Week 8: Sectional Quarterfinals in Review

Players line up before a play during Saturday's
Bishop Maginn/Queensbury game - WMML photo

Week 8 of the High School season brought little surprise.  It brought some drama.

More importantly, they gave us an indication of how the remainder of the playoffs could go.

And if it's anything like the ending of the Shenendehowa/Shaker or Guilderland/Colonie games, we're in for a wild ride.

After the jump, a recap of last week and a quick analysis as we approach the Sectional Semifinals this weekend.

Football Sectionals: Comparison from Last Year

Parity is the spice of life, they say.

Being able to rebound from an off-year to make the playoffs the next is an example of this.  But is this true when it comes to the Section 2 Sectionals?

Granted you will always have the perennial powers, like Cambridge, who has made Sectionals 19 straight years, and the same for Glens Falls, who narrowly continued their consecutive streak which now sits at 15 straight years.

Let's compare this year's field with last year's.  This year's new teams are in bold, last year's teams who failed to make it back are in italics.

CLASS AA
This Year's Field:
Empire Division
This Year's Field: E1-CBA, E2-Saratoga Springs, E3-Guilderland, E4-Shenendehowa
Last Year's Field: E1-Shenendehowa, E2-CBA, E3-Guilderland, E4-Ballston Spa
Liberty Division
This Year's Field: L1-Shaker, L2-Colonie, L3-LaSalle, L4-Columbia
Last Year's Field: L1-Shaker, L2-Columbia, L3-Schenectady, L4-Colonie

CLASS A
Northwest Division
This Year's Field: NW1-Queensbury, NW2-Burnt Hills, NW3-Amsterdam, NW4-Gloversville
Last Year's Field: NW1-Burnt Hills, NW2-Amsterdam, NW3-Queensbury, NW4-Gloversville

With 4 of the 5 teams in the division making the playoffs, it's no surprise that the four teams making it this year are the same four that made it last year.  The only difference is Queensbury's rise from third to first in the division.

Southeast Division
This Year's Field: SE1-Troy, SE2-Averill Park, SE3-Mohonasen, SE4-Bishop Maginn
Last Year's Field: SE1-Troy, SE2-Scotia, SE3-Averill Park, SE4-Mohonasen

Scotia's demotion from A to B paved the way for Bishop Maginn to make the field of 4 for the Southeast.

CLASS B
West
This Year's Field: W1-Schalmont, W2-Broadalbin-Perth, W3-Scotia, W4-Glens Falls
Last Year's Field: W1-Schalmont, W2-Glens Falls, W3-Broadalbin-Perth, W4-Schuylerville

It was wild and came down to the last day of games, but what we saw was that Scotia's entry into B resulted in them substituting Schuylerville in the field.  Though, had the final night gone differently, we would have seen one new team in the playoffs, either Cobleskill or Johnstown.

Reinfurt
This Year's Field: R1-Cohoes, R2-Ravena, R3-Lansingburgh, R4-Green Tech
Last Year's Field: R1-Lansingburgh, R2-Ravena, R3-Albany Academy, R4-Ichabod Crane

It's a big turnaround for the Tigers, coming from failing to make the playoffs last year to being the top dog in the Reinfurt.  And Green Tech finally finds their groove as they drive their way into the final seed.  Albany Academy was in the race until the final week, having lost a game that was a "Win-and-you're-in".  Ichabod Crane had a tough go this year.

CLASS C
North
This Year's Field: N1-Hoosick Falls, N2-Corinth, N3-Stillwater, N4-Mechanicville
Last Year's Field: N1-Hoosick Falls, N2-Mechanicville, N3-Tamarac, N4-Stillwater

Had Granville won the tiebreaker as we originally thought, they would have made two new teams in the C playoffs, but this year's new blood is a team that has gained a lot of respect from the fans and media alike.  The Tomahawks weren't pegged to be a home-field bearer, live alone getting a playoff berth, but here they are.

South
This Year's Field: S1-Chatham, S2-Fonda, S3-Voorheesville, S4-Watervliet
Last Year's Field: S1-Chatham, S2-Fonda, S3-Watervliet, S4-Voorheesville

So nothing much changes in the South. Just a flip between Voorheesville and Watervliet.

