Knights to Meet Old Foe Poland in Sectional Opener

RFH 2010, Featured Articles, HCS Boys Soccer

Sun, Oct 23, 2011

HCS boys get fourth seed in Sectionals; girls seeded 10th

Knights to Meet Old Foe Poland in Sectional Opener

Pop quiz!

The HCS boys soccer team's match up for their first game in the Section III Class D1 playoffs is:

Strange
Odd
Perverse
Spooky
Ironic

The answer is "All of the above" since the Emerald Knights open sectional play late this week against, fanfare, Poland, which is the fifth seed. Yes, HCS -- the fourth seed -- will host the team that was the other half of what was for many years the best rivalry in small school boys soccer in Upstate New York. That's what qualifies the Friday 7 p.m. game on HCS' stadium field as strange, odd, perverse and spooky.

That the two teams didn't play each other in the regular season this year is what qualifies it as ironic.

HCS Coach Brian Latella said if the Emerald Knights play like they did in the recent Sauquoit Valley tournament, they stand a solid chance of advancing. HCS beat Sauquoit 6-1 Saturday; Poland lost 1-0 to Sauquoit during the regular season. The Knights also recently beat Mount Markham 5-2; Poland lost to the Mustangs 1-0.

Poland finished the regular season 11-4-1.

But, Latella takes no team for granted, especially Poland: "They are always challenging. They always play tough defense and we cannot let them get on the board first and hold on for a 1-0 game."

Should Hamilton win, they could wind up facing the top seeded Alexandria Bay in the semifinals.

The rest of the Section III D1 match-ups include:

>> The winner of Tuesday's Watertown IHC (8) vs. Copenhagen (9) game will play first-seeded Alexandria Bay on Friday.

>> Cincinnatus (3) hosts Belleville-Henderson (6) Friday.

>> McGraw (2) hosts Stockbridge Valley (7) Friday.

Complete D I bracket as PDF

Section III Class D was divided into two brackets; essentially two separate sectionals, with the winners of each to play to see who advances to the regionals. Quarterfinal games in the D II bracket -- all to be played Friday -- include:

>> Lyme (1) hosts Faith Heritage at General Brown (8);

>> Old Forge (2) hosts Madison (7);

>> Brookfield (3) hosts Sackets Harbor (6);

>> Remsen (4) hosts Blessed Virgin Mary (5).

Complete D II bracket as PDF

The HCS girls are seeded 10th in their side of Sectional play and will travel to Otselic Valley Tuesday for a 3 p.m. start.

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