Over 80 EST Participants Earn NYSSWA All-State Selections; 53 From 2017 Summer League

As of Thursday afternoon, we can officially close the books on the 2017-18 high school basketball season. The long-awaited New York State Sportswriters' Association all-state girls' basketball teams have hit the press. All-state selections went 15 teams deep in Class AA & A, 14 teams in B, 10 teams in C, and 9 teams in D, along with honorable mention for each class. Participants in Empire State Takeover events were heavily represented throughout the classes, both from the summer league & various one-day events. In all, 53 participants in the 2017 EST summer league earned selections, along with 28 additional participants in EST one-day events. On top of that, 8 more that had participated strictly in previous years of the EST summer league (2015-16) earned all-state bids as well.

Out of the 85 girls that played in EST last summer & played varsity basketball in New York this winter, 53 of them - just under 63% - earned all-state selections. These selections spanned Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, and 9. They included a state player of the year (Erin Fox in Class C), 12 others that were selected to the 1st-3rd team in their respective classes, 22 seniors that have committed to play basketball at the next level, and ages spanning down to 8th grade. The complete list of 2017 summer league participants:

Class AA

Cameron Tooley (Shenendehowa 2018; Le Moyne signee) - 5th team

Dolly Cairns (Saratoga Springs 2020) - 6th team

Chloe Chaffin (Kingston 2018; Fordham signee) - 6th team

Shyla Sanford (Shaker 2018; LIU Brooklyn signee) - 10th team

Erin Fouracre* (Colonie 2018; Le Moyne signee) (played in 1 EST night in July) - 11th team

Alexandra Tudor (Shenendehowa 2018; St. Francis (BK) signee) - 11th team

Rebecca Townes (Our Lady of Lourdes 2018; St. Rose signee) - Honorable Mention

Cat Almeida (Shenendehowa 2019; Quinnipiac commit) - Honorable Mention

Kerry Flaherty (Saratoga Springs 2019; Holy Cross commit) - Honorable Mention

Maggie Kirby (Bethlehem 2018; Hartwick commit) - Honorable Mention

Molly Kirby (Bethlehem 2018; Hartwick commit) - Honorable Mention

Lexi Van Vorst (Columbia 2019) - Honorable Mention

Deliah Smith (FDR Hyde Park 2020) - Honorable Mention

St. Anselm signee Stephanie Jankovic earned NYSSWA Class A All-State 3rd team honors

Class A

Stephanie Jankovic (Averill Park 2018; Saint Anselm signee) - 3rd team

Kelsey Wood (Averill Park 2020) - 4th team

Harmony Philo (Gloversville 2019) - 5th team

Maggie Malone (Cornwall 2019) - 6th team

Giuliana Pritchard (Amsterdam 2018; Hartwick commit) - 6th team

Grace VanRoy (Saugerties 2019) - 10th team

Erin Smith (Goshen 2020) - 12th team

Anna VanRoy (Saugerties 2019) - 13th team

Mallory Wood (Averill Park 2018; St. John Fisher commit) - 14th team

Amelia Wood (Averill Park 2022) - Honorable Mention

Mikyla Mitchell (Scotia-Glenville 2020) - Honorable Mention

Class B

Brianna Rozzi (Highland 2019) - 2nd team

Jenna Zimmerman (South Jefferson 2018; Le Moyne signee) - 2nd team

Holly Manchester (Susquehanna Valley 2018; SUNY Geneseo commit) - 3rd team

Sam Pasinella (Mechanicville 2018; Sage commit) - 6th team

Jackie Piddock (South Jefferson 2022) - 7th team

Renna Poulin (Tamarac 2019) - 8th team

Kayla Doody (Tamarac 2018; SUNY Plattsburgh commit) - 9th team

Taylor Hansen (Norwich 2019) - 10th team

Allie Pacatte (Cobleskill-Richmondville 2018) - 12th team

Madison Graber (Schalmont 2018; SUNY Oneonta commit) - Honorable Mention

Belle Kranbuhl (Adirondack 2020) - Honorable Mention

Erin Fox was selected as the NYSSWA Class C Player of the Year after her Blazers won the state championship in March

Class C

Erin Fox (Millbrook 2020) - Player of the Year

Julie Ford (Cooperstown 2018; UAlbany signee) - 1st team

Sam McKenna (Millbrook 2019) - 2nd team

Allison Moreau (Sauquoit Valley 2019) - 2nd team

Sophie Phillips (Cambridge 2021) - 2nd team

Logan Thayne (Hoosick Falls 2020) - 3rd team

Lilly Phillips (Cambridge 2021) - 6th team

Olivia Langdon (Little Falls 2019) - 10th team

Molly Brophy (Greenwich 2021) - Honorable Mention

Taylor Meacham (Berne-Knox-Westerlo 2020) - Honorable Mention

Maggie Schuermann (Cooperstown 2018; Union commit) - Honorable Mention

Class D

Sophie Wittenbeck (Waterville 2018) - 1st team

Laycee Drake (Hancock 2021) - 2nd team

Melanie Hoyt (Stamford 2021) - 3rd team

Kyra Oeffler (Heatly 2018; Sage commit) - 4th team

Haley Steenland (Stamford 2018; Hudson Valley CC commit) - 5th team

Molly Williams (Waterville 2019) - Honorable Mention

Madison Hoyt (Stamford 2019) - Honorable Mention

In addition, many standouts that haven't played in the summer league but have participated in EST one-day events (either the Summer Kickoff or Upstate Elite Showcase fall event) dotted all-state teams. There were 28 in all, including a state player of the year (Dani Haskell in Class D) and 8 apiece in Class AA & B. The list:

Class AA

Mackenzie Smith (West Genesee 2019) - 5th team

Madison Smith (West Genesee 2019) - 7th team

Aliyah Wright (Colonie 2019) - 14th team

Victoria Kurisko (Clarkstown South 2018) - Honorable Mention

Ahniysha Jackson (Catholic Central 2020) - Honorable Mention

Jess Cook (Cicero-North Syracuse 2021) - Honorable Mention

Chyna Butler (Nottingham 2018; Bowie St. signee) - Honorable Mention

Jill Casey (Horseheads 2020) - Honorable Mention

West Genesee standout Mackenzie Smith was among upstate NY's highest all-state selections in Class AA, earning a 5th team nod

Class A

Teaghan Flaherty (Rye 2020) - 3rd team

Kaia Henderson (New Hartford 2022) - 5th team

Marina Maerkl (Seton Catholic 2019) - 6th team

Brooke Jarvis (Syracuse CBA 2020) - Honorable Mention

Class B

Aurora DeShaies (Bishop Ludden 2019) - 3rd team

Payton Graber (Schalmont 2022) - 11th team

Alyssa Stevenson (South Jefferson 2019) - 12th team

Abby Wilkinson (Bishop Grimes 2019) - 12th team

Kylee Rosbrook (General Brown 2018; SUNY Brockport commit) - 14th team

Kelli Venezia (Putnam Valley 2020) - Honorable Mention

Emily Vallee (Schuylerville 2018; RPI commit) - Honorable Mention

Ally Shoemaker (Chittenango 2020) - Honorable Mention

Ally Shoemaker (white) and Alyssa Stevenson both earned Class B all-state selections for their play this winter; Stevenson was a 12th team honoree, and Shoemaker was an honorable mention pick

Class C

Fiona Mooney (Cambridge 2021) - Honorable Mention

Meaghan Perrino (Cooperstown 2018) - Honorable Mention

Emily Pike (Ticonderoga 2018; Sage commit) - Honorable Mention

Class D

Dani Haskell (Franklinville 2020) - Player of the Year

Jaelyn Vleer-Elliott (Brookfield 2021) - 3rd team

Maddie Pratt (Bolton 2018; Clarkson commit) - 7th team

Katelyn Van Auken (Bolton 2021) - 7th team

Kaitlynn Finch (Delaware Academy 2018) - Honorable Mention

To complete the list, there were also 8 players represented that didn't play in the 2017 EST summer league, but had played in previous years (2015-2016). Last but not least:

Class A

Hanna Strawn (Seton Catholic 2018; Siena signee) - 1st team

Class B

Alyssa Waters (Beekmantown 2018; Elmira commit) - 7th team

Katelyn Flanagan (Canton 2018; Jefferson CC commit) - 11th team

Class C

Abigail Selfridge (Bainbridge-Guilford 2019) - 3rd team

Rebekkah Dean (Mekeel 2018; Hartwick commit) - 4th team

Ava Fitzmaurice (Greenville 2018; New Haven signee (softball)) - 7th team

Class D

Logan Bruce (Delaware Academy 2018; Ithaca commit (track)) - 1st team

Ally Crosby (Hammond 2018; Jefferson CC commit) - 1st team

The complete all-state list can be accessed at http://www.newyorksportswriters.org/reference/girls_hoops_stars_2018-large.shtml for Classes AA & A, and Classes B-D can be found at http://www.newyorksportswriters.org/reference/girls_hoops_stars_2018-small.shtml. Congrats to all selections, whether a part of EST events or not - the work you put in has been noticed at the state level!

2ND ANNUAL EST SUMMER KICKOFF: Full Info W/ Registration Links

2nd Annual EST Summer Kickoff

Date: Friday, June 15, 2018

Site: Schenectady High School (Pat Riley Sports Center)

Session 1 Time: 5:00-7:00 PM

Session 2 Time: 7:00-9:00 PM

Registration Form: https://jeffmlinar.wufoo.com/forms/q3zv1z60urqvbs/

THIS EVENT IS CURRENTLY SOLD OUT. IF INTERESTED IN BEING ADDED TO THE WAIT LIST, FILL OUT REGISTRATION FORM AND I WILL CONTACT YOU THROUGH THE EMAIL ADDRESS LISTED IN THE FORM.

It's back!

