[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign.
[00:00:03] Speaker B: The following program is brought to.
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The Gazette News Group presents the Parting Shots Podcast. Now here's your host and shots. Thank you Scott Geezy and welcome to the Parting Shots Podcast, available wherever you get your podcast. Subscribe today. Thanks for joining me from the Parting Shots Podcast studio in Schenectady, New York on this Thanksgiving Eve and the 490th episode episode of the Parting Shots podcast. We're again 10 away from the magical 500 number. I can't wait to get there. Maybe we get there by the end of the year, we'll see what happens. But well, there's one podcast this week. With the Thanksgiving holiday coming up, let's just do one complete happy podcast. And that means Union Men's head hockey coach Josh Hauge will lead off our podcast with his usual stop by segment to talk about Union men's hockey. We talked on Tuesday. The team is in Belfast, Northern Ireland getting set for the Friendship Four tournament. Union will face Sacred Heart at 9am Eastern Time Friday and the other matchup is RIT in Miami, Ohio. That'll get underway at 2pm Eastern Time. The consolation game is at 10am Saturday and the championship at 2pm on Saturday. Talked to Josh about that as well as last weekend's games at Cornell and Colgate. A two point weekend for the Garner Chargers. They lost at Cornell 2 to 1 and tied 44 at Colgate with a shootout win in five rounds at 2 to 1. So we'll talk to him about those games. Talk about a little controversial non call that went against unions in a way with contact to the head that was not called a major.
We'll discuss what happened in that cold game as well and I'll have interviews with players Nick Young, Brandon Burr and Lucas Buziel that were conducted last Tuesday with regards to the games in Belfast, Northern Ireland. So we'll have that to lead off the podcast.
After that we'll talk Union Women's hockey. They had a nice weekend last weekend, upsetting number four ranked Cornell in overtime four to three. Matty Delaney with three of those goals including the game winner and they earned a point in a 3:2 overtime loss to Colgate in a controversial loss where Carrion Engelberg was called for a cross check with just over a minute left. And then it appeared on the video that was the player, the Colgate players already going down the ice and this seemed like it was more of a dive than anything else. And this is after the referees did not call any penalties in the third period and they call something ticky tack like that and ended up maybe costing Union either a half point or a point because in women's hockey they don't count the shootout toward the standings point. They still have ties so they get a point and a half for a tie. So on Tuesday I spoke with Mattie Delaney, who was also named ECA Hockey Forward of the Week on Tuesday for the second time this month.
As I said, she had the hat trick and then also scored against Colgate. She's been on a run right now at scoring in four straight games. Also Stephanie Bourque, the defenseman and team captain and goaltender Ammonia Wagner, as well as women's head coach Tony Macy.
We'll talk some high school football. Drew Emple as he gets set for the state semifinals this weekend. Four Section 2 teams are playing for the right to go to Syracuse next weekend. And Will Springs, said the executive sports editor of the Daily Gazette and Union football Pete Writer, wraps up the Garner Charger season, which ended last Saturday in a 3428 loss to Muhlenberg.
I may have a score incorrect. I apologize for that, but it was actually 34 26, not 3,000, 428. My apologies, but that was in the first round of the NCAA Division 3 tournament. We'll wrap up the season. Look ahead to 2026 with Will Springstead. So coming up, it's our weekly segment with Union Men's Head hockey coach Josh Algae as we get you set for the Friendship 4 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. You're listening to the Parting Shots Podcast.
Hi, I'm Stan.
[00:04:24] Speaker D: And I'm Shen.
[00:04:25] Speaker C: And each week we bring you the Stan and Shen Show.
And each week we talk about fun things through our travels throughout the Capital region. We touch on food, we touch on news, try to touch heavily on good news. And Shen's always available with hot takes.
Yeah. So if you could follow along and.
[00:04:43] Speaker D: Listen to us every week on DailyGazette.com or on all major streaming platforms, we'd.
[00:04:49] Speaker B: Love to have you join us.
[00:04:52] Speaker D: Hi, this is Daily Gazette News Group's Connecticut county reporter, Erica Baska. I would like to wish you a happy holiday season and a great 2026.
[00:05:01] Speaker C: Welcome back to the podcast. The Union College men's hockey team getting set to play in the Friendship Four in Belfast, Northern Ireland this weekend. They'll take on Sacred Heart on Friday in either Miami of Ohio or RIT on Saturday. And Josh Algae making his weekly appearance from Belton, this time from Belfast Northern island, not from the Parting Shots Podcast Studio Josh, how's it going out there in Belfast?
[00:05:24] Speaker B: It's going well. It's, it's been a, you know, chaotic couple days as far as doing sightseeing and practice and, you know, but yeah, really enjoyable thus far.
[00:05:33] Speaker C: Tell me about the trip because obviously you guys played at Colgate Saturday night, got home and I think we left 2 o' clock from Albany or at least 2 o' clock from.
Took the bus to Boston. Is that how it worked?
[00:05:47] Speaker B: Yeah. So we busted Boston, had a little bit of downtime there, everybody got dinner, flight took off at 9:30 and we landed about 8am local time in Dublin.
Yeah, so then the big challenge was to keep everybody awake.
So we just did some sightseeing in Dublin, ended up going to Croke park where there's, you know, different, different sightseeing things where there was actually an NFL game this, this season with Pittsburgh and Minnesota.
And then after that just, you know, had some dinner and gave the guys a little bit of free time to walk around the city. And this morning we took off at 8:00 clock and got to Belfast right around 11:30.
[00:06:30] Speaker C: Okay, so. So we'll talk a bit more about the fresh at four. Just a bit. But let's talk about this past weekend's games at Cornell and Colgate. A tough one on Friday as Cornell took a 21 win. Then the next night Union overcame a couple of deficits to earn a 44 tie. Union earned the extra point by winning a 5 round shootout 2 to 1. Your general thoughts on the weekend?
[00:06:52] Speaker B: You know, I'd like to have gotten more points obviously on the weekend. I thought Cornell did a really nice job, you know, frustrating us a little bit. I thought we were chasing the game a lot and just, you know, didn't have puck possession and when we did, we were just chipping pucks in and not really establishing a, you know, offensive game like we like to. So give credit to Cornell. I think there's some things we can learn from for sure there. And then Saturday I thought, you know, we got off to a slow start.
Colgate, you know, really, really took the game to us in the first five minutes and, you know, guys were resilient and found a way to get some points.
[00:07:28] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:07:29] Speaker C: Well, let's start the Cornell game. You guys got off on the right skate. The defenseman and Michigan transfer Will Felicio scores a power play goal midway through the first period to give Union a one nothing lead. It was Felicio's first goal with Union. You wanted to get that first Goal to get the jump on a Cornell.
[00:07:44] Speaker B: Right.
Yeah. I thought our first period was our best of the of the night and I really liked the way we played.
[00:07:50] Speaker C: Yeah. Well, unfortunately for the guarded Chargers, the lead did not last long. Four seconds into a Carter Rose cross checking penalty, Xavier VIU scores a power play goal on a one timer that beat goalie Carter.
I'm sorry, Cameron Corby to the tie to one. He had no chance on that. Did you feel the game's momentum was shifting at that point?
[00:08:11] Speaker B: I thought we were still in control. And then when they scored, I just didn't think we responded the way we needed to. I thought Cornell really grabbed an extra gear and. And for us, that that's when we, you know, need to play a little bit better and I just didn't think. Think we punch back quite quick enough.
[00:08:28] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:08:28] Speaker C: Well, the score remained 1:1 until late in the second period when a Union turnover along the left wing boards in the Garner charger zone leads to a Charlie major goal with 149 left in the period to give Cornell a 21 lead. What happened on that play?
[00:08:43] Speaker B: Yeah, so they wrapped the puck in and, you know, we went to bump the puck back and, you know, try to make a breakout pass and just made a play right to them and they ended up finishing on it. So for us, it's a, you know, point of emphasis is just our retrievals and getting back to them quickly and making good plays with them. And that was, you know, a mistake by us.
[00:09:04] Speaker C: And then Euden tries to rally, but Cornell's stifling defense makes it tough. The big red win 2 to 1. Union is held to a season low 19 shots on goal. What did Cornell do to make it difficult for your team to create offense?
