So the 2013 Section II Schedule has been released and there are a few things to note. First, Scotia drops from Class A to B. They will play in Class B West along with Hudson Falls and Glens Falls, creating a full 8 team division where all 8 teams will play each other once with no crossover games. In Class D, a new program has developed, in Schoburg, which we mentioned in yesterday's blog entry is a blend of both Schoharie and Duanesburg High School atheles. They will play in Class D South, and to make things even, Greenwich will play in Class D North. Greenwich will preserve their local rivalry with the Cambridge Indians through a divisonal crossover game in Week 1.
For your reading pleasure, here's our thoughts for the most interesting matches to look forward to in the 2013 season, based on last season's results. Individual team-by-team schedules to follow after.
Most Interesting Matches:
These are the games we're looking forward to seeing in the 2013 season. These are not necessarily the games we will be broadcasting in the 2013 season; that schedule will be posted at a later date.
Week 1:
Schalmont at Glens Falls: We get the season off with a bang, featuring a rematch between two Class B teams that met in the Super Bowl at Shenendehowa last year. Schalmont will still have Devon Willis, who will return as a senior. However, the Indians will have to restock and rebuild after all the seniors from their Carrier Dome team have graduated. This will be a key game to see whether or not the Indians will have any trouble continuing their long-lasting streak of making Sectionals.
Scotia at Broadalbin-Perth: The Scotia Tartans dropped from Class A to B, and have to face last year's #3 seed Broadalbin-Perth to kick off their season. It will be a good test to see how they match up with the rest of Class B West.
Greenwich at Cambridge: Last year's edition of this Washington County rivalry required overtime before Cambridge walked off the field as winners. This year's edition comes early in the season as these two teams now find themselves in opposite divisions in Class D, brought about by last year's result where Greenwich was left out of the playoffs despite a better record than those in Class D North and by new addition Schoburg to the Southern Division.
Week 2:
Glens Falls at Schuylerville: The rematch of the semifinal round of sectionals last year, this time down the Hudson in Schuylerville. In the regular season match, the Indians took command of the game late thanks to a couple of Schuylerville turnovers. In the post-season match, the Black Horses and the Indians played a close game for the first half, but the Indians took control in the 3rd Quarter off the first possession and never looked back on their way to victory.
Scotia at Schalmont: These two schools are separated by 7 driving miles, but have not faced each quite some time, if at all. It should be interesting to see how these two treat each other. Week 1's games against Broadalbin-Perth and Glens Falls will tell the tale on how close we should watch this game.
Week 3:
Troy at Amsterdam: Troy's season last year was brought to an end by the Rugged Rams of Amsterdam. And this rematch could have come at a better time in the season, as the Flying Horses have to endure games against Queensbury and Burnt Hills in the first two weeks.
Salem at Warrensburg: Last year, the Salem Generals had a 13-6 lead with less than a minute left in the game. But the Burghers would not go quietly. They marched up the field and pushed it past the goal line with 30 seconds left. The two-point conversion was good, and that gave the Burghers the 14-13 win. This year's edition should be just as good.
Week 4:
Burnt Hills at Queensbury: The Queensbury Spartans met with the Burnt Hills Spartans last in the semifinals of the Class A Sectionals in a game where Queensbury played well against the other Spartans for awhile, but eventually would fall to the would-be state champions. This will be the start of three real big tests for the Queensbury Spartans, as they face Amsterdam and Class AA's Columbia afterwards.
Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk at Albany Academy: Last year at this juncture, Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk and Albany Academy both entered the game undefeated. Ravena's win kept them battling for the top spot in the Reinfurt, which later would be given to Lansingburgh in Week 6. Albany Academy would go on to be the #3 seed and would go on to be shut out by the Glens Falls Indians in the Quarterfinals.
Lake George at Whitehall: It was a Friday night in October when the Whitehall Railroaders scored the first three touchdowns, and it was looking like it was going to be a rout. However, the Lake George Warriors would fight back, taking the lead in the 3rd Quarter in one of the loudest crowds we have heard all regular season last season.
Week 5:
Queensbury at Amsterdam: Last year's match between the Queensbury Spartans and the Amsterdam Rugged Rams quickly turned into a classic, coming right down to the closing minutes before Amsterdam walked away the 34-26 winners. This year's, conveniently located in the middle of the schedule, could have serious playoff seeding implications.
Fonda at Chatham: Chatham was the source of Fonda's only Class D South loss last year, when they were shut out 34-0. Both teams would make it to the playoffs, where they would both find their run brought to an end by defending champs Hoosick Falls. This game could go a long way towards deciding who takes Class C South's #1 seed.
Week 6:
Schenectady at Shaker: Last year, Schenectady's playoff run came to an end as their starting QB ran for the end zone and was brought out of bounds as the clock expired. The officials ruled he did not cross the pylon for the touchdown, however, replays on the Time Warner Cable Sports broadcast showed contact between the QB and the pylon. This allowed Shaker to move onto the championship game, where they would beat Shenendehowa before losing to New Rochelle in the final minute of the State Semifinals at Dietz Stadium. With that being said, this game should be very interesting.
Amsterdam at Burnt Hills: A rematch of the 2012 Class A Super Bowl. This late in the season, the #1 seed in the Northwest could be up for grabs for the winner to claim.
Glens Falls at Hudson Falls: The Jug Game. Nothing more to say.
