ESG Winter Games results for local athletes

By admin | Published: February 23, 2009 | 0 Comments

Results of tri-county athletes at the Empire State Winter Games:

Alpine skiing – slalom

Open men: 11. Charlie Agro (Monroe) 1:33.41; 20. William Dutcher (Monroe) 1:35.86; 24. Brad Merrill (Hurley) 1:37.10; 32. Bradley Clark (Big Indian) 1:40.37. Did not finish: Davis Trachte (New Paltz); Tyler Bell (Cornwall); Robert Burke (Goshen). Did not start second run: Christopher Egenes (Mountaindale). Disqualified: Bjorn Egenes (Mountaindale)
Open women: 4. Brianna Kullberg (Cornwall-on-Hudson) 1:37.58; 24. Katie Haggerty (Woodstock) 1:48.65; 40. Marlise Combe (Big Indian) 2:07.52. Disqualified: Lindsay Agro (Monroe).

Alpine skiing – giant slalom

Open men: 7. Robert Burke (Goshen) 1:48.27; 9. Bradley Clark (Big Indian) 1:49.45; 10. Brad Merrill (Hurley) 1:50.23; 17. Bjorn Egenes (Mountaindale) 1:51.29; 21. William Dutcher (Monroe) 1:52.25; 31. Charlie Agro (Monroe) 1:55.77; 35. Christopher Egenes (Mountaindale) 1:57.86. Did not finish first run: Davis Trachte (New Paltz). Did not finish second run: Tyler Bell (Cornwall).
Open women: 3. Giorgia Nagle (Phoenicia) 1:51.71; 5. Brianna Kullberg (Cornwall-on-Hudson) 1:53.41; 12. Marlise Combe (Big Indian) 1:56.21; 28. Katie Haggerty (Woodstock) 2:00.67; 40. Lindsay Agro (Monroe) 2:05.30.

Biathon – sprint race

Grand master men: 4. Art Stegen (New Paltz) 40:39.

Biathlon – pursuit race

Open men: 4. Art Stegen (New Paltz) 36:16.

Cross country classical

Open men, Masters VII: 3. Art Stegen (New Paltz) 43:14

Cross country freestyle

Open men, Masters VII: 4. Art Stegen (New Paltz) 41:12

Cross country pursuit (combined results)

Open men, Masters VII: 3. Art Stegen (New Paltz) 1:24:26

Figure skating

Novice ladies ‘A’: 7. Kaitlyn Burns (Cornwall-on-Hudson)

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Winter Games to be attended by 27 local athletes

By admin | Published: February 13, 2009 | 0 Comments

The 29th Empire State Winter Games will be held Feb. 20-22 in Lake Placid. The tri-county region will be sending 27 athletes to the Olympic style competition.
The Empire State Games are in financial trouble after the state Parks department elected not to fund the program for the 2009-10 fiscal year. The Mid-Hudson Valley organizers elected not to host the 2009 Summer Games as a result of a massive cutback in athletic offerings and institution of an athlete participation fee.
These Winter Games fall under the 2008-09 state budget and have not been affected, other than minor financial cuts in the operating budget. The track events of bobsled, luge and skeleton were previously cancelled due to a conflict with the World Cup schedule.

List of local athletes
Alpine skiing, men (Giant slalom, slalom) – Robert Burke (Goshen); Bradley Clark (Big Indian); William Dutcher (Monroe); Bjorn Egenes (Mountaindale); Christopher Egenes (Mountaindale); Brad Merrill (Hurley)
Alpine skiing, women (Giant slalom, slalom) – Marlise Combe (Big Indian); Katie Haggerty (Woodstock); Brianna Kullberg (Cornwall-on-Hudson)

Biathlon
Grand Master, men – Art Stegen (New Paltz)