[00:09:18] Speaker B: Well, I thought from their fore check, it started like we were breaking pucks out clean, and then when we did get pucks in, we were just getting them deep and not being able to establish the forecheck. So the second period, it really started to turn.
You know, like, as a coach, you felt like it was really bad. Then you watched the video back and it was like, hey, you know, just one or two things. If we would have cleaned up, you know, play here, play there, it might have been a little bit different. But, you know, like I said, give Cornell credit.
[00:09:44] Speaker C: Well, let's move on to the Colgate game. What was the message to the team for this game after what happened Friday?
[00:09:51] Speaker B: I think that, like, you know, overall, they.
We just need to compete a little harder in certain areas, and it wasn't like we needed to throw the game plan away against Cornell. It just was one or two things of just tightening up and so we started focusing on that. Obviously, the biggest difference when you go from Cornell to Colgate is just, I mean, you go from a place that is extremely hostile environment to a place where there is, you know, not very many people. So it's, it's hard to have that energy. So you got to kind of create your own energy and you know, make sure that you're, you know, you're bringing that sort of intensity. And I just didn't think we had it at the start.
[00:10:31] Speaker C: At least they have a better ice service at Colgate than they had at line a rink at Cornell.
[00:10:36] Speaker B: Yeah, the ice service at Cornell was definitely interesting.
[00:10:43] Speaker C: Did that affect you guys at all?
[00:10:46] Speaker B: I mean, I just. Our passing was off a little bit. Both teams are playing on the same surface, so I don't want to like, you know, make, make excuses. So like, we gotta adjust to it. We gotta be better because of it.
You know, that's the one thing we've really been spoiled with this year is having such a quality ice surface at home.
Sometimes when you get a bad surface, it's, it's a little different, I think.
I do think, well, you know, you're going to run across that if you make it to the NCAA tournament. If you, you know, even this weekend in Belfast here, I wouldn't expect to have the best ice.
[00:11:17] Speaker C: Okay, well, let's get back to the Colgate game. Unfortunately, Colgate scored twice in a 28 second span less than six minutes into the game to take a 2 nothing lead. You had to be thinking, why didn't we come out strong after what happened against Cornell?
[00:11:30] Speaker B: Yeah, it was, you know, a little bit of just two mistakes and they're right in the back of your net and you're, you're like, oh boy, is this, is this going to go sideways on us? And thankfully it was a TV game. So instead of immediate timeout being at 10 minute mark, it was, there's one at the 14 minute mark. So we're able to kind of snap them a little bit and let the guys know, like, hey, we got to refocus. And I thought that really helped. I thought our leaders did a nice job of just getting everybody under control and being ready to go.
[00:11:57] Speaker C: Yeah, and it seemed like that could mean once, as you mentioned, game was on SNY where there were two media timeouts each period instead of the normal one. So you got a chance to settle down. You didn't Panic and Brandon burr scores with 259 left in the first to cut Colgate's lead to 2 to 1. Then in the second period, the Garner charges I thought dominated the period.
Carter Corby ties it with 422 remaining in the period. And then Union takes the lead a minute 11 later on a Colby MacArthur power play goal. I mean, how happy were you? See the team make that push?
[00:12:27] Speaker B: Yeah, I thought the second we could have had, you know, even though we got two goals, I thought we could have had four or five. With the way we were playing, I thought, you know, we were creating chances having, you know, second and third opportunities, which for us is key for us if we're going to be good. We got to, you know, you're not going to always score on that first shot, but getting that second and third opportunity is, you know, where you can generate and, you know, that's what we need.
[00:12:51] Speaker C: When that third period Union kills a Colgate two man power play that carried over from the second period. And Union was three seconds away from killing a Tyler Dunbar interference penalty when Daniel Panetta scored at 444 to tie it. And then Colgate regains lead at 7:10 on a Jacob Napier goal. I mean, what was the disappointment level like at that point?
[00:13:09] Speaker B: Yeah, it was after playing so well in the second and coming back and giving up the lead, it was a little bit devastating and you know, I thought we could have felt sorry for ourselves and we had a power play where it didn't go, you know, the way we wanted to. It wasn't our best power play of the night. You know, the guys just stuck with it and. But I do think we were down a little bit, so was proud of the response.
[00:13:30] Speaker C: We'll talk about that power play in a little bit. But yeah, again Union rallies. Drew Sutton scores with 323 remaining to tight. I mean, how clutch was that?
[00:13:40] Speaker B: Yeah, it was, you know, a nice play for us. Went in the face off going D to D and then it was just guys getting to the net. So I was, well, it's definitely what we needed at that point.
[00:13:50] Speaker C: Well, the game goes to overtime and with 24.1 seconds left, Colgate gets a power play when Ben Muthesbog was called for hooking, which gives Colgate a 4 and 3 advantage. Colgate coach Mike Carter gets a little bold here. He pulls goaltender Reed Dick for an extra attacker, making it five skaters to three.
Were you shocked by that decision?
[00:14:13] Speaker B: I was shocked by it and I spoke with coach Harder after the Game. He's someone that, you know, respect and just kind of wanted to see his, his thoughts on it and yeah, I mean there's no, there's no consequence for, you know, you're going to get a point no matter what. And he wanted to get the second was his mindset.
But yeah, I think there is some, you know, heavy risk involved in it too.
[00:14:35] Speaker C: Well, that leads me to this. In the NHL, if you pull a goalie for an extra attacker in overtime and the opposing team scores that empty net goal, you lose the point for getting to overtime. I check with you as you mentioned then I checked with the ECAC hockey officials front office on Saturday night to see if they had a similar rule and it doesn't. Should they have a rule like that?
[00:14:58] Speaker B: I mean I, I definitely see why you should as far as you don't want teams, you know, in, you know, just the integrity of the game of win versus a tie and just how easy it can be to score empty net goals. So I see why you do it.
I didn't even know what the rule was so I did the same thing. I reached out to see if they would have lost the point and yeah, they definitely would not have.
[00:15:21] Speaker C: So I think if you do that, you should get the opposing team scores. You have the goal that winning team should get all three points.
[00:15:30] Speaker B: Yeah, that's. Well, that was what I thought would have happened and then like I said, we found out after that's not the case.
[00:15:36] Speaker C: That's something that should be addressed at the coaches convention.
[00:15:40] Speaker B: Yeah, I definitely think it'll be talked about because you know, really is something that hasn't happened, you know, at the collegiate level. It does in the NHL but, or really not in the NHL but in the KHL or different leagues like that.
[00:15:53] Speaker C: So. Well, I have to mention this had to bring back Memories of the 2023 game at Colgate where Don Vaughn, the head coach at the time, there's a face off in the union zone with about three seconds left. He pulls his goaltender for the Carter Gillander for an extra attacker. Unions, nothing.
Don figured, what the heck. What the heck. Let's take a chance, try to get a quick goal if we can and win the face off. And it spectacularly backfired on him when Owen Farris cleanly wins a face off in the left circle and draws it back to Nick Young. And Nick Young fired it as hard as he could and with 3/10 of a second left, that puck crossed the goal line, gave union a 2 nothing lead. Ended up being the game winning goal in the 31 victory. So rethinking about that I 100% was.
[00:16:38] Speaker B: Especially with Nick Young being lined up exactly in the exact same spot he wanted from last time. So unfortunately we didn't win that draw clean and you know, didn't get a chance to shoot down.
[00:16:48] Speaker C: Well of course you win the shootout and get the two points, you know, it goes five runs, went two to one. So how happy you get to get the two points?
[00:16:56] Speaker B: Yeah, I thought for the most part, you know, you take away a few minutes of that game and I thought we were the better team for a large portion. So was happy to get the points but again didn't play well enough to get all three. So that's a disappointment.
[00:17:08] Speaker C: Well let me go back to you mentioned the power play there in the third period. It came with when Easton Wainwright of Colgate was called for high sticking with 835 left in the third period.
The situation, Cameron Corpy was being I guess harassed a little bit and he took exception and then shoved the Colgate player. And then Wainwright cross checks him.
Appeared to be right in the face mask because Corby went down and you challenged it because you thought there was contact with the stick and it appeared to be, but the officials said there wasn't. They said it. What did they tell you about that?
