[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign the following program is brought to.
[00:00:05] Speaker B: You in living color on elliot gazette.com or wherever you get your podcast.
The Gazette News Group presents the Parting Shots Podcast.
[00:00:15] Speaker A: Now here's your host, Ken Shot.
[00:00:18] Speaker B: 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. We have another great show for you. And normally on this Thursday show we lead off with Union hockey previewing their weekend, both the men and women. Well, we're going to hold down till the final part of this segment because there's much more important sporting event going on on Saturday at Frank Bailey Field. It's the Dutchman's Shoes football game between Union and rpi. And a lot is on the line for that game on Saturday. Not only the Dutchman Shoes trophy, but the Liberty League title. Union right now in first place by a game over RPI and Ithaca. So a Union victory will give them the Liberty League title and John Drock's second season as the head coach.
On Wednesday, the Union had its held the Dutchman Shoes press conference and I had a chance to speak with John Drock, quarterback, Union quarterback Patch Flanagan, RPI coach Ralph Isarnia and rpi quarterback Anthony DiMattio. So you hear those interviews coming up. Then we'll talk with Union football beat writer and executive sports editor Will Springstead get his thoughts on Saturday's game.
Of course, the high school football Section two Championship weekend, the super bowl is coming up Friday and Saturday, and Drew Wemple, our Gazette high school writer, will get you ready for that. Mike McAdam joins the show to talk about the life and legacy of Art Craddock, the former Saratoga Springs High School cross country and track and field coach who passed away last Saturday at the age of 74. And Mike broke down the Life and Times of Art Krennic. So you get a chance to listen to that.
And then we'll run into the Union College hockey scene with the men and the women. The men getting set to face UMass, low and new Hampshire, a pair of hockey schools. And the big one on Saturday is the return of Kyle Chauvett, the goaltender who played for Union the last three seasons, transferred to unh, so he'll be in the M and T Bank center on Saturday for the five o' clock game.
A lot to talk about. Of course, you heard from Josh Hauge, the head coach of the Union Garner Chargers. On Wednesday's podcast. I'll have Nick Young, Brandon Burr and Carter Korpi on this segment and the women have the weekend off by weekend and it's exam time at Union College, the end of the first trimester, so they're kind of happy to have some break there. We'll talk with head coach Tony Macy and players Stephanie Bourquet. Matty Leaning Union snapped a six game losing streak last Saturday, beating RPI 7 to 5 at MNC bank center and splitting the ECAC hockey games between the two schools. RPI won in overtime last Friday at Houston Field House.
So and I'll give back to Kyle Chavet. We'll hear from Kyle Chauvett along with UNH head coach Mike Souza. I was on a zoom call with those two on Wednesday, so you'll hear what they had to say.
My apologies for not mentioning them during the Union men's portion of the segment here. So a lot coming up, so stick around. We're going to talk the Dutchman shoes contest between Union and RPI next here on the Parting Shots podcast.
[00:03:41] Speaker C: Man, I loved playing high school sports growing up and it's fun being a fan now, don't get me wrong, but sitting in the stands feels like I'm missing out on all the action. You know, I wanted to get back in the game, so I signed up.
[00:03:54] Speaker B: To be a high school official.
[00:03:56] Speaker A: It takes me back to my playing days.
[00:03:58] Speaker C: I'm supporting students and I get paid.
[00:04:00] Speaker D: To make the big calls.
[00:04:02] Speaker C: Do you want to see the game up close?
[00:04:05] Speaker A: Sign up to become an official in.
[00:04:06] Speaker B: New York at high school officials.com now talking with our union quarterback, Patch Flanagan. Patch Great season so far. Could you have imagined this at the start of season, coming off of what happened last year?
[00:04:22] Speaker A: Yeah, I mean, I think that kind of goes back to our work in the winter and the spring and it.
[00:04:25] Speaker D: Was all about the guys in the.
[00:04:26] Speaker A: Room and we all kind of put that season behind us and went to work and kind of bought into this new culture and this new team that we had. So we, we knew after the first two weeks it didn't go our way, but we kind of had to stay.
[00:04:35] Speaker C: True to who we were and at.
[00:04:37] Speaker A: The end of the season this was still what we wanted and this is kind of what we expected.
[00:04:40] Speaker B: So yeah, to have not only the Dutchman's shoes on the line, but the Liberty League championship at an NCAA birth at stake here.
How important is this game and how prepared are you guys for this coming up Saturday?
[00:04:53] Speaker A: Yeah, like Coach said, I mean this game is a privilege to be able to play in a shoes game with this much on the line with this much pressure is a privilege. So kind of taking that and getting everyone kind of on the same train.
[00:05:04] Speaker C: And buying in that we need to.
[00:05:06] Speaker A: Put this much more effort in because this is a big game, but also at the same time just focusing on.
[00:05:10] Speaker C: What we're going to do and what.
[00:05:11] Speaker A: We can control through him through practices. This week has kind of been the focus for us.
[00:05:16] Speaker B: Now. You guys started off 02 against tough non conference opponents of nationally ranked opponents. And you won your opener, home opener against SUNY Morrisville. Then you opened up Liberty play against St. Lawrence. Last year. The game at St. Lawrence unfortunately defined the season. You lost in overtime. It was a tough way. How important was it to come out in that first game against St. Lawrence and dominate the way you did? And did that send the same into the rest of the league?
[00:05:40] Speaker A: Yeah, I think it was really important for us to kind of just prove the rest of the league that we are the team that we know we.
[00:05:45] Speaker C: Are and that we're not the same.
[00:05:45] Speaker A: Team as we were last year, both players wise and just culture wise. So I think it was definitely a statement.
[00:05:51] Speaker C: Whether or not people kind of took.
[00:05:52] Speaker A: That seriously or not is up to them. But I think we kind of just come in week in, week out and.
[00:05:56] Speaker C: Do what we can do to kind of what.
[00:06:00] Speaker B: What changed about the culture? I mean, obviously you had to get used to a new coach last year in John Drock.
It looked like it was a tough adjustment. But what changed during the off season?
The adjustments that were made. It seems like everybody's so comfortable now a year later.
[00:06:13] Speaker A: Yeah, I think we just have a great group of guys that all kind.
[00:06:16] Speaker C: Of came together and came back after.
[00:06:17] Speaker A: Winter break with kind of a chip on our shoulder. And we knew that we had to put that much more effort in the weight room and kind of the film room and all that and kind of just being able to get all. Not just the seniors, but the younger guys all bought into the same thing.
[00:06:29] Speaker C: And understand that here at Union, like.
[00:06:31] Speaker A: There is tradition, there is culture. Just one season isn't going to define this. So we got to be able to turn around, kind of flip the page.
[00:06:37] Speaker B: As this, as this season goes along. Win after. When you've had some blowout wins, you had some tough wins at Ithaca and at Rochester.
How does this solidify the team and giving you guys confidence as each week goes by?
[00:06:50] Speaker A: Yeah, I think to be able to play in games like that where you're kind of winning by multiple touchdowns and.
[00:06:54] Speaker D: Then coming down the final plays is.
[00:06:56] Speaker A: Big for the kind of just a team morale and be able to know that we can win those big games, we could also win those tight games, and that no game is ever kind of out of reach.
[00:07:03] Speaker B: Talk about the season you've been having. You just been doing it all, passing, running. What's. How much pleased are you with the way your season has gone?
[00:07:11] Speaker A: Yeah, I'm super pleased at this point, but I mean, obviously it's still not done.
[00:07:14] Speaker C: There's still a lot more work to do.
[00:07:15] Speaker A: And it's all credit to the guys in front of me, the receivers, running backs online that have kind of been making it just more manageable for me this year, getting the guys blocking the right situations and getting the ball out, and they're making plays for me.
[00:07:26] Speaker B: Patch. Appreciate you, Mitch. Thank you very much.
[00:07:28] Speaker A: Thank you.
[00:07:30] Speaker B: Now let's get the RPI perspective, beginning with head coach Ralph Isonia. Ralph, welcome back to the podcast. And it's been a couple years since we last chatted, but Saturday, you know, not only the Dutchman's shoes on, on the line, but the Liberty League title. You guys are game behind Union for that title. So with all on the line, how big is this game? Is one of the biggest games you guys with Union in a while, I.
[00:07:53] Speaker A: Think, in recent memory, sure, but, but I think, you know, every single year when you have a chance to compete for the Dutchman's shoes, that's always a big game. That's the one that's always circled on the, on the schedule when the schedule comes out. We know it's always the last regular season game of the year. And, you know, I think having, having the trophy, having the league title and everything, I think that, you know, that just brings another layer to it that's of excitement for everyone.
[00:08:17] Speaker B: Looking at the Union team for what you see on video so far, what have you seen the difference what you've seen on video this year compared to what they were last year, first year under John Druck?
[00:08:26] Speaker A: Well, I think you've got it. You've got a different, you've got a different cast of characters on both sides of the football. So, you know, I'm, you know, I know what it means to, you know, start back up a program and try to build it in your culture in the way that you want to do things. And it does take a little bit of time.
You know, you've seen a commitment to their, their schemes. You've seen an execution level that is, you know, top of the charts. And, you know, you see guys playing with, with a passion and with the Speed of running to the football. And I think that's something that coach probably, you know, they. They ingrain in those guys, you know, very early in football camp. And you can see that carrying all the way throughout the season.
[00:09:08] Speaker B: What do you like about your teams this season?
[00:09:12] Speaker A: You know, I think we've been resilient.
You know, there's been games where, you know, we had to come from behind and win, and there's been games that, you know, not. Not everything goes perfect.
And our guys have found a way to come out on top in most of those games.
You know, our level of execution, the way that we swarm to the football, the way that we play, you know, a physical brand of football, and, you know, our style, you know, we talk about one play warrior, and that's playing one play as hard as you can. Every single down and every down's got.
[00:09:44] Speaker B: A life of its own.
[00:09:45] Speaker A: And when that's over now, it's on to the next play. So I think we've been able to do that for the most part this season.
[00:09:51] Speaker B: Talk about anybody specific individual who's been standing out for you?
[00:09:54] Speaker A: Well, you know, starts with our quarterback, Anthony DiMattio, who's been, you know, who's been, you know, one of the top passers in the league throughout this season. And I think it's true credit to him of distributing the ball around to our receivers and tight ends and running backs. And, you know, he's. I think he's leading passer in the league right now, but we don't have a top 10 receiver. Okay.
And I think that's, you know, part of the system and, you know, a credit to him of, you know, getting the ball to the guy that's open.
[00:10:24] Speaker B: Rob, appreciate a few minutes. Good luck on Saturday.
[00:10:26] Speaker A: Thank you.
[00:10:28] Speaker B: Joining me now here on the podcast is RPI quarterback Anthony DiMattio. And Anthony, appreciate a few minutes and how much.
Obviously, the Dutchman shoes is on the line, but a lot more than that. The liberal league title. Ncaa Tornberth. Talk about the excitement. Getting ready for this game on Saturday with so much on the line.
[00:10:44] Speaker A: Yeah, and I think the union guys can speak to this as well, but it's part of the reason why you come to one of these schools is to compete in a trophy game like this and to not only do so, but to do so for a Liberty championship. A lot of guys who do play college sports want to compete for championships and they want to go to these winning programs who have success. And, you know, neither team was competing for the game last year. And I think it left a big bad taste in both teams mouths. And so the fact that we're both able to get to this point now competing for a championship, it's why you come into school and it's why you play sports in general.
[00:11:16] Speaker B: What differences have you seen? I don't have a chance to watch any video on union. What differences have you seen this year's union team compared to last year's union team?