Cross country
Masters V, men (Classical 10K, Freestyle 10K, pursuit) – Gregory Malia (Tillson)
Masters VI, men (Classical 10K, Freestyle 10K, pursuit) – Nick Mancuso (New Paltz)
Masters VII, men (Classical 10K, Freestyle 10K, pursuit) – Art Stegen (New Paltz)
Open, men (Classical 10K, Freestyle 10K, pursuit) – Wayne Clark (New Paltz)
Scholastic, women (Classical 5K, Freestyle 5K, pursuit) – Katie Ehrmann (Kingston); Mairead Fogarty (Highland); Lauren Loughlin (Ulster Park); Gabby Mancuso (New Paltz); Jordan Stern (New Paltz)

Figure skating
Novice ladies A – Kaitlyn Burns (Cornwall-on-Hudson)
Senior ladies – Brogan Kavanagh (Newburgh)
Intermediate team – Ice Magic, with Stephanie Catalioto (Cornwall), Kaitlyn Ellert (Highland Mills), Nicole Prestia (Central Valley)

Ice hockey, women
Hudson Valley – Angie Trzepkowski (West Point)

Ski orienteering
Masters II, women – Betsy Hawes (Blooming Grove)

Snowshoeing
Open, men – Timothy Sattler (Warwick, open 5K)
Open, women – Laura Gray (New Windsor, open 5K)

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The Empire State Games for 2009 are dead

By admin | Published: January 16, 2009 | 0 Comments

By KEN McMILLAN

Times Herald-Record

The 32nd Empire State Games were supposed to attract 7,000 participants and 10,000 visitors to the mid-Hudson Valley this summer, in celebration of the Olympic athletic spirit and the anniversary of Henry Hudson’s historic sail up the river that now bears his name.

Like the flame that keeps the ideal alive, that plan has been extinguished.

The state budget crisis allowed for no funding of the $3 million Empire State Games program for the first time since its inception in 1978. In an effort to salvage the event, a plan was announced last week to eliminate all adult competition and force youth athletes to pay a $285 participation fee, effectively cutting the summer Games in half. Local organizers said that’s not what they signed up for, and Friday they pulled the plug on the entire event.

The Games were planned for July 22-26 on college campuses in Poughkeepsie, New Paltz, Newburgh and at several other sites in the Mid-Hudson Valley. The region played host in 2005 for what were considered one of the most successful Games in history.

“We arrived at this regrettable decision based on an overwhelming feeling that the participation fee violates the spirit of the Games,’’ wrote Steven Lant, chairman of the local organizing committee and chairman of Central Hudson Energy Group, in a Friday letter to state parks commissioner Carol Ash, “and that objections to this approach are so strong among our host site partners, sponsors and volunteers that maintaining the support necessary to successfully host the Games has become untenable.’’

Hudson Valley regional director Frank Intervallo said the news was met with “great sadness and disappointment.’’

“It’s a shame,’’ Intervallo said. “I feared that this was going to be a severe problem and here it comes to pass. I don’t know how this went from being the best program that the state runs to being cancelled.’’

Intervallo said he can’t blame the local organizers for their decision.

“I know it would have been difficult for the  local organizing committee to justify the level of commitment from their volunteers and their sponsors,’’ he said.

A $15.4 billion deficit faces the state, and Gov. David Patterson requested that all state agencies start with trimming 10 percent of their budget requests. The state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation conducts the Games, which cover the annual summer, winter and senior Games, in addition to the Games for the Physically Challenged – the summer Games drew the Lion’s share of the budget pie.

Ash told Empire State Games executive director Fred Smith to draw up plans for zero funding for the 2009-10 budget. Adult competition was eliminated from the summer and winter Games, and the Senior Games in June were suspended. A youth participation fee of $285 for summer and $100 for winter was introduced, whereas the program was free for all scholastic and open competitors in the past.

The Games typically provide an economic boost of $8-12 million for the host community, which is why politicians have been clamoring for an opportunity to host the event ever since state officials decided to rotate the sites. With the participation levels cut by more than half, local organizers – who are also the business movers and shakers in the community – felt the gains would not match the efforts required to put on a diminished product.

“We also noted that any economic benefits to the community would be greatly reduced based on the drastically lower participation now projected,’’ Lant wrote to Ash. “We hope that you can understand our inability to stage Games that have departed so far from those we had both envisioned and which our State’s athletes so rightfully deserve.’’