After a very successful inaugural event in 2017 that saw 95 athletes blanket two Friday evening sessions and coaches from approximately 35 college programs in the gym along with Joe Fenelon (NYGHoops Report) - the largest EST one-day event up to that point in both respects - the EST Summer Kickoff is back for a 2nd year. Once again, it'll take place on the evening of Friday, June 15 at the Pat Riley Sports Center at Schenectady High School,

Athletes will hit the court for a 2 hour period, participating in competitive, structured 3v3 & 5v5 games for the duration of the event. The Summer Kickoff is expected to have a diverse base of talent - with the Gym Rat Challenge taking place that weekend, AAU programs and college coaches from throughout the Northeast will be making the trip into the Capital District on Friday. It's proven to be a perfect time to not only get talent from throughout NY & New England in the gym, but to get a wide-ranging base of colleges in the gym to evaluate talent! June 15 is also the first day of the Division II summer evaluation period, so expect a strong showing from D2 programs along with D3, JuCo, NAIA, Northeast scouting services & basketball media outlets.

In order to register, all you need to do is submit the registration form online & submit payment. The registration form takes 5 minutes - detailed contact info, basic academic & athletic info - and is submitted quickly & securely online. Payment can be submitted through PayPal for a quick, convenient method ($63 instead of $60 if using PayPal due to their service fee). If you'd prefer using another payment option (check/cash), not a problem - just inform me upon registration.

In just three years, Empire State Takeover events have come forth as not only a leading option for high level competition & college exposure in upstate NY, but one of the top options in the entire Northeast. The 2nd Annual EST Summer Kickoff is shaping up to be bigger & better and expand on that growth. I hope to see you at Schenectady HS on June 15!

REGISTERED PLAYER LIST

Madyson Amo (5'5", 2019)
Jennifer Caruso (5'7", 2019)
Aurora Deshaies (6'1", 2019)
Lexi Emmi (5'6", 2019)
Stef Gera (5'3", 2019)
Kamryn Hammond (5'8", 2019)
Taylor Hansen (5'9", 2019)
Erin Hardick (5'5", 2019)
Grace Heeps (5'11", 2019)
Madison Hoyt (6'0", 2019)
Camille Loussedes (5'5", 2019)
Sam McKenna (5'7", 2019)
Ashlynn McKnight (5'7", 2019)
Anna Milham (5'9", 2019)
Ashlyn O'Neil (5'9", 2019)
Sydney Ottomano (5'5", 2019)
Renna Poulin (5'9", 2019)
Hannah Scott (5'4", 2019)
Gracianna Serravillo (5'8", 2019)
Madelynn Stearns (5'8", 2019)
Alyssa Stevenson (6'1", 2019)
Kyara Triblet (5'10", 2019)
Anna VanRoy (5'11", 2019)
Grace VanRoy (5'11", 2019)
Lexi Van Vorst (5'5", 2019)
Abby Wilkinson (5'6", 2019)
Shamoni Berrios (5'7", 2020)
Makayla Blake (6'1", 2020)
Hope Boland (5'2", 2020)
Xy'el Bradford (5'8", 2020)
Jill Casey (5'11", 2020)
Julia DeBeatham (5'7", 2020)
Kelsea Demelis (5'6", 2020)
Halea Eaton (5'8", 2020)
Abby Flynn (5'8", 2020)
Graceann Gorsky (5'7", 2020)
Madison Graham (5'8", 2020)
Brinley Inglee (5'4", 2020)
Belle Kranbuhl (6'3", 2020)
Petra Langan (5'10", 2020)
Lindsey Lawson (6'3", 2020)
Lexi Miller (5'8", 2020)
Lisi Muscoreil (6'1", 2020)
Lauren Nawojski (5'10", 2020)
Ahnalese Pearson (5'4", 2020)
Freey Pleasants (5'8", 2020)
Rhaymi Porter (6'2", 2020)
Ally Shoemaker (5'7", 2020)
Francesca Sileo (5'7", 2020)
Deliah Smith (5'4", 2020)
Erin Smith (5'3", 2020)
Kiley Snow (5'11", 2020)
Bella Stuart (5'10", 2020)
Sophie Tougas (6'0", 2020)
Kaitlyn Watrobski (5'7", 2020)
Jenalyse Alarcon (5'8", 2021)
Kennady Amo (5'3", 2021)
Maria Baker (5'5", 2021)
Molly Brophy (5'10", 2021)
Gianna Chairmonte (5'4", 2021)
Jess Cook (6'1", 2021)
Alyssa DiMillo (5'5", 2021)
Mara Donnelly (6'3", 2021)
Jaylei George (5'10", 2021)
KJ Gordon (5'2", 2021)
Melanie Hoyt (6'2", 2021)
Caroline Iannotti (5'4", 2021)
Anna Jankovic (5'8", 2021)
Sydney Lusher (5'10", 2021)
Maddisyn Mahoney (6'0", 2021)
Julia Mann (5'8", 2021)
Alexis Martin (5'9", 2021)
Sarah Mattfeld (5'9", 2021)
Victoria Morgan (5'7", 2021)
Kate Peek (5'9", 2021)
Sophie Pelton (5'4", 2021)
Lilly Phillips (5'10", 2021)
Sophie Phillips (5'10", 2021)
Aysia Pink (5'8", 2021)
Morgan Ransom (5'7", 2021)
Lexie Roe (5'7", 2021)
Julia Rowe (5'11", 2021)
Skye Ryan (6'1", 2021)
Mackenzie Searles (5'9", 2021)
Karlyssa Shifflett (5'8", 2021)
Jenna Slader (5'5", 2021)
Rosalie Smithers (5'5", 2021)
Katelyn Van Auken (5'7", 2021)
Reese Vaughan (5'9", 2021)
Jaelyn Vleer-Elliott (5'11", 2021)
Sophia Wakin (5'10", 2021)
Eve Wood (5'7", 2021)
Alexandra Bednarczyk (5'10", 2022)
Haley Burchhardt (5'5", 2022)
Kayleigh Bryant (5'5", 2022)
Kaelah Carter (5'6", 2022)
Callie Chevalier (5'9", 2022)
Anna Cholakis (5'4", 2022)
Emily Delisle (5'3", 2022)
Ryleigh Endres (5'2", 2022)
Abbie Grace (6'0", 2022)
Sammi Hansen (5'9", 2022)
Sylvia Liddle (5'10", 2022)
Lydia Munandi (5'8", 2022)
Gretchen Perine (5'2", 2022)
Leah Phillips (5'11", 2022)
Jackie Piddock (5'8", 2022)
Tanner Poissant (5'5", 2022)
Carly Scott (5'0", 2022)
Emma Shields (6'1", 2022)
Jenna Sloan (5'7", 2022)
Macie Trimarchi (5'10", 2022)
Giavanna Principio (6'0", 2022)

