Section official passes reins

Referee, coach, athletic director and administrator.

The position he officially concluded this week — Executive Director of Section II athletics — clearly was his biggest challenge and proved to be his finest work.

Bertrand, who took over the position five years ago in the midst of turmoil regarding the financial situation of the 90 schools in Section II, moved out of the post as former Shaker athletic director and state baseball chairman Ed Dopp began his tenure Monday.

Bertrand was a prominent area basketball referee, coached baseball and football at Ballston Spa and served as athletic director at both Ballston Spa and Guilderland.

The College of Saint Rose graduate applied the knowledge he learned from all the different positions he held previously and it proved to be a tremendous asset.

Joe Casale and Dev Holmes, two vital cogs on the Troy football team that captured the 2016 Class AA state title at Syracuse Carrier Dome, have been making the recruiting rounds.