Cambridge at Rensselaer: Cambridge claimed the #1 seed in the final week of the season when they defeated the Rams in what was supposed to be a preview of the Class D Super Bowl, but the Indians failed to make it past the Salem Generals the following week. With a 3-round playoff structure this year opposed to the 2-round (4 team) structure last year, this game may not mean as much for the two teams, but should still be a good game to watch.
Week 7:
Colonie at Shaker: What the Jug Game means for Hudson Falls/Glens Falls is the same as what the Colonie Cup means for Colonie/Shaker.
Albany Academy at Lansingburgh: Last year turned into a shootout that saw the two teams combine for 103 points, decided by only 3. If both teams still play the same way, this should be a fun and high-scoring game to watch. And perhaps top seeds for the Reinfurt could still be up for grabs.
Team-by-Team Schedules:
Games against Local Teams are in
BOLD
(A) - Away. (H) - Home
Dates are based on whether or not teams have lights on their field... teams with lights will almost always play Friday night games and those who do not will almost always play Saturday afternoon games. Schedule Subject To Change.
CLASS AA:
Saratoga Springs Blue Streaks
9/6 - Albany (A)
9/13 - Ballston Spa (H)
9/20 - Colonie (A)
9/27 - CBA (A)
10/4 - Bethlehem (H)
10/11 - Shenendehowa (A)
10/18 - Guilderland (H)
CLASS A:
Queensbury Spartans
9/7 - Troy (H)
9/14 - Bishop Maginn (H)
9/20 - South Glens Falls (A)
9/28 - Burnt Hills (H)
10/4 - Amsterdam (A)
10/11 - Columbia-AA (A)
10/19 - Gloversville (H)
South Glens Falls Bulldogs
9/6 - Bishop Maginn (A)
9/13 - Averill Park (H)
9/20 - Queensbury (H)
9/27 - Mohonasen (A)
10/4 - Burnt Hills (A)
10/11 - Gloversville (H) -
may be moved to Saturday if South Glens Falls decides to do what they did last year and make last home game a Saturday Afternoon 1:30PM game.
10/18 - Amsterdam (A)
CLASS B:
Hudson Falls Tigers
9/6 - Schuylerville (A)
9/13 - Cobleskill-Richmondville (A)
9/21 - Broadalbin (H)
9/28 - Scotia (H)
10/5 - Johnstown (H)
10/12 - Glens Falls (H)
10/18 - Schalmont (A)
Glens Falls Indians
9/7 - Schalmont (H)
9/13 - Schuylerville (A)
9/21 - Cobleskill-Richmondville (H)
9/27 - Johnstown (A)
10/5 - Broadalbin (H)
10/12 - Hudson Falls (A)
10/19 - Scotia (H)
Schuylerville Black Horses
9/6 - Hudson Falls (H)
9/13 - Glens Falls (H)
9/20 - Schalmont (H)
9/27 - Cobleskill-Richmondbille (A)
10/4 - Scotia (A)
10/11 - Broadalbin (H)
10/19 - Johnstown (A)
CLASS C:
Corinth Tomahawks
9/6 - Coxsackie-Athens (A)
9/14 - Granville (A)
9/20 - Catholic Central (H)
9/27 - Stillwater (A)
10/4 - Tamarac (A)
10/11 - Mechanicville (H)
10/18 - Hoosick Falls (H)
Granville Golden Horde
9/6 - Stillwater (A)
9/14 - Corinth (H)
9/20 - Hoosick Falls (A)
9/28 - Mechanicville (H)
10/5 - Catholic Central (H)
10/11 - Voorheesville (A)
10/18 - Tamarac (A)
CLASS D:
Fort Edward Flying Forts
9/7 - Bishop Gibbons (H)
9/13 - Rensselaer (A)
9/21 - Whitehall (H)
9/28 - Warrensburg (H)
10/5 - Salem (A)
10/11 - Lake George (H)
10/18 - Greenwich (A)
Greenwich Witches
9/6 - Cambridge (A)
9/13 - Schoburg (H)
9/20 - Lake George (A)
9/28 - Salem (A)
10/4 - Whitehall (H)
10/12 -Warrensburg (A)
10/18 - Fort Edward (H)
Lake George Warriors
9/6 - Rensselaer (A)
9/14 - Bishop Gibbons (A)
9/20 - Greenwich (H)
9/27 - Whitehall (A)
10/4 - Warrensburg (H)
10/12 - Fort Edward (A)
10/19 - Salem (H)
Salem Generals
9/7 - Schoburgh (H)
9/13 - Hoosic Valley (A)
9/20 - Warrensburg (A)
9/28 - Greenwich (H)
10/5 - Fort Edward (H)
10/12 - Whitehall (A)
10/19 - Lake George (A)
Warrensburg Burghers
9/7 - Canajoharie (H)
9/13 - Cambridge (A)
9/21 - Salem (H)
9/28 - Fort Edward (A)
10/4 - Lake George (A)
10/12 - Greenwich (H)
10/19 - Whitehall (H)
Whitehall Railroaders
9/6 - Hoosic Valley (H)
9/13 - Canajoharie (A)
9/21 - Fort Edward (A)
9/27 - Lake George (H)
10/4 - Greenwich (A)
10/11 - Salem (H)
10/19 - Warrensburg (A)
