The Lake Placid girls flag football team poses after recording the school’s first-ever girls flag football victory on April 26. From left, in the back are Jillian Kern, Brooke Meyer, Nadia Phillip, Olivia Skutt, Carly Karpp, Fiona Sullivan, Talia Anastasia and Anya Kern. Kneeling in the front are Eliza Fitzsimmons, Addy Colby and Coach Morgan. Laying down is Anisa Cecunjanin. (Photo provided)

LAKE PLACID — The Lake Placid girls flag football team recorded its first-ever win on April 26, topping the Northern Adirondack Bobcats 26-19 at the North Elba Athletic Fields.

With the game tied at 19-19 with around two minutes left in the game, the Blue Bombers’ quarterback Anisa Cecunjanin converted on a long pass to freshman Eliza Fitzsimmons to give her team the lead. Senior Nadia Phillip hauled in a pass from Cecunjanin on the extra point to seal the victory.

Lake Placid head coach Tammy Morgan said Olivia Skutt had a phenomenal game on the defensive. Skutt led the team in tackles — flag pulls — while only playing in the first half due to injury. The Blue Bombers improved to 1-4 overall following the win.

Morgan also gave credit to her offensive coordinators Kevin Morgan and David Snyder, who she said helped led the team to a win on Friday.

On Northern Adirondack’s first possession the team marched right down the field and scored the first touchdown. After failing on the extra point attempt, the Bobcats led 6-0.

SLP’s Emma Clark, left, makes a move past Heuvelton’s Alivia Bean during a game at the North Elba Athletic Fields on April 29. (News photo — Parker O’Brien)

Lake Placid responded on their next drive when Phillip ran in the endzone, before scoring the one-point extra-point to put her team up 7-6.

Northern Adirondack scored on their second possession and managed to score the extra point, reclaiming the lead at 13-7. Right before the intermission, Philip hauled in a pass from Cecunjanin to the tie game at 13-13.

In the second half, the Bombers came out hot when Cecunjanin dashed 30 yards for the score. Northern Adirondack responded with a pass in the middle, but neither squad converted on their extra point attempts keeping the score at 19-19.

Lake Placid stepped up defensively and shut out their opponents the remainder of the way. The team had solid defensive contributions from Fiona Sullivan and Talia Anastasia.

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Lake Placid’s Nick O’Brien competes in the 400 hurdles during a dual meet against Beekmantown on April 25. The Blue Bomber boys lost to Beekmantown 108-33, while the girls fell 87-41. (News photo — Parker O’Brien)

BASEBALL

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Lake Placid 16, Indian Lake/Long Lake 1

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The Lake Placid baseball team defeated the Indian Lake/Long Lake Orange 16-1 in five innings on April 30. The home win marked the Blue Bombers’ 19th straight Mountain and Valley Athletic Conference victory dating back to May 13, 2022.

The Blue Bombers rallied off nine runs to open the contest, thanks to a three-run inside the park home run from junior Vann Morrelli. The team was held scoreless over the course of the next two innings, before recording seven runs in the fourth inning to seal the win.

Morrelli finished the game with two hits, including the home run and a double. He also had four RBIs. Teammates Peyton Baillargeon and Phoenix Colby record three hits each, while Jon Caito had a double. The team had 15 hits.

The Orange finished with three hits in the game. Two of those hits came off the bat of Griffin Farr, who had a single and a double.

Lake Placid’s Owen Hayes pitched three innings and struckout seven batters. Ryan Curry came in relief and recorded six punchouts. Connor Marks earned the loss for Indian Lake/Long Lake.

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LACROSSE

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Girls

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Heuvelton 11, SLP 10 2OT

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After winning its fifth consecutive game this past Saturday, the Saranac Lake Placid girls lacrosse team’s win streak came to an abrupt end on April 29.

Playing at the North Elba Show Grounds, Heuvelton’s Saige Blevins buried a game-winning goal in double overtime to lift the Bulldogs to a 11-10 victory over SLP.

SLP got off to a slow start to open the contest, falling 5-1 in the opening quarter and despite sending the game to overtime, the team was never fully able to lock in.

“We weren’t ourselves tonight at the beginning of the game,” SLP co-head coach Jeff Denkenberger said. “I think we came together (later), but we just couldn’t close the gap. We just weren’t ourselves at the beginning, hopefully they can just knock it off and come back tomorrow, have a hard practice and play again on Wednesday.”

Blevins scored six goals and recorded three assists. The Bulldogs’ Raya Mcgaw and Ashley Weston scored two goals each, while Leah Warren netted one. Mcgaw also tallied two assists.

“(Blevins) was good and she’s going to be tough,” Denkenberger said. “You’ve got to give her credit. It was a good game. It was a good clean game. But she’s going to be tough to stop. I think our defense can do it if we stay locked in.”

Phoebe Peer paced SLP with four goals and two assists, while Emma Clark had a hat trick. Tyler Burth, Addison Dann and Lizzie Harvey scored one goal each. Tyler Burth added two assists, while Harvey and Kelsi Burth each had one.

“I think we’re a better team. We missed a lot of shots,” Denkenberger said. “Phoebe had a great game. Phoebe had four goals. When we move the ball around we’re fine. It’s frustrating.”

After trading goals to open the second quarter at 6-2, SLP connected on three straight goals — two from Peer and one from Dann — to bring the score within one. Heuvelton extended its lead back to two points a couple of minutes later.