The 2010 Summer Games have been awarded to Buffalo, and Ash wrote last week that she anticipates a program to solicit sponsorship will be in place.

Intervallo wonders if the Games will ever return.

“I hate to go a year without Games because you never know if the Games will come back,’’ he said.”You don’t want to lose a program and then try to fight to reinstate it. You would like to keep a program running in some shape or form.’’

 

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Breaking news: ESG takes major financial hit

By admin | Published: January 9, 2009 | 0 Comments

By KEN McMILLAN

Times Herald-Record

The verdict is in, and the Empire State Games have taken a big hit.

State funding for the program has been discontinued for the 2009-10 fiscal year. As a means to keep the program afloat, participation fees will be used for the first time, and adult competition has been suspended for the 2009 Summer and 2010 Winter Games – a deeper cut than had been anticipated.

“In a time of unprecedented fiscal crisis, the unfortunate reality is that reductions have to be made across every area of government,’’ said Carol Ash, commissioner of the state office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. “We have sought to strike an appropriate balance that allows the Games to continue for high school and physically challenged athletes, while also helping the state address its record $15.4 billion deficit.’’

Youth athletes (formerly known as scholastic) will be charged a participation fee of $285 for the Summer Games and $100 for the Winter Games. The summer fee will cover the cost of transportation, food and lodging. Athletes at the Winter Games have long provided their own food and lodging.

There will be no fee for the Games for the Physically Challenged set for May on Long Island and October in Brockport, but competition for athletes aged 5-21 will be streamlined.

Scholastic competition in boxing, fencing and shooting will be done away with for the 2009 Summer Games, scheduled for July 22-26 in Poughkeepsie, New Paltz, Newburgh and nearby locations.

There will be no adult competition in the Open and Masters divisions at the 2009 Summer and 2010 Winter Games, and the annual Senior Games in June have been suspended for 2009.

Suddenly, the atmosphere that was festive at the 2005 Summer Games, the first held in the Mid-Hudson Valley, will be cast with a pall for the downsized 2009 event.

The Summer Games typically draw 7,000 participants – from athletes to coaches – and about 10,000 visitors to the host region for five days. The economic impact is estimated between $8-12 million, a figure that would be impossible to reach with the elimination of more than half of the athletes.

Reaction was sure to be swift and angry.

The concept of “pay for play” is loathed by regional directors Frank Intervallo of the Hudson Valley region and Lou Reuter of the Western region.

“It’s horrible,’’ Intervallo said late Thursday, before the Parks announcement on Friday. “I think this is the end of the Games as we know them. I don’t think we’re going to recover from this. We’re going to see only those athletes who can afford to participate, and that’s what the Games are not about.’’

Critics say charging an exorbitant participation fee is discriminatory because it will turn away credible athletes from low- and some middle-class families that can’t afford it.

“I don’t know if it’s discriminatory or reality, but it does de-legitimize the Games,’’ Intervallo said. “Are we going to sell T-shirts that read, ‘I bought my way into the Empire State Games’? I hate to think that would be the standard on whether you get into the Games.’’

Intervallo is not blind to the financial difficulty the state is enduring but he believes there has to be a better way than eliminating all funding.

“We’re not insensitive that there are costs and some costs have to be absorbed but I think it’s a terrible decimation of the program,’’ Intervallo said. “There has to be some alternative, some way of finding some money somewhere to support a program that is worthwhile.’’

“We’re not studying cow flatulence,’’ Intervallo said sarcastically, in reference to funded university studies.

There will be no changes to the 2009 Winter Games to be held next month in Lake Placid – that event is covered by the 2008-09 budget. Previously announced, sledding events of bobsled, luge and skeleton were suspended due to a conflict with a World Cup event. Games executive director Fred Smith said earlier this week there have been minor fiscal cutbacks to keep spending in check.

Ash said the parks agency would pursue private sponsorship of the 2010 Summer Games set for Buffalo with the hope of reinstating the suspended competitions, as well as revisiting the new fee structure.

