Can you meet the 2024 Fire Tower Challenge?

By Melanie Lekocevic

Capital Region Independent Media

RAVENA-COEYMANS-SELKIRK — The RCS Ravens fell short in Saturday’s Section 2 Class B championship game against the Glens Falls Black Bears.

The game was played at Shenendehowa High School, with the RCS side of the field standing-room only. The Ravens took an early lead but a slow second half led to a 20-14 loss.

The Ravens got off to a strong start, taking a 7-0 lead in the first quarter when quarterback Mason Carkner ran the ball into the end zone and the extra point kick by Cameron D’Ambrosio was good.

The Black Bears responded with a touchdown of their own with a short pass into the end zone but the extra point kick was a miss, giving the Ravens a 7-6 lead, which is where the score stood through the end of the first quarter.

The Ravens would take advantage of a short punt by the Black Bears in the second quarter, putting the ball on the Glens Falls 22-yard line to start their next drive.

After a couple of plays the Ravens brought the ball to the 1-yard line and a run into the end zone and another extra point kick by D’Ambrosio gave the team a 14-6 lead.

As the seconds clicked down in the first half the Black Bears intercepted the ball with 2 seconds left in the stanza, but the Ravens’ David McMullen intercepted in the final play of the half to send the team into the locker room with a 14-6 lead.

After a strong first half, the second half did not go as the Ravens would have hoped. Their offense had trouble moving the ball downfield and would not score another point the rest of the game.

Glens Falls opened the second half with a big return and a couple of plays later landed on the Ravens’ 6-yard line. That opened the door to the Black Bears’ second touchdown of the game. An attempted 2-point conversion failed, giving the Ravens a 14-12 lead.

After the Ravens failed to score on their next possession, Glens Falls put the ball into the end zone again and this time the 2-point conversion was good, giving the Black Bears their first lead of the game at 20-14 with 3:07 left in the third quarter.

That’s where the final score ended, giving the championship win to the Black Bears and ending the Ravens’ 2024 season.

The team ended with an 8-3 record in regular and postseason play.

By Melanie Lekocevic

Capital Region Independent Media

RAVENA-COEYMANS-SELKIRK — RCS has a long and proud history in its wrestling program.

Many of those high school athletes do not get their first taste of the sport when they get to the big mat — they began learning and practicing years before they first stepped foot onto the high school wrestling team.

The Youth Wrestling Program has gotten off to a great start this year, training the district’s wrestlers of tomorrow.

The program trains boys and girls from kindergarten through eighth grade. This year, program participants learn the sport on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the high school’s wrestling room and take part in 10 or more practices for the season.

The 2023 Youth Wrestling Program is run by RCS Coach Justin Schipano.

After each practice, Schipano selects one youth athlete to receive the Hardest Working Wrestler Award. This week’s recipient was Kellan teRiele.

Photojournalist Gina Pelletier contributed to this report and provided all photos.