[00:17:50] Speaker B: Yeah, it just said they thought it hit him in the upper chest and rolled up to his face mask.
So that was their explanation of why it's not a five and a half. I mean I reviewed the video now and I spoke to you after the game about it and I, I still think it got him at the bottom or like the chin portion of the face mask first. But obviously the referees viewed it a different way.
[00:18:10] Speaker C: Okay, this is where I and I wrote about this in my final horn con which is
[email protected] and it was in, in Tuesday's edition. Of course I should clarify everybody here we are taping on Tuesday night instead of normal Wednesday.
But my, it's I, when I watch that video, I mean and I and I go back to what happened to Ben Muthenborg in the Clarkson game where he got called initially for two in a minor for high sticking Sean Clarkson, Sean o' Donnell with a breakaway which should have been a penalty shot, but that's another discussion for another time.
And then Clarkson challenged for the contact today with the stick and yeah, there was and I was, I kept watching that video too and to me it was a one handed swing. It wasn't that vicious it hit hit o' Donnell in the shoulder and then it goes up and rides up and hits him in the helmet. So if you're going to say if Waitwright was riding up to the to his corpi's face mask, what's the difference between that and what happened to Mutha's bomb?
[00:19:14] Speaker B: Yeah. You know, in my opinion, in my judgment on both of them, I thought they both should have been fives. Like I'm okay like if you aren't responsible for your stick and it, and it like hits someone with force to the head.
Like to me you're putting someone at, in danger and, and that to me is like I'm okay with a five there at that.
You know to me whether it starts on the shoulder and rides up or it's direct contact to the head if, if you're looking at and in all reality Ben's was less of like he maybe just lost control of his stick where you know their player like he was trying to cross check them.
[00:19:48] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:19:48] Speaker B: So I mean but I, I, I, I'm okay with Ben's being called the five after watching it but if you're.
[00:19:55] Speaker C: Going to say it it rolled up and hit him in the head and that's not a major let's be consistent about it because I, I, I'll, I'll, I mean you know granted you agree with that call and all that stuff but I still think I look at that and it's the same thing. It hits the, the bend stick hits the right shoulder of o' Donnell and then just happens right up and it, and it was a one handed it wasn't like I said it wasn't Waywright's cross check and I, that was, they call it High Sing was a cross check. For crying out Alex. Let's get the penalty right.
I mean that was more vicious than what Ben R. Did.
[00:20:28] Speaker B: Well there, there was more intention for sure and I mean I just, it just as dangerous if not more so. Like I, I, I agree with you on that and I, you know it's, that's where it's, it is tough. You have different people making different calls and the consistency at times is, you know, it's tough.
[00:20:46] Speaker C: I, I want to see because Colgate played Wednesday night. We'll probably post this podcast on Wednesday play Wednesday at Michigan State. I'll be it to see if the, the conference is taking any action. Even though Wainwright wasn't ejected from the game or got the major if, if somebody looks at the video said well that's, that should have been Called a major. We're to suspend you again. Of course, they won't announce that if he does get suspended. So we'll find out if he's in the lineup Wednesday. All right, that's enough of that. Let's get back to the Friendship Four. I mean, has there been a lot of sightseeing so far?
[00:21:18] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, yesterday, like, you know, we said we went to Croke park and was able to view that stadium and just kind of walked around and saw the sights. Today we took a tour of Belfast and the city and learned a lot about the history and, you know, got a chance to walk around the arena and just see where we're playing after we skated.
[00:21:36] Speaker C: How has it been adjusting to the time difference? It's a five hour time difference between here and there. Of course, you mentioned earlier that you didn't get until the around 8, 8:30 on Monday morning.
[00:21:49] Speaker B: You know what, I think it's really different for every player right now. I think we do have some players that are struggling with it.
It's hard, you know, depending on how much sleep you got on the plane and then depending on how used you are doing something like this and that. I think we have other guys that are just, they're so excited and bouncing around and it's just kind of funny to see how it affects everyone.
My two sons are here. They're 9 and 12 and you haven't seen.
They're running around everywhere. So they're having a great time.
[00:22:19] Speaker C: I mean, how important is to have some fun but focus on the task at hand?
[00:22:24] Speaker B: Yeah, I think, you know, Monday was all sightseeing and, you know, being a part of the culture and getting that experience and then, you know, today a little bit less. And then by tomorrow it's, you know, it's really just hockey. And you know, we'll do some video sessions. We'll get into like our typical week for Wednesday and Thursday and then, you know, you know, work to get two wins on Friday and Saturday.
[00:22:45] Speaker C: Yeah. Well, let's talk about Sacred Heart. This will be the ninth meeting between the schools and the first since October 15th of 2016.
Union leads to series 5, 1, 2.
This will be the fourth Atlantic Hockey America team Union has faced this season.
Tell us a little bit about Sacred Heart.
[00:23:02] Speaker B: Well, you know, they're the preseason favorites of the of Atlantic hockey.
Their goaltender is exceptional. He's very athletic, keeps him in a lot of games if they're not playing well. But for the most part they're a team that has the ability to create A ton.
Offensively, Felix Trudeau is one of the, you know, best goal scorers in college hockey. They play really fast.
I actually think there's a lot of similarities to Colgate in their playing style. So I was glad that our last opponent was Colgate because I thought it prepared us well for this.
[00:23:34] Speaker C: What's going to be the key you think on Friday?
[00:23:37] Speaker B: Yeah, I think just staying above them, being difficult to play against.
You know, we want to take away time and space and then just protect in the middle of the ice. It's an Olympic sized sheet so there is a little bit more space. But at the end of the day, games are still won in the middle.
[00:23:51] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:23:51] Speaker C: Well, let's hear from union defenseman Nick Young on forward's Brandon Burr and Lucas Buziel about playing in the friendship 4. And these interviews took place place last Tuesday.
Okay, you guys are getting set to head to Belfast and as we tape this here Tuesday before you guys head out, how much you guys looking forward to this trip? I know as we speak you have the Cornell Colgate games, but how was it much excitement when you actually when you saw it be announced last year?
[00:24:18] Speaker B: No, it's something that's so special and.
[00:24:20] Speaker C: You know, such a unique thing that.
[00:24:22] Speaker B: We'Re so lucky and fortunate to, to be a part of and it's something we've been looking forward to since the springtime.
[00:24:28] Speaker C: So I'm excited it's coming here, Brandon.
[00:24:31] Speaker A: Yeah, it's super exciting.
[00:24:32] Speaker C: Obviously it's really cool that we got.
[00:24:33] Speaker A: Selected and I know personally I've never.
[00:24:35] Speaker E: Been outside North America so I'm just.
[00:24:37] Speaker B: Looking forward to see what it's like.
[00:24:38] Speaker A: Luke.
[00:24:39] Speaker C: I mean, how much fun is it going to go to Belfast over Thanksgiving? Yeah, I mean it'll be a lot of fun. Obviously being with the guys is going to be pretty cool and you know, seeing a country I've never been to but you know, obviously at the start of the week be cool to kind of sightsee and look at different things. But I think towards the end of.
[00:24:54] Speaker F: The week we know it's a business.
[00:24:56] Speaker C: Trip and we want to get two wins and you know, get a trophy by the end of it. How important is to adjust to the time difference? Obviously I think a five hour difference, you're going to lose time as you fly over. Yeah, I mean, I think that adjustment will come in the first couple days. I don't really think it will affect us that much by the time we're playing games. But you know, I think just kind of go with the flow and just hopefully, you know, the adjustment won't be too bad. Nick, how important will it be for this team? This team has won it before.
This friendship 4. How important would it be to bring another championship home?
[00:25:29] Speaker E: I think it's super important.
[00:25:30] Speaker C: We put a lot of emphasis this.
[00:25:31] Speaker B: Year on we're playing for a lot.
[00:25:33] Speaker C: Of trophies and we won every single one of them.
So this is kind of like one of our stepping stones and our goals for the year.
[00:25:39] Speaker E: And I think it's extremely important to.
[00:25:41] Speaker B: The group and it means a lot to us.
[00:25:44] Speaker C: Well, Josh, we always like to take questions from our listeners and regular contributor Jim Calhorn, who celebrated a birthday on Monday. Happy birthday, Jim. He's asking, does coach have any concerns with players taking penalties that appear could have been to have been avoided? For example, Dunbar's third period penalty and Hart's second period penalty. It's D.J. hart. And then some late game tips in both games this weekend. Does he feel the team loses game plan focus when this happens?
