loss. He was aggressive in net and took charge in a crowd several times.

Delaney: Hamlin on Carson Daly

2009-10-14T20:25:00.000-07:00

Remsen luger Erin Hamlin was to be featured on Last Call with Carson Daly late Wednesday.

Here is the link:
http://www.nbc.com/Last_Call_with_Carson_Daly/video/clips/erin-hamlin/1166936/

Speaking of Hamlin, she was third in a USA Luge start championship over the weekend. Julia Clukey of Augusta, Maine won the title - 11 days after knee surgery. Clukey's time was 2.667 seconds. Hamlin's 2.744 seconds.

Ashley Walden (Westborough, Mass. and Lake Placid, N.Y.) got the silver on the women's side. Walden's husband, Bengt, won the men's race. Matt Mortensen (Huntington Station, N.Y.) and Preston Griffall (Salt Lake City, Utah).

The start race was held in a big, refrigerated room called the start house at USA Luge headquarters in Lake Placid.

Hamlin and her USA Luge teammates began training a couple of weeks ago for the 2009-2010 season. The highlight of the season will be the Winter Olympics outside of Vancouver, B.C. in February. Hamlin, Bengt Walden and the doubles team of Mark Grimmette and Brian Martin are pre-qualified for the 2010 Olympic team. These athletes will be entered in every World Cup race through the end of the fall schedule barring an injury as long as they continue to meet other team requirements such as physical fitness tests.

Hamlin, Walden and Grimmette and Martin clinch Olympic team spots with a top 5 finish in any of the World Cup series races (ending with Lillehammer, Norway on Dec. 12-13).

Hamlin will compete in Oct. 21 and Oct. 23 races in Lake Placid, Nov. 7 in Park City, Utah and Nov. 15 on the Olympic track in Whistler, B.C. Hamlin, Bengt Walden and Grimmette/Martin are exempt from earning points in these races because of their respective World and National Championship performances from last season.

Delaney: Proctor boys soccer upsets F-M

2009-10-14T19:53:00.000-07:00

The Thomas R. Proctor boys soccer team defeated previously unbeaten and state-ranked Fayetteville-Manlius, 2-1 Wednesday.

Armin Budnjo and Anando Grahovic scored first-half goals for Proctor (8-1-1 CNYCL, 10-2-1). The game was a Central New York Counties League game. F-M (8-1-1, 11-1-1) was No. 5 in the New York State Sportswriters Association Oct. 10 poll.

Andy Mendez had an assist for Proctor and goalkeeper Tarik Mekic had eight saves.

Delaney: Did you hear the one about the...

2009-10-09T18:27:00.000-07:00

Presidents Cup? They're changing the name. It's now the Nobel Peace Prize Cup.

Delaney: Hamilton boys remain No. 1

2009-10-07T15:53:00.000-07:00

Defending Class D state champion Hamilton leads five Utica-area boys soccer teams in state rankings this week, according to the New York State Sportswriters Association.

The unbeaten Emerald Knights (10-0-1) are No. 1 in Class D. New Hartford is No. 9 in Class A. Undefeated Clinton is second in Class B, Cooperstown is No. 3 in Class C and Old Forge is tied for 15th in Class D.

In girls rankings, Sauquoit Valley is 13th in Class C and Mohawk is 18th. Class D rankings are full of area teams led by Oriskany at No. 8. The Redskins (7-2) lost their first game of the year Tuesday to league rival Hamilton. Also ranked are: Poland (13th), Remsen (15th) and Hamilton (16th).

Delaney: Turning Stone end is about the golf

2009-10-06T13:13:00.000-07:00

The sun was setting on a perfect fall evening Sunday. Not too hot, not too cold, the weather was just right for golf in Upstate New York.

I wasn't completely comfortable, though. My lower legs hurt from six days of walking around Atunyote Golf Course. Despite my poor physical fitness level, I couldn't help but feel alive on the inside.

Watching fans, photographers and camera men hustle from one playoff hole to the next, it was hard to miss the on-the-edge-of-your-seat feeling in the air for the playoff between Matt Kuchar and Vaughn Taylor at the Turning Stone Resort Championship. The unseasonable weather earlier in the week cleared and the tournament was finally about golf.

I went with the crowd to No. 12 where the tournament was suspended by darkness without a winner, which was a bit anticlimactic. I felt slightly cheated as I walked back toward the clubhouse in search of tournament officials for comment.

Kuchar eventually won the tournament on the sixth playoff hole Monday morning and the $1.08 million that went with his second PGA Tour victory.

I walked back to the media center and noticed a huge moon hanging in the sky. The beautiful evening was over, but we got exactly what we came for - great golf.

Let's hope there is more professional golf at Atunyote in years to come.