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Sled track events cancelled for 2009 Winter Games

By admin | Published: December 10, 2008 | 0 Comments

The 29th annual Empire State Winter Games will be held Feb. 20-22 at Lake Placid.

There will be no bobsled, skeleton or luge events at these Games, however, because Mount VanHoevenberg will be hosting the World Championships of Bobsled and Skeleton on the same weekend. That means plan early and get your hotel rooms booked soon before the World Cup folks grab them.

World Cup event: Thur. Feb. 19, Opening ceremony, 7:30 p.m.; Fri. Feb. 20, women’s bobsled and 7:30 p.m. awards; Sat. Feb. 21, 2-man bobsled and women’s bobseld and 7:30 p.m. awards; Sun. Feb. 22, 2-man bobsled and team, followed by awards (Skeleton held Feb. 26-March 1)

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Tri-county medal winners in scholastic and open divisions

By admin | Published: July 28, 2008 | 0 Comments

The following is a list of open and scholastic division medal winners from Orange, Ulster and Sullivan counties from the 31st Empire State Games held in the Greater Binghamton area.
The information is provided by the Empire State Games.
KEY: OM – open men; OW – open women; SM – scholastic men; SW – scholastic women

Gold
Elora Benfer, Milton, SW tennis team, SW tennis first doubles
Brian Bolstad, Highland, OM diving 1-meter
Shorna Brown, Kingston, OW track high jump
Brittany Carroll, Kingston, SW field hockey
Chris Connolly, Saugerties, SM baseball
Eric Culver, New Paltz, OM swim 400 IM, 400 freestyle, 200 butterfly, 400 medley relay, 400 free relay
Jonathan Deuire, OMW bowling team
Rebekah Diers, Kingston, OW bowling singles, OMW bowling team
Stephanie Duffy, Monroe, OW track pole vault
Alec Faldermeyer, New Hampton, SM track and field hammer
Evan Kirsch, Liberty, SM baseball
Erin Koonz, High Falls, SW field hockey
Colleen Larkin, Campbell Hall, SW swim 400 medley relay, 400 free relay
Sydnie Leroy, Port Jervis, SM pole vault
Amber Maisonet, Newburgh, OW softball (played for Adirondack Region)
Chris Mauceri, Kingston, SM gymnastics all-around, parallel bars, still rings, floor exercise
Darren Mima, Kingston, OM Greco-Roman wrestling 58-kg, 128 lbs.
Amber Mori, Middletown, SW tennis team
Ashley Mori, Middletown, SW tennis team
Christian Muller, Walden, OM swim 400 free relay
Gabriela Murphy-Goldberg, Highland Mills, SW tennis team, SW tennis first doubles
Susan Paris, Blooming Grove, OW air pistol doubles
Joe Perez-Rogers, Shokan, OM swim 400 medley relay, 400 free relay
Kelly Phillips, Newburgh, SW tennis team, SW tennis first singles
Alan Roberts, Middletown, OM swim 100 breaststroke, 400 medley relay
Nicole Rozario, Middletown, SW track 2,000 steeplechase
Raul Sanchez, New Windsor, SM soccer
Kelly Spoto, Napanoch, OW judo 48-kg, 106 lbs.
Patti TeNyenhuis, Saugerties, OMW bowling team

Silver
Nick Boncek, Pine Bush, SM swim 400 free relay
Chris Carrington, Monticello, SM track 1,500
Kyle Clapper, Saugerties, SM track and field shot put
Eric Culver, New Paltz, OM swim 800 free relay
Ripley Danner, Saugerties, OM swim 200 IM, OM swim 800 free relay
Jonathan Deuire, OM bowling trio
Rebekah Diers, Kingston, OW bowling trio
Jessica Fingers, Monticello, SW track 5,000
Tyler Gennarelli, Middletown, SM swim 400 medley relay
Colleen Larkin, Campbell Hall, SW swim 400 IM
Fred Locklary, Newburgh, SM track 400 relay, SM track 1,600 relay
Alex Loli, Middletown, SM swim 100 backstroke, 400 medley relay
Chris Mauceri, Kingston, SM gymnastics horizontal bar, SM team
Justin McCollin, Highland Mills, SM track 400 relay
Joe Perez-Rogers, Shokan, OM swim, 50 freestyle, 100 backstroke
Alan Roberts, Middletown, OM swim, 200 breaststroke
Robert Robinson, Newburgh, SM track 400 relay, SM track 1,600 relay
Brittany Roman-Green, Woodstock, OW swim 200 backstroke
Nicole Rozario, Middletown, SW track 1,500
Patti TeNyenhuis, Saugerties, OW bowling trio
Sara Wickes, Chester, SW heptathlon

