January 26, 2026 by Makenna Dicaprio (‘26)
Against the predictions of many, our very own school football team beat a private school in the sectional super bowl, won the regional championship, and fell just short of a state title. After leaving a historic mark on Saratoga Springs, Coach Hayden and the team continue to gain the recognition they deserve.
Importantly, the community stayed behind the Blue Streaks the entire time and continues to stop coach Hayden to congratulate him even months later. He states, “The other day I was in the store and some random person I have never seen before stopped me and said what you did was amazing and congratulated me for leading the team as far as I did.” It is apparent that football is back in Saratoga and the pride for the team is still present.
In the team’s historic playoff run, Saratoga came out strong, beating their rivals Shenendohowa in the Semifinals. To secure the section championship, they had an outstanding win in harsh weather against the reigning champions, CBA Albany. Coach Hayden looked to prepare the team for non ideal conditions, adding “That week I made all of the skill players dip their hands in a bucket of cold water before they went out for a pass. I knew that there would be rainy conditions during the game and wanted them to be prepared for anything.”
In the regional run, the Blue Streaks beat Middletown after trailing at half and won the regional finals with a dominant performance over the Mamaroneck Tigers securing their ticket to the state championship at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, NY..
With support from the entire community, Saratoga made their way out to Syracuse on December 6th, 2025. Despite a 41-12 defeat, the Blue Streaks played their hearts out, having CBA Syracuse on the ropes in the third quarter and just falling short of the state championship. Although the loss was tough, the team had no reason to hang their heads.
One quote that defined the year for the entire coaching staff and team is the idea that they “aren’t anything”. All season, even after a well-deserved win Saratoga would tell themselves that they still aren’t done proving themselves. This simple idea was a mindset that allowed the Blue Streaks to beat teams later in the season when it mattered most.
Source: Saratoga Springs Football Instagram