Ice hockey now a winter sport at Warrensburg High

WARRENSBURG | For the first time in recent history — and likely over the school's entire existence — Warrensburg Central School is offering ice hockey as an interscholastic sport. Warrensburg High is now one of four schools jointly sponsoring the Adirondack Rivermen which is holding games weekly from now through February. High school athletes from Glens Falls, South Glens Falls, Hudson Falls and Warrensburg are on the roster of the Rivermen, engaged in competition sanctioned by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association. Competing in Section II Division I, the Rivermen are coached by Mike DiFiore, a social studies teacher at Warrensburg High. Warrensburg Elementary School Teacher Nick LaVigne is the team's assistant coach. The Adirondack Rivermen squad is one of 11 teams competing in the Capital District High School Hockey League. Warrensburg Central School District Athletic Director Scott Smith said school administrators were pleased that their students now had another sanctioned winter sport to choose from, in addition to basketball and wrestling. "This gives our students a new opportunity to play for a high school ice hockey team," he said. Smith added that offering ice hockey will likely not hamper the other winter sports by drawing athletes away from any other winter teams. "The athletes that have signed up for the sport would have been busy with club hockey anyway," he said. To date, the Adirondack Rivermen includes the following Warrensburg students: Cody Parker, a senior goaltender; Christian Carrion, a junior forward; Tom Moore, a sophomore forward; and Nick Parker, a freshman forward, Smith said. "These four guys all have played youth club hockey, and they've got significant experience on ice," he said. The team also includes Glens Falls High School freshman Ben DiFiore, son of the coach. BRIGHT FUTURE PREDICTED During the 2015-16 year, the Rivermen — formerly named the Tri-Falls Rivermen — were finalists in the Section II championship tournament series. Before the four schools merged to form the Rivermen, DiFiore spent a dozen years as the coach of Glens Falls High School's hockey team. The sports mergers in recent years involving Warrensburg High and Bolton Central — and a 2016-17 Rivermen team that had to draft a lot of eighth graders — prompted DiFiore to consider the potential of Warrensburg joining the Rivermen. Despite their youth in 2016-17, the team achieved a 6-14-1 record. DiFiore predicted a bright future for the team, stating that their short-term goal is to compile a solid enough record this season to place among the top four teams in Section II, which would secure a home game in the Sectional tournament quarterfinals. "Warrensburg joining the team is an exciting opportunity, and I think we have a tremendous future," he said, noting there are 15 freshmen now on the Rivermen. "I hope to get the student body more involved in the sport that I love." Smith said the Adirondack Rivermen have already developed a substantial fan base at Warrensburg High School. "There's a lot of buzz about the team throughout the high school," he said. "A lot of students are excited to watch their friends play ice hockey." SEASON SCHEDULE The Adirondack Rivermen started their schedule of practices for the 2017-18 season on Nov. 6. They've played four scrimmages so far: Against Saratoga on Nov. 17, versus LaSalle on Nov. 18, against Salmon River on Nov. 22 and Shenendehowa on Nov. 28. The team's regular season begins with away games over two days in the Potsdam Tournament, to be held Friday Dec. 1 and Saturday Dec. 2 in that city's Pine St. Arena. Next up is a home game against Penfield Vt. at 7:40 p.m. Friday Dec. 8 at the Glens Falls Recreation Center rink. For the remainder of the 2017-18 season, most all of the games are to be held on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. A full schedule and team roster are posted on the Rivermen's page at www.hometeamsonline.com.

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Ice hockey now a winter sport at Warrensburg High

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