NYRA to honor New York State champion High School teams
The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will commemorate the outstanding achievements of approximately 100 student athletes by recognizing four regionally-based New York State champion high school baseball and softball teams on Thursday, August 13 at Saratoga Race Course.
Each championship team will be celebrated with a race named in its honor and the opportunity for the players and coaches to present the trophy in the winner’s circle as a reflection of NYRA’s commitment to honoring young people whose dedication, sportsmanship and pursuit of excellence have brought statewide recognition to the Capital Region.
The student athletes, coaches and staff from each team will also enjoy a day at Saratoga Race Course, courtesy of NYRA.
The championship teams to be honored include:
Saratoga Catholic High School Baseball – Under longtime head coach Alphonse Lambert, the Saints successfully defended their New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Class C State Championship, defeating Kendall 5-1 to become just the fourth Section II baseball program to win consecutive state titles.
“The past two seasons for the Saratoga Catholic baseball program have truly been awesome with all the accomplishments earned, especially the 50 wins resulting in back-to-back New York State baseball championships,” said Alphonse Lambert, Saratoga Catholic Baseball Head Coach. “We are honored, thankful, humbled, proud, and extremely grateful to The New York Racing Association for recognizing this rare feat and honoring our team. Our boys will remember this for the rest of their lives.”
Averill Park High School Baseball – Guided by Head Coach George Brooks, the Golden Knights captured their second NYSPHSAA Class A championship in five seasons with a victory over undefeated and top-ranked Plainedge. The title also marked the sixth consecutive year a Suburban Council baseball program has claimed a state championship.
Averill Park High School Softball – In her first season as head coach, Maria Roberts led the Golden Knights to the NYSPHSAA Class A championship, defeating Pearl River to secure the program’s first state title since 2015.
“On behalf of the Averill Park baseball and softball programs, I'd like to thank NYRA and Saratoga Race Course for honoring our state championships teams,” said Mark Bubniak, Averill Park High School Athletic Director. “Saturday, June 13 will go down as the most successful day in the history of Averill Park athletics, and we are honored to continue the celebration at the ‘Summer Place to Be’.”
Chatham High School Softball – Under the leadership of John Brantley and coaching staff, the Chatham Panthers earned their second consecutive NYSPHSAA Class B State Championship with a championship game victory over Dobbs Ferry, further establishing themselves as one of the state’s premier softball programs.
“I want to thank NYRA and Saratoga Race Course for honoring the team and celebrating the girls’ success this year as 2026 NYS Class B Softball Champions,” said John Brantley, Chatham Softball Head Coach and Athletic Director. “We are proud to be back-to-back champions and share our success with the community!”
Highlighted by the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on Saturday, August 8 and the 157th renewal of the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers on Saturday, August 29, the Saratoga summer meet continues Wednesdays through Sundays. The only exception is the final week when the summer meet concludes on Labor Day, Monday, September 7.
For more information about Saratoga Race Course, visit NYRA.com.
