Ulster County Tennis Tournament
As Wimbledon continues across the pond, the Ulster County Tennis Tournament gets underway locally this week, with nine different categories, including six featuring doubles tandems. Play will take place on the courts at Forsyth Park and Kingston High School beginning on Thursday, July 8.
The local tournament returns following a one-year hiatus after the COVID-19 pandemic canceled last summer’s plans. The rules are fairly straightforward, with all open events settled by winning two of three sets, with senior events playing a ten-point super tie break if it’s split 1-1 after two sets.
Santucci, Tristen Wise and Ahmed Mansour lead the open mens’ singles seeds in a 21-player field. Karen Gill and Nok North lead the open womens’ singles seeds in a field of 10. In open mens’ senior singles, Vic Ricci and T.N. Thompson lead seeding in a field of 10.
Play is scheduled to unfold over roughly a week and a half.
“Our main goal is to have the finals for the doubles on Saturday, July 17 and the singles on (Sunday) July 18, and the schedule we have set does that,” said tournament co-directors Tom Turco and Scott Taylor in an e-mail to competitors. “But be aware that rain could alter the schedule, and we thank you in advance for your cooperation.”
“Good luck,” said Turco and Taylor. “It’s great to be having the tournament again this year.”
Kingston Stockade FC
Kingston Stockade FC officially punched their playoff ticket on Saturday with a dominant 5-1 win over visiting National Premier Soccer League foe Greater Lowell Rough Diamonds before a rain-soaked crowd of 679 at Dietz Stadium.
The home side saw an early lead scuppered by the post as a Matt Koziol penalty kick sailed just off target in the tenth minute. But Kingston quickly recovered when Vinny Colantuono sent a beautifully bent strike around the keeper into the far corner off a smooth Ryan Langkafel pass through three defenders.
The Rough Diamonds equalized shortly after on a deflected corner kick, but Stockade FC regained the lead for good in the 35th minute when Hugo Guerra threaded the needle through a forest of defenders, the ball’s momentum unable to be stopped by the outstretched keeper’s hands. Colantuono would complete his brace ahead of the half as Scott Zobre deftly headed a deep drive by Tom Stickley into a perfect scoring path. It was Colantuono’s team-leading seventh goal of the season.
Richard Morris and Joe Kresse — in his Stockade FC debut — added a pair of goals for Kingston in the second half. The game also saw a first appearance of reserve goalkeeper A.J. Lucas.
With the win, Stockade FC improved to 5-0-4 on the season and remained the sole unbeaten side in the NPSL’s North Atlantic Conference Division. And though they secured their playoff spot with the victory over hapless Greater Lowell, there’s more than just pride to play for in the regular season finale at the New York Shockers on Saturday July 10. Hartford City FC is just two points back in the standings, and they close out their season at Greater Lowell; a Kingston loss and a Hartford win would give the latter home field advantage through the conference postseason. Stockade FC is hoping to bring some of their Dietz atmosphere to Albany on Saturday to avoid losing that advantage in the playoffs. The conference postseason begins on Wednesday, July 14, with seeding and locations set after next weekend’s action.
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