[00:26:12] Speaker B: Well, I think it's something we definitely are addressing. We do not want to be, you know, undisciplined. I think you take a look at, you know, the penalty to Tyler Dunbar and like, that's an aggressive penalty where he just needs to keep his feet, you know, still and hold his ice. He doesn't need to cross over and, you know, cut that player's ice off. And, you know, he's, he's been such a great defenseman for us and, you know, usually doesn't take too many penalties. So that's, that's more of just a habit and detail of, you know, correcting that, that form in skating. DJ plays on the edge. I mean, he's, for us, a guy who is physical. He's hard to, hard to play against. He's a guy that other teams fear. So it's, it's, it's one thing to, you know, for him to play hard and physical and take a penalty. It's another when he takes an undisciplined one. So we're going to live with him taking some physicality penalties as far as if he gets a, you know, a charging or a boarding because it's physical, but like just stuff after the whistle, like the, the undisciplined penalties. We can't have.
[00:27:17] Speaker C: The polls that came out Monday, there's a split decision for union. They remain 20th in the USCHO poll, holding off Harvard by a point, but not in the USA Hockey poll. Union was second among teams receiving votes.
Allison Bennett was asking, what does coach think the team needs to do in order to maintain a stable national ranking.
[00:27:41] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, we just got to win. I mean, that's what it comes down to. We need to win.
We need to win tournaments. We need to win games.
At this point, for us, it's just stringing games together. And, you know, we have a great opportunity here this weekend, But I. I think if we're, you know, splitting weekends, you don't deserve to be ranked. You gotta. You gotta put, you know.
[00:28:04] Speaker C: I think we lost, Josh. Still there?
[00:28:06] Speaker B: You got me. Yeah, yeah.
[00:28:08] Speaker C: Your answer. Your answer cut off there. Sorry.
[00:28:11] Speaker B: Oh, yeah, Basically. Basically the answer is you got to sweep weekends. If we. If we're splitting weekends, I don't. I don't think we deserve to be ranked.
[00:28:17] Speaker C: Well, thanks for the questions, both Jim and Allison. And if you have a question for Josh, email to me atshotthatdelegate.com, because that's s C H o.
Or you can post them on Facebook on my personal page and the Parting Shots podcast page. You can also send them via Blue Sky X and threadslapshots.
Let me ask you one final question here, Josh. What would it mean for you to win this tournament? Union has won it before in 2018. What do we mean to bring home a second Friendship 4 championship?
[00:28:48] Speaker B: Well, there's. There's three other really good hockey teams here. So I think, you know, for us, it's. It would be huge nationally. It would be huge just for the confidence of this group. This is a group that wants to bring trophies home. And, you know, this is. This is an opportunity to do that. So I think it'd be another statement for us as a group.
[00:29:06] Speaker C: Well, Josh, appreciate you doing this. I know we've been busy there in Belfast, so we'll talk about these games as well as next weekend's ECAC hockey matchup against Princeton and Quinnipiac in the Party Shots podcast studio. Next Wednesday. The Good luck this weekend, Josh. We'll talk after the games.
[00:29:23] Speaker B: Yeah. Thank you very much and happy Thanksgiving Day.
[00:29:25] Speaker C: Happy Thanksgiving to you, too. That's Josh Hausi. We'll talk to you when hockey next here on the Parting Shots podcast.
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[00:30:15] Speaker C: Hi, this is Daily Gazette News Group Deputy online Editor Gino Dominic. I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season and a Prosperous and Healthy 2026.
Welcome back to the podcast. The Union women's hockey team's back in action this weekend. They'll have a couple of non conference games against a new Division 1 program, the University of Delaware Blue Hens.
So Union having a good weekend last weekend in ECAC accuplay taking two points against fourth ranked Cornell with an overtime victory 4, 3 last Friday night Matty Leaney with a hat trick in that game including the game winning goal in overtime and then Union got picked up a point in a 3:2 overtime loss to Colgate in a game that where the referees did not call a penalty in the third period. Then they called a really chintzy won on Carrie Ann Engelbert a cross check when it looked like the Colgate player was already falling to the ice in the Union zone and led to a late power play goal and Union could have ended up with a point and a half but they got the point and ended up with a three point weekend against two nationally ranked teams. So a good weekend for the Garnet Chargers. Speaking of Maddie Leaney, she was named ECAC Hockey Forward of the week for the second second time this month. Of course she had the four goals over the weekend. She's on a tear right now.
Four game goal scoring and point scoring streak. She has seven goals and one assist in that span. As I said, they're getting ready to take on Delaware this week and also see a former teammate in Danica Mark who's now with the Blue Hens. So we talked about that on Tuesday during a zoom call for the media availability on Tuesday. So let's talk with Matty Delaney, Stephanie Work and Monya Wagner.
Matt, let me start with you. You've been on a tear the last four games here.
Hat trick there on Friday night.
Like six, seven goals in the last four games here.
What's been the key to your success lately?
[00:32:18] Speaker D: Yeah, I don't know. I think, I think it's more of a team thing I think. I mean Friday night was two power play goals and that's something we've really been trying to work on and dial in is our power play.
Steph's been getting some really good looks up top and where it's been a great screen in front. So I think that's a huge part of it. I think just the overall effort of the group and just trying to set each other up for success.
[00:32:41] Speaker C: How big Is this for. You have 10 goals in a season. You're closing in on your career high from your freshman year at 2012. I mean, how important is it for you to get on a roll like this? And especially. I know. I know conference play is not taking place this weekend, but to have this happen the last two games in conference play with the four goals, including the hat trick on Friday.
[00:33:03] Speaker D: Yeah, I mean, it's always. I'm always trying to get better.
I think it's cool, but it's not really what I'm focusing on. It's kind of just more trying to help the team succeed, and I think we're all just trying to dial in on our roles.
So being able to do that and, you know, help get the wins in the conference play has been super cool, and I think we just need to keep going as a group.
[00:33:22] Speaker C: Stephanie, your thoughts on Maddie's play the last few games here?
[00:33:27] Speaker D: Yeah, I mean, she's been putting up a lot of points for us, and obviously we want to score goals. That's how we win games. Right. I think she's been doing all the right things and playing hard and especially being a center now. I think she's been helping us out a ton in the D zone as well. So I think she's been playing really well for us, and I know she's going to keep it up, and I know that she's going to help us out a ton.
[00:33:49] Speaker C: Matty, for you, is that change in center, was that a change this year?
[00:33:55] Speaker D: Yeah, it was a change. I mean, I've been playing left wing for the past two years here.
You know, things weren't going as we wanted at the start of the season. We had a good start and then kind of hit a wall. So I think we were just trying to change everything up, but.
And so it just so happens that I was put into center, and I think it's been going well. I've been enjoying it. I mean, I've been playing with Bert and Dupe, and they've been amazing to play with, so, yeah, I'm liking it.
[00:34:20] Speaker C: What adjustments do you have to make going from a winger to a center?
[00:34:25] Speaker D: I think it's a little bit more defensive mindset. I know as a winger, I like to zone a little bit, and I like to think offense all the time. So I think being in the center, you're kind of like the third D in the D zone. So really trying to protect the house and support the D and move pucks up quick to get to, like, Burton Duke. So that's been the biggest change for.
[00:34:42] Speaker C: Me to be named forward of the week for the second time this month. What does it mean?
[00:34:48] Speaker D: Yeah, it's a huge honor, of course, but again, I think it's just more focusing on the bigger picture here and just getting points for the team and, you know, setting each other up for success to win games.
[00:34:59] Speaker C: Stephanie, what was it like this this past weekend to get three points? You may upset Cornell, A bad penalty call cost you a point against or against Cole. You could end up with one and a half. But looking at this weekend, how big was this weekend, this past weekend for you guys in conference play?
[00:35:19] Speaker D: Yeah, I think any points that we can get in our league is.
[00:35:22] Speaker B: Are huge points.
