Berne-Knox-Westerlo Central School District > District News > Winter Sports Review for BKW
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Winter Sports Review for BKW

The 2023-24 winter season introduced some incredible memories for our student-athletes and their respective coaching staff. Each year, we continue to compete, work hard in the classroom, and earn the respect of our community. Today, we highlight the winter sports teams as they continue the proud tradition of student-athletes at BKW.

Bowling

Members of the BKW Bowling Team with Coach Decker.
Members of the BKW Bowling Team with Coach Decker.

This year’s team might have been a smaller bowling team but had a significant rise in its competitive rankings! This year’s team placed seventh out of ten teams during the regular season and reached their groove placing 14th out of 26 teams at sectionals. That is a sign of hard work and dedication. This year’s team also bid a fond farewell to four seniors this year: Drew Joslin, Ryan Feliciano, Gabby Decker, and Fantasia Feliciano. Special recognition goes to Drew Joslin for receiving the individual award for the highest-scoring bowling series in the WAC.

Boys’ Varsity Basketball

This year’s boys’ basketball teams had a very successful season. Our Bulldogs finished with a 17-6 record, with only three of six losses coming at the hands of teams in our classification.
This year’s boys’ basketball teams had a very successful season. Our Bulldogs finished with a 17-6 record, with only three of six losses coming at the hands of teams in our classification.

This year’s boys’ basketball teams had a very successful season. Our Bulldogs finished with a 17-6 record, with only three of six losses coming at the hands of teams in our classification. For this season, signature wins included two wins against Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons, one against Fonda-Fultonville, one against Voorheesville, and another against Hoosic Valley. Our biggest win came against The Community Health Academy of the Heights from the PSAL in Manhattan over our Holiday break, which gave us our first Class A win since defeating Ballston Spa (Class AA) in 2008. 

Our the championship game in the annual Holiday Tournament was our best game of the season with a powerful 99-61-point win over The Community Health Academy of the Heights . Key performances by AJ Wright & Dayne Coates (Co-MVPs of the Holiday Tournament) propelled BKW to a strong finish this season. With only three losses coming into 2024, our team eventually fell in the Section 2 Class C tournament semifinal in our last game at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls to our rival Duanesburg. It was a painful ending to a very good season. However, the beautiful part about that type of loss is the motivation it gives the returning players. With three starters returning and a talented group of underclassmen, we will be poised to be another tough squad next season. Highlights for this season: Co-Champions of the WAC Hudson division with Class B Fonda-Fultonville. AJ Wright was league Co-MVP & named to the Class C All-Tournament Team, Blake Shaver & Dayne Coates were first-team league All-Stars, and Shane Kirker was a second-team league All-Star. At the end of our season, BKW was ranked 18th in Class C in New York state and third in Class C in Section 2 this year. 

Girls Varsity Basketball

The girls' varsity basketball team completed a successful season! The team was 19-4 overall and captured the Hudson Division championship of the WAC.
The girls’ varsity basketball team completed a successful season! The team was 19-4 overall and captured the Hudson Division championship of the WAC.

The girls’ varsity basketball team completed a successful season! The team was 19-4 overall and captured the Hudson Division championship of the WAC. In addition, they were champions of the BKW Holiday Tournament and reached the Class C Final Four. Senior Emma Cyr was selected as a Class C tournament All-Star and a Section 2 scholar-athlete. Junior Katie Stevens and sophomore Annie Lendrum were selected as first-team WAC Hudson Division All-Stars. Junior Emily Edwards and sophomore Bella Daguillo were selected as second-team WAC Hudson Division All-Stars. 

BKW Varsity Indoor Track 

For the 2023-24 season, the Bulldogs started the indoor track season with the biggest team in the history of the program. They were not only successful on the track but also in the classroom. Both the Boys and Girls teams were named to the NYS Public High School Athletic Association’s Scholar-Athlete Team.

For the 2023-24 season, the Bulldogs started the indoor track season with the biggest team in the history of the program. They were not only successful on the track but also in the classroom. Both the Boys and Girls teams were named to the NYS Public High School Athletic Association’s Scholar-Athlete Team.
For the 2023-24 season, the Bulldogs started the indoor track season with the biggest team in the history of the program. They were not only successful on the track but also in the classroom. Both the Boys and Girls teams were named to the NYS Public High School Athletic Association’s Scholar-Athlete Team.

The Girls finished fourth and the Boys third at the League Championships. Sectional awards were earned on the Girl’s team by Mackenzie Lawrence, Katie Stevens, Nina Lefkaditis, Lorelei Kuhn, Emma McFadden, and Elise Lendrum. The Boys were led by Arlan Wright, Aggelos Lefkaditis, Kole Irwin, Joaquin Abraham, and Nick Quay. Seventeen new school records were posted this season, and eight athletes were sent to the state qualifying meet. BKW was represented by Mackenzie Lawrence, Katie Stevens, Ella Roether, Arlan Wright, Kole Irwin, Aggelos Lefkaditis, Nick Quay, and Joaquin Abraham at this prestigious meet. We look forward to a successful outdoor track season and have almost the entire indoor team returning for more action next year. Coach Jackson is proud of the cooperation and work ethic of his team both on and off the field. Go Bulldogs!

Wrestling

Members of the 2023-24 Berne Knox Westerlo/Middleburgh Wrestling Team.
Members of the 2023-24 Berne Knox Westerlo/Middleburgh Wrestling Team.

The Berne Knox Westerlo/Middleburgh Wrestling Team completed a very successful season which saw six of eight wrestlers earn place finishes at the Section 2 Class C tournament. Overall, the team had an 8 – 8 dual meet season. This year’s team finished third in the WAC conference. Individual accomplishments: Eight of nine wrestlers finished the year with winning records compiling a team-high of 198 wins with only 100 losses for a team winning percentage of 66 percent.

  • Matthew Dibble (30 wins, second place at the Ken Baker Classic, third place at Class C championships, sixth place in Division 2 championships)
  • Lincoln Snyder (28 wins, Class C finalist, placed sixth in Division 2 championships)
  • Christian Arsenault (23 total wins, placed third in Class C)
  • Matthew Cyr (22 wins, placed fourth in Class C)
  • Drew Ballatto (20 wins, placed fourth in Class C)
  • Owen Lounsbury (22 wins, placed sixth in Class C)
  • Gabe English (26 – 1 record, placed second at the Leo Sammon Tournament, Champion at Ken Baker Classic)
  • Nick Miller (17 varsity wins as a freshman)
  • Ryan Mallia (10 varsity wins)
  • First Team WAC All-Stars: Gabe English, Lincoln Snyder, and Matthew Dibble
  • Second Team WAC All-Stars: Owen Lounsbury and Matthew Cyr

The future is bright and this team earned a NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete team award this year.

Cheerleading

The BKW Cheerleading squad kept the motivation going for the 2023-24 winter sports season.
The BKW Cheerleading squad kept the motivation going for the 2023-24 winter sports season.

The BKW Cheerleaders had a great year. They started off the season by cheering on the boys’ basketball team at all home games and were busybehind the season planning spirit and community events. They had a great time at the pep rally and youth camp! Meanwhile, they were also working hard to increase their skills and put together this year’s competition routine. They placed at multiple competitions, including Middleburgh and Scotia-Glenville’s Invitationals and Midnight Madness in Schenectady. They finished the competition season strong

with a second-place finish at the sectional competition. Following this year’s competitions, they performed at the WAC Showcase event, where senior Ava Smith was named First Team All-Star. Congrats on a successful season!