[00:11:24] Speaker A: Yeah, it's night and day and I think they could speak for it as well. They have a lot more experience than they did last year. And similarly to us, we do as well.
You know, just noticing one thing. The Touchman shoes game last year was one of my first games as a starter. So kind of just seeing and recognizing a lot of guys on film from last year, a lot of experience and they're a really good football team and that's everything that you want out of a game like this.
[00:11:48] Speaker B: Talk about your team season so far.
There's a tough loss last Saturday against Ithaca. You guys went for two, didn't get it, but still had a chance to win the game, so. But overall, how's the season been?
[00:11:58] Speaker A: It's been awesome.
We expected to win. You know, when, you know, in the off season when we're talking to the guys, we're, we're preaching that we want to get to the, to the dance, we want to go to the national tournament, we want to win the league. While those aren't things that we've been able to accomplish since, you know, Miles and I have been here, that's something that we always strive for as RPA football players. So, you know, looking towards this next game and looking, looking out towards the next couple of weeks, now that we do have the chance to do those things and to accomplish those goals, I think we'd say that we have achieved the success that we wanted to this far. And this is the last step in getting to where we want to be in getting to the national tournament.
[00:12:33] Speaker B: Personally. Fu, how's your season been?
[00:12:36] Speaker A: I think it's been going really well. I think the team, the guys around me have been really doing their part. A lot of guys have stepped up.
You know, we have experience, but we've had a lot of guys that need to step up throughout the year in terms of injuries and guys getting their first play as college football players. I think that's kind of what separated us from other teams is while we haven't had the experience, we've had so many guys, first time players that have stepped up and you know, guys who are around me making my job really easy and it's leading to a lot of wins, which is what we want to do.
[00:13:03] Speaker B: How excited are you for Saturday?
[00:13:05] Speaker A: I can't wait. This is, this is why I came to rpi, to play in this game and play meaningful football in November. So I'm very excited.
[00:13:10] Speaker B: Anthony, appreciate you a few minutes. Good luck Saturday night.
[00:13:12] Speaker A: Thanks, Ken. Appreciate it.
[00:13:13] Speaker B: Welcome back to the podcast. We are here at the Not Memorial. It's Dutchman Shoes Day on, taped here on Wednesday. And of course, RPI and Union football battling not only for the Dutchman's Shoes trophy, but a Liberal league championship. And we'll talk with head coach John Drock here. And John, how big is this day on Saturday, your second year here?
Not only is the Dutchman Shoes trophy at stake, Olympia League championships at stake, you guys are game up on RPI and Ithaca going into this game Saturday.
Could you imagine why this dream when this season started, you'd be in this position here in November. I can, because the people that we.
[00:13:48] Speaker A: Get to work with every day, our kids made a commitment to one another last December and they set to work and they did it every day along the way.
[00:13:56] Speaker B: So I have no doubt that I.
[00:13:58] Speaker A: Thought we would be in this position.
It's really just a matter now of finishing what we need to be able to finish.
[00:14:03] Speaker B: I know we talked a few weeks ago about your second season here.
I mean, how pleased are you at the way things have gone? Because obviously last year was a tough adjustment for everybody, but you guys turned around even though you started over two, it wasn't. There was no really lack of confidence and you guys got on a roll. So I mean, how good has this season been as we head into Saturday?
[00:14:22] Speaker A: I mean, our kids have continued to get better every day.
[00:14:24] Speaker B: You know what I mean?
[00:14:24] Speaker A: That's what we ask of them. I think our staff has done a fantastic job of getting those guys ready to go every week and giving them plans that put them in a position to win. And then our kids have bought into it and trusted that and put the.
[00:14:34] Speaker B: Work in every day.
[00:14:35] Speaker A: And that's what it comes down to. If you have a group of guys that are willing to put the work in every day and have each other's backs and really be there for one another, you're going to have a lot of success.
[00:14:42] Speaker B: And they found process and success in that process. And I think that for them, that's what they're able to fall back on on a week to week basis.
[00:14:49] Speaker A: And I think that's put us in a position to be in every football game. And then it takes some of those special players to be able to go make plays in those games. And we've had those special players to make those plays.
[00:14:57] Speaker B: What point of the season did you realize you had something special?
[00:15:01] Speaker A: I think we knew we had something special as we were in spring ball last year, to be 100% honest with.
[00:15:05] Speaker B: You, you know what I mean?
[00:15:06] Speaker A: We're coming out of spring ball and the type of work and the type of momentum that we had coming out of the weight room, I knew we were going to be a different football team this fall. So it was really just kind of tweaking and honing some of those things. Those kids had three different systems in three years coming up into that.
[00:15:21] Speaker B: And now being able to fall back.
[00:15:22] Speaker A: On techniques and know and understand terminology.
[00:15:25] Speaker B: And scheme, those are all things that.
[00:15:27] Speaker A: For us made us play faster, you.
[00:15:30] Speaker B: Know what I mean?
[00:15:30] Speaker A: And when our kids are playing fast, it's when they're at their best.
[00:15:33] Speaker B: Your last two, two road games, a tight win at Utica, Ithaca, a tight win at Rochester, how much does that give you confidence heading into this game going, this is probably going to be. It could be just a one score game.
[00:15:44] Speaker A: I mean, you get used to playing in those football games and you know it's going to be a Player 2. You don't know which Player 2 that's going to be.
[00:15:50] Speaker B: You know what I mean?
[00:15:50] Speaker A: And that's why focusing on each individual play is important. And I think our guys have a lot of confidence coming into this week. And the fact that they've been in tight games, they know how to be.
[00:15:58] Speaker B: Able to win those football games and.
[00:16:00] Speaker A: It takes guys with a little bit.
[00:16:01] Speaker B: Of grit and you know, it hasn't.
[00:16:03] Speaker A: Been just one way of winning those games.
[00:16:04] Speaker B: It's been the offense stepping up, the.
[00:16:06] Speaker A: Defense stepping up, the special team stepping up and each individual situation. So there's a lot of confidence in all three facets of the game and.
[00:16:12] Speaker B: Then playing complementary football continuously.
[00:16:15] Speaker A: I know we've talked about that before too, but the offense has to complement the defense, the special team sets a complement of the offense, so on and so forth. For us to be able to get field position and do the things that we need to do on a continuous basis and I think we've been able to do that this year.
[00:16:27] Speaker B: You got your first taste of this rivalry last year. What did you learn from it?
[00:16:31] Speaker A: I think that it's a valuable, valuable experience to be able to have one.
[00:16:34] Speaker B: Game under your belt. But it is an intense rivalry, you know what I mean?
[00:16:38] Speaker A: I mean, having that part of tradition and the amount of tradition that we value here is something that's really, really important not only to the players on our roster, but to our alumni base. And so being part of that tradition.
[00:16:49] Speaker B: Is something special and to be valued.
[00:16:51] Speaker A: And so as we go through it this year, I think the focus is just stepped up a notch and I think we've really put ourselves in a situation obviously to make the game meaningful.
And from that standpoint, our guys have done everything process wise to be able to put themselves in that situation with.
[00:17:04] Speaker B: Everything on the line Saturday, how happy are you that this game is being played on your field at Frank Bailey Field? It's a huge advantage, you know what I mean?
[00:17:11] Speaker A: Having our fans, our alumni base and our student body there is going to.
[00:17:14] Speaker B: Be a big advantage.
[00:17:15] Speaker A: I know they're going to come out, they're going to be loud for us.
[00:17:17] Speaker B: And put them in a tough situation to be able to play in, in that pit.
[00:17:20] Speaker A: So. So we're excited to be able to have a really, really active crowd out there.
[00:17:24] Speaker B: John, appreciate a few minutes. Good luck Saturday.
[00:17:26] Speaker A: Thanks so much. Bye.
[00:17:27] Speaker C: Bye.
[00:17:28] Speaker B: Now that you heard from the participants in Saturday's game, let's talk with the man who covers the Union football. Garner charges for the Gazette, the executive sports senator Will Springstead and Will.
The excitement for this game is normally high, but it's even higher with what's at stake.
[00:17:44] Speaker A: We just came off of the presser for the Dutchman's shoes and it was held at the the Knopp Memorial and it was my first time in the building. And Ken, I think it's fair to say it is as high as that ceiling was.
[00:17:59] Speaker B: Yeah, just tough. Everything seemed to break right for Union last Saturday. The 14:10 win at Rochester Ithaca holds off RPI by a point. RPI going for two late in the game instead of playing for the tie. I think they had a missed field goal or attempt at the end of that game and almost because they recovered the onside kick.
So it's just everything broke Union's way last week and now they control everything.
[00:18:24] Speaker A: It did down to the point of an interesting moment in the Union Rochester game where Rochester scored their touchdown to make it 14:9 and the world was expecting a two point conversion and out trotted the extra point kicker. And so they went for one, got it to 1410 and don't you know they would have loved a field goal on one of their last drives. So you're right, everything went Union's way last week.
[00:18:50] Speaker B: Yeah, I see enough where teams are going for two when I think they should go be one for one and just.
But yeah, I didn't even think about that till you just mentioned that because I was looking at the box score. Looking at that game against Rochester last week. Rochester outgained Union 349 to 217.
But when the defense needed to stop Rochester, they did. Except for the one touchdown, one touchdown, one field goal.
[00:19:13] Speaker A: Exactly. And the running defense was superb for Union. They held Rochester to 43, 43 yards, you know, and credit any team. Rochester tried enough but it was clear they weren't having it. So they had to go to the air where again, Union's defense bent but certainly did not break. They came up with three massive interceptions.
[00:19:37] Speaker B: And two, including two late in the final couple of minutes. There we were. And I hate. I bumped you off accidentally on the FLO football feed because I was. We were watching over at the press box at Union before the Union women's game or during the Union women's game against rpi. So we're all, you know, Steve Sheridan was there and the sports information director. So there was a lot of excitement there even before the hockey game started for. But what does this mean for Union? Because we look, you know, last year, we've talked enough about last year, how they struggled on their. The first year of John Drock as the head coach. And it seemed like the way things started this year we were looking at, oh boy, it's going to be one of those years. But they haven't lost since the first two games.
[00:20:18] Speaker A: And I hate to sound like a broken record because I know I've said it here before, but they have not wavered in their belief in themselves. And credit to those young men, credit to John Drock.
John knew if these guys could get some consistency with coaching, get the same pair of eyes to look at over a course of a couple of years that he had the tools in place and he certainly does.
[00:20:46] Speaker B: I know because we were even suggesting that if they lost us to SUNY Morrisville that home opener, we were suggesting that maybe John Drock could have been in trouble. But I don't think he's in trouble anymore, that's for sure.
[00:20:59] Speaker A: I think his seat is very safe.
[00:21:01] Speaker B: Yeah.
What's going to be the key on Saturday?
[00:21:05] Speaker A: I think it's honestly going to come down to individuals making plays. When you look at the statistics for these teams, it's like holding up a mirror.
They both have very strong quarterbacks, great passing games. Union has a little more depth at the receiving core than rpi but RPI is nothing to be sneezed at the running game. Both have great depth. Again, their RPI has a more noted running back in in Cade and White. However for Union, Patch Flanagan who coach Ralph Isernia made some amusing remarks of how do I stop them. He said, well, I think if we kidnap him in his dorm room that'll work.
And he might not have totally been kidding because Patch is a multi talented player that every team has to prepare for.
[00:21:58] Speaker B: Security.
Get security over Patch's dorm room.
Yeah, just.
