September 10, 2006
Looking Forward
We're two weeks into the high school football season, so we can (for the most part) tell who the contenders are. So today I'll look at the contenders in Class A-D and their schedules for the coming weeks, to see where they might be at the end of the month. Class AA is too hard to look at right now; there are ten teams that might be good enough to make a deep playoff run. I'll try to sort out that mess sometime later this week. But the other four classes are a bit clearer.
Class A:
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake (2-0) - BH-BL has two wins so far, a 32-13 victory over Gloversville and then a 42-7 domination of Glens Falls last week. Burnt Hills also has the advantage that they play in the weaker division, so the next-best team in the division is Bishop Maginn (as opposed to Division II, which houses L'burgh, Amsterdam, and Glens Falls). They don't have to play the Knights or the Rams during the regular season, and their toughest divisional play test comes next week when they play Maginn at home. The only game they are likely to lose is at the end of the month, when the play at 2-0 Queensbury.
Upcoming Schedule: 9/15 vs Maginn, 9/21 vs Mohon, 9/30 @ Queensbury
Amsterdam (2-0) - The Rams have not looked good in either of their two wins (at Maginn and Scotia), but they still are the defending state champs and they still are 2-0. The Rams also have time to straighten things out - they don't play Glens Falls or Lansingburgh until October. So Amsterdam should be 5-0 by the time the calendar turns.
Upcoming Schedule: 9/15 vs S. Glens Falls, 9/21 @ Averill Park, 9/29 vs Gloversville
Lansingburgh (2-0) - The Knights have posted a couple wins over the bottom class of Class A - at Scotia and home against Mohon. But they have looked very impressive in doing so. When the Knights take on Amsterdam on October 13th, it could very likely be for the Division II title. The Knights go on the road for the next two weeks - first against Gloversville and then against contender Glens Falls before an interesting home game against Class B contender Hudson.
Upcoming Schedule: 9/15 @ Gloversville, 9/21 @ Glens Falls, 9/29 vs Hudson
Other Contenders:
Bishop Maginn (1-1) - 9/15 @ BH-BL, 9/21 vs Scotia, 9/29 @ Averill Park
Glens Falls (1-1) - 9/15 @ Mohon, 9/21 vs Lansingburgh, 9/29 vs SGF
Class B:
Ravena (2-0) - Ravena has looked like the best team so far, beating Hudson Falls and Johnstown. In the coming weeks, they have two easily winnable games sandwiched around one very interesting matchup - a 9/22 game in Hudson. That game could decide the Reinfurt Division championship.
Upcoming Schedule - 9/15 vs Taconic Hills, 9/22 @ Hudson, 9/29 vs Cohoes
Cobleskill (2-0) - Cobleskill looks like the best team in the West division right now after a very good 20-19 win at Hudson. Hudson Falls is probably the second-best team in the division, but right now they're 0-2. Cobleskill should win their next three (or next two, at the very least), but nothing is a guarantee in the world of high school sports.
Upcoming Schedule - 9/15 vs Schalmont, 9/23 @ Fonda, 9/29 vs Hudson Falls
Albany Academy (2-0) - The Cadets are 2-0, but have beaten a couple mediocre teams (Fonda, Schalmont). They won't be tested for the next three weeks either, so this is another team that will almost surely enter October unbeaten. That's when things get interesting for the Cadets, with home games against Hudson and Ravena.
Upcoming Schecule - 9/15 @ CCHS, 9/22 @ Cohoes, 9/29 @ Taconic Hills
Hudson (1-1) - Hudson should be a good team this year, with a 33-0 drubbing of Broadalbin-Perth and a close 20-19 loss to Cobleskill. They have a very tough schedule for the coming weeks, however; after a game against cohoes, they have to play Ravena and then at Lansingburgh. Hard to see the Blue Hawks winning all three games, although only the former two are league games.
Upcoming Schedule - 9/15 vs Cohoes, 9/22 vs Ravena, 9/29 @ L'burgh
Other Contenders:
Hudson Falls (0-2) - 9/16 @ Fonda, 9/23 vs Broadalbin-Perth, 9/29 @ Cobleskill
Class C:
Chatham (2-0) - Chatham has shown that they have no trouble beating the lesser teams, with a 71-7 drubbing of Hoosic Valley and a 47-7 victory over CCHS already under their belt. But how will they fare against the better teams? We should know more after the next two weeks, games at Coxsackie and against Voorheesville. Still, the South division looks like the easiest in Class C, and I would not be surprised to see Chatham run the table.
Upcoming Schedule - 9/16 @ Coxsackie, 9/22 vs Voorheesville, 9/29 @ Tamarac
Stillwater (2-0) - I still don't know whether Stillwater is a contender or a pretender, as their two wins have came over middle-of-the-pack teams (Granville, Canajoharie). But we should know a lot more about them after one of next week's best games, when Hoosick Falls comes to town. They also happen to have a bye week on the 29th-30th. If they beat Hoosick Falls, they will have a very good chance to run the table the rest of the way.
Upcoming Schedule - 9/16 vs Hoosick Falls, 9/23 vs CCHS