1ST ANNUAL EST MIDDLE SCHOOL COMBINE: Info, Registration, Etc.

New event time!

With an increase in inquiries about the potential of doing a middle school event in recent months, it's time to make it happen. On the evening of Friday, May 18, the Pat Riley Sports Center @ Schenectady High School will host the 1st Annual EST Middle School Combine.

The event is open to all girls' basketball players in the 2022-2023 graduating classes (7th-8th grade). An emphasis will be placed on drills & skills - as usual for EST events, former/current collegiate coaches will run the individual skills & breakdown portion of the event. Along with that, athletes will participate in highly competitive, structured 3v3 & 5v5 action. A chance for young players to get a taste of the format of an individual event similar to a college elite camp, all while seeing where they stack up among the top players of their age in the Northeast and LEARNING & IMPROVING! Registration & PayPal links below:

REGISTRATION FORM: https://jeffmlinar.wufoo.com/forms/mboq59l1ha2jl9/
PAYPAL ($63 if using PayPal due to their service charge): https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=9RPRBWCGD3PHA

Empire State Takeover events have become a must-stop for much of upstate NY & New England's top talent. Numbers in all events have increased with time - from 5 teams in 2015's inaugural summer league to 8 in each of the following two years, and from 24 players in the 2015 inaugural fall event to 107 in 2017's. Attendance from college coaches, prep school coaches, scouting services & other media outlets has increased along with the jump in talent. This is truly an outlet where your daughter can get tested, see where she measures up among the region's best, get in front of eyes that matter, and receive bang for your buck!

Please contact me directly or reach out via the website or social media with any questions. Hope to see you in the building on May 18!

EST Participants Well Decorated in Media All-Area Lists

With high school basketball season officially a thing of the past and AAU season upon us, local sports media outlets are gradually releasing all-star accolades for athletes in their coverage areas. Prominent newspapers such as the Times Union (Albany), Post-Standard (Syracuse), and Times-Herald Record (Middletown) are among these outlets. Throughout upstate NY and beyond, these all-area lists have been loaded with participants of Empire State Takeover events, with many of them being summer leaguers. Congratulations go out to all of these standout players; check to see what ESTers made the lists below!

Media All-Area

Times Union

The Times Union - the Capital District's most well-recognized newspaper - released all-area selections that were heavy with EST participants. James Allen, the paper's predominant high school sports reporter, produced 1st-3rd teams for both large schools (Class AA, A) and small schools (Class B, C, D). Of the 30 overall sections, 22 were EST 2017 participants. 19 of the 22 were regular summer league participants, with a 20th - Erin Fouracre - that made a summer league appearance in July. There were also a pair of former EST summer leaguers - Ava Fitzmaurice & Rebekkah Dean - that earned all-star honors. The full list of ESTers below:

Large School

Cameron Tooley (Shenendehowa 2018; Le Moyne signee) - Athlete of the Year

Stephanie Jankovic (Averill Park 2018; Saint Anselm signee) - 1st Team

Shyla Sanford (Shaker 2018; LIU Brooklyn signee) - 1st Team

Dolly Cairns (Saratoga Springs 2020) - 1st Team

Erin Fouracre (Colonie 2018; Le Moyne signee) - 1st Team

Giuliana Pritchard (Amsterdam 2018; Hartwick commit) - 2nd Team

Alexandra Tudor (Shenendehowa 2018; St. Francis (BK) signee) - 2nd Team

Harmony Philo (Gloversville 2019) - 2nd Team

Kelsey Wood (Averill Park 2020) - 2nd Team

Maggie Kirby (Bethlehem 2018) - 3rd Team

Julianna Okoniewski (Bethlehem 2018; U of Rochester commit) - 3rd Team

Kerry Flaherty (Saratoga Springs 2019; Holy Cross commit) - 3rd Team

Aliyah Wright (Colonie 2019) (Upstate Elite fall event) - 3rd Team

Ahniysha Jackson (CCHS 2020) (Summer Kickoff) - 3rd Team

Small School

Logan Thayne (Hoosick Falls 2020) - 1st Team

Ava Fitzmaurice (Greenville 2018) (2015-16 ESTer) - 1st Team

Sam Pasinella (Mechanicville 2018; Sage commit) - 2nd Team

Renna Poulin (Tamarac 2019) - 2nd Team

Sophie Phillips (Cambridge 2021) - 2nd Team

Rebekkah Dean (Mekeel Christian 2018) (2015-16 ESTer) - 2nd Team

Sam Dayter (Cohoes 2018; SUNY Poly commit) - 3rd Team

Madison Graber (Schalmont 2018; SUNY Cortland commit) - 3rd Team

Lilly Phillips (Cambridge 2021) - 3rd Team

Payton Graber (Schalmont 2022) (Upstate Elite fall event) - 3rd Team


Daily Gazette

The Daily Gazette, a predominant Capital District newspaper based in Schenectady, released its annual extensive all-area list spanning the entirety of Section 2. In all, 26 2017 EST participants and 3 summer league participants from previous years were all-area selections. 22 of them played in the most recent summer league - including 11 of the 15 1st-3rd team selections - with 21 of them being regular participants. The full list of ESTers:

1st Team
Giuliana Pritchard (Amsterdam 2018; Hartwick commit)
Cameron Tooley (Shenendehowa 2018; Le Moyne signee)
Harmony Philo (Gloversville 2019)

Dolly Cairns (Saratoga Springs 2020)

2nd Team
Stephanie Jankovic (Averill Park 2018; Saint Anselm signee)
Alexandra Tudor (Shenendehowa 2018; St. Francis (BK) signee)
Erin Fouracre (Colonie 2018; Le Moyne signee) (1 summer league appearance in July)

3rd Team
Julianna Okoniewski (Bethlehem 2018; U of Rochester commit)
Shyla Sanford (Shaker 2018; LIU Brooklyn signee)
Kerry Flaherty (Saratoga Springs 2019; Holy Cross commit)
Rebekkah Dean (Mekeel Christian 2018) (2015-16 ESTer)

Honorable Mention
Maggie Kirby (Bethlehem 2018)
Molly Kirby (Bethlehem 2018)
Cat Almeida (Shenendehowa 2019)
Kelsey Wood (Averill Park 2020)
Mary Kate Palleschi (Scotia-Glenville 2018)
Taylor Meacham (Berne-Knox-Westerlo 2020)
Sam Pasinella (Mechanicville 2018; Sage commit)
Logan Thayne (Hoosick Falls 2020)
Molly Brophy (Greenwich 2021)
Sophie Phillips (Cambridge 2021)
Madison Graber (Schalmont 2018; SUNY Cortland commit)
Kyra Oeffler (Heatly 2018; Sage commit)
Bre Palmatier (Middleburgh 2018) (2016 ESTer)
Ava Fitzmaurice (Greenville 2018) (2015-16 ESTer)
Aliyah Wright (Colonie 2019) (Upstate Elite fall event)
Emily Vallee (Schuylerville 2018) (Upstate Elite fall event)
Ahniysha Jackson (Catholic Central 2020) (Summer Kickoff)
Payton Graber (Schalmont 2022) (Upstate Elite fall event)

Amsterdam Recorder

The Recorder, a newspaper which is Amsterdam area's predominant media outlet, released an all-area team that saw a multi-year EST summer leaguer lead the way. After having a prolific senior season that saw her join former EST standout Nina Fedullo (Saint Rose) as the school's only 1,000 point scorers along with being the first in school history to score 500+ points in a single season, Giuliana Pritchard (Amsterdam 2018) was chosen as The Recorder's all-area Player of the Year. An additional 5 players were selected for the all-area team. The list is below, and the full article from The Recorder's Adam Shinder can be accessed at https://www.recordernews.com/sports/sports-local/116607.

Giuliana Pritchard (Amsterdam 2018) - Player Of The Year

Hannah Coupas (Northville 2018)

Lucia Liverio (Amsterdam 2018)

Sydney Sheldon (Mayfield 2018)

Abby Lombardoni (Fonda-Fultonville 2020)

Jackie Stanavich (Amsterdam 2021)

Section2basketball.com

The section2basketball.com all-area lists were released during the 2nd week of March. The extensive lists were compiled by the website's founder & curator, Ed Bemiss, and featured 1st-6th teams for Class AA, A, & B, 1st-7th teams for Class C, and 1st-5th teams for Class D. The selected overall player of the year was 3-year summer leaguer Cameron Tooley (Shenendehowa 2018; Le Moyne signee). In total, there were 53 2017 EST participants selected to all-area teams - 25 AA, 12 A, 9 B, 6 C, 1 D. 44 were summer league participants. There were also 3 selections that weren't 2017 summer league participants, but played in previous years - all in Class C. The full list can be accessed at http://blogs.section2basketball.com/fromthestands/2018/03/11/2017-18-section2basketball-com-girls-all-star-teams/; the full list of EST participants is below.

Class AA

Cameron Tooley (Shenendehowa 2018; Le Moyne signee) - Player of the Year

Shyla Sanford (Shaker 2018; LIU Brooklyn signee) - 1st team

Alexandra Tudor (Shenendehowa 2018; St. Francis (BK) signee) - 1st team

Dolly Cairns (Saratoga Springs 2020) - 1st team

Erin Fouracre (Colonie 2018; Le Moyne signee) (made summer league appearance in July) - 1st team

Maggie Kirby (Bethlehem 2018) - 2nd team

Julianna Okoniewski (Bethlehem 2018; U of Rochester commit) - 2nd team

Kerry Flaherty (Saratoga Springs 2019; Holy Cross commit) - 2nd team

Aliyah Wright (Colonie 2019) - 2nd team

Molly Kirby (Bethlehem 2018) - 3rd team

Cat Almeida (Shenendehowa 2019) - 3rd team

Lexi Van Vorst (Columbia 2019) - 3rd team

Julia DeBeatham (Shaker 2020) - 3rd team

Ahniysha Jackson (Catholic Central 2020) - 3rd team

Emily Frodyma (Catholic Central 2018) - 4th team

Alivia Paeglow (Colonie 2019) - 4th team

Kyara Triblet (Colonie 2019) - 4th team

Valencia Fontenelle-Posson (Guilderland 2021) - 4th team

Lexi DeBeatham (Shaker 2018) - 5th team

Aubrey Halloran (Albany 2018) - 5th team

Briann Barringer (Saratoga Springs 2018) (made summer league appearance in July) - 5th team

Kara Vamvalis (Saratoga Springs 2018) (made summer league appearance in July) - 5th team

Jenalyse Alarcon (Troy 2021) - 6th team

Maddy Malicki (Shaker 2019) - 6th team

Jeonna Anderson (Schenectady 2019) - 6th team

Class A

Stephanie Jankovic (Averill Park 2018; Saint Anselm signee) - 1st team

Giuliana Pritchard (Amsterdam 2018) - 1st team

Mallory Wood (Averill Park 2018; St. John Fisher commit) - 1st team

Harmony Philo (Gloversville 2019) - 1st team

Kelsey Wood (Averill Park 2020) - 1st team

EmmaLee Morgan (Averill Park 2019) - 2nd team

Mikyla Mitchell (Scotia-Glenville 2020) - 2nd team

Mary Kate Palleschi (Scotia-Glenville 2018) - 3rd team

Amelia Wood (Averill Park 2022) - 3rd team

Breanna Lott (Mohonasen 2020) - 3rd team

Naesha Kelley (Hudson Falls 2018) - 4th team

Rhaymi Porter (Scotia-Glenville 2020) - 5th team

Class B

Madison Graber (Schalmont 2018; SUNY Cortland commit) - 1st team

Sammy Pasinella (Mechanicville 2018; Sage commit) - 1st team

Renna Poulin (Tamarac 2019) - 1st team

Sam Dayter (Cohoes 2018; SUNY Poly commit) - 2nd team

Payton Graber (Schalmont 2022) - 2nd team

Allie Pacatte (Cobleskill-Richmondville 2018) - 3rd team

Emily Vallee (Schuylerville 2018) - 3rd team

Victoria Konicki (Voorheesville 2019) - 5th team

Paige Brinkman (Schalmont 2018; Western New England commit) - 6th team

Class C

Logan Thayne (Hoosick Falls 2020) - 1st team

Sophie Phillips (Cambridge 2021) - 1st team

Ava Fitzmaurice (Greenville 2018) (2015-16 ESTer) - 1st team

Lilly Phillips (Cambridge 2021) - 2nd team

Rebekkah Dean (Mekeel Christian Academy 2018) (2015-16 ESTer) - 2nd team

Bre Palmatier (Middleburgh 2018) (2016 ESTer) - 2nd team

Taylor Meacham (Berne-Knox-Westerlo 2020) - 3rd team

Molly Brophy (Greenwich 2021) - 3rd team

Fiona Mooney (Cambridge 2021) - 3rd team

Class D

Kyra Oeffler (Heatly 2018; Sage commit) - 1st team

Times-Herald Record (Varsity 845) (Middletown, NY)

The Times-Herald Record, whose 'Varsity 845' high school sports coverage is among the most extensive in the Mid-Hudson region, released an all-area squad dotted with EST participants. The paper's coverage zone encompasses all of Section 9 west of the Hudson River. Of the 15 players selected on its 1st-3rd all-area teams, 6 were EST participants (5 in the summer league). 3 of those 6 - including all-area MVP Chloe Chaffin (Kingston 2018; Fordham signee) - were 1st team selections. The list of ESTers:

Chloe Chaffin (Kingston 2018; Fordham signee) - MVP

Maggie Malone (Cornwall 2019) - 1st Team

Brianna Rozzi (Highland 2019) - 1st Team

Erin Smith (Goshen 2020) - 2nd Team

Grace Van Roy (Saugerties 2019) - 3rd Team

Kiarra Kennedy (Middletown 2020) - 3rd Team

Jeff's Notes: Section III Semifinals

Spent the weekend - Feb 24-25 - either posted in the corner of the gym at Onondaga Community College's Allyn Hall or downstairs, just off the court at the SRC Arena. The annual semifinal weekend, a form of heaven for CNY basketball enthusiasts, was in full swing. In a break from the norm, girls' semifinals were split over both days, with Class A & B on Saturday and AA, C, & D finishing off the weekend. I was able to catch every game - with my attention split Sunday evening, as AA played downstairs and C upstairs simultaneously - and numerous players caught my eye. Some notes, by class:

Class AA

 There aren't many in upstate NY that can score as purely as Amani Free, and she showed a lot of what's in the bag in her Cicero-North Syracuse squad's 66-53 W over Liverpool. The star 2018 and Quinnipiac signee pumped in a game high 27 points. Instead of relying on the perimeter jumper - one of her strong suits - she spent a lot of the night getting to the rim. Free is a strong, physical guard that although right-handed, loves to get to her left - and she did so seemingly at will. She also moved well without the ball to get a couple easy ones, and on top of that, she brought the physical edge that's so important in a rivalry game like CNS/Liverpool.

I've been singing the praises of Cicero-North Syracuse 2021 Jess Cook for well over a year now, and the strides she's made came to the forefront at the SRC on Sunday evening. She dropped 20 points in CNS' win. Her sheer size and strength was too much for Liverpool to handle, even if she was getting doubled, but her improved mobility is what caught my eye the most. I saw this start to come to fruition during the fall, and her ability to run the floor has only improved since. She now can grab a defensive rebound, make a rim run after an outlet and beat her defender up the court to get a layup or deep post position. Jess is already receiving early D1 interest, and continued improvements could see her recruitment quickly hit the next level with a good spring/summer on the circuit with I-90 Elite.

Not sure if anyone made a bigger statement than Madison Smith this weekend. The standout 2019 had a monster game for West Genesee, going off for a game high 27 points in 3 quarters of action. The 5'11" G/F has the ability to score at all 3 levels, and she showed it off time & time again. The perimeter stroke has improved drastically - she knocked down 4 of the Wildcats' 9 treys. Her biggest one was worth more, as a 4-point play just before the 1st half buzzer gave her team the lead heading into the locker room after what wasn't the best 16 minutes for them. She had 12 points in the 3rd quarter, one that WG won 27-7 to bring their lead up to 23. What I still love most about her game is the ability to move without the ball. The ability and IQ to know when & where to make cuts along with knowing when to cut to score & when to cut for spacing makes her a point guard's dream. Thankfully, her sister is a very good PG that creates, and they play off each other very well. To me, Madison has been a bit underrecruited to this stage, but I don't think that'll last much longer.

Speaking of sis... it's always worth the price of admission to watch Mackenzie Smith in action. Mix arguably the deadliest crossover in upstate NY, shifty change of speed, elite court vision, a package around the rim from NBA 2K, quick hands & feet on D, and a little Brooklyn swagger, and you have a dynamite point guard. Baldwinsville had a little success early in their attempt to bottle her up with their zone, but it didn't last long, as she came out of the locker room and sparked the huge 3rd quarter that put this one to bed. Expect more D1 programs to come calling in the near future on top of what's already piled up.

The Finals - West Genny/CNS is what the vast majority of people have been anticipating since word spread that Amani Free was back in town. Both teams took care of business, and here we are. Interesting matchup, as both teams have real firepower but contrasting styles. Amani Free, Jess Cook, Mackenzie Smith, Madison Smith, Catie Cunningham all on the court - I think that's enough firepower to go around. Get your popcorn ready!

Class A

Meg Hair is one of the smoothest players in upstate NY for one of the best teams in upstate NY. It was a light night for the Jamesville-DeWitt star 2018 & Penn signee, as many of them end up being, because of the score. Their 61-24 semifinal W on Saturday was the most lopsided result of the weekend. She still was able to score an efficient 22 points though, even with the early exit. Meg has been on a different level for years now, able to make things happen in transition or in the half-court, but the play that intrigued me most was the final play of the 2nd quarter. With the shot clock off, J-D went to a 1-4 low set and isolated Meg with the ball. She was able to make a quick dribble move, get to the elbow, use the defender's body to propel her stepback, quickly rise up and knock it down before the buzzer. Perimeter isos have never been her bread & butter; if she's adding that to her bag, look out.

The most underrated player in Section 3 might be Kasey Vaughan. She has battled injuries for over a year at this point, but it finally looks like the Jamesville-DeWitt 2018 G has a longstanding ankle issue under control. With her being closer to 100% and having the conditioning needed to give good minutes at a high level, it changes their team. That showed in spades on Saturday; they'd play close to even with Vaughan out of the game, and as soon as she entered, they'd go on a run to break it open more. A coach's dream with an extremely high basketball IQ and desire to guard the other team's best player. She had the assignment of CBA standout Brooke Jarvis whenever she was in, and Kasey did as good of a job as you could ask for. Great to see her back on the court.

This could be said about the last few months in general as well, but Jamesville-DeWitt 2020 Gabby Stickle is getting better, and she's getting better fast. She's especially important on her Red Rams team - they're arguably the best team in the state in Class A, but most of the players tend to play it safe by nature, and Stickle is the one that will make things happen. That made her stick out in a positive way a couple weeks ago against St. John Vianney in New Jersey, and it continues to do so. She'll attack and finish, and she's also a deadly perimeter shooter when she catches in rhythm and lets it fly quickly. I love the improvements in Gabby's game.

I don't think Momo LaClair is a secret to anyone in upstate NY anymore. Jamesville-DeWitt standout 2021 PG is a high profile player, and she always backs it up. On top of the skill and IQ, she brings intangibles and 'the little things' that make a team great. She's one of the better rebounding guards I've evaluated, and she skied for a few in traffic in this game. Her 1v1 package is extensive, and although very unselfish by nature, she's starting to show signs of looking to be more aggressive on offense. With her consistent pull-up jumper, she can score at all 3 levels. It'll just make J-D even more dangerous as she asserts herself more.

Before the second Class A semifinal between Whitesboro and Indian River, I anticipated that Indian River standout 2018 Paige Leonard may have some issues with an always-stingy Warriors squad... nope. Her supreme athleticism was too much to handle at times, and she was able to make a new home at the free throw line. Out of her game high 30 points, 15 of them were from the charity stripe. The uncommitted senior just found ways to get it done.

Adrien LaMora grew up over the course of Indian River's semifinal game Saturday night. The promising Indian River 2022 finished with 15 big points and key contributions at both ends of the court, as IR was able to break the long streak of J-D/Whitesboro sectional final games with a 67-59 triumph over Whitesboro. With her 5'9"+ size, strength, and skill set, she's a particularly versatile prospect. I've seen her work in the post before, but her bread & butter was from 20'-21' in this game. She hit 3 threes, including a big one to beat the 1st half buzzer and extend Indian River's lead to 8 heading into the locker room. She can play at the wing or the 4, and will even get some spot minutes running the point. A lot to like about Adrien's upside.

The major growth in Whitesboro 2020 Kiley Snow's game starts with how she's adding onto her perimeter shooting ability. The 5'10" wing is a knockdown shooter that can get it going in a hurry, but she's noticeably making an effort to attack the basket more. As I told Kiley after the game, a year ago, I don't think she would've stepped if I put a $20 on the block. Now, she attempted 29 free throws in her last two games (16 in sectional quarterfinals, 13 Saturday night). Her fire & competitive edge is becoming more and more evident as she's getting older. If she improves over the next 8 months like she has in the last 8 months, it could pay serious dividends in the result of college coaches jumping on the bandwagon. She had 19 points & 4 rebounds in the 67-59 loss to Indian River.

They may not have won this game, but it's becoming more apparent that Whitesboro 2019 Hannah Scott is just a winner. The lefty true PG has made big strides over the last year and became the leader of her Warriors team. She'll pull up and knock down the 15'-18' jumper, but she likes to attack the rack and loves to get into the lane to create for others. She showed the ability to handle the ball against pressure Saturday night, including against a truly elite athlete like Paige Leonard. She had 17 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals in this one. Hannah is becoming a name to really keep tabs on in this junior class.

The Finals - The main story to me is that for the first time since I started doing this, it's not J-D/Whitesboro in the finals. Indian River - who seems to always get to the semifinals before usually getting knocked out by Whitesboro, although it has been J-D in the past too - has been playing very well of late, and it was encouraging to see the development of Adrien LaMora over the last few months. On the other side, J-D is taking it one game at a time. The 2-time defending state champions and a favorite to three-peat have weapons at every position and can dip deeper into the bench to get more weapons. The way they are playing now, it'll be a very tall task for anyone to top them. That being said, they're not looking past IR. This one will be Friday at the Carrier Dome.