Saranac's Madison Gaginer (22) with the block shot as Northeastern Clinton's Callie Racine (41) drivers to the hoop along the baseline. It would be the last game of the opening day of the Section VII Basketball Championships and it would feature #1 Saranac Spartans and the #2 Northeastern Clinton Cougars for the Class B Girl's championship. It would be a slow start for both teams as the Spartans would have a slim low-score lead of 6-4 after the first quarter. The offenses would start to wake up in the second quarter as the Spartans would have a 9-6 quarter and a 15-10 lead at the intermission. When the team returned for the third quarter it would be an even matchup with more scoring but the Spartans were still slightly better with a 14-13 quarter and took the 29-23. In the fourth quarter, the Cougars would try everything that they had to be able to get over on the Spartans and would outscore them 13-10 but it would not be enough as the Spartans would get the 39-36 victory. In the winning effort, the Spartans would end the Cougar's undefeated season and go to 19-3 on the season as Brenna Ducatte would lead the way with 13 points. With the win, the Saranac Spartans will enter the NYSPHSAA Class B Girl's State Tournament and will play the winner of Section II in the opening round on Wednesday. Gallery

It would be the battle of the tens as Northeastern Clinton's Bailee LaFountain drives toward the basket and scores over Saranac's Molly Denis as they were making their fourth-quarter charge. Gallery

Saranac Lake/Lake Placid's Scottie Nicholas (1) with the pad save on Saranac's Adrian Barnes (8) as part of a 51-save effort to get the Lakers win. It would be the second semi-final of the night in the Section VII Boy's Hockey Tournament as the #3 Saranac Lake/Lake Placid Lakers would travel to Plattsburgh and the Amer-Can North Sports Center and take on the #2 seeded Saranac Spartans with the winner getting the #1 Beekmantown Eagles for a sectional title. The favorite Saranac Spartans would get the opening goal of the game at the 9:24 mark of the first period on the Landon Duprey goal to make it 1-0. The Spartans wouldn't waste time making it 2-0 15 seconds later on the Ryan Campbell goal. Then with just 22 seconds left in the period, the Spartans would jump out to a 3-0 lead on the Evan Patrie goal. The Lakers would come out firing and make it a 3-1 game 41 seconds into the second period on the Evan Willette goal. The Lakers would stay hot and make it a one-goal game at the 5:20 mark of the period on the powerplay goal of Adrian McCormick. Then within a 2:27 stretch in the second period, the Lakers would explode for three goals to take a 5-3 lead with goals from Evan Willette, Will Landerault, and Adrian McCormick. The Spartans would answer back with 36 seconds left in the second period on the Ashtyn Caitlin goal to make it a one-goal game at 5-4 at the end of the second period. The game would stay there till the 10:45 mark of the third period when the Lakers's Kyle Duffy would score to make it a 6-4 Lakers lead from there the defense would clinch down and they would add an empty netter from Evan Willette for the hat trick and the 7-4 victory. In the winning effort, Scottie Nicholas would make 51 saves as they would advance to the Section VII Boy's Hockey Championship against the Beekmantown Eagles. Gallery

Saranac's Ashtyn Caitlin (11) with the shot off that rings off the post and out for one of the many missed chances for the Spartans on the night.Gallery