Bronze
Corrine Bacigal, Campbell Hall, SW swim 800 free relay
Michael Beck, Milton, SM ice hockey
Brian Bolstad, Highland, OM diving 3-meter
Akinto Boone, Newburgh, OM track 1,600 relay, OM track 400
Steven Butler, Cuddebackville, SM freestyle wrestling 100-kg, 220 lbs., SM Greco-Roman wrestling 100-kg, 220 lbs.
Robin Callan, Monroe, OW track and field hammer
Brad Campagna, Monroe, SM ice hockey
Chris Cerbino, Highland, SM ice hockey
Kelly Connolly, Salisbury Mills, OW track 1,600 relay
Brendan Denvir, Kingston, SM tennis team
Rebekah Diers, Kingston, OW bowling all-around, OMW mixed doubles
Elliot Fanshel, Kingston, SM tennis team
Jessica Fingers, Monticello, SW track 1,500
Joe Galan, Newburgh, SM swim 200 butterfly
Joe Garnet, Monroe, SM ice hockey
Robert Fiedler, Grahamsville, SM track and field hammer
Jenna Hansen, Middletown, SMW air rifle solo, SMW air rifle pair
Jason Healey, Goshen, SM ice hockey
Chadwick Heine, Harriman, SMW free rifle prone pair
Stephania Hernandez, Middletown, SMW air rifle pair
Corey Jones, Washingtonville, OM track 1,600 relay
Tanzeel Khan, Loch Sheldrake, SM track and field, javelin
Peter Krasinski, Pine Island, SM tennis team
Jacques Laine, Newburgh, SM tennis team
Paul Larios, Kingston, SM tennis team
Colleen Larkin, Campbell Hall, SW swim 200 freestyle, 800 free relay
Maria Laterza, Marist College, OW basketball
Connor Leen, Chester, SM ice hockey
Alex Leuchanka, Warwick, SM track 10,000 run
Fred Locklary, Newburgh, SM track 400
Alex Loli, Middletown, SM swim 200 IM
Chris Mauceri, Kingston, SM gymnastics pommel horse
Danielle McHolder, Newburgh, SW track 400 hurdles
Christian Meiley, Highland Mills, SM ice hockey
Darren Mima, Kingston, OM freestyle wrestling 58-kg, 128 lbs.
Cheryl Owen, Wallkill, OW judo 57-kg, 126 lbs.
Ben Petersen, Warwick, SM track and field pole vault
Kevin Portillo, Newburgh, SM track 3,000 steeplechase
Alex Reid, Middletown, OM track 110 hurdles
Chris Reinfried, Montgomery, SM ice hockey
Colton Roe, Middletown, SM swim 100 backstroke
Brittany Roman-Green, Woodstock, OW swim 100 backstroke, 400 medley relay, 400 free relay
Shaina St. Germain, Wallkill, OW track 800 run
Emily Stallings, Newburgh, OW basketball
Asuerus Thompson, New Windsor, OM track 1,600 relay, OM track 400 hurdles
Julianne Viani, Marist College, OW basketball
Mitchell Wightman, Warwick, SM freestyle wrestling 70-kg, 154 lbs.