[00:35:23] Speaker D: And especially when you look at. At them, they're. They're both top 15 teams. So I definitely do think that that says a lot about us, how we showed up and played on Friday night. I think that's the standard that we're gonna hold ourselves to now. I definitely do think that, like, we're capable and we proved that this weekend. I just definitely do think that those three points, they're big. They're big teams and they're big points for us. So I definitely do think that in.
[00:35:45] Speaker B: The long run, it'll help us out.
[00:35:47] Speaker C: Monya, for you to get back into college hockey play after being with team Switzerland, how good was it? Get back with the win and the overtime point?
[00:36:01] Speaker D: It was really fun.
I had a great time with the national team, obviously, but then coming back, the vibes were great.
And getting those three points was, I think, a great start for me and for the teams to just keep growing and keep pushing towards that league play and playoffs in the long run.
[00:36:20] Speaker C: Can you talk a bit about those Lytle. The Lytle Games, how much fun was that?
One of the games you played in Switzerland, was it the Lytle games or.
[00:36:31] Speaker D: I was playing against Sweden.
It was our first ever career start for the national team, and we were for sure the underdog, but it was just the team lives were amazing. I feel like everyone was very supportive, and we did it as a group, and then winning it in a shootout was just like. It felt unreal.
I can't really describe how it was, but it was just amazing.
[00:36:59] Speaker C: Was that a championship game or just a regular game?
[00:37:02] Speaker D: In that it's basically the European preparation towards the Olympics or world championships. So it was a tournament between.
[00:37:12] Speaker B: Finland.
[00:37:12] Speaker D: Sweden, US and Czech. And it's not like. It's just like a round robin, so everyone plays each other once. But yeah, just Preparation.
[00:37:24] Speaker C: Well, you guys get back to non conference play this weekend against a first year program in Delaware.
Stephanie, what, what are the goals this weekend in facing the Blue Hens?
[00:37:38] Speaker D: I mean, it's, it's just going back to how we played on, on Friday night, Friday night and Saturdays. Keeping things simple.
We can't take them lightly. They're a good program, they stick with good teams and they have really good goaltending. So I think it's definitely important for us to, to be ready to go right off the bat and to try to get a lot of ozone time, focus on our ozone movement, getting lots of shots, getting lots of pucks through just different things like that.
[00:38:00] Speaker C: Matty, your thoughts?
[00:38:03] Speaker D: Yeah, I think the big thing is playing within our structure and just playing a full 60 minutes. I think sometimes we can get a good lead and then sometimes we don't follow our structure and focus on the offense too much. So I think sticking with the full 60 minutes and playing D, they're a tough team, they work hard.
So yeah, just going off of what Steph said, but focusing on our overall movement, getting shots up and.
[00:38:26] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:38:27] Speaker C: Moen, your thoughts?
[00:38:30] Speaker D: Yeah, no, I agree with what they said. Just stick to our structure, don't take them too lightly and then hopefully do what we did this weekend.
[00:38:37] Speaker C: Again, you're going to face a former teammate too in Danica. Mark. Stephanie, what's it going to like to see in her?
[00:38:45] Speaker D: Yeah, I mean, we're obviously really excited to see her. We're all really good friends and I know she's been calling us here and.
[00:38:50] Speaker B: There and you've been talking.
[00:38:52] Speaker D: So I think for her it's also a big opportunity. I mean, they, she, she definitely wants to beat us, so I think that's why we can't take things lightly. So we need to be ready to go. But obviously we're excited to see her.
[00:39:02] Speaker C: Maddie?
[00:39:05] Speaker D: Yeah, I'm super excited to play Danica. I mean, she's doing great this year. I think it's a great spot for her. She's a leader on the team and that role suits her perfectly. But like Steph said, I think she's really excited to play us too. And so we can't take her lightly because she's definitely a threat out there on the ice.
[00:39:21] Speaker C: And Mona, we'll wrap this up with you. Your thoughts on facing Danica.
[00:39:25] Speaker D: I'm beyond excited. She's one of my best friends and yeah, I'm just very happy to see her and to play against her and unfortunately not on the same team, but that Makes me want to beat them even more. So I hope that's what we're doing this weekend.
[00:39:43] Speaker C: Now let's hear from Union women's head hockey coach Tony Macy, who will probably be enjoying Tuesday maybe if his Detroit Lions beat the Green Bay packers in the traditional Thanksgiving Day game for Detroit.
I don't know who actually to picking that one that's going to one of those toss up games, but here's Tony Macy.
Tony, Matty Lee's been on a roll the last four games here gets named ECAC Hockey four of the week on Tuesday for the second time this month.
Had the four goals over the weekend, including three in the Cornell game.
What, what has helped her get on this role like this?
[00:40:20] Speaker F: Well, I think a lot of it's just her being consistent with her stuff during the week.
You know, I think she's done a good job of making sure that she's getting out for skill sessions, doing extra stuff.
You know, when you're not scoring early in the season, it can definitely wear on you. So you just got to know that, hey, time's coming at some point. You just gotta keep getting chances and keep trying to, you know, pretty much keep doing what you're doing and just knowing that, hey, at some point here, you know, pucks are gonna start to bounce and go your way. So I think she's done a really good job of that. The other thing too, I think she's just, she's bringing more pucks to the net, getting the tough areas and I think her line mates are doing a good job finding her. So, you know, that's definitely something I think that they've been doing.
[00:41:12] Speaker C: How big was the performance on Friday night against Cornell? You know, the three goals, including the game winner in overtime?
[00:41:19] Speaker F: Yeah, that's what we needed.
[00:41:21] Speaker B: Right.
[00:41:21] Speaker F: So you always want, you know, people that we look upon to score, to score in those games.
So, you know, there's a lot of pressure that comes with that. But at the same time, we always like to make sure that they're the ones getting those chances. And you know, she worked to get those chances and was able to pop them when she was.
[00:41:45] Speaker C: What led to the decisions for moving her from left wing to center?
[00:41:50] Speaker F: A lot of it was just our center depth. We had some players coming in that we weren't sure if they were going to be centers or wingers.
You know, I do think that it allows her to play with a little bit less of a stopping mentality.
You know, as a winger, you're a little bit more stopped where here she's can distribute, she can jump the spaces, she can kind of join a little bit later just because wingers are typically further up the ice. So it's been part of that. And then I think some of it too is just the development of, you know, Bert, so Carrie Ann and then same thing with Dukes making making it a little bit easier for us to put her at center and not having to keep her as a winger and trying to find a center between them. So, you know, she's done a really good job of adapting and definitely has benefited from it.
[00:42:48] Speaker C: How big of a weekend was it for the team last. Last weekend getting three points, you know, beating a top five team in Cornell and then almost getting the point a half against colleague if it wasn't for a questionable penalty call there in overtime.
[00:43:06] Speaker F: Questionable, yes.
But you know, I think it's, it's just good mentality for it.
You know, it was kind of a good turning point for us as well last season when we beat Cornell at lineup, you know, just. And then playing Colgate to a one goal game or whatever it was the next day as well. So, you know, I think it just, it shows them like when we do play the right way, when we play the way we should, we're going to give ourselves those chances and have an opportunity to come out on top.
[00:43:40] Speaker C: We get back to a non conference play this coming weekend against first year program in Delaware. What do you know about the Blue Hens?
[00:43:48] Speaker F: Well, they've got a really good coach. You know, Allison's been around for a long time being at, you know, BU and then Penn State before heading over to Delaware and taking over that program. So she's done a really good job there.
You know, you got Sam Eskiewicz who's one of her assistants that's been around our league, whether it be at Princeton as a coach or Q Pac as a player slash skills person. So, you know, they know our league, they know the, the player, the players in our league.
You know, it'll be good to see Danica Mark who was on our team last year, she's been playing for them. So it'd be good to see Markey come back in our building and play against us. And you know, they've been playing teams hard, so we just got to make sure we're ready to go.
[00:44:38] Speaker C: Yeah, I was going to ask you about Danica. I mean, how happy will you be to see her?
But it's obviously in an opposing uniform.
[00:44:47] Speaker F: Yeah, no, I, it was part of, you know, her decision when she did go on the transfer portal. We talked about it and, you know, Allison had reached out to me as well, like, and Danica's a great, a great person. And, you know, that's what I talked to her. I said, if you want to start a culture at a, at a school and have good people, Danica is one of those people that can help with that.