Saranac's Evan Patrie (6) puts it glove side on the Saranac Lake-Lake Placid's Cassidy Goodman (31) to make it 4-0 at the time. It would be the second meeting of the year between the Saranac Lake/Lake Placid Lakers and the SaranacSpartans this time from the Amer-Can North Sports Center in Section VII Boy's Hockey. The Spartans would get the game started fast as Adrian Barnes would get the opening goal of the game just 1:51 into the game and the Spartans would be off and running as they would add three more goals in the period from Ashtyn Catlin, Evan Patrie, and Landen Duprey and take the 4-0 lead after the first period. In the second period the good times would start rolling for the Spartans would add a five spot in the period on goals from Landen Duprey three in the period and four in the game and Noah Miner and Jonathan Coryer would get the other two. While Ayden McCormick would get the Lakers on the board in the period the Spartans would be in control with the 9-1 lead after the second period. In the third period, the Spartans would empty the bench and get the other players in the game. The Spartans would still get 4 goals in period two coming from Tom Sorensen (his first two of his high school career) with the other two coming from Ryan Campbell and Landen Duprey his fifth of the game as the Spartans would get the 13-1. In the winning effort, Shawn McLane would make 15 saves on the night as the Spartans would go to 11-7-1 on the season. The Lakers goalies would combine for nearly 50 saves on the night as they fell to 5-12-1. The Lakers will be back in action Wednesday with their home finale against the Plattsburgh Hornets. While Saranac Spartans will finish their regular season with a nonleague against the Watertown Crusaders. Gallery

Saranac Lake-Lake Placid's Will Landriault (21) with the hard hit on Saranac's Brody McComber (4) and pinches him along the boards in the corner. Gallery

Saranac's McHenna Brown (2) goes in on the breakaway and lays it off the window for the score. It would be a matchup inside the Champlain Valley Athletic Conference in Plattsburgh tonight as the Plattsburgh Hornets would host the #10 Saranac Spartans in girls' basketball action. The Spartans would show off why they are the tenth team in the state as they would get off to a quick start and take the 19-7 lead after the first quarter. In the second quarter, the home Hornets would do their best to keep the game where it is as the Spartans would have a 17-13 quarter and take the 36-20 lead into the intermission. When the teams returned for the second half and the third quarter the Hornets would try and get back in the game with a 13-11 quarter but the Spartans would still have the 47-33 lead as they would go into the fourth quarter. In the fourth quarter, the Spartans would leave little to decide the game as they would outscore the Hornets 18-6 and take the 65-39 win. With the win the Spartans will go to 15-2 on the season as they head into their matchup next week with the Peru Nighthawks as the Plattsburgh Hornets fall to 8-9 on the season. Gallery

Saranac's McHenna Brown (2) with the tight defense on Plattsburgh's Aubree Mulligan (13) as she drives to the basket and attempts to score. Gallery

Saanac's Nolan Miner (9) and Northeastern Clinton's Josh Seymour (17) with the hard collision on the open ice hit going after the loose puck in the zone. With a couple of weeks left in the regular season, we would have the Northeastern Clinton Cougars traveling to Plattsburgh and the Amer-Can North Sports Center to tangle with the #18 Saranac Spartans in Section VII Hockey. The game would start fast and fierce with both teams getting a goal in the first five minutes of the game. Then with 5:42 left in the opening period, the upset-minded Cougars would strike on the Wade Simpson goal to give the Cougars the 2-1 lead. The game would stay there till about the 7:35 mark of the second when Landon Duprey would knock in the rebound and tie the game at two. Then about 75 seconds later the Spartans would take the lead as Jackson Coryer would find the back of the net and the Spartans would take the 3-2 lead. Then just 40 seconds later the Spartans would expand their lead to two goals as it would become a 4-2 game on the Noah Miner powerplay goal. The quick attack would continue for the Spartans as they would score again about a minute later on the Ashytn Catlin goal as they took the 5-2 lead. Then to finish off the scoring in the second period Landon Duprey would finish off the hat trick with just about 2:30 left to give the Spartans the 6-2 lead. In the third period, the Spartans would give a lot of the kids that don't see a lot of playing time sometime in the period and there would be no scoring throughout and the Spartans hold on for the 6-2 win. In the winning effort, the Spartans go to 10-7-1 and be back on the ice Friday as they take on Watertown the season while the Cougars fall to 4-12-1.Gallery

Saranac's Mason Patnode (35) with the pad save on the quick wrister in front of the night as part of the 20-save night. Gallery