CLASS D
North
This Year's Field: N1-Greenwich, N2-Salem, N3-Warrensburg, N4-Whitehall
Last Year's Field: N1-Whitehall, N2-Salem

This is comparing apples to oranges, as this year there's a three-round playoff structure in Class D, and also the swap of Greenwich from the South to the North.

South
This Year's Field: S1-Cambridge, S2-Rennselaer, S3-Canajoharie, S4-Schoburg
Last Year's Field: S1-Cambridge, S2-Rennselaer

Same here.  All that changed is that the structure allowed for two new teams to make the playoffs.  Schoburg, in their first year of full Varsity, makes the playoffs after Bishop Gibbons declined the seeding.

High School Football - Week 7 Standings after Friday Night.

d - clinched divisional title
h - clinched home game in Week 8.
x - clinched a playoff spot
i - ineligible for playoffs due to playing down in class.

CLASS AA

Conference					Overall				Week 7 Opponent
Team	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT
Empire
d-CBA	5	1	0	.833	6	1	0	.857	Beat LaSalle 70-7
h-Saratoga Springs	5	1	0	.833	6	1	0	.857	Beat Guilderland 31-18
x-Guilderland	4	2	0	.666	5	2	0	.714	Lost to Saratoga 31-18
x-Shenendehowa	4	2	0	.666	5	2	0	.714	Beat Bethlehem 21-14
Bethlehem	2	4	0	.333	2	5	0	.286	Lost to Shen 21-14
Albany	0	5	0	.000	1	5	0	.167	Ballston Spa (SAT 1P)
Ballston Spa	0	5	0	.000	1	5	0	.167	@ Albany (SAT 1P)
Liberty
d-Shaker	5	0	0	1.00	6	1	0	.857	Beat Colonie 49-6
h-Colonie	3	2	0	.600	4	3	0	.514	Lost to Shaker 49-6
x-LaSalle	3	2	0	.600	4	3	0	.514	Lost to CBA 70-7
x-Columbia	2	3	0	.400	2	5	0	.286	Beat Schenectady 48-32
Schenectady	2	3	0	.400	3	4	0	.428	Lost to Columbia 48-32
Niskayuna	0	5	0	.000	1	6	0	.142	Beat Bishop Maginn 21-18

Major Games: All games completed.  Albany and Ballston Spa meet for team pride Saturday afternoon.

CLASS A

Conference					Overall				Week 7 Opponent
Team	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT
Northwest
d-Queensbury	3	0	0	1.00	6	0	0	1.00	Gloversville (SAT 1:30P)
h-Burnt Hills	3	1	0	.750	6	1	0	.857	Beat Averill Park 41-0
x-Gloversville	1	2	0	.333	4	2	0	.667	@ Queensbury (SAT 1:30P)
Amsterdam	1	2	0	.333	3	3	0	.500	South Glens Falls(SAT 3P)
South Glens Falls	0	3	0	.000	0	6	0	.000	@ Amsterdam (SAT 3PM)
Southeast
d-Troy	3	0	0	1.00	5	2	0	.714	Beat Mohonasen 49-6
h-Averill Park	2	1	0	.667	4	3	0	.514	Lost to Burnt Hills 41-0
x-Mohonasen	1	2	0	.333	2	5	0	.286	Lost to Troy 49-6
x-Bishop Maginn	0	3	0	.000	1	6	0	.142	Lost to Niskayuna 21-18

Major Games: South Glens Falls at Amsterdam - South Glens Falls can still clinch a spot with a win over Amsterdam.

CLASS B

Conference					Overall				Week 7 Opponent
Team	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT
West
d-Schalmont	7	0	0	1.00	7	0	0	1.00	Beat Hudson Falls 54-0
h-Broadalbin-Perth	6	1	0	.857	6	1	0	.857	Beat Cobleskill 33-15
x-Scotia	5	2	0	.714	5	2	0	.714	Beat Glens Falls 42-14
x-Glens Falls	3	4	0	.428	3	4	0	.428	Lost to Scotia 42-14
Cobleskill	3	4	0	.428	3	4	0	.428	Lost to Broadalbin 33-15
Johnstown	2	5	0	.286	2	5	0	.286	Lost to Schuylerville 34-22
Schuylerville	2	5	0	.286	2	5	0	.286	Beat Johnstown 34-22
Hudson Falls	0	7	0	.000	0	7	0	.000	Lost to Schalmont 54-0
Reinfurt
x-Cohoes	4	1	0	.800	4	2	0	.667	Ichabod Crane (SAT 1P)
x-Ravena	4	1	0	.800	4	2	0	.667	@ Green Tech (SAT 6:30P)
x-Lansingburgh	4	2	0	.666	4	3	0	.514	Beat Albany Academy 42-35
x-Green Tech	3	2	0	.600	3	3	0	.500	Ravena (SAT 6:30P)
Albany Academy	3	3	0	.500	3	3	0	.500	Lost to Lansingburgh 42-35
Hudson	1	5	0	.167	1	5	0	.167	- TBA
Ichabod Crane	0	5	0	.000	0	6	0	.000	@ Cohoes (SAT 1P)