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A look at recent Hudson Valley team medal history

By admin | Published: July 28, 2008 | 0 Comments

Hudson Valley region team notes at the Empire State Games

Baseball: The gold medal was only the second in 19 years, the other coming in 1991. The Valley won bronze the past two years.
Basketball: The open women’s team has won a medal six consecutive times; the bronze, however, snapped a two-year title run. The open men had a three-year medal streak come to an end. The scholastic women won their ninth gold medal (first since 2005), and their 10th consecutive medal. The scholastic men have medaled the past two years.

Field hockey: The scholastic women have won 11 gold medals, including the past four. The Valley has medaled have medaled every year, except 2004, since 1991.

Ice hockey: The scholastic men have taken bronze two years in a row following a silver in 2006; however, they have never won gold in 27 tournaments. Two wins for the women may have tied a record, but the team has never medaled in 10 tries.

Soccer: The scholastic men won their eighth gold medal and first since 1997 (winning only four medals since then). The scholastic women had a three-year medal streak come to an end; the girls have never won gold in 31 tries. The open men had a five-year medal streak come to an end, and they have not won gold since 2000. The open women have never won gold, and are without medals since 2005.

Softball: The team has not won a medal in two years since taking gold in 2006.

Tennis: The scholastic women have won seven gold medals, including the last three; the girls have brought home medals each of the past six years. The scholastic men have medaled three years in a row, and their only gold was in 2007.

Volleyball: The gold in 2006 is the only medal for the open men since 1998. One silver and three bronze is all the women have this decade. The scholastic women had a two-year medal run ended.

Lacrosse: The scholastic men won bronze in 2006 and 2008, the only medals since 2001; the boys’ only gold came in 1992. The scholastic women won silver in the inaugural 2001 tourney and 2007 and bronze in 2002.

Fencing: The open women had a four-year title run ended, settling for silver. The scholastic men have won the past two years. The scholastic women won in the inaugural 2004 event and 2008. The open men had a four-year medal run ended.

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Mima wins wrestling gold

By admin | Published: July 27, 2008 | 0 Comments

The wrestling tournament concluded Saturday with the finals in Greco-Roman.
In the open division, Darren Mima of Kingston avenged his loss in the freestyle gold match by beating Peter Morales of New York, 6-0 and 6-0, in the final at 128 pounds. Israel Olang of Middletown lost his fifth-place match to Anthony Jerome of Central, 3-0 and 5-0.

In scholastic, Steven Butler of Cuddebackville beat Zach Buonhito of Long Island by disqualification in the bronze-medal match at 220. Kerry Boughton of Kingston lost to Tim Coughlin of Western, 4-2 and 3-1, in the 143 bronze final. Kevin Barry of New Windsor lost to Troy Sterung of Long Island, 3-0 and 7-1, in the fifth-place match at 154. Tanner Saraceno of Gardiner lost to Jacob Winnie of Western, 3-0 and 3-1, in the fifth-place match at 165.

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Soccer teams in medal hunt

By admin | Published: July 26, 2008 | 0 Comments

As best as we can determine, at 5:30 p.m., the Hudson Valley open men’s and women’s soccer teams will be playing for bronze medals on Sunday.
The open men (2-1) were edged out by Central (3-0) for the top spot in their “mini-division.” The other division is in total chaos, but if New York beats Adirondack at 4 this afternoon, then Central will play New York for the gold, and Hudson Valley will face Long Island (1-2) for the bronze. If Adirondack prevails today, then there are three teams at 1-2 and I don’t even want to get into tie-breakers there.
The open women will play the loser of today’s Adirondack-New York game in the bronze contest, with Long Island facing the winner for gold.
The scholastic men are playing New York this afternoon — the winner plays Long Island for gold, and the loser plays Central for bronze.
The scholastic women are 1-2 and in dire position for a medal game. Western needs to lose to Long Island this afternoon for Hudson Valley to sneak into the bronze game, since the Valley beat Western already.

 

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Diers third in women’s bowling all-around

By admin | Published: July 26, 2008 | 0 Comments

Rebekah Diers of Kingston placed third in the women’s bowling all-around event. Patti TeNyenhuis of Saugerties placed seventh. TeNyenhuis was the defending all-around champ.

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