It's been a magical run this season. I mean we the St. Lawrence game, I think that opened some eyes the way they how important that game was for the Union because with what happened last year in Canton, blowing the game, losing in overtime, since then they've been winning games in convincing style. But I like the last the way they played their last two road games at Ithaca, at Rochester, both tight games.
Coming out on top in both of those games. How much confidence because we expect a tight game on Saturday. So how much does that help this team going into Saturday's game?
[00:22:38] Speaker A: It absolutely does. I asked Patch about that and he said again that self confidence, they just know they will be there for each other. And Charlie Johnson, whom I spoke to at the presser said we've always just felt that we have the offenses back, the offense has our back.
And it is yes, you are on different parts of the ball, but it is all one big team who will do whatever they need to for one another.
And so they just know that when they need a stop or when they need a score, the other 11 guys will provide it.
[00:23:15] Speaker B: Yeah, I was asking around about if there's a three way tie for the Liberty League title. Obviously probably tried champions but I think Union may lose out on a three way tiebreaker.
[00:23:26] Speaker A: It does lose out on a three way tiebreaker because what it comes down to is the third tiebreaker which is your record against top 25 opponents. Union is 02, RPI is 1 and 1. Ithaca is 01 heading into a game against ranked Cortland in the Cortica Jug game.
So if RPI wins, they're also rooting on Cortland because I should think they are because I don't know what the fourth tiebreaker is.
[00:23:58] Speaker B: Let's just break this down here. Key for Union to win this game.
[00:24:03] Speaker A: I think people other than Patch have to step up.
Patch will do what Patch does. I expect him to have some success, but I think RPI will be very tuned in to what he does. And I think you're going to need that second or third running back. You're going to need the receiver that maybe isn't Gil Rivera or Dan Quinn.
They've shown depth all year.
I think here's where you're going to need it. It's that it's going to be that tight end that you haven't heard from in five games who's going to need to run a pattern and make a catch.
And defensively I think they have to clean up they're secondary.
The RPI quarterback, Anthony Di Matteo is a gifted thrower and you can't bank on getting three interceptions.
It was nice last week, but you can't bank on it. And so you've, you've got to make sure your defensive secondary is not allowing RPI big scores.
[00:25:04] Speaker B: And what's going to be the key for RPI to win this game?
[00:25:06] Speaker A: The key for RPI is going to be don't let patch do patch things.
And also I think they're going to have to try and run the ball unions run defense. And as we've mentioned before, the red zone defense has been outstanding all year but that goes not just to last week where the interceptions came into play, but that run defense is special and I think RPI is going to have to try to find a way to get through it.
[00:25:37] Speaker B: So it'll be probably a big crowd on Saturday. It's going to be a lot of fun and you know, you'll be outside the press box covering the game. Stay warm.
You'll be posting on X. Your X handle is is W capital.
[00:25:50] Speaker A: W capital L capital S. In Springstead. It's W.L. springstead.
[00:25:55] Speaker B: Okay. And follow that coverage there. And of course story will be online later Saturday on DailyGazette.com and in Sunday's print edition will enjoy it. It's gonna be a lot of fun your first year on the beat and you can't can't get any better than this.
[00:26:08] Speaker A: I couldn't have scripted it any better and it'll be worth being a little chilly for to watch etc.
[00:26:13] Speaker B: Because you may be working if the union zone for an NCAA game next week. Who knows. More. More football.
[00:26:18] Speaker A: That's right.
[00:26:19] Speaker B: So we'll appreciate a few minutes.
[00:26:21] Speaker A: Thank you.
[00:26:21] Speaker B: We're going to stick on the football theme this time. High School Section 2 Super Bowls are this weekend and our Drew Wemple will break everything down for you in all the classes. You're listening to the Parting Shots podcast.
[00:26:41] Speaker C: If you really want to know what's.
[00:26:42] Speaker A: Going on here at the community, you have to read the Daily Gazette. We don't take a side.
[00:26:47] Speaker C: We're right down the middle and we're.
[00:26:49] Speaker A: Going to get to the truth. Our reporters and photographers are out in.
[00:26:52] Speaker C: The field bringing you updates every minute.
[00:26:56] Speaker A: With trust, accuracy and integrity.
[00:26:58] Speaker C: From the first page to the last page. Independent, probing journalism.
[00:27:04] Speaker A: We're finding out what's going on in.
[00:27:05] Speaker C: Community where nobody else is covering.
[00:27:08] Speaker B: It's who we are.
[00:27:09] Speaker A: It's what we do.
[00:27:17] Speaker B: Welcome back to the podcast. It's high school football championship super bowl weekend here in the Capital Region as section two teams will battle for championships and get ready for state playoff action next week. And because that's Drew Wemple, our high school writer is here to talk about the games this weekend. Drew, this is it. This is what we play for, what we want to cover.
[00:27:37] Speaker D: Yeah, it's all coming to a head now. Feels like we were in August just a couple of weeks ago, going to preseason practices, seeing how teams are shaping up and now we're here and the weather's a lot colder.
[00:27:48] Speaker B: Yes. Let's start with the Double A matchup. The matchup we really weren't expecting. Cba, yes, we expected them to be there, but not Saratoga Springs. They upset Shenandoah on Friday, last Friday night to get to the championship game and get some revenge of the early regular season loss.
[00:28:04] Speaker D: Yeah, and that was such a big game for Saratoga. Obviously, whenever those colors meet Shenandaho and Saratoga, it's a big game. But with everything on the line for Saratoga, having not been to a Super bowl in seven years. Last trip was, was 2018. They haven't won one in a decade. Last win was 2015.
So I mean, there was just so much for Saratoga to play for. And they got a big lead, held on late and their reward is the four time defending champion. So, I mean, it's quite the tall challenge. I'm going over to Saratoga this afternoon, you know, talk to Coach Hayden and those guys. We'll see how they're feeling. But it's going to be a test of experience with CBA having been there so much. Saratoga, not so much. So we'll see how it plays out.
[00:28:45] Speaker B: Do you expect an upset?
[00:28:47] Speaker D: These teams played earlier in the year. CBA won that game 40 to 21. So obviously we're going to see adjustments from that game. Saratoga turned it over twice. They had a fumble loss and an interception. They were able to run the ball, but defensively they really could not stop cba. Archie Jones threw it all over the yard. Tommy to her had a big rushing day. So it's going to come down to defense. I think for Saratoga we should mention.
[00:29:10] Speaker B: That game will be played Saturday at 7 o' clock at Colony High School. What makes CBA so strong?
[00:29:15] Speaker D: It's really just they do it on both sides of the football. Obviously they have a defense that wants to shut you down night in, night out and then they've got a quarterback who is looking like Division 1 potential over these last couple of years. Archie Jones just we all remember what he did in last year's state championship game and he's done it again this season and he's got Tommy to her who stepped up as a running back. So just talented as always and well coached across the board. We know that.
[00:29:40] Speaker B: Okay, who's your pick?
[00:29:42] Speaker D: If I had to go with I would probably say cba but I think it's going to be a lot tighter than week than that earlier season matchup. I really think that Saratoga can get this to a one possession game and it's going to be close on Friday.
[00:29:55] Speaker B: Night, 7:30, the Class A championship. Niskuna and Troy, what do you see in that game?
[00:30:00] Speaker D: So for Niski Yuna, I think because obviously they're going for their third title in the last four years. But I think to kind of break down this matchup you got to look to last season they were up in class Double A. They missed the playoffs by really three points. A loss to Saratoga in the midseason and they get dropped back down to Class A. The expectation was for them to be playing for this weekend again and they're back here. They've done it so convincingly. Last week I think was their best win of the year. Shutting out balls and Spa 35 nothing in the semifinals. They've played Troy before. They beat him quite handily 5112 earlier in the year. Troy's hot again, having won five in a row. Now we talked about their turnaround last week. So for me this feels like Niskiuna just has to defend its reign in Class A. Now that they're back in it, how.
[00:30:47] Speaker B: Does Troy stop Cam Grasso?
[00:30:49] Speaker D: Well, I don't know if you can. They didn't the first time. Grasso had five catches for 145 yards and three touchdowns and he also had a kick return touchdown in that game.
[00:30:59] Speaker B: So it seems that he has a lot of kickoff returns for touchdowns to start the game.
[00:31:02] Speaker D: He's got a lot of touchdowns in general. He just kind of lives in the end zone and obviously Troy is Going to pay so much attention to him. But the other thing about Niskiuna, like we've mentioned, they can beat you in different ways. In that first game, their sophomore quarterback, Tommy Bowler, went 10 for 11 passing for 224 yards. So they've got guys that can do it around him that it's going to be tough for Troy.
[00:31:23] Speaker B: Who are you picking?
[00:31:24] Speaker D: I think. Yeah. All that to say I think I'm going to go with Niskuna again. Getting back on top of the Class.
[00:31:30] Speaker B: A on Saturday at 3:30 at Shenandoah High School, the Class B championship between top seed at Glens Falls and number three, Averill Park. Glens Falls, the machine, Averell park in trouble.
[00:31:41] Speaker D: I don't know. This is one of those rare meetings where you have two defending sectional champions playing each other in the same year. Obviously with Averill park being up in Class A last year, winning their first title. Now back in. Now down in B, Glens Falls are the reigning champions. They haven't lost in two years. Their last loss was the 2023 Super Bowl. So Glens Falls has just kept the rolling from last year when they went to the state semis. They're now 100 this year. They're doing it offensively, defensively, throwing it, running it. Averill park, they lost to Glens Falls earlier in the year, 32 7. But they've got it rolling since then. They've won. I believe it's eight straight games since that matchup or seven straight games since that matchup. They're just. They're going so hot and knowing Zach Goble in the way, he wants to play this game, he's going to want it to be lower scoring than that first matchup.
[00:32:33] Speaker B: What makes. I may have asked this last week, I can't remember, but what makes Glens Fall so good?
[00:32:37] Speaker D: Well, I think it's again, and we saw it last week in that game against Chaumont that, you know, all the attention is probably deservedly so paid to Jordan Baker, their running back, who's a star. But they can score in different ways. Their quarterback last week in that win over Shalmont had three touchdown passes when they were diverting so much attention to the run. So I think Glenn's Falls, they're just so dynamic in what they do, and obviously they've. They've got a heck of a coach there.
[00:33:04] Speaker B: Who do you pick?
[00:33:04] Speaker D: I got to go. With Glens Falls defending their title in Class B.
[00:33:08] Speaker B: Well, Class C, the championship game will be Saturday at 12 noon at Shenandoah High School. It's the matchup we expected. Fonda, Fultonville and Schuylerville. Schuylerville, the defending state champs.
This is going to be. I think this might be the game of the weekend.
[00:33:21] Speaker D: I think so. And it feels like we've seen this game once or twice before in the last couple of years, but I don't think it's just the game of the weekend for this area. I think it could be in the State. These are two top ranked teams, top 10 teams in the state for this class. And the winner of this matchup the last two years has gone on to play in the state championship game. I mean, that's just how good these teams are. And they've looked that part again this year. When talking to Fonda, they. They kind of are just throwing those past matchups out the window. Obviously, they lost last year in the semis, 49, 13 to Schuylerville, so they definitely want to forget about that one. It's a brand new year. Colin Pickering is leading the charge again as a senior. They've got familiarity with one another.
[00:34:05] Speaker B: What will it take for Fonda to get over the top against Schuylerville?
[00:34:08] Speaker D: I think it's going to be. It's going to be defense, this one. Both of these teams have put up points and bunches all year, but now that they're playing each other, I think we're in for another low scoring game. I mean, we saw two, three years ago in the 22 semifinals. It was a 14, 13 overtime game. Year before that, it was 26, 16. I mean, I think that these guys want to keep each other under wraps defensively, and that's what we're headed for, I think.