So she's, she's done a great job for them.
[00:45:13] Speaker C: Monya Wagner came back last weekend and you know, coming back from playing for team Switzerland, how do you think she looked? Me, obviously she had about 43 saves in the Cornell game and played well against Colgate.
[00:45:27] Speaker F: Yeah, she played well. You know, I think, you know, for us, we always look at all the fw.
Are they ones that are on the game? Are they ones that are on the team?
So there's, you know, one in each game that she thinks you'd like back. But, you know, at the end of the day, she gave us a chance to win in both games.
[00:45:51] Speaker C: Coming up, Gazette high School sports winner Drew Wemple talks about the four Section 2 teams that'll be playing in the state semifinals this weekend. You're listening to the Parting Shots podcast.
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[00:46:47] Speaker C: Hi, this is Daily Gazette News Group business editor Stan Hoote. I would like to wish you a happy holiday season and a great 2026.
Welcome back to the podcast. The state high school football championships continue with the semifinal action this weekend. And Drew Wemple, our Gazette high school sports writer, joining us now. And Drew, Saratoga Springs is getting hot at the right time in Class AA. They beat Middletown last Saturday, 2818, and they're going to play Mark at 6pm on the 29th. That's a Saturday, if I get my date straight. But what is it about the Saratoga Springs team that they've gotten hot at the right time?
[00:47:27] Speaker E: They're just doing what it takes to win right now. And thanks for having me on again, Ken. And just to start, I heard Eric Hayden say last week, he said, you know, after their win against Middletown, it's a privilege to be playing at this time of year. So congrats to all those guys for making it this far. And Saratoga's done it by just winning a lot of close games. They're 5, 0 and 1 possession games, 7:1 in games that are decided by two possessions. Last week was another example. They were trailing at halftime, battling a flu ridden locker room and they still came out, found a way to win it. Obviously their identity is built around defensive stops and Ben Corrier, what he does out of the backfield.
So we can. I can see them taking that to back to Middletown again this week. That is a formula that travels. Maronex won five in a row. They're here for the first time in their history. Saratoga is here for the first time in 10 years. So two teams that weren't expected to be here, they've just kept winning games. Maroneck did it on a last minute touchdown last week. So both these teams have just kind of toed the line and found ways to pull it out.
[00:48:28] Speaker C: Yeah, there's a 25, 24 game for them over Monroe Woodbury.
It's just amazing to me especially you said they're fluid. How did they manage to survive that?
[00:48:39] Speaker E: Yeah, and they were without their starting middle linebacker in that game. They had their standout defensive end, was going to the locker room pre game, had to expel some sickness there. I mean there's nice way of putting it. Yes. There's just something about them that, you know, I think it also comes from the coaching staff that's been there for so long. They've seen the days of Terry Jones and Blaze Liano lead that team deep into the season. I think they've kind of captured some of that, you know, magic, for lack of a better word, and kind of put it to this new group of Blue Streaks.
[00:49:10] Speaker C: Can the Blue Streaks get to Syracuse?
[00:49:14] Speaker E: I think they have a good shot. Like I said, these are two teams that have played a lot of close games and I think this one will be that way again. Mamaroneck won last week. If you haven't seen that touchdown, go look at it. It's crazy to beat a Monroe Woodbury team that Saratoga Springs beat by three points earlier in the year. So I think on paper Saratoga Springs has a great shot to get by.
[00:49:35] Speaker C: Well, let's briefly look at Class A. Unfortunately, Niskuna season came to an end against Cornwall. 3428 loss last Friday. And how surprising was that?
[00:49:46] Speaker E: That was a tough one for Niskayuna and I think it's really just because of what they did to lose that game. There are some turnovers in that one from the quarterback. He had three picks in that one.
They just didn't really get going offensively. That Cornwall team Also had some grown men on the offensive line and defensive line that were moving piles, moving bodies. They were an impressive team to watch. They weren't the Cornwall team that Niskuna played a couple years ago. So I just think that kind of all caught up with Niskiuna. There wasn't the big offensive plays that they're used to outside of that first long touchdown to Cam Grasso. So they just got tripped up. I think in the this at this time of year, you only get one shot. You're not playing a series like baseball.
[00:50:26] Speaker C: Yeah, they were actually, I think winning in that game. And then there was a 14 nothing. There was a fumble snap on a punt.
[00:50:32] Speaker E: Then that was the only score in the second half. They made a good push back and that was the difference that they fumbled the snap. I mean you feel for that kid, that senior punter that let that happen it go. You know, they recovered in the end zone when it looked like the ball might go out of the back of the end zone. But I mean just the mistakes caught up so.
[00:50:50] Speaker C: Well, looking back at their, you know, the run here, you know, three years of the four in Class A and they, you know, got places. Well, what is this program? What is its legacy from this run?
[00:51:01] Speaker E: I think obviously it starts with the seniors. What they did, obviously bringing up Campgrasso to start this run. You know, they've had a really, really great players over these last couple years and I think that that's something Coach Grosso have told me. He was like, these seniors really, they set the blueprint for how to kind of have a successful season like this. Like you said, they've done it three times in the last four years in Class A. They got to the final four twice those first two years, even with some young guys at key positions. So I think that they're just going to. They'll be in Class A again next year, we expect, unless they were to go back up. So hopefully they can just repeat this.
[00:51:40] Speaker C: Well, let's take a look at Class B Glens falls. With a 40 to 14 win over Ogdensburg Free Academy last weekend. They'll take on Sleepy Hollow in the semifinals on Saturday at 3 at Middletown High School.
Looking at Sleepy Hollow's result against Saugerty is a blowout. 46:26. So this Glenn Falls in for a game on Saturday.
[00:52:00] Speaker E: Yeah, I think this has the potential to be a big time shootout. And if you're Glens, Falls, you know about being on the wrong side of that. That was their last loss in the semifinals last year. It was a 4741 game. I was catching part of that while I wrote up the Schuylerville game from beforehand.
There were several plays in that game where it was just like, how did that happen? Some head scratchers, but Glens Falls came up on the wrong side of that one. This Sleepy Hollow team is explosive. At this time of year you start looking for the best players of the state. Where are they still playing? Braden Richardson, this Sleepy Hollow running back is one of them. He's second in rushing yards behind only Corriere from Saratoga springs. He's got 1900 with 31 touchdowns. And then last week they've got this receiver, Gilbert Onwee. He's lighting it up as well. 14 receiving touchdowns last week or this season. He had two last week.
[00:52:51] Speaker C: Defense for Glenn's Falls. They're going to have to step up against Sleepy Hollow in order to get to Syracuse.
[00:52:57] Speaker E: I think it's going to have to. But this offense is also might just have to keep pace, which they've done with everybody all season. Obviously. Obviously they continue to do it in different ways. Last week McTague had four touchdowns, two on the ground, two in the air. They got the tight end heavily involved. Braden Bennett, he had six grabs for 85 yards and a couple scores. So they've got to mix different guys in. It can't just be Baker or McTague. They've got to get the tight ends and receivers involved. They lost so many seniors from last time they were here and they're almost better this time around on paper. So I think that, you know, even if it does get into a shootout, they are capable of winning that.
[00:53:33] Speaker C: Well, we could see in Class C another shootout is. Schuylerville will take on Bronxville at noon on Saturday at Middletown High School.
Schuylerville rolled past Saranac 50 to 14 while Bronxville crushed Chester Stewart 56, 26. Sounds like we could have a 50 point game between these two teams.
[00:53:52] Speaker E: Yeah, I mean Bronxville was the only team to beat Sleepy Hollow, who he just mentioned this year and they're a Class C team. I mean, Skyler villain again. They're a team that lost so many seniors in key positions and they're back here. And I think part of that comes from just seeing it so many times. This is their fifth final four appearance in the last 10 years. I mean guys have been around it and seen it and John Bowen is just on a heck of a run right now with this Schuylerville team. I mean, last week they had almost 500 rushing yards as a team, seven rushing touchdowns. They're just almost in cruise control. Once they, you know, kind of get past, you know, once they got past Fonda, Fultonville, their only top 10 win this season.
[00:54:33] Speaker C: What's it going to take for Schuylerville to get to Syracuse?
