If there was ever a chance that The Saratogian could be swarmed by angry citizens and be burnt to the ground it could happen on Wednesday after our sports section comes out and the mob begins to form on Lake Avenue.

It was as if the planets and stars aligned at least for Shenendehowa as the Plainsmen completed its own high school trifecta (I took Shen and the points, myself) Tuesday night defeating Saratoga Springs in ice hockey (4-3 in overtime), boys varsity basketball (53-51 after an 11-point deficit) and girls varsity basketball, 51-38 (hitting nine 3-pointers).

Sports editor and Shenendehowa graduate Brien Bouyea couldn't resist a jab with his headline and I was probably the only one in the sports department smiling about the Plainsmen ice hockey victory.

I'm sure we'll all get some e-mails from inside and outside of the Lake Avenue command center for the green-leaning headline from the blue-leaning readership and management, but we do kind of live for these kinds of rivalry nights.

How couldn't I be smiling, a 4-3 overtime high school ice hockey victory that included an early ice time so deadline wasn't an issue. Add with it that it will make my work for the Southern Saratoga weekly newspaper, the Community News, go smoothly Wednesday night never hurts.

It was a great night for the rivals to meet.

Saratoga stormed back from a 3-1 deficit at the Weibel Ave. Rink to tie the game and had several breath-taking opportunities to win the contest in the closing minute.

Nate Rider was on the Shen campus watching the Plainsmen come back from an 11-point disadvantage to win late, very late.

Jeff Scott was on Blue Streak Boulevard to catch some of our favorite coaches (yea, we do have some favorites) Shen's Ken Strube and the always delightful pair of Blue Streak legends, Rich Johns and Damian Fantauzzi at girls hoops.

You could call it a match made in heaven, despite the outcome for the Blue Streaks.

We didn't expect this in the sports department, a 2-1 Saratoga advantage was the prediction before game time by our own prognosticators.

But that's why they play the games don't they?

- Stan Hudy