[00:34:34] Speaker B: What about the key to Scott Go winning this game?
[00:34:37] Speaker D: I think it's just maybe show some new wrinkles to Fonda, Fultonville that they haven't seen. We've talked about the new players that they have in there. Obviously, Ernie Dacosta, Ben Benven, just, you know, filling in from those seniors they lost last year. I think they want to utilize that to their advantage. Give them some stuff that they haven't seen before that, you know, maybe Fonda might be looking out for. They think the same thing's coming with new faces, but no, switch it up on them.
[00:35:01] Speaker B: Okay, who's your pick in this one?
[00:35:03] Speaker D: I gotta go with Fonda, Fultonville. I just think that they, they've wanted to get back to this moment for the last couple years. This is the team I'm sure they've had circled on their calendar to play Again and I like them winning a second sectional title in the last two, three years.
[00:35:18] Speaker B: The class D championship game will kick super bowl weekend off on Friday at 4pm at Colony High School. It'll be top seed at Greenwich will probably finally get to play a full game against second seed of Cambridge Salem. Talk about Greenwich. They played 4 seeded Kana Jerry for playing 41 nothing game that was ended at halftime.
[00:35:36] Speaker D: Yeah, that would be just 1/2 of football for Greenwich in the last three weeks which I mean with the way they've played, it might not seem that scary but obviously when you get into a Super bowl, everything changes. The game's so heightened and Cambridge Salem is a team that they're familiar, that has familiarity with Greenwich. They've played close games with them in the past.
This is a rematch of last year's Super Bowl. Greenwich kind of rolled in that one. They were able to keep everything Cambridge Salem wanted to do, especially in the second half. They were able to keep that contained.
So now we'll see. You know Greenwich obviously they've. They've won seven straight games since losing to Greenwich earlier in the year. So Cambridge Salem is feeling good coming into this time of year and they've been wanting this rematch.
[00:36:21] Speaker B: Do we have an explanation as to why that Greenwich Cannon Joe 4 point game was only played for half?
[00:36:26] Speaker D: Don't have much of an explanation other than the score. It was 41 to nothing. I remember talking to coach Heiney from Canaja Harry earlier in the season. Obviously numbers were going to be a problem for them in class D. And as you get towards the end of the year with injuries and you know, with things that go on that can only become worse. The numbers problem I would have to imagine not to speculate on it but I believe just the score got out of hand. There's not much reason to come back out. Who's your pick in this one? I think I've got to go with Greenwich again. I think even though they've had some time time off, I think that should probably benefit them, especially going against a team that they knew they were probably going to play at this time of year again.
[00:37:06] Speaker B: Well, Drew, enjoy. You'll be covering the A and Double A games this weekend. Enjoy that. And you can follow Drew's coverage on DailyGazette.com and where on X at Drew Wemple on X.
[00:37:17] Speaker D: And if you want to see some field hockey coverage over the weekend, that's Final fours as well. I'll be down in Arlington for that.
[00:37:22] Speaker B: Wow, it's busy weekend for you.
[00:37:24] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:37:24] Speaker B: All right. Appreciate it, Drew. Thanks. That's true. Web well, coming up, we'll stay on the high school beat. We'll look back at the life of Saratoga Springs cross country and track coach Arc Cranick with Mike McAdam. You're listening to the Parting Shots podcast.
[00:37:51] Speaker A: Explore the benefits of subscribing to the Daily Gazette like our convenient E Edition app, personalized newsletters and unique reader rewards. When you join, start your membership today. Offers redeemable at www.dailygazette.com.
[00:38:21] Speaker B: Welcome back to the podcast. On Saturday, the area cross country community lost a coach who for years dominated up at Saratoga Springs with his wife, Linda. Art Cranick passed away at the age of 74. And it's sort of ironic. It happened on the day of the Section 2 meet and, and Mike McAdam was there to cover the second two meeting when he got word of the passing of our crannic. And it was not unexpected. He had been ill for a long time. Mike, thank you for joining us here on the podcast. What were your thoughts when you first heard the news?
[00:38:58] Speaker C: One, I wasn't surprised because our Cranick had gone through a lot of health issues over the course of the last two years to the point of being admitted to the ICU at, I believe it was St. Peter's at one point.
He was wheelchair bound, I think it was last year, you know, last fall season.
And so not surprised. And I was actually thinking about him Saturday morning probably when I was driving up to Queensbury High School to cover the sectionals just because they had dominated for so many years. And I was wondering, like, what the update was, was on him.
Hadn't heard anything in a long time. And then boom.
Needless to say, the news spread like wildfire up its sectionals.
A lot of people said, wow, this is like really, you know, amazing timing that it happens, you know, at this meet, a meet that he and his wife Linda, their teams dominated for decades, generations. Not just like sprinkled here and there. I mean, the, the level of sustained success we haven't really seen. You know, you can look at somebody like Gary Bynon with the girls volleyball program at Burnt Hills and teams like that.
The level of success that Art and Linda sustained for decades, like since they started coaching in 1985, they won 18 New York State meet cross country championships with their girls program and of course, few with the boys program at Saratoga Springs as well.
So not surprised, but hadn't heard anything in a while. And then for that news to drop on Saturday at the sectionals Just kind of like seemed sort of poignant in some way.
[00:40:46] Speaker B: Just the dynamic of Art and Linda.
What was that like? I mean, you've dealt with them on numerous occasions.
[00:40:52] Speaker C: Yeah, that's a good question. And it's a question I asked of Ray Harrington, who ran for them at Saratoga Springs and then was an assistant coach for six years, like in the late 90s into the early 2000s. Now, having covered them since probably the late 80s, on and off over the years, and gotten to know them pretty well and having dealt with them, you know, pretty consistently and frequently, you know, the perception from the media was always that Art was like this aloof, gruff guy who you'd see at meets, and for a while there, he would act like during a cross country meet, 5K, 3.1 miles, he would actually run with his team out on the course and bark out encouragement and instructions and do this and do that.
[00:41:43] Speaker B: Is that legal?
[00:41:44] Speaker C: It's legal. I mean, coaches can go anywhere.
[00:41:46] Speaker B: I know, but to run with them.
[00:41:49] Speaker C: Well, he wasn't pacing them, he was constructing. But he was fit enough to do that. And then when it reached a point where he wasn't, he would do it on his bike instead and, you know, like a mountain bike going through the hills of Saratoga Spa State Park. And you could hear him from a mile away. I can remember being at the Freidhofer's Run for Women. They used to take their teams there the day after the state meet, just for a post state meet training run.
And that would have meant in the spring, of course.
I'm thinking of the Stockgate a thon, probably, but I mean, you could hear Art from a mile away. But when it came time to dealing with the media, it was always Linda was the voice of the program. And it was through her that we would get quotes and ask questions and stuff, and just because she accepted that role in this relationship that they had. Now, going back to Ray Harrington, who I talked to, knows them intimately from having coached with them as well as running for them. He said last night, yeah, that's probably the public perception. Just because Art has the loud voice and he's just like this intense guy and everything, but behind the scenes, he was a teddy bear. And really Linda was the one that the kids had to like, kind of fear a little bit more from a grouchiness standpoint and to the point where Ray said, yeah, when I was there, I sort of served as the liaison between the kids and Linda. And like, you know, if she had a beef with one of the kids or Something I would sort of serve as the buffer and then, you know, move on from there.
So. But in terms of coaching the teams, you know, they kind of had the perception of Linda that she was the mom, even if she was like, you know, sort of the hard driven, bad cop, good cop kind of thing.
And, you know, Art was sort of like the technical, behind the scenes guy who would design workouts and come up Ray, I think it was telling me last night that he had like figured out ways from an equipment standpoint that they could use for like training devices and things like that.
So he was kind of like, I don't want to say the brains behind the operation, because Linda is certainly a very intelligent person, but I think they just had kind of like little bit different roles with crossover in a lot of areas as far as like motivating the kids and things like that. So it was kind of like an interesting dynamic. I will say they were joined at the hip. Two peas in a pod, Use whatever cliche you want.
They've been best friends since they were 14 years old at Draper High School, were high school sweethearts there, eventually got married and were inseparable for 60 years.
So really kind of a two person team every way that you could possibly be.
[00:44:39] Speaker B: How did they make Saratoga Springs a place to be great cross country runners, great track participants?
[00:44:47] Speaker C: I think I asked that question. The subject came up a long time ago. And my recollection of that, the answer to that question is they literally just read every training book on the planet that they could get their hands on to learn about it. Now, Art was a very accomplished high school athlete. I don't even know where they went to college. They became science teachers for a long time in the Saratoga Springs school district. I think Rick Stellrick, our old colleague who used to cover track and cross country and also knew them very well, described Art as like, I think he was really good at the throws in track and field, like discus and shot put, which to see him, since I started covering them, I was like, he looks like more like an 800 meter runner or something like that. You know, you think of discus throwers and shot put people as these big, huge, bulky, you know, offensive linemen from the football team is usually who's doing those events. But my recollection is that he was very good at that event.
But back to your original question. I'm pretty sure they just went out and soaked in as much knowledge that publicly was out there. Of course, there was no Internet and they just went and read books about how to Train and how they eventually were more leaning toward, by far, the distance running aspect of it because they did coach track and field as well, which track and field is a little different because there's so many specialized events that, you know, the big programs at least will have a head coach, quote unquote, but they'll have like assistant coaches that just is like the jumps coach or the throws coach, you know, you know, kind of like an NFL team has a D coordinator and a safety, you know, secondary coach and a quarterback's coach.
So they did coach. They were very successful coaching track and field for a long time. But distance running was always, always the core of what they were about. You know, cross country season, obviously that's the only thing that. The only game in town. But during track season, you know, they would win section two team championships and. And the bulk of it would be on the strength of their, you know, like their 4x8 relay and their 1500 and 3000 runners on the girls side, at least.
[00:47:05] Speaker B: So, yeah, I mean, how were they able to be so consistent over the years? I mean, this is.
[00:47:09] Speaker C: I think that's not an easy question to answer. And you can't just say the stock coaches answer of, well, we get good kids. Yeah, they get good kids. But, you know, I think they tried to get kids at a very young age on their radar. I mean, every school has like these little gym class runs, you know, like mile run or whatever it is, you know, for the lower grades and stuff. And if somebody stands out, that kid will pop up on the coach's radar.
But I think.
And Ray Herring back to Ray Harrington, he said they evolved and developed a game plan of how to approach their coaching over the decades. So maybe early on it was a little more rudimentary, but I think they had some core principles that they just stuck to that worked and then sort of added to that and expanded it over the years. But, you know, usual suspects, discipline, dedication.
Distance running is not a fun sport to participate in at a high level. I remember a coach, can't remember who it was, but had a good quote sort of summarizing what it is to be a distance runner or at least a good one or a successful one. And that's. You have to find the level of discomfort that you're comfortable with to succeed or get to like, maximize whatever talent you have. And, you know, I don't think you can say that about like a baseball player, because distance running, you know, for 5K, these kids are running for, you know, like on the guy side at sectionals the other day, they're running 16 minutes. The girls are more like 18 to 20 minutes at least. The ones at the front of the pack and like go outside for 20 minutes and do something hard non stop and see how you feel at the end of it. You know, this is not unusual.
At the end of the girls races, there were girls that were just collapsing onto the ground and had to be picked up and ordered to keep walking for two reasons. One, you got to keep walking, but the other, we need to shoot to be clear for this pile of kids coming in behind you. I saw a couple guys throw up right at the finish line. Again, seen it a million times and not unusual. And those kids are kids that found the level of discomfort that they're comfortable with. Then they hit the finish line and they were like, okay, now I can have a little release here.
