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Message: [QUOTE="SWC75, post: 1567732, member: 289"] THE SEMI-FINALS CLASS AA Both semi-finals came down to the foot in football: Saratoga Springs of Section 2 survived a last second tying field goal attempt to beat perennial state power New Rochelle of Section 1, 32-29: [URL]http://www.lohud.com/story/sports/high-school/lohud-varsity-insider/2015/11/21/new-rochelle-falls-state-semifinal-thriller-32-29/75941582/[/URL] Liverpool played perhaps its greatest game ever, staying with an Aquinas team with five FBS recruits: four to Penn State and one to Notre Dame the whole way only to lose on a blocked extra point, 16-17. [URL]http://highschoolsports.syracuse.com/news/article/656899246857650874/aquinas-survives-holds-off-gritty-liverpool-to-earn-17-16-win-and-spot-in-class-aa-title-game/[/URL] The championship game match-up: Section 2: Saratoga Springs 11-0 (433-157) NYSSWA #3 MaxPreps 3/300 States: 4-3 with 0 titles Section 5: Aquinas 12-0 (391-134) NYSSWA #1 MaxPreps 2/159 States: 22-5 with 6 titles These teams have had no common opponents. Hard to bet against perennial powerhouse Aquinas, s pipeline school for both Notre Dame and Penn State. CLASS A Our Lady of Lourdes of Section 1 smashed Section 2’s Amsterdam 47-27 to make it to the State finals for the first time ever: [URL]http://news10.com/2015/11/20/7th-ranked-amsterdam-rams-facing-section-1-champ-our-lady-of-lourdes/[/URL] But the big news- the HUGE news - was that Buffalo South Park of Section 6 ended Section 4’s Maine-Endwell’s state record 62 game winning streak, 43-26. The game started out as a typical ME domination as they rolled to two TDs and were driving for third score. Then things got bizarre. The “Sparks” got rolling with a 68 yard fumble return, the first of 8 Spartan turnovers, including another pick-up six on a fumble. They tied the game up by halftime and took over in the second half to win going away. I watched this game and the turnovers were no fluke: for the first time in memory Maine Endwell was getting dominated in the trenches. Like a lot of high school teams they don’t have a big-time passing attack and so they play football the old fashioned way: run..run..run using the option. People think you defend the option by fanning out or overloading to one side. The best way to defend it is the best way to defend most plays: penetration. And the Sparks kept breaking thro0ugh to destroy the option before a play could be made. They even intercepted one pitch. If you can dominate Maine Endwell up front, you will be almost formidable opponent for anybody. Buffalo city schools didn’t join the state playoffs until 2009. South Park had won 12 city titles before that happened, when that was their ultimate goal. This will be first shot at the state title. [URL]http://preptalk.buffalonews.com/2015/11/21/south-park-stuns-maine-endwell-in-class-a-semifinal/[/URL] The championship game match-up: Section 1: Our Lady Of Lourdes 10-2 (358-184) NYSSWA #3 MaxPreps 20/1349 States: 2-0 with 0 titles Section 6: Buffalo South Park 10-1 (457-176) NYSSWA #1 Max Preps 6/537 States: 2-0 with 0 titles These teams have had no common opponents. South Park sure looked good enough for me vs. Maine-Endwell. CLASS B Section 2 Schuylerville had little trouble with Section 1’s Westlake, winning 35-0 to advance to the final: [URL]http://poststar.com/sports/football/high-school-and-prep/schuylerville-dominates-westlake-earns-trip-to-state-final/article_4c5284eb-ef85-5de7-be67-872982201a87.html[/URL] The big news locally was that Cazenovia made it to a state final after having won only a single state playoff game in the history, (19 years ago). They now have a chance to win Section 3’s first Class B title, the only class we’ve never won. They did it without their injured star TJ Connellan, who is saving himself for the lacrosse season. They also did it with a resounding 55-18 win over the state’s #2 ranked team, Cheektowaga of Section 6, 55-18: [URL]http://highschoolsports.syracuse.com/news/article/656898246857650864/cazenovia-rolls-over-cheektowaga-and-into-state-class-b-football-final/[/URL] The championship game match-up: Section 2 Schuylerville 12-0 (514-81) NYSSWA #2 MaxPreps 13/931 States: 4-2 with 0 titles Section 3 Cazenovia 11-0 (485-96) NYSSWA #1 MaxPreps 5/462 States: 3-7 with 0 titles These teams have had no common opponents. The dream is within reach for the Lakers but the Horses will be a most formidable opponent. Anyone who could beat Schalmont 42-0 is a bit scary. But the Lakers opened the season by beating Section 2’s Class A champions, Amsterdam 47-0. That’s pretty scary, too. CLASS C Section 2’s Greenwich had little trouble with Section 9’s Liberty, rolling to a 27-0 first half lead and coasting to a 41-13 win: [URL]http://www.saratogian.com/20151121/witches-to-fly-into-carrier-dome[/URL] They’ll face two-time defending champion Chenango Forks of Section 4, who handled Section 5’s Haverling, (of Bath NY) 44-22. They, too build up a big lead, 30-6 and won easily: [URL]http://www.forksfootball.com/2015/2015game12.html[/URL] The championship game match-up: Section 2 Greenwich 12-0 (519-98) NYSSWA #2 MaxPreps 26/1450 States: 3-1 with 0 titles Section 4 Chenango Forks 11-1 (418-141) NYSSWA #1 4/427 States: 25-9 with 4 titles These teams have had no common opponents. Greenwich has impressive numbers but you’ve got to go with the two time defending champs, whose only loss was by a touchdown to Class A’s Maine-Endwell. CLASS D: Section 7’s Ticonderoga did everyone a big favor and sent home Section 9’s Tuckahoe, who somehow made it to the state semi-finals with a 3-7 record, 32-0: [URL]http://poststar.com/sports/football/high-school-and-prep/ticonderoga-reaches-state-final-in-football/article_62100cef-1ab0-573f-8529-01a9bb405d20.html[/URL] Meanwhile section 4’s Tioga finally broke through to the state finals after losing to Section 6 teams four years in a row, beating Section 5’s Bishop Kearney in a wild 38-36 game: [URL]http://www.thedailyreview.com/news/2015-11-21/Sports/Tioga_holds_off_Bishop_Kearney_to_earn_trip_to_sta.html[/URL] The championship game match-up: Section 7 Ticonderoga 11-1 (371-114) NYSSWA #2 MaxPreps 73/3482 States: 5-5 with 0 titles Section 4 Tioga 11-1 (585-267) NYSSWA #1 MaxPreps 28/1515 States: 6-4 with 0 titles These teams have had no common opponents. The sentinels have had an easy time of it getting to the finals with twin 32-0 victories over Whitehall and Tuckahoe but I think this is Tioga’s turn to get the glory. I think they’ve faced better opposition and they are averaging 49 points a game. [/QUOTE]

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