[00:54:36] Speaker E: I think it's going to rely on this defense. I remember, I think back to last year when they beat Valhalla and Salamanca. The defense made big plays at big moments. I mean, the offense was more than capable of doing what they've done this season last year, but it was the defense that really kind of carried them in the biggest moments to get back to the state title.
[00:54:55] Speaker C: Let's look at Class D, another couple of blowouts in the quarterfinals last week, or Greenwich took care of Mariah, 51 to 6. And then the Greenwich's opponent on Friday at 3pm at Middletown High School will be Tuckahoe. They blew out Burke Catholic, 4616.
So what's going to be the key for Greenwich?
[00:55:18] Speaker E: Yeah, Tuckahoe is another team that's been here a bunch as of late. This is their seventh state playoff appearance since 2015.
Greenwich, I mean, they're trying to get back to the state title game for the first time in a decade.
They've just been. They're just clicking this year. I mean, watching, catching some of the end of their games. The past couple weeks, they've just been physically imposing against teams. I mean, Ingber lit up the scoreboard last week with three touchdowns and a rushing touchdown. But I think out of all the stats I've said, this one's the craziest. Greenwich has allowed just 25 points this season in 11 games. That's incredible. That's six shutouts. I mean, that defense is just dominant. Tuckahoe could have its hands full with that.
[00:56:00] Speaker C: Yeah, you mentioned the defense. I mean, how critical will that be to shut down a Tuckahote and scored 46?
[00:56:09] Speaker E: Yeah, Tuckahoe, they're a team that relies a lot on the ground. They've got a senior, running back, Declan Connolly, he's got 1,000 yards this season. Their quarterback, he also has 800 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns this season. So this game could very well just be decided in the trenches. And like I said, from what we've seen of Greenwich these last couple weeks, they kind of own that area of the field right now.
[00:56:30] Speaker C: So who are you picking in these games?
[00:56:32] Speaker E: Well, so another thing I think is interesting. Interesting. Section two has never had four teams make the state finals in a single year. I don't know. If this is the year I'll be covering that Saratoga game on Saturday, I would hope to get another trip back to the Dome. So I'm going to be.
[00:56:47] Speaker C: Well, they need to see some good football in the domes since they didn't see any of this year at the Syracuse Orange.
[00:56:53] Speaker E: So if we're looking, I think this could be the year we send four to the state title game. It would be unprecedented. We're going up against four Section one teams. They've got five teams that are in the state Final Four this year. So I think it could be a heavy mix of Section two, Section one.
[00:57:11] Speaker C: Yeah. Picks or just going to.
[00:57:12] Speaker E: All right, if you're going to make me go that far. Saratoga Springs, I'll take in Class Double A.
[00:57:17] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:57:17] Speaker E: I'm going to go with Glens Falls. I think they get back to the state title game for the first time since 2018.
I think Skylerville, we've had no reason to doubt that they are capable of a repeat here. I think they get back and then Greenwich is the other one. I think they're gonna win it as well. Like I said, I think we go four for four.
[00:57:35] Speaker C: Okay, well, we'll see what happens. We'll talk next week and we'll see if you are right on your predictions or you'll be eating, I don't know, putting your foot in your mouth. But, hey, Drew, appreciate it. Thanks again and happy, happy Thanksgiving.
[00:57:50] Speaker E: Thank you.
[00:57:50] Speaker C: That's true. Coming up, we'll talk about with Gazette Executive Sports Center. Williams Springstead will wrap up the Union College football season. The Garden Chargers losing to Muhlenberg in the first round of the NCAA Division 3 Football Tournament last Saturday. You're listening to the Parting Shots Podcast.
You guys just didn't want it bad enough. That should have been an easy win. What were you doing out there? You got a hustle. You could have made that play. If you've been open.
[00:58:41] Speaker B: On the car ride home after the.
[00:58:43] Speaker A: Game, when you think you're helping by telling me what I did wrong and.
[00:58:48] Speaker C: What I need to work on, all.
[00:58:50] Speaker B: I hear is that I'm not good enough.
[00:58:54] Speaker A: That I'm supposed to be perfect.
[00:58:57] Speaker C: That it's not okay to lose on the car ride home, all I need.
[00:59:02] Speaker B: To hear is how much you love.
[00:59:04] Speaker C: Me and enjoy watching me play.
[00:59:07] Speaker B: That my worth isn't determined by my performance.
[00:59:11] Speaker C: That even on my worst day, I am worthy.
That you see me learning, growing and doing my best.
[00:59:19] Speaker D: And that is enough.
[00:59:23] Speaker C: This message presented by NISFA and the New York State Athletic Administrators Association.
[00:59:31] Speaker A: Hi.
[00:59:31] Speaker C: This is Dale Execent News Group columnist John Norris. I hope you and your family have.
[00:59:36] Speaker A: A wonderful prosperous holiday season and a fantastic healthy 2026.
[00:59:43] Speaker C: Welcome back to the podcast. The Union College football season ended last Saturday with a 3426 loss to Muhlenberg in the NCAA Division 3 first football tour in the first round. And will Spring said monitor the game while he's covering a lot of other stuff, volleyball up in Glens Falls. And Will joins us now, the executive sports editor of the Daily Gazette. And well, tough way to end the season, but apparently a lot focus was on Patch Flanagan, the quarterback and an illness.
[01:00:14] Speaker A: Yeah, we didn't know.
Turns out the the feed was bad for Muhlenberg, so we were all left to monitor by stats. But one thing that did come across our notice in the stats was that briefly, Cole Brissom started the third quarter and promptly ran twice through an interception and then was back to the sidelines in favor of Patch. Well, it turns out as coach John Brock told us that Patch had been sick to his stomach for three days and at the beginning of the third quarter was sick to his stomach again. Thus Cole Brisson's appearance. And that was the only series of plays that Patch missed. And as Coach Strock said, he gutted it out for 60 minutes or close to.
And boy, he not to make a bad pun, he really did gut it out, though.
[01:01:07] Speaker C: Well, yeah, yeah, just. It's a shame and you know, one of the biggest games of the year. And I don't know if it's a flu bug or just a stomach bug, whatever it was, but that's a bad time to get it. You know, it seems like we just had Drew Wemple on a few minutes ago when he told about the Saratoga Springs football team had flu, the flu going through it. And it's like, my God, what's it? Why is it. Why now?
[01:01:29] Speaker A: I know it's very sad. I couldn't help but thinking that they were done with finals. And they had mentioned to me in the previous how much fun they were hanging out together. And I thought, well, you know, maybe the downside is you hung out a little bit too much and somehow Patch contracted this. But he, as I said, with the exception of that one drive, he played the rest of the game and had a good day. Through the air.
The team itself did not have the good game they were hoping for on the ground attack. And I wondered if at first when I saw the number of attempts that that was just maybe something that Coach Drock had said to go one way and do the other. But they really did want to establish it and there was just no establishing against a tough Muhlenberg defense.
[01:02:17] Speaker C: Yeah, just 72 rushing yards for Union in the game. They did 300 yards passing and they actually outgained Muhlenberg in total yards. 372 with 355. But that doesn't win you on the scoreboard. It's what the. The final score was and it was a. An 8 point victory for Muhlenberg.
It'd be tough way to end but considering the season how it started. 02 and we you and I were speculating this could. Could this be another long season in John Drock's second year and would it be getting some trouble here if they went loser if they lost their home opener to SUNY Morrisville and then they get to Liberty play. But my goodness they had a great run and it's a tough way to end. End it. But why would you assess things for the Union this year?
[01:03:07] Speaker A: I would assess it as all positive.
They. They played those first two games against nationally ranked opponents to toughen them up. And then the moment from Morrisville next to St. Lawrence and onward throughout the rest of the season until you saw Muhlenberg.
They benefited from that toughness and you, you developed a lot of players.
You know naturally the offense was a little patch heavy but you understand why Patch Flanagan was the league's player of the year. He can do so many things so you know when you have the horses ride them.
But I think this is a very positive year and I think you've turned the mojo of that team right around from last year.
[01:04:02] Speaker C: How much is that going to help recruiting wise as John Drock starts his third season.
[01:04:08] Speaker A: It should help a lot. I should mention that usually on home games we have our post game chats in the Garnet room and then I remember that place.
[01:04:21] Speaker C: I remember that place.
