Ben Birnell is a Sports Writer at the Rome Sentinel. He covers a wide range of topics within the sports realm, including competitive and professional sports, as well as the business and finance aspects of the sports industry. Ben's work has been featured in notable publications such as the Observer-Dispatch, Yahoo News, and BLOX Digital.
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Utica, United States (Local)
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Ben Birnell's coverage is predominantly focused on local sports events, particularly hockey and basketball, including high school sports and the Utica Comets. He also covers specific local events such as the Downtown Classic basketball showcase.
If you have relevant news about these local sports events or insights into teams and players within the Mohawk Valley area, Ben might be interested in your pitches. Additionally, any information related to the Utica Comets would likely catch his attention given their prominence in his articles.
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By: Ben Birnell
UTICA – Alex Matata saluted some of the Boilermaker Road Race fans near the retail shopping area on Champlin Avenue.
By: Ben Birnell
“(Sunday) was just a fantastic day,” Boilermaker Road Race Director Jim Stasaitis said. “I was looking up adjectives and there are so many I could use. But, it was a fantastic day. Smiles on everybody’s faces. It was wonderful.” During a 2026 Boilermaker post-race meeting, Boilermaker officials said there's already a focus on the 50th edition of the race on the second Sunday in July 2027.
By: Ben Birnell
Smith Post earned a District V American Legion baseball win over New Hartford Post on Sunday. The Utica Jr. Blue Sox also earned a close win over Adrean Post on the final day of the league's regualr-season. The results setup another meeting Tuesday in the District V playoffs.
By: Ben Birnell
ROME — A Cazenovia native is the latest addition to the roster for the semi-pro hockey team in Rome.
By: Ben Birnell
of 5 UTCA — The District V American Legion Senior Division baseball championship series is set for the 2026 season.
By: Ben Birnell
The Clinton Comets were were inducted into the New York State Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2026 during a recent ceremony in Troy.
By: Ben Birnell
SYRACUSE — Syracuse will host Colgate, the program's most familiar foe, on Tuesday, Dec. 8, in the JMA Wireless Dome.
Jake Hall, who played for Section III Rome Free Academy, is the latest addition to the semi-pro hockey team in Rome that is set to start play in the 2026-27 season. Hall also played two seasons with the Utica Jr. Comets of the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL), including a standout 2023-24 season.
By: Ben Birnell
In part because of his achievements via canoe, Tome Mazuzan is part of the 2026 class for the Rome Sports Hall of Fame that will be inducted Sunday, July 26. Mazuzan died in Feb. 2017 and is being inducted posthumously. In the 1980s and early 1990s, Mazuzan made his mark – especially with the Guinness Book of Records. In 1986, he gained the record for longest distance paddled by a canoeist in 24 hours without a current. He went 123.98 miles on an 8.3-mile loop on the New York Barge Canal in Oneida, according to reports. A 1991 story in the Chicago Tribune states Mazuzan was the first person to make solo trips across all five Great Lakes between 1988 and 1990. He made the Guinness Sports Record Book for the First Solo Crossings of the Great Lakes in 1991. Mazuzan was 60 years old.
By: Ben Birnell
of 2 ROME — The general components sound similar to a popular sports movie.