[00:49:33] Speaker B: Yeah. In reading your story. It's still on DailyGazette.com a lot of the athletes you got message from were just devastated by the news.
[00:49:42] Speaker C: Yeah. But also back to your original question. Everybody knew what poor health Art Cranic had been in for the last two years.
A couple of them expressed to me that, and maybe even Ray Harrington might have said it was like they thought he was kind of out of the woods because again, I hadn't heard anything about his health in a while. And after hearing that he was in icu, I can't remember when that was exactly, but it had to be at least a few months.
And then, you know, it just wasn't on your radar anymore. And so I, by at least two accounts of the people that I have talked to said they were of the belief that he had kind of. I don't know if turn the corner is the right way to put it.
[00:50:23] Speaker B: But we're out of the woods, stabilized. Yeah.
[00:50:29] Speaker C: So it wasn't, it didn't look as dire as it had for a while.
But then I guess he took like a sudden turn for the worse and that was that. On Saturday morning.
[00:50:38] Speaker B: How polarizing of figures are Art And.
[00:50:42] Speaker C: Linda, I said this to somebody at the meet on and I had thought this for, you know, it occurred to me and we'll get to why that question is relevant.
It occurred to me like a while back that I've never worked with or, you know, experienced working with coaches who.
The people who are in their corner are so in their corner and the people who aren't are like way, way, way. Like the gap between those two camps is as big as I've ever seen it. Now it's impossible to quantify how big each camp is. But, I mean, I think it's easy to guess that the positive camp is like gigantic, and the other camp is more on the minority side from a size standpoint.
So polarizing, take a different perspective, which is like opposing teams and coaches in schools. I mean, they were for a long time there. They were the evil empire, basically. And you can chalk a lot of that up to jealousy because they just kept piling.
And when I say they were winning everything, they were dominating, I mean, they would show up. They were meets like Section 2 meet, the Class A race where they would score the minimum amount of points that you can score. So how they work it in cross country is you can have 10 kids in the race at sectionals, but only your top five score. And it's based on placement, not counting, like the kids that are in there, just for individual standpoint.
[00:52:17] Speaker A: Of course.
[00:52:19] Speaker C: Sectionals, everybody's a team, but.
And then they'll cherry pick five individuals who aren't on the winning team to go to the state meet, but when you score it. So first place gets a one, second place gets a two. And there were sectional meets where they would score 15 points, where they had the top five kids come in before anybody from any other school came in, which is as dominating as you can possibly be. And let's not forget we're talking about section two girls cross country, which is, and I've written this more than once, the best section in the country for girls cross country, not just because of Saratoga, but frequently.
I can remember times where New York State Sports Writers association would have rankings. They don't do that anymore, I just checked yesterday. But when they did, section two would have, like the top five, six ranked teams in the whole state, New York. And so Saratoga was dominating in their section. Teams that are like the number two team in the state, which you know, is real bugaboo for section two, certainly in Class A, because at the sectionals, only the top winning team goes to the state meet. So now you could have the second ranked team in the state doesn't even get to go to their own state meet. There are a lot of people, you know, Rob Cloutier, who coaches both teams at Shenandahoa, and they came in fourth or fifth or whatever it was on. But there's been years where Shenandah Hoa was the number two team in the state, doesn't even go to their public high school state meet because they only cherry pick one. You know, the winner from each section shows you how incredibly Strong. And that's been the case for decades now that section two is just like, you know, the best section in the country, literally in girls cross country, high school level. And Saratoga is dominating those schools. Or at least they were. I mean, not anymore.
[00:54:16] Speaker B: What is R. Cronic's legacy?
[00:54:20] Speaker C: The word complicated comes up.
The success part of it comes first because it's just so overwhelmingly expansive and voluminous.
But then, you know, I don't know if asterisk is the right way to put it, but there's been complaints against the Cranix going on for like 30 years about their coaching practices borderline or crossing the line of being allegedly abusive because of some of the things they require their athletes to do.
They've been accused of getting involved with their kids diet routines, you know, which is a no, no, once you leave the school grounds, you should be able to eat whatever you want. So you know, they had restrictions on that.
There's been accusations of just like mental abuse and you know, like how they established the hierarchy of the team and they only cared about the good kids.
You know, the diet thing over training is I think probably the biggest one where they've been accused of using a loophole where they were the first.
[00:55:44] Speaker A: School.
[00:55:44] Speaker C: Program around here that established a running program like a club program, it's called Kinetic Running, where there was a club program outside of the school district team.
Now subsequently, you know, probably all the suburban schools have the same thing now where it's a club, it's not affiliated with the school district at all, but it's all the same kids.
And you know, if Kinetic is, you know, training on a Sunday, not as the Saratoga High school team, presumably, well then you're, you know, you can't, maybe you're not saying it's mandatory, but I think the kids realize it's sort of like. I don't know if this is an apt comparison, but like in the NFL, those non mandatory off season workouts because the players association won't let you dictate what a player does during certain months of the off season. But the player knows in the back of their mind if I don't do this, if I don't show up for these things, coaches are going to notice. So I think there's a little bit of that playing there. I think the overtraining accusation is probably the most damning one that has been out there for a long time against the Crannocks.
You know, of course they dispute this and you know, they fought tooth and nail against every complaint and accusation against them. Going back, you know, 30 years, pretty much.
So back to the original question about Art's legacy.
Like, the first part dominates his legacy and defines him. But there's this sort of like, tangential offshoot thing that, you know, the people who are anti Cranics wouldn't characterize that glibly probably. You know, they think that that part of it defines the Crannics. You know, they use people like them, use words like cult and toxic culture, things like that, like this mind control operation kind of thing. There's people out there that are saying that.
And there was a legal complaint filed in the fall of 2023 by a law firm representing some former athletes and parents from the school district and the 77 page.
And it's a legal complaint, nobody got sued, but it was filed all the way up to governor Kathy Hochul.
And it detailed a lot of the things that people are mad about with the Cranix.
Mostly anonymous testimony. There were a couple former runners who chose to use their name in there that detailed a lot of things they went through.
I will say the complaint also included, like a couple of the other sports programs where, including one coach who had been fired or let go or whatever, or contract wasn't renewed, who had done kind of similar things, more of like alleged verbal abuse and things like that and, you know, psychological abuse.
But the bulk of it was targeting the Cranix, clearly, just from the number of pages and the number of people that were quoted in there.
The fallout from that legal complaint, again, it wasn't a lawsuit. I mean, at the end they wanted the Cranix to be fired and it was basically a complaint against the athletic department and, or the school district for not policing them well enough or letting themselves slide. Because as noted in the thing, there had been complaints going. This wasn't like a recent thing and it was sort of an ongoing thing.
So the school district, because of the complaint, hired a law firm to sort of do an investigation, which, you know, I don't know what they were ever going to turn up like, because a lot of the complaints were really, really old.
And the law firm put out a report in March of 24 that said, yeah, we did find evidence that some of the alleged misconduct did occur.
Yeah, the school district does need to, you know, employ better oversight of the program. The programs, plural. Probably.
In that meantime, the Cranicks were rehired at the board meeting to coach their last season's, you know, outdoor track or cross country, indoor track, outdoor track in 24:25, which drew more complaints and Criticism of the school district and the athletic department.
So that side of it, there's a lot of documentation.
You know, I believe the Education Department even got involved to some degree, although I don't think anything ever came of that.
So the stuff that's in the complaint is serious stuff, and you can't just poo poo it. I think the athletic department and. Or the school district could have done a better job of following through on some of the measures that they implemented. A lot of people accused them of letting the Cranocks slide because of their winning ways. You know, if they were.
Didn't have the success that they had and didn't shine such a bright, beautiful light on the school district with all the winning. I mean, if you drive up Route 9 into Saratoga Springs, right where it turns into Broadway Spa State park, there's a big blue and white sign there with the blue streaks, you know, lightning bolt on it. It says Saratoga Springs, home of state championship cross country teams in. And then it lists the years and the numbers have to be in a very small font because there's a gazillion of them.
So the school district has been accused of letting Cranix slide because of their success, which you're going to get. And to some degree, I don't know how much of that is true. It could be, but in the meantime, it's sort of a.
It's not sort of. It is a blot on our Cranic's legacy because it's out there and it's not all rainbows and unicorns when it comes to, you know, their history with coaching those teams.
[01:02:24] Speaker B: Well, Mike, appreciate you spending a few minutes talking about Art Cranic. Great story in Monday's paper and still
[email protected] and I know you've heard some from some other.
[01:02:36] Speaker C: Thanks, Ken. Yeah, I'll have a column coming out. I don't know when, because a lot of former athletes, and I already mentioned Ray Harrington, who ran and coached with them, reached out to me wanting to give their side of it. And, you know, it's all people. I've already spoken to some of them. I still have a couple I have to get back to who have only positive things to say about the Cranix, not just art. Like I said, it's a package deal. Comes to them and in detail, describing how they changed their lives, got them into college, convinced them that they should go to college, where maybe they didn't and, you know, treated them like they were their parents, not just their coaches. And A lot of it is really, like I said, detailed and personal. And you know, they, they're very grateful for what the Cranix did for them as when they were high school kids.
[01:03:36] Speaker B: Mike, appreciate a few minutes and we'll talk soon.
[01:03:38] Speaker C: All right. Thank you, ken.
[01:03:39] Speaker B: That's Mike McAdam. Coming up, we'll look at the Union hockey weekend. You're listening to the Parting Shots podcast.
[01:03:59] Speaker C: What's your favorite high school sports memory? A late inning rally? A game winning shot?
[01:04:04] Speaker B: A photo finish?
Maybe it's a pep rally or a pre game ritual.
[01:04:09] Speaker C: Maybe it's the euphoria of a late night bus ride home after a hard fought win. Maybe it's having pizza with teammates after the game.
[01:04:18] Speaker B: Now imagine if it never happened at all.
School sports need your help. With budgets getting tighter, it's more than.
[01:04:27] Speaker A: The games that are on the line.
[01:04:28] Speaker D: It's all the traditions, the community pride.
[01:04:31] Speaker B: The culture of your hometown high school.
[01:04:34] Speaker A: Plus all those memories that are on the line too.
[01:04:37] Speaker D: What can you do?
It's simple.
[01:04:40] Speaker B: Buy a ticket when you can go to a game. Take the whole family.
Let's do everything we can to keep those cherished school sports memories alive.
[01:04:51] Speaker D: This message presented by the New York.
[01:04:52] Speaker A: State Public High School Athletic association and the New York State Athletic Administrators Association.
[01:05:14] Speaker B: Welcome back to the podcast. It's time to talk some Union hockey. We'll start with the men. The Garnet Chargers are back in action this weekend with a pair of games against Hockey east opponents. Friday night will be UMass Lowell for 7 o'. Clock. Face off. The first meeting between those two schools since March 24, 2012. Why is that date significant? It was the championship game of the NCAA tournament, Bridgeport Regional. Union won that game 4 to 2.
Controversial empty net goal by Kyle Boddy was an offside play, but I don't think back then they could review offsides. So Union got away with it and earned its first trip to the Frozen Four down in Tampa. Of course, Union of the Blues needed to do first eight in the semifinal that season so and of course Saturday as the really the big storyline, the headline coming in is Kyle Chauvett, the former Union goaltender, played for the Garner chargers the last three years, was the team's number one goaltender the last two seasons.
He's got UNH at 4 and 5 this year he's played all nine games for the Wildcats. And of course he's a native of New Hampshire growing up in Goffstown and we talked a few years ago when he beat New Hampshire for his first victory in his freshman season. He talked about how he was a fan of the team and now he gets a chance to play for him. Obviously his former teammates are happy for him and got a chance to talk a little bit about that at Tuesday's media availability as we preview both games. So let's talk with union defenseman Nick Young and forwards Brandon Burr and Carter Korpi.
[01:06:55] Speaker A: Very good.
[01:06:56] Speaker B: Big test coming up this league on a conference game.
New Hampshire from Hockey East.
How important are these two games if you guys want to get to the NCAA tour?
[01:07:09] Speaker A: Yeah, they're. They're super important.
[01:07:10] Speaker C: It's always good to stack yourself up against, you know, Hockey east or any.
[01:07:15] Speaker A: Other conference that we get to play.
[01:07:16] Speaker C: So, I mean, we're taking it obviously.
[01:07:18] Speaker A: Like a very serious game.
[01:07:19] Speaker C: We're taking it like an ECAC game. So we're excited for it.
[01:07:23] Speaker A: Yeah, it's two.
[01:07:23] Speaker C: They're important, important games.
[01:07:24] Speaker A: Every game matters, no matter if it's out of conference or conference. And these are two good teams coming.
[01:07:28] Speaker D: In, so it'll be good to get these wins.
[01:07:31] Speaker A: Yep, same thing. It's a big weekend for us and we're excited and we're ready.
[01:07:35] Speaker B: How important is it to get back to, you know, taking two wins on the weekend, not having a sports two weekends?
[01:07:43] Speaker A: Yeah, I mean, it's huge, right?
[01:07:44] Speaker C: It builds momentum for the team and hopefully we can get it done this weekend.
[01:07:48] Speaker B: What do you know about volume?
[01:07:51] Speaker A: I got a couple buddies on that team, the Butazonis. I know they're also a really, really high powered offensive team, so that's about it.
[01:07:58] Speaker C: Yeah, they're.
[01:07:59] Speaker A: They're a very physical team. So that's something that we're gonna have to talk about and figure out ways to pick them apart.
Of course.
[01:08:07] Speaker B: Saturday. I know you guys always say we don't look ahead to look ahead, but Kyle, show us coming back with unh, how good of a team he was.
[01:08:15] Speaker C: No, I mean, he was part of our class. He was a great kid. You know, obviously he went his ways with, you know, what he thought was best.
[01:08:22] Speaker A: So there's no mal intent over here.
[01:08:23] Speaker C: But obviously we want to want to beat them.
[01:08:25] Speaker A: So.
[01:08:26] Speaker B: Brandon.
[01:08:27] Speaker A: Yeah, he's a great guy. I classed him. We hung out a lot. I liked him a lot. So I was sad to see him go, but he had to do what's best for him.
[01:08:33] Speaker B: You guys, you and Val were best friends. How tough was it to see him leave? Because especially with your brother coming in.
[01:08:41] Speaker A: Yeah, I mean, it was tough. He chose what was best for his career and we respect that option Obviously, it's kind of the way college hockey is nowadays, and so far he seems to be doing okay at unh, so. Yeah.
[01:08:54] Speaker B: Have you chatted with him much since he's been up there?
[01:08:56] Speaker C: No.
[01:08:58] Speaker B: What's it like being a best friend?
[01:09:01] Speaker A: He's a great kid. Right. Like, he does things the right way and great teammates.
[01:09:08] Speaker B: Just looking back at last weekend, Brandon, Josh was saying he thought the guys played better against Clarkson, though he lost. But what. What do you think you see out of that weekend that you take to this weekend?
[01:09:24] Speaker A: We've got just to work on our finishing abilities, maybe against that Clarkson game. Like, we have the chances, so maybe work on just finishing more pucks and also so limiting our kind of mistakes we make. That cost us pretty big that game.
[01:09:38] Speaker C: Yeah, no, it's same thing. I think that if we just tighten up something structurally other than that, I. I thought we worked really hard and gave ourselves chances to be in that.
[01:09:46] Speaker A: Game and, you know, we just didn't finish.
[01:09:48] Speaker B: But I think there was still a.
[01:09:49] Speaker A: Lot of positive to take from it.
[01:09:51] Speaker B: You guys were youngsters when the last time these two teams met in bowl and the Union, it was the 20th 2012 NCAA tournament. Bridgeport final at Union One. Got the Frozen Four for the first time.
Did you watch that game?
[01:10:06] Speaker C: I've seen, like, clips of it, you.
[01:10:07] Speaker A: Know, just from being here, but it's something that, you know, there's history to it, but again, it's.
[01:10:13] Speaker C: It's about us this year, and it's.
[01:10:14] Speaker A: About taking every team down to get us back to where we were back then. So.
No, I've never seen it.
Same thing.
[01:10:24] Speaker D: Never seen.
[01:10:27] Speaker B: You guys get Ben Ruth's block back this weekend after the suspension. How happy are you guys having him back?
[01:10:33] Speaker C: Oh, super, super excited.
[01:10:34] Speaker A: I mean, he's a.
[01:10:35] Speaker C: He's an impact player. He's able to put the puck in.
[01:10:38] Speaker A: The net, and that's what we're gonna need this weekend. So, you know, we're happy to have him back and get him right back up to speed.
[01:10:46] Speaker C: I. I think so.
[01:10:47] Speaker A: I mean, really, he hit him in the head and, you know you're going to get a game for that, but, you know, we're.
[01:10:53] Speaker B: We're happy to have him back and we'll.
[01:10:54] Speaker A: We talk to him and manage your.
[01:10:56] Speaker C: Stick and know how to play the.
[01:10:57] Speaker A: Game the right way.
[01:10:58] Speaker C: So.
[01:11:04] Speaker B: On Wednesday, New Hampshire held a zoom call with Kyle Chavette and head coach Mike Sousa. Let's start off with Kyle Chavette and get his thoughts on returning to Union this weekend.
Kyle, how's it going? First of all?
[01:11:20] Speaker A: It's going well. How are you?
[01:11:21] Speaker B: I'm hanging in. Can't complain.
Talk about the whole process of the transfer portal for you. I mean, obviously you had a good year last season. Third team, all ecac. And then Cameron Corpy comes from Michigan.
Was that the start of maybe thinking that maybe you should play elsewhere?
[01:11:45] Speaker A: I wouldn't say. You know, that wasn't really the deciding factor for me. You know, I think like being able to get the opportunity to, you know, play in Hockey east and play back in my home state was. Was huge for me.
And you know, I, for me personally, like, I thought that was the best decision at the time for me and the next step in my career.
[01:12:05] Speaker B: What's it going to be like on Saturday coming back here and being in the new rink for the first time? Because senior year.
Were you anticipating looking forward to playing in that new facility before the transfer portal?
[01:12:19] Speaker A: Yeah, no, for sure. I mean, I think when I was there everyone was really pumped for the new facility.
Obviously Mesa was such a special place. So I was fortunate enough and happy to be able to close that out. That's always going to be a special place to me.
But yeah, no, I'm excited for to get to see the new facility. I've heard good things about it from. From the players and yeah. So it should be exciting.
Kyle Andrew Santillo from the Union broadcast.
In some ways, is it.
If this game was at Mesa, would it be a little bit more.
Would it be.
Maybe challenging is the wrong word, but it would be a little more difficult to be walking into the arena that you were a player as. You know, as. And now walking into the visiting in.
[01:13:07] Speaker D: Some ways is it being in the.
[01:13:08] Speaker A: New rink, is that kind of a, you know, kind of a breath of fresh air here for you as you kind of return to Schenectady?
Yeah, I mean, definitely. I think obviously if I went back after playing at Messa for. For three seasons, it'd be a lot different, you know, going into a new rink.
Yeah, it's like. It's like a new environment, like just another. Another game. And that's how I want to approach it. You know, I'm not preparing any differently than I normally do. Being able to just go in and play in a new ring just like I would any other weekend.
[01:13:38] Speaker B: How quickly did it.
The process for you to get entered a portal New Hampshire to reach out to you and commit to them?
[01:13:48] Speaker A: Yeah, I believe it was a couple week process.
Yeah.
[01:13:53] Speaker B: And how excited were you when it happened? Because you know, we talked after your first win, which was against New Hampshire, by the way.
You know, you talk, you're, you know, you're a fan of the Wildcats to play for the team that you grew up rooting for. What does that mean to you?
[01:14:10] Speaker A: Yeah, it's beyond special. You know, I obviously, like you said, I grew up going to some games here, and so this place was already like pretty special to me.
So to be able to come here and put the logo on the jersey on and represent this program, it does mean the world to me. And, you know, I'm very fortunate for the opportunity.
[01:14:30] Speaker B: What was that first game like wearing that uniform?
[01:14:33] Speaker A: Yeah, it was pretty cool. You know, I think our first game actually was, you know, throwing it on for the first time was an exhibition against U Main. So it was pretty cool because I remember going to U MAINU and H games and just that rivalry. So being able to step on the ice in the jersey, you know, seeing pictures after the game, I feel like it felt a little bit weird, obviously, like. But it was, it was so special to, to be able to put the jersey on and go out and compete.
Yeah.
[01:15:01] Speaker B: Do you get a chance to talk to some of your former teammates?
[01:15:05] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, I've kept in contact with a bunch of guys on the team.
Yeah.
[01:15:09] Speaker B: I mean, I mean, has there been any Texas changes about, you know, the game this Saturday and all? Have you guys been, you know, joking back and forth at all?
[01:15:18] Speaker A: No, not really. I mean, I think we're both focused on the first game on the weekend. Like, you know, we're focused on RPI, they're focused on UMass Lowell and that's, that's the focus right now ultimately. Like, I'm not even thinking really into that Union game. The focus for, for me and for our team is RPI on Friday night, which I'm sure that's the same exact thing that they're saying on the other side too.
[01:15:42] Speaker B: Well, I'll come up with a stat for you. In six games against RPI that you played, you're five and oh, the only game you didn't get a decision was that a six game because the Axel Reid ended up getting the loss because he gave up the game winning goal.
Why have you been success those five wins? What's been the key for you in those RPI games?
[01:16:01] Speaker A: I don't know. I actually, I mean, I had no idea that stat line at all. I don't really, I don't really think too much into that, honestly, because every year it's, it's A new team, I think, I mean, obviously they have a lot of new guys. They're a brand new team, brand new group, and every year is different. So I don't approach any team differently.
Whether I've had success or haven't. You know, I just, I want to play my game.
I think that's when I have the most success, is when I'm just focused on things that I do best and the things that I can, I can control.
[01:16:32] Speaker B: Do you think there'll be any nerves?
Oh, go ahead. Sorry.
I'm sorry. Okay. Do you think there'll be any nerves Saturday?
[01:16:42] Speaker A: I mean, there are nerves before every game. You know, it's natural.
So, like going into games, I feel like if you're not nervous, then you're not excited and ready to go. So there's always nerves there. But I think it's. I approach it just like any other game. So it's no different than, you know, whoever else we play on a weekend. And that's how I'm just going to approach it.
Kyle, I'm a young guy broadcasting for rpi. Nice to meet you. My name's Matt Mugno.
Curious outside of a lot of the storyline here is Union, which obviously makes a lot of sense, but with coming back to the area, one moment, is there a familiarity? Is it, does it make it a little bit easier second nature to walk into buildings you've gone into before, walk on the campuses you've been on before and just like know the area well?
Yeah, I mean, ultimately like going back to like the capital region this weekend, you know, I think it's going to be special. Like I. There's no denying I spent three years of my life there.
So whether it was like at Union campus or around the area, you know, going to restaurants, whatever it was, but so that part is special. You know, I think once you get into the rink, I try to take the environment out of the equation and just again, like I've been saying, just focus on what I can control. Like the preparation stays the same no matter what the rink is, no matter what the area is. But yeah, I'd say away from the rink and away from the game, you know, obviously it is, it is special going back to that area.
Are you in charge of like where to order the food from or anything or what?
No, they, they didn't ask me, but.
[01:18:20] Speaker B: I know, I wish I should have been admitted. You missed those post pre and post game interviews with me.
[01:18:26] Speaker A: Right?
Well, Kyle, I know Matt is not on here. Matt Dubre, who's done Union games forever. But you know, we look forward to seeing you on Saturday and you know, hope you're doing well and you know, wish you the best of luck this weekend and through the rest of the year. Thank you. I really appreciate that.
[01:18:47] Speaker B: One last. One last question. Rika, what was your most memorable Union moment?
[01:18:52] Speaker A: Oh, that's a tough one. It's just because, I mean, I've honestly had so many.
I think one of the most memorable ones that comes to mind right away was the last Mayor's cup win. I think winning that for the third straight year was. Was pretty fun and just being able to get that done in overtime and the feeling afterward was. Was special.
So that, that does come to mind as one moment there.
Yeah.
[01:19:20] Speaker B: Now let's hear from UNH head coach Mike Souza.
[01:19:24] Speaker A: You know the, the RPI Union trip.
I think Norm Basin was the kind of three the catalyst to put the trip, put the series together.
Obviously familiar with Eric and familiar with Josh. Know those guys, know their programs, excited to always fun to play non conference games, excited to see Union's new rink.
We played obviously RPI last year, but they got a new coach and so, you know, it's gonna be a battle obviously and you know, we're worried about the Wildcats playing. Well, that's our, that's our number one focus right now though.
[01:19:57] Speaker C: Questions for coach?
[01:19:58] Speaker B: Yeah, I'll start if I don't mind. Mike, how you doing?
Good. Obviously the storyline for Saturday is going to be the return of Kyle Chauvett to escenecte with UNH facing his old team.
First, we'll talk about how the process of you getting Kyle to unh. Obviously he was a New Hampshire native. Did you recruit him back before he came to Union and what led to him you getting him this time around?
[01:20:27] Speaker A: Did we recruit him? You know, we. We probably didn't as aggressively as we should have.
And you know, I'd have to really retrace my, you know, steps how we ended up at Union. I remember him obviously being a New Hampshire kid, Monarchs kid, and then going off to Junior Union. I know he's a good student, so I'd have to.
I'm not sure how hard we recruited him to be. To be brutally honest with you, but we. We obviously should have.
And then the today, you know, as, you know, Ken, like we are, you know, we. We lose goalie last year in the transfer portal late.
And so, you know, it was a year ago.
We knew Kyle was out there, was like, man, we wish we had him then, you know, and then we Needed to go this year. He entered the portal, and we jumped on the second he entered the portal. It's a weird thing. You know, I'm calling Josh up aboard one of his kids, and they were in the process of recruiting someone that we were recruiting out of the portal, and we're talking about the same kid, and, you know, and it's just wild. And then he had mentioned to me that Kyle was. He thought Kyle might end up going into the portal, and he did. And then we jumped on before, I would imagine pretty quickly.
So that. That time, the transfer portal, when that window opens, especially if you need a goalie or if you need. You know, there's. There's. There's a finite amount of players that you target, and. But you kind of got to be Johnny on the spot or you're too late. And, you know, we had some, you know, information that he may be going in there and spoke to Houj about him, and, you know, he checked all the boxes for us in terms of his, you know, competitiveness and the type of kid he is, and that's proven to be true for us.
[01:22:26] Speaker B: How has he been playing for you?
[01:22:29] Speaker A: I think he's been our best player from the start of the year. I think he'd like to have, you know, we were awful Saturday night, you know, nor credit to Coach Basin's team, but we didn't give him much help in front. You know, not much help in front of him on Saturday, but I think he's been our most consistent player from our exhibition game against Maine right on up through yesterday.
More questions?
Yeah, Coach, obviously, scoring.
[01:23:05] Speaker B: Goal scoring is.
[01:23:06] Speaker A: Has been a little bit of an issue this year, or maybe a big issue this year.
Are you. Are you trying anything new? You did line changes last week. You're trying anything new. Any new drills or anything to really spark that?
Yeah, I mean, of course. I mean, which. Which, you know, you're trying to.
You know, you.
I always find in college hockey, you talk to even guys in the. In pro hockey, you know, last dominant thought. The things you work on that particular week, typically, those are the things that you're best at that particular week. You emphasize breakouts. I feel like you break the puck up better. You emphasize whatever it is. I feel like you're that piece of your game. I think it's, you know, it's human nature.
We've been emphasizing goal scoring, so I don't know how much that theory is true. But, yeah, we're just continuing to. Just continue to emphasize it. And, you know, we're Working, you know, changing up some stuff we try to do in the off. Hockey is such a fluid sport. Right. It's not like we can go call different place, but there are some things we can do, you know, in terms of creating chaos in and around the net, but also being, you know, mindful of, you know, getting the net and everyone being ambitious to get the net. Sometimes there's six guys at the net, you know, they're goalie. So. So just working on our spacing and the offensive zone, I think that's, that's something that we, you know, we addressed. Even Pete, going into last week's game series against Lowell, we, you know, that was something we had talked about. I saw signs of us doing some good things on Friday, not as much on Saturday, but. And then about getting the power play going. I mean, that was something that we thought after the, you know, the first couple weeks, you know, you were there. I mean, after the first couple weeks, we said, okay, this is going to be an area of our team that, you know, we can, we can certainly rely on. And that hasn't been the case the last, you know, last month. So continuing to move some things around there and try different things and looks and combinations and see if we can spark something.
[01:25:06] Speaker B: Can you talk about the job?
These two. Eric first. Eric, with Eric Lang taking over rpi, obviously a lot of new faces there he brought in.
Is that one of those things? It's going to take time for him to build and then talk about the job that Josh Howjee has done at Union.
[01:25:26] Speaker A: Yeah. So what's the total number of new guys? Aircast?
[01:25:30] Speaker B: I think it was 20.
[01:25:31] Speaker A: Yeah, that's a lot. Yeah, we've got four, ironically. We've got 14.
I mean, I think that there's, there's an element of that on a lot of folks rosters now, you know, for, for the, you know, this year, certainly with the CHL rule flipping over and then, you know, just the nature of the transfer portal. So, you know, a guy like Eric, he's a culture guy. They had a great culture at aic, did a great job at building that there and not in an easy situation, you know, not having a rink on campus, playing in a pro rink, but, but, but attracting players to come and then. And then having a competitive team. So, you know, he's obviously done a great job at recruiting, and I don't see him, you know, changing that at rpi.
Listen, there's a lot of history and tradition there. For those of us that have been around, they've won A national championship. There's, you know, so I think that there's, there's some things to be excited about for him and to build on and I think he'll do a great job there.
You know, like all of us, we all have our challenges. You know, there's, I would imagine that they're supporting him appropriately and, and, but I don't know that I haven't talked to him about that. But on the surface he's a great, he's a great guy. He's a first class, a first class person and, you know, guy that I think is a big culture guy and will do a good job there.
Josh, I've known a long time going back to his days in Tri City in the ushl and again, just a first class human being, just a great, great guy. And you know, he was a guy that when I got the job here, you know, when I was putting my staff together, he was a guy that I, you know, had thought about bringing here, you know, with me and talking to him, knew he was going to be a head coach someday somewhere and certainly he's found a home there at Union and you know, he's going to do a great job. He's already doing a great job there and I think that will only continue to get, but his program only continue to grow because of the new arena. Obviously they won a national championship too, more recently.
So they've got great tradition and academically it's a great school and there's a lot for Josh to sell.
But I think, you know, both high character guys that are great coaches that will represent their, their, their individual schools in a first class manner. That's certainly the reputation that both guys have in our, in our business and our little, you know, college hockey fiefdom that we have.
Mike, Andrew Santillo from Union Broadcast. I just, you appreciate the time first and foremost.
Just I guess maybe you said you focused on, you know, worried about the Wildcats this weekend specifically, you know, what are you looking for? What are some things? If we come out of the weekend and we say this was a success for you guys.
What, what, what, what went on? What, what was accomplished here or what, what to do? Well, and I say that and there's no disrespect to anyone, I would say it wouldn't matter who we're playing this week. We just, we just in a place right now as a group that, you know, our focus has to be about us executing what we do well and for us it's about, you know, being clean in our transition. Game, you know, we need. We need to be, you know, uber competitive.
You know, we've got, you know, we can. We probably don't get enough credit for being as physical as we are, but, you know, that comes with, you know, not being reckless, not taking too many penalties. Last week we took it on characteristic amount of penalties.
We took five each night. You know, Friday night you kill off all five. And then on Saturday, we gave up. We gave up two shorthand, Two power play goals against, and we actually gave up a shorthand goal. So obviously, our special teams need to do a better job, you know, collectively our power play. As I mentioned, our PKS bailed us out here early on in the year, so just getting that back, you know. You know, listen, that. Learn from some of the mistakes we made on.
On. On Saturday against Lowell. They moved the puck around against us really well on Saturday, but, you know, just learning from that and continuing to build off that. We have a young team, 14 new guys, so some of the same growing pains that maybe Eric would be experiencing with just, you know, getting complete.
I don't want to say buy in, because I think our guys always work hard. I just think there's.
We need to find a consistency in our game that we haven't found yet. So, for example, I think we're 4 and 5, and I think we've won all our games on Friday night or one on Thursday, and we haven't been able to, you know, follow that up on Saturday with a consistent effort or consistent result. Not that we're worried about Saturday this week, but just. I think there's an element of that that we've tried to carry over into our practices. You know, you can't be really good in this particular exercise and then go off into space on this next particular drill or whatever you want to call it. Exercise, drill.
Finding that consistency in our own games, our own individual game, I think will translate to consistency in our overall team game. And that's something that we not had, you know, this year. So that. That's something we've talked about. Let's just be. Let's be consistent. Let's be consistent. Shift, you know, shift and shift out, you know, for. For certainly Friday and then into Saturday.
[01:31:07] Speaker B: Mike, a couple of stats for you. I don't know if you remember the New Year's Eve 2022 game here at Messerink. That was Kyle's first game, his first victory against Beat you guys. And he's also five and. Oh, and six starts against rpi.
[01:31:23] Speaker A: Okay, that's good to know, I think that's the one game where we didn't give up a shot for like 38 minutes and we lost three, three power play goals if I remember.
We scored. Lost.
[01:31:36] Speaker B: Yeah.
[01:31:38] Speaker A: That's the. Probably the first time I said to my assistants, why the hell is this kid?
Why is he there? Why is an advocate not know?
So I know they got another New Hampshire kid that's, you know, played well for them too in mother's bar, right?
[01:31:50] Speaker B: Yeah.
[01:31:51] Speaker A: You can score. You can really fire it.
[01:31:52] Speaker B: So yeah, he got a one.
[01:31:54] Speaker A: We actually his father played baseball here.
[01:31:56] Speaker B: Did he?
[01:31:57] Speaker A: He did.
[01:31:58] Speaker B: Wow.
[01:32:00] Speaker A: Yeah, you can't get them all.
[01:32:03] Speaker B: Well, he's coming back from a one game suspension for stick to the head in the Clarkson game last Friday.
Now let's talk about the Union women's hockey team. They're coming off 74 victory over RPI last Saturday. That snapped a six game losing streak for the Garnet Chargers. They've started off so well this season.
Best start in program history. Then that six game losing streak.
Some tough losses in there and even their wins, the last couple wins they've had, they've had big leads against St. Anselm and RPI.
Nearly saw those leads disappear at a 51 lead in the first period against RPI last Saturday. And RPI scored three goals in the second period to make things interesting. But Matty Delaney's early third period goal calmed things down and got Union the victory. The Garner Chargers are off this weekend and probably perfect timing too because the final exams for the first trimester are going on right now. So a bit of a break for the Garda Chargers before they return to action next weekend when they host Cornell and Colgate at M and T Bank Center.
Even though there aren't any games on this weekend, the Union still had its media availability for the women's team. We'll start with head coach Tony Macy, who's also a Michigan native and Detroit Lions fan. And you'll hear us talk about the Sunday night matchup between his Lions and my Eagles on NBC Sunday night. We chat a little bit about that as well.
[01:33:44] Speaker A: Yeah, I think it's, you know, a good break in the season. You know, we're a good chunk of the way in here.
Obviously having exams I think is a good time to have anything off. It gives them a little bit of a break. They can focus on the school side of things and just how we do our trimesters here. It allows us to really focus just in on the school side of things and then move into the following week. Last year we had a Vermont game on this weekend and luckily Monya didn't have any exams so she was stellar and the rest of us I think were a little bit sleepy from having exams. So it was kind of planned that way.
[01:34:23] Speaker B: How would you assess the start to see me? You guys have the great start first time, you know, best start.
Then you had the six game win streak snapped in on Saturday against rpi. So how would you assess?
[01:34:35] Speaker A: I think we, you know, we took some good steps. I think we're probably a little bit further along than we were last year progressing, but we still have a lot of work to do. A lot of it's going to be from the defensive side of pucks. We got a lot of new fresh faces that are learning those things and that takes time. So, you know, again I think we're taking this week and into next week, you know, going in to play Cornell and Colgate, two tough opponents that we're going to have to really defend hard.
[01:35:05] Speaker B: How important is it play with a big lead? Because your last two victories you had big leads, the opponents came back, made things a little interesting, you ended up pulling a mount play.
How important is that, that killer instinct and not let the skate off the gas?
[01:35:20] Speaker A: I think it's huge. I think that there's a lot to be said for teams that know how to do that.
I think it's a learning process as well. It doesn't just come with, you know, hey, we're up by a bunch of goals. I think it takes time to learn that process, be in the right mindset and at the same time you got to make sure that you're not getting too goal driven driven. You know, in games like that people can start searching for points and things. So you got to stick, get them in the mindset of just sticking with what works and continue to push that way.
[01:35:53] Speaker B: Who has stood out to you so far this season?
[01:35:56] Speaker A: I think we've had a number of players that have stepped up in good big roles here. I think obviously when you look at.
[01:36:02] Speaker C: Our, our score sheet and things like.
[01:36:04] Speaker A: That, I think Quinn's probably the big one she stepped up her game for from last season in point production.
You know, I think that we have some, a number of forwards that have done well. Matty finally taking stride here like we were, we were looking for and you know, getting the recognition today as well with being the ECAC forward of the week. So you know, I think there's a lot of players doing, doing stuff on the daily. I think the big thing with Our group right now is as a whole, I think we're really diving into the stuff off ice, really diving into, you know, being a professional mindset every day. So, you know, I don't think there's really a lot that are really sticking out per se, but I do think that as a group we're doing a good job collectively.
[01:36:55] Speaker B: What are you looking forward to most of your back to action?
[01:36:58] Speaker A: I think just going back into league play and playing against tough opponents.
It's why we're in this league. It's why I love this league where we got tough opponents every night. You know, you got top 10 teams all over the place jumping from either top 15 into the top 10 or vice versa just by, you know, playing teams in our conference. So really excited for that.
[01:37:21] Speaker B: Your Lions, my Eagles, Sunday night. Your thoughts?
[01:37:24] Speaker A: Well, I think it's going to be a good, a good battle. I think it's going to depend on who goes for more fourth downs.
[01:37:36] Speaker B: Now let's hear from a couple of players. Team captain Stephanie Bourque, who seems to be regular every Tuesday at the media availability, and forward Magic Delaney, who was named forward of the week on Tuesday.
Well, let me ask you guys, this is a good time for a weekend off.
[01:37:59] Speaker A: I, I definitely do think a weekend off will do us some good. We'll get a chance to kind of, let's still put the work in this week, relax a little bit and kind of just reset our minds, especially for Cordell and Colgate coming in.
[01:38:10] Speaker B: Maddie?
[01:38:11] Speaker A: Yeah, I agree with Steph.
[01:38:12] Speaker B: I mean, I think this weekend will.
[01:38:14] Speaker A: Do a lot of good for us.
[01:38:15] Speaker B: I think coming from the school wise.
[01:38:17] Speaker A: It is final season, so, so being able to just take a pause on hockey and focus on our studies a little bit, I think will be good not only for us off the ice, but also benefit us when we come back to it.
[01:38:27] Speaker B: How would you break down the start for the season? You off to a great start. The best start in the program history. Then had that six game losing streak which snapped on Saturday against rpi. So how would you assess things right now?
[01:38:41] Speaker A: Yeah, I mean, I still think we're in a good spot. I think, you know, obviously no one likes to go on a losing streak.
[01:38:46] Speaker B: But I think we learned a lot.
[01:38:48] Speaker A: From it and I think yeah, we just snapped it on Saturday, but there.
[01:38:51] Speaker B: Were positive moments throughout those six games.
[01:38:54] Speaker A: That were good and it wasn't all bad. So I think just not looking at it just as a six game losing streak, but looking at the positives from it too.
[01:39:01] Speaker B: Stephanie?
[01:39:01] Speaker A: Yeah, I Think we're a young team. So a lot of it is we're still learning. We're learning how to play with each other. And honestly, looking at it, I'm glad that it, that it's. It's happening now and that it happened in the beginning of the season and not when, like, come playoff time. Because in reality, like, we're just working till February. That's when it really counts. It's like when playoffs hit. So I definitely do think that there are some positives. Even though we did, like, lose six games. I definitely do. It's not all negatives. And we're a young team and we're.
[01:39:28] Speaker B: Learning how important is to have a killer instinct. Your last two victories started easily and ended up, you know, being.
[01:39:38] Speaker A: Tough.
[01:39:38] Speaker B: Way to six goal lead against St. Angela. Got a five one RPI. That ends up being close, close games.
[01:39:47] Speaker A: Yeah, I think it's just getting into that mindset that we, we have to keep doing what gives us success. Like in against rpi. I thought our first period was probably our better first period that we've ever played. I think it was just keeping things simple. And sometimes we, we do get away. It's easier when you put a lot of goals up to get away from that simple hockey. So I definitely do think it's just playing a full game to our identity and keeping it simple. Maddie. Yeah, I agree with Steph. It's just playing a full 60 minutes. I mean, the games are 60 minutes for that reason.
[01:40:16] Speaker B: So staying with it and staying together the whole time is going to be key for us. And I think, you know, obviously there's lulls in a game and stuff, but being able to stick with it through.
[01:40:25] Speaker A: Special teams and just keeping it simple, like Steph said, is. Is what works for us.
[01:40:30] Speaker B: Year two under Tony, I mean, how are things going in year two so far?
[01:40:35] Speaker A: Wait, pardon? What'd you say? Couldn't he.
[01:40:36] Speaker B: This is year two with Tony as head coach. We have things going with him right now.
[01:40:41] Speaker A: Yeah, Tony's awesome.
You know, I think he's a great coach and he really sticks with us. I think, you know, he preaches always.
[01:40:48] Speaker B: Having our back and we all trust.
[01:40:50] Speaker A: Him in the locker room, so I don't have any complaints and I don't think anyone does.
Yeah, no, 100%. I think Tony and all the coaching staff, they believe in us like 1, 100% and they want to win, but they also know that it's a process and we're building a team. So I definitely do think that they're doing a good job of preaching back to us. And even when things get hard, they're not giving up on us and we're not giving up on them. So what are you looking forward to once you get back to action?
I mean, I. I'm just looking forward to getting more games.
As much as I love having a weekend off, I just think playing Cornell and Colgate, they're two tough teams and it's just about getting better. So I'm excited to get back to it.
[01:41:28] Speaker B: How about you, Maddie?
[01:41:29] Speaker A: Yeah, I love playing some games.
[01:41:31] Speaker B: I think Cornell, Colgate, we always play really good. So it'll be a good competition, a good matchup.
[01:41:36] Speaker A: And yeah, I'm just excited for it.
[01:41:38] Speaker B: You got honored by UC AKI on Tuesday. What do you think about that?
[01:41:45] Speaker A: Yeah, I mean, it's nice, but doesn't really say anything too much. I think it was a good team effort.
Thank you.
[01:41:55] Speaker B: I'll be back to wrap up the podcast and have the latest winners in the Daily gazettesu Pick and Football contest in just a moment. And as we head into break, let us remember what happened on November 13th to Felix Ungar.
[01:42:09] Speaker A: On November 13th, Felix Ungar was asked to remove himself from his place of residence.
[01:42:15] Speaker C: That request came from his wife.
Deep down, he knew she was right.
[01:42:19] Speaker A: But he also knew that someday he would return to her.
With nowhere else to go, he appeared at the home of his friend Oscar Madison.
[01:42:28] Speaker C: Several years earlier, Madison's wife had thrown him out, requesting that he never return.
[01:42:34] Speaker A: Can two divorced men share an apartment without driving each other crazy?
Sam.
[01:43:24] Speaker B: Stay informed with the Daily Gazettes E Edition. Download our app Sign up to receive our newsletters and enjoy exclusive reader review rewards when you join our growing community today, head over to www.dailygazette.com to check out our membership plans. And remember, when credibility matters, trust the Daily Gazette back to wrap up the podcast. The Week 10 winner in the Daily Gazette's U Pick' Em football contest was D. Edward says that of Niskuna. With a 12. 2 record, D. Edward wins a $100 Price Chopper Market 32 gift card. Congratulations D. Edward. The VIP winner was Scott Lucher of CapitaLand GMC with an 11. 3 record. I went 10 and 4 to improve to 9850 and 1.
Executive Sports Editor Will Springset went 7 7. He is 88 61. Taking a look at the standings the VIP standings, Jim DeMarco of Tory Morris 4 leads with 100 wins. Actually, he's tied with Matt Margiotta of SG Roofing, Paul Little of Emerick Sales and Services next at 99, along with Scott Lucher with 98 wins. Yours truly, Dwayne Leach of All Seasons Equipment and John Keller of KDO Burns, Andrew Grouse of Glenville, Beveridge and Nick Platel. Grand Premier towers each have 96 wins and Will Springstead brings up the rear at 88.
I'll now see if we could pick a 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, then do it for your friends. And a friendly reminder, vaccines do not cause autism.
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That wraps up another edition of the Parting Shots Podcast. I want to thank John Drock, Patch Flanagan, Ralph Visernia, Anthony DiMattio, Will Springstead, Drew Wemple, Mike McAdam, Nick Young, Brandon Burr, Carter Korpi, Kyle Chauvet, Mike Souza, Tony Macy, Stephanie Bourque and Matty Deliney 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 Slap Shots.
Views 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 Schatz. Thanks for listening and I'll catch you next time from the Parting Shots Podcast studio in Schenectady, New York. Good day, good sports.