[01:04:23] Speaker A: That's right. And we've been sharing it with the recruits because the recruits who are there for that Saturday's games stop by and Coach Drock says hello to them and their families and takes them on a little tour afterward. And there are no shortage of bodies in that room when I'm there.
By the naked eyes appearance there's interest in Union football and you know when you can put just whip out of your back pocket. Hey, I made the NCAAs in my second year. I think John Drock's got to feel pretty good about that.
[01:04:59] Speaker C: Yeah. Getting back to mulling game The Muhlenberg game second it was 14:14 a halftime. So I mean the Gardner Chargers had to be feeling good about themselves up until.
What happened with Patch.
[01:05:10] Speaker A: What happened with Patch? And it did lead to Muhlenberg's field goal, which they put him up 17:14 or excuse me, to their touchdown. They were up 17:14. Then Union got the ball and then unfortunately that interception turned quite a ways. So they had one play to score a touchdown and all of a sudden now only about six minutes into the third quarter, you're down 10 and that's, that's a hard thing to make up. They did score subsequently.
Extra point kick was blocked but. But again a 10 point deficit to a team like Muhlenberg probably feels like a little more.
[01:05:57] Speaker C: Yeah.
Okay. The future being Patch flagging graduates.
Who's going to be the starting quarterback next season?
[01:06:06] Speaker A: Cole Brisson should step right into it. We've, I think you've seen enough of from him. And as I mentioned, he is very much Patch like he, he can run. He shows no reluctance in running and also has a nice arm. I'd be surprised if he got beaten out.
Lots of things can happen between now and then, but he certainly showed enough to take it.
You return Michael DiNardo from nearby Troy as a good running back.
You'll lose a couple of backs but I think there were some in those one sided wins that we saw glimpses of that with another year's development will have your backfield in fine form.
My goodness receivers. Union trotted out so many this year. I think they've got to feel good about that. And that defense, boy, they another one where Union showed its depth of bodies. So I think they will, I think they'll pick up where they left off.
[01:07:12] Speaker C: Do you think they're the favorites heading in Liverly play next season?
[01:07:17] Speaker A: Not knowing what other squads might return as far as underclassmen, I don't necessarily know that, but I think, put it this way, I don't think anyone's gonna rank him fifth in the preseason poll again.
[01:07:32] Speaker C: I mean it wouldn't shock me. I mean I think, you know, you'll still have the some of those coaches voting for Ithaca because they think Ithaca is still the darling of Olivia League football. But I mean I think, you know, we see the coaches poll next year, we could see, you know, Ithaca Union and rpi, you know, battling for that number one spot.
[01:07:52] Speaker A: I think so. I, you know, just from looking, seeing the games against Union and the other things on the stats, I, I think right now you're kind of looking at the division of tears and I think you're right. I think it's going to be Union RPI and if and that top tier button heads with each other and sort of a Rochester and Hobart in that middle level and, and possibly St. Lawrence though they seem to take a step back this year.
[01:08:22] Speaker C: Did John Drock mention anything about schedule wise what is coming as far as non league, non conference games are?
[01:08:30] Speaker A: He did not.
And I know I had asked early on the beginning of the season, you know why the, why the Springfield game. A long traditional non league opponent went away and that turned out to be both teams leagues were just so heavy and the Liberty League had committed to crossover games against the Empire 8 and all of a sudden neither team but especially Union couldn't fit it anymore.
Otherwise they would have.
So I think one thing is clear is that whoever it is Union's going to schedule up for those, for those two non league games. They, they feel that this year they gained a lot from playing Cortland and Susquehanna and they're going to work by the modus operandi that steel sharpens Steel. Okay.
[01:09:27] Speaker C: John Drock, we, we were, we were maybe a little critical of him early in the season. We were, we were openly going to question his status as the head coach. I mean in tough first year and you know they get off to an 02 start and you had to wonder if they don't beat suny Morris felt a home opener. If you start talking about his, his job security at Union. Well, I think he's safe after what happened this year. What do you think?
[01:09:55] Speaker A: What?
I think he's absolutely safe. I think he has no designs to go anywhere and I don't think Union has any designs to look elsewhere. So no, I think this is when you rewind all the film and look at the big picture. This was a super positive year for Union and we'll see what it brings for next year.
They'll have some big shoes to fill but they've got a lot of returning players who now got a taste. As Coach Dark said after the game said now we've seen the top level and I think the guys are hungry to stay there. So that's all good.
[01:10:43] Speaker C: Yeah. How important will it be to build off of what happened this season?
[01:10:48] Speaker A: It'll be tremendously and I think that, you know, as we talk about a coach's security, we see it throughout college football elsewhere it's when you have some success and then take steps backward that get you in real trouble.
So I don't think that obviously John Drock doesn't want that but I think More importantly, the players don't want that. And as I've mentioned all year with you, Ken, that they.
I really can't think of a team that I've covered at the collegiate level that just never wavered at all. They believed themselves after the Susquehanna loss. They believed in themselves after the Cortland loss. And then they started having success and saying, see, we told you so. I think, you know, as I say, having gotten a taste of success and what it took to achieve that success, I'd be very shocked if it isn't another good season next year.
[01:11:51] Speaker C: Yep. Well, we'll look forward to that coverage next, next September. And we'll appreciate you doing this during the year. Your first season on the Union football beat and that turned out to be a good time to be on the beat.
[01:12:02] Speaker A: It was. And we'll, we'll look forward to it next year.
[01:12:06] Speaker C: All right, well, appreciate it. Thanks again. Happy Thanksgiving.
[01:12:09] Speaker A: Thanks you. Same to you.
[01:12:10] Speaker C: All right, thanks. That's Will Spring said we'll be wrap up the podcast and have the latest winner in the Daily Gazettes. You pick them football contest in just a moment.
If you really want to know what's going on in your community, you have to read the Daily Gazette.
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Hi, this is Daily Gazette News Group reporter Ted Remsnider. I would like to wish you a happy holiday season and a great 2026 back to wrap up the podcast. The week 12 winner in the Daily Gazette's U Pick A football contest was Gail Pinto of Fonda. With a 131 record, Gale wins a $100 price chopper market 32 gift card. Congratulations, Gale. The VIP winner was Matt Margiotta of S and G roofing with an 113 record, winning by a tiebreaker. I also went 11 3. I should have gone 12 and 2 had not the Eagles freaking choked against the Cowboys Sunday.
Yeah, I'm not bitter.
I did improve to 121,56 1.
Executive sports editor Will Springstead went 9 5. He is 108. 69 and 1.
I'll announce the U Pickham football contest winner's name and that winner's name will appear in Thursday's Daily Gazette. To play, go to dailygazette.com and click on the you pick em football banner.
Just because COVID 19 mandates are easing, that does not mean you should relax. Be vigilant. If you have not gotten vaccinated or received a booster shot, please do so. Do it for yourself, do it for your family, and do it for your friends. Friendly reminder, vaccines do not cause autism, and the Parting Shots podcast supports all the nurses around the country. You work hard. Your degree is a professional degree. Don't listen to what Linda McMahon at the Department of Education says. She has no freaking clue what she's doing.
Don't forget to download the Daily Gazette app and sign up for our E Edition so you never miss a headline. Subscribe today at www.dailygazette.com. we have a lot of great specials going on.
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This week on the Stan and Shen show, the pair talk about the Success of the 56th annual Schenectady County Holiday Parade and looking forward to Small Business Saturday.
Subscribe to the Stan and Shen show on all your podcast listening platforms.
That wraps up another edition of the Parting Shots Podcast. I want to thank Josh Hauge, Nick Young, Brandon Burr, Lucas Buzziol, Tony Macy, Matty Leaney, Stephanie Bourk, Monya Wagner, Drew Wemple and Will Springstead for being a part of the show.
If you have questions or comments about the podcast, email them to me at shot. That's s c h o t
[email protected] follow me on X Threads and bluesky at Slapshots.
The views are still expressed on the Parting Shots podcast are not necessarily those of the Gazette News Group. The Parting Shots podcast is a production of the Gazette News Group. I'm Ken Schottz. Thanks for listening and I'll catch you next time from the Parting Shots Podcast studio in Schenectady, New York. Good day, good sports, and Happy Thanksgiving.
Sa.
