Youthful growing pains have dropped University at Albany to the bottom of the America East Conference standings, but head coach Will Brown insists his team is making progress, both in the present and for the future.

A fast start and a strong finish enabled Mechanicville to hold off Hoosick Falls for the Section II Class C-D bowling championship Monday at Boulevard Bowl.

For as long as he can remember, John Napier, right, had one goal in life. “Kids dream of being an astronaut or a firefighter. I always wanted to be a bobsledder,” said the 23-year-old Schenectady native. “I’m one of those fortunate people on Earth, to be doing what I love.”

Sectional tournament time is just around the corner, and Mohonasen girls’ basketball coach Paul Brosious is fine-tuning his Mighty Warriors in an attempt to successfully defend their Class A championship.

Siena came at Fairfield from every angle on Monday. Meanwhile, the Stags seemed to have a single idea — give it to terrific freshman point guard Derek Needham. And that was almost enough.

Siena hangs on against scrappy Stags.