Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014: Eden volleyball to play for sixth straight crown

   Leading off today: Eden will return to the court Sunday in Glens Falls in pursuit of its sixth consecutive NYSPHSAA girls volleyball championship.

   The Raiders were one of three Section 6 squads and three defending New York State Public High School Athletic Association champions to emerge from pool play Saturday at the Glens Falls Civic Center. Eden, which has won seven state championships in the past eight seasons, will take on Broadalbin-Perth for the Class C crown.

   Reigning Class A champ Pittsford Sutherland will battle Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake in Class A and Haldane seeks its third Class D title in four years vs. Portville.

   Joining Eden and Portville from Western New York will be Williamsville South, which meets John Glenn in Class B. The Class AA final pits Suffern against Penfield. John Glenn advanced by means of a 25-22 win over Ardsley in a tiebreaker after they split their two head-to-head games earlier in the day.

   Federation cross country: St. Anthony's waltzed to the boys team title with just 59 points at Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls as the Friars won their first New York Federation Cross Country Championship since 1992.

   NYSPHSAA teams had won 21 straight boys titles since St. Anthony's went back-to-back in 1991-92.

   Northport senior Mike Brannigan (15:30.4), East Aurora's Kenny Vasbinder (15:38.0) and Pat Tucker of St. Anthony's (15:42.7) took the top three spots individually. Frederick Buckholtz, Ryan Kutch, Joe Tucker and Ryan Dearie of St. Anthony's all finished in the top 33.

   In the team race, St. Anthony's easy held off Pittsford Mendon (221), Guilderland (237), Xavier (240) and Sachem North (242).

   In the girls race, Saratoga won for the fifth time in six years and the 21st time since 1989. The Streaks finished with 81 points to top Shenendehowa (104). Suffern (169), Corning (172) and Guilderland (175) rounded out the top five.

   Spencer Hayes (10th), Peyton Engborg (18th) and Paris Fenoff (20th) led the Saratoga charge to the title.

   Arlington senior Bella Burda (17:50.4), Corning sophomore Jessica Lawson (17:52.9) and Elmira junior Abby Wheeler (18:28.5) topped the field over five kilometers.

   Burda remained unbeaten for the season and won Federation honors for the second time in three years.

   "It was such a close race," she told the Poughkeepsie Journal. "It makes me know that every second counted. If I'd have been two seconds slower, I would have lost."

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   Burda will continue her season Nov. 29 at Bowdoin Park in the Nike Cross Nationals regional with an eye toward advancing to Portland, Ore., the following weekend.

   Field hockey: Lakeland will play for its sixth straight NYSPHSAA Class B championship Sunday after downing Vestal 4-0 in the Saturday semifinals at Maine-Endwell.

   The Hornets will match up against Garden City. They defeated the Trojans 3-0 in the 2013 quarterfinals.

   With Lakeland clinging to a 1-0 lead in the first half, senior goalie Alex Halpin made six saves during a flurry of Vestal chances, and the defense regrouped to foil Vestal the rest of the way.

   "I enjoy games where I get action and make plays," Halpin told The Journal News. "I have such a good defense in front of me, it makes my life much easier, and I appreciate them for it."

   Four players scored as Lakeland extended its winning streak to 51 games.

   More to come: We'll serve up some Saturday highlights from football and soccer later.