Archive: Sports

The Lansing Bobcat varsity football team kicked off two weeks after much of the area football programs had already begun. Not sure why Cornell football starts their season far in September but for the Bobcats its due in large part to the limited available competition in these early stages of state wide 8-man football leagues. Cross sectional scheduling is not uncommon.

Game 1 at Elmira Heights on 9/21 resulted in a 47-6 victory over the Spartans. Several scorers were led by quarterback Ben Vincent. Jake Brotherton scored on a defensive fumble recovery and first year kicker Tristan Lyndaker contributed to the point total. This was a positive start for returning coach Brett Hotchkiss and assistants Matt Hartz and Mark Brotherton. Newcomers to the Lansing coaching sideline are Lansing alums Owen Davis, Brandon Davis and Hank Neubert.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that New York residents can fish for free without a license in any of the 7,500 lakes and ponds or 70,000 miles of rivers and streams across the state on Saturday, September 28, 2019. Several events across the state are being hosted on National Hunting and Fishing Day to encourage more people, whether skilled or new to these sports, to get outdoors and enjoy the abundant hunting and fishing opportunities available across the State.

"Fishing and hunting are longstanding traditions in New York, with some of the best opportunities anywhere, and our state's active sporting community is a very important partner in ongoing conservation efforts," Cuomo said. "This Saturday, I encourage new and experienced anglers and hunters to get out and enjoy nature with family and friends by partaking in some of the events being held or enjoying time afield."

Lansing Sports fans will no longer have to pay an admission fee for home game sporting events.  Away games and post-season events are out of the Lansing School District's jurisdiction, so there may still be charges for those games.  But School Superintendent Chris Pettograsso says that the fees are being abolished for regular season home games.

"We evaluated the need to charge," she says.  "We want to encourage people to come to our events, and often our families just don't have money on them, so they decide not to come.  Having people attend the events outweighed the money we received."

"It takes time to fully blend as a team. A group of players who dedicate their time and commit to each other, find a way to win". This was Coach Eric Stickel's reassuring message to his Lansing Girls Varsity Soccer Team after a hard fought 2-1 victory versus Odessa-Montour in their opening game of the season. The message was clear; becoming a Team takes time.

It is a message Coach Stickel reinforces on and off the field. His Lady Bobcats are often seen, as a Team, participating in many local events. Already in this young season they have participated in the Lighthouse 5K, marched in the Lansing Carnival parade, and supported the Lansing Rec Department by spending an afternoon playing "Sharks and Minnows" with 5th and 6th graders.

Lansing's cross country program opened its competition season last Tuesday at Watkins Glen. The varsity girls and boys teams both placed third (END girls were first, Waverly was second; Waverly boys were first and Watkins Glen was second). Modified athletes scrimmaged and no score was kept.

With lessons from the first meet under their belts, the Bobcats took on Trumansburg, Groton, Moravia, Southern Cayuga, and Watkins Glen in Trumansburg on Tuesday. The short and flat course is known for its glittered "Magic Woods," and two Lansing athletes were able to take home individual victories across Cayuga's waters.

Dryden defeated Lansing at the Septempber 10th girls swim meet Tuesday, 88 to 82. But after a subsequent review of the scores former Dryden coach Vicki Alexander alerted coaches that two of the Dryden swimmers were disqualified for their 3rd individual events because the rules state that swimmers may only be entered into two individual events in a meet. The adjusted final score still left Dryden in the lead, by only one point: Dryden 85 and Lansing 84.

"Maddie Tenkate competed in the 200 IM, 50 free exhibition, and 500 free therefore she is disqualified from the 500 free and the 400 free relay," she reported. "Grace Walden competed in the 200 free, 50 free exhibition heat and 500 free. Therefore, she is disqualified from the 500 free and the 400 free relay. Grace had been disqualified from the 500 free due to a false start. Also, the 400 free relay both Maddie and Grace we part of was also disqualified due to an illegal relay exchange."

Defending 2018 World Champion Kyle Dake, 28, again became the United States world wrestling team representative for the 79 kg weight class Saturday.  Dake won the spot in Round Rock, Texas in a match against Alex Dieringer.   Dake defeated Dieringer in the first two rounds in the best-of-three Final X Special Wrestle-Off, 3-2 and 4-2, making a third round unnecessary.  The match was the fourth time the two wrestlers have faced off.

The Final X match was originally scheduled in June, but Dake postponed the match due what he described as "a freak accident  that required surgery."

July 13th, 2019 was the fifth year of Racker Rivals Big Red, a spirited exhibition hockey game at Lynah Rink. Over 2,000 people watched as former and current NHL hockey stars, Cornell alums, and our own local celebrities hit the ice to raise much-needed funds to support programs for children with disabilities in our community. This year’s game has raised over $130,000 and counting, bringing the total raised to $555,000 over the last five years. For over 70 years, Racker has provided strength-based support for individuals with disabilities and their families in Tompkins, Cortland and Tioga counties. Guided by the vision of a world where all people know they belong, Racker offers programs and services to more than 3,500 people, helping them to build lasting connections and lead fulfilling lives.

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Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced yesterday that New York residents can fish for free without a license in one of the 7,500 lakes and ponds or 70,000 miles of rivers and streams across the state during the weekend of June 29-30, 2019. New York's Free Fishing Weekends help encourage more people - whether skilled or new to the sport -to get outdoors and enjoy the many world-class fishing opportunities available.

"New York State is home to thousands of lakes and 70,000 miles of rivers and streams that offer exceptional fishing opportunities," Cuomo said. "Free Fishing Days provide both amateur and seasoned anglers with the chance to try the sport out for themselves or introduce others to the world-class fishing and scenic destinations across the Empire State."

After a 5-0 vote Wednesday, the Town Board renamed town baseball Field A 'The Jeffrey Boles Field'.  A Lansing High School alumnus, Boles has coached and assistant coached, among others, Lansing Modified Football, Modified Basketball, Modified Baseball, JV Football, JV Basketball, Varsity Football, Varsity Basketball, Small Fry Football, the American Legion Summer League, Little League Baseball in Lansing.  Town Supervisor Ed LaVigne read the resolution and presented a copy of it to Boles after the vote was taken.

"I've been reading the stuff you do on Facebook," LaVigne said. "Do you really do all those crunches at the same time?  Unbelievable!  You exemplify what I would hope other people will do, which is to maximize your God-given talent.  Your history, written by Geoff Wright, is absolutely inspiring."

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced Tuesday that New York's traditional harvest season for black bass, including largemouth and smallmouth bass, opens Saturday, June 15, and will run until November 30. Black bass season supports New York's sport fishing industry, which generates an estimated $1.8 billion in economic activity each year.

"New York is home to some of the country's best bass fishing, attracting anglers from all across the globe to fish in our waters," Cuomo said. "Great bass angling opportunities can be found throughout the state in our 7,500 lakes and ponds and 70,000 miles of rivers and streams, and I encourage everyone to enjoy all New York's great outdoors have to offer this fishing season."

Mackenzie Stark
The Lansing Varsity Girls Track & Field team won the IAC for the 3rd year in a row. Cat Zaloj was named the track co-MVP and Gwen Gisler was name the field co-MVP. Congratulations on a great season! At that meet on the 16th and 17th, Kyle Reid set a sophomore school record with a high jump of 5'8", and Emmy Jackson also set a sophomore school record with an 11:03.00 3000M run.

In other news, with the Lansing season winding down, our younger athletes competed in the Trumansburg 9 & 10 'Future Stars' meet on Monday, May 20th, and the Sectional Championships were held on Wednesday, May 22nd.