With 11 seconds left on the clock, SLP ran a play and seemingly scored in the final seconds when Clark netted over the head of the Bulldogs’ goaltender Ava Councell. However, the time clock was never started, which forced the referees to call off the goal and reset the play. SLP was unable to convert on redo, keeping the score at 7-5 after the first intermission.

The Bulldogs led 10-8 in the fourth quarter before Clark scored her third goal of the evening and Peer split the Heuvelton defense, netting a shot over Councell’s head to tie the game at 10-10.

SLP’s goalie Samra Cirikovic turned away back-to-back stops to force overtime. Cirikovic finished the contest with five saves.

“Sam had some great saves,” Denkenberger said. “She had a heck of a game.”

SLP finished the game by outshooting their opponents 17-6. The loss dropped the team’s overall record to 5-3.

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SOFTBALL

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Indian Lake/Long Lake 21, Lake Placid 17

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Playing in rainy conditions, the Lake Placid softball team came up just short of its first victory of the season on April 30, falling 21-17 to the Indian Lake/Long Lake Orange at home.

After struggling to record runs in its past three outings, the Blue Bombers jumped to an 8-0 lead in the first inning, but walks and errors allowed the Orange to rally back to earn their first victory of the season.

Indian Lake/Long Lake took the lead in the fifth inning with nine runs, before tacking on nine more runs in the sixth.

Lake Placid’s Kelsey McKillip had three hits in the game, while Briar Beaney had two. Lili Draper had the lone extra base hits — a double. The Blue Bombers had seven hits in the game, while Indian Lake/Long Lake had one.

The team used four pitchers in the contest. Reid Pedu started the game and pitched four innings, allowing four runs. Brooke Beaney, Lili Draper and Kyra Jordon also pitched in the game. The Orange’s Elena Nowhereit earned the win, before being relieved by Anista Pierson in the fifth.

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TENNIS

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Boys

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Lake Placid 4, Seton Catholic 1

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Girls

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Lake Placid 3, Seton Catholic 2

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The Lake Placid tennis teams swept the Seton Catholic Knights at home on April 29. The boys team defeated Seton Catholic 4-1, while the Blue Bomber girls won 3-2. Both squads improved to 3-1.

The Lake Placid boys won both singles matches. Henry Becker beat Isaac Nizel by scores of 6-1, 4-6, 6-1 and Soren Jacobson topped Collin Farrington 6-1, 6-0.

In doubles play, the Blue Bombers’ Nash Carlisto and Parker Scanio defeated Luis Gomez and Duarte Vargas 6-7 (7-4), 7-5, 6-0. Lake Placid’s duo of Colden Damour and Ian Munson won off a forfeit.

The Knights notched its lone win with Kevin Nguyen and Ryan Jenkins beating Owel Keal and Porter Dominesey 6-1, 2-6, 6-7 (8-6).

On the girls side, Sydney Garrison had a solid match, winning the first set 7-6 with a 7-4 tiebreaker, losing the second 6-3 and then coming back from 5-3 to win the third set 7-5 over Seton Catholic’s Monique Allen.

In the other singles match, the Blue Bombers’ Jennifer Giroux beat Grace Bleeker 6-1, 6-3.

Lake Placid sealed the victory after the Knights’ forfeited the third doubles match. The win was awarded to Jenna Audlin and Raquel Arreaz.

The Blue Bombers lost back-to-back doubles matches. Chloe Lawliss and Julie Metcalf topped Nadia Phillip and Kayden Glascock 6-3, 6-0; Sophie Kabeli and Elaine Lai defeated Danna Perez and Laura Leon 6-2, 2-6, 8-2.

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TRACK

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Boys

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AuSable Valley 80, Lake Placid 48

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Girls

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Lake Placid 58, AuSable Valley 54

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After falling in its last home meet, the Lake Placid girls track and field team earned their first home victory, topping the AuSable Valley Patriots 58-54 on April 30. The Blue Bomber boys were defeated 80-48.

The girls squad was led by Kai McKinnon and Ashe Gagnon. McKinnon won three events, while Gagnon swept the 100 and 400-meter hurdles. McKinnon won the 1,500 in 5 minutes, 27 seconds and 3,000 event in 12:03.

McKinnon also ran a leg in the 3,200 relay team, alongside Harley Cohen, Holly Erenstone and Pia Morrelli, which placed first.

Morrelli had a solid performance, winning the 400 in 1:06 and placing second in the 200 in 29.1. Jenna Fay contributed two second places with 3:11 in the 800 and 6:25 in the 1,500.

The Blue Bombers picked up a win in 400 relay with the team of Clara Boutelle, Alexandria Smith, Lily Fisher and Zarela Gulli topping the field. The Patriots swept both the throwing and jumping events.

On the boys side, Aidan Fay led the charge by winning three events. Fay placed first in the 400 in 56.1, while running legs in the 1,600 relay and the 3,200 relay. Fay also placed second in the 200 in 25.3.

The 1,600 relay team consisted of Fay, Jim Guglielmi, Kenny Lawrence and Colin Francis. The 3,200 relay squad was won by Fay, Francis, Ethan Cash and Trey Mariano.

Francis also won the 800 in 2:23, while Mariano topped the 3,200 event in 12:46

The Blue Bombers’ Jesse Marshall swept the horizontal jumps. He won the long jump with a 17 feet, 1.25 inch jump. He won the triple jump with 35′ 11″ leap. The Patriots swept the throwing events.