Major Games: Ravena at Green Tech - Lansingburgh's win clinches Green Tech's trip to the playoffs, but a win will force a three-way tie.  Lansingburgh earned 5 Quarter Points in the victory tonight, meaning Green Tech can still clinch a #2 seed if they beat Ravena leading throughout the entire game.

CLASS C

Conference					Overall				Week 7 Opponent
Team	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT
North
d-Hoosick Falls	6	0	0	1.00	7	0	0	1.00	Beat Corinth 49-0
h-Corinth	4	2	0	.666	5	2	0	.714	Lost to Hoosick Falls 49-0
x-Stillwater	3	3	0	.500	3	4	0	.428	Beat Mechanicville 17-14
x-Mechanicville	3	3	0	.500	4	3	0	.514	Lost to Stillwater 17-14
Granville	3	3	0	.500	4	3	0	.514	Beat Tamarac 21-18
Tamarac	2	4	0	.333	2	5	0	.286	Lost to Granville 21-18
Catholic Central	0	7	0	.000	0	7	0	.000	Forfeited against Fonda
South
d-Chatham	5	0	0	1.00	6	0	0	1.00	@ Cairo-Durham (SAT 1P)
h-Fonda	5	1	0	.833	6	1	0	.857	Beat Ticonderoga (Sect VII) 18-14**
Voorheesville	3	2	0	.600	3	3	0	.500	Coxsackie-Athens (SAT 1P)
Watervliet	2	3	0	.400	3	3	0	.500	Taconic Hills (SAT 1P)
Coxsackie-Athens	2	3	0	.400	2	4	0	.333	@ Voorheesville (SAT 1P)
Cairo-Durham	1	4	0	.200	1	5	0	.167	Chatham (SAT 1P)
Taconic Hills	0	5	0	.000	0	6	0	.000	@ Watervliet (SAT 1P)

Major Games: Coxsackie-Athens at Voorheesville  - Voorheesville clinches the #3 seed with a win. They could find themselves in a three-way tie with Watervliet and Coxsackie-Athens with a loss, where it's likely Voorheesville will drop down to a #4 seed.

CLASS D

Conference					Overall				Week 7 Opponent
Team	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT
North
d-Greenwich	5	0	0	1.00	6	1	0	.857	Beat Fort Edward 42-28
h-Salem	3	2	0	.600	4	3	0	.514	Beat Lake George 14-0
x-Whitehall	2	2	0	.500	3	3	0	.500	@ Warrensburg (SAT 1P)
x-Warrensburg	2	2	0	.500	2	4	0	.333	Whitehall (SAT 1P)
Lake George	1	4	0	.200	2	5	0	.286	Lost to Salem 14-0
Fort Edward	1	4	0	.200	1	6	0	.142	Lost to Greenwich 42-28
South
d-Cambridge	4	0	0	1.00	6	0	0	1.00	Schoburg (SAT 2P)
h-Rensselaer	4	1	0	.800	6	1	0	.857	Beat Canajoharie 40-14
x-Canajoharie	3	2	0	.600	5	2	0	.714	Lost to Rensselaer 40-14
Bishop Gibbons	1	3	0	.250	1	5	0	.167	Hoosic Valley (SAT 7P)
Schoburg	1	3	0	.250	2	4	0	.333	@ Cambridge (SAT 2P)
i-Hoosic Valley	0	4	0	.000	0	6	0	.000	@ Bishop Gibbons (SAT 7P)

Major Games: Whitehall at Warrensburg - The winner of this game gets the #3 seed and travels to Rensselaer next week.  The loser gets the #4 seed and will have to face the Cambridge Indians.