Leading off today: Empire State Games director Fred Smith is optimistic the event will be a 'go' in Buffalo July 21-25 of next year, The Buffalo News reported today.

   "Every indication that I have gotten from our agency and (state parks) commissioner Carol Ash in Parks, is that we will have Games next year," Smith said. "I have no reason to doubt it, I have no reason to do anything but move full steam ahead."

   The 2009 ESGs scheduled for the Hudson Valley were canceled after the state pulled funding and floated a plan to have athletes pay as much as $285 to participate. The state normally allocates about $1.7 million in its budget for the ESGs, with the local organizing committee responsible for the rest. Smith said that the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Recreation has expanded its own fundraising program.

   Quick start for Hamm: After powering Edmeston to a 22-0-2 record and a NYSPHSAA co-championship as a junior, Kori Hamm has opened her 2009 season with back-to-back hat tricks.

   The New York State Sportswriters Association co-player of the year in Class D scored three goals for the Panthers in a 4-0 home victory over Franklin yesterday. Hamm, who also scored three goals in a 4-0 win vs. Gilbertsville-Mount Upton last week, connected 42 times last season.

   The Panthers, with 13 players back from the title team, are riding a 26-game unbeaten streak.

   Speaking of soccer, Marlboro may have a winning formula for many more games to come. Freshman Alexis Wadsworth assisted on four of sophomore Emily McDonough's five goals yesterday to highlight a 6-2 victory over Rondout Valley. McDonough has seven goals during a 2-0 start for Marlboro, which used eighth-grader Andrea Schoonmaker at sweeper vs. Rondout Valley.

   Runners trekking to Plattsburgh: The course at SUNY Plattsbugh is the same one that will be used Nov. 14 for the New York State Public High School Athletic Association championships, so more than 800 runners are expected to compete in six varsity and four JV races Saturday at the Section 7 Invitational.

   Top boys competitors will include Honeoye Falls-Lima senior Alex Deir, second in Class B at last year's state meet, and defending Class D champ Michael Champagne of Plattsburgh Seton Catholic.

RoadToSyracuse.com Football Site

   Newspaper editor hurt on sideline: A newspaper sports editor in Colorado suffered serious injuries after being hit while photographing a high school football game in Mosca, Colo.

   Lloyd Engen of The Valley Courier in Alamosa was hit Saturday when he hit by three players from Norwood and Sangre de Cristo high schools along the sideline. He was hospitalized with a shattered pelvis and three cracked vertebrae and told newspaper staffers this week it was unclear whether he'll be able to walk again.

   Lights, cameras, action: Martin Luther King has played in 13 straight PSAL boys soccer finals, winning 11. The Knights have quite the cast this fall with players from 11 countries.

   With coach Martin Jacobson at 297 career victories and counting, the New York Daily News is chronicling the season with weekly webisodes of "Kings of the City," a Web reality series.

   Just for kicks: Broomfield Legacy (Colo.) senior Kip Smith kicked a state-record 67-yard field goal on Friday and the set off a lot of speculation on Saturday by attending the University of Colorado opener vs. Colorado State.

   Smith has already made a non-binding, oral commitment to play for Minnesota next season.

   Interestingly, Smith's kick came on a very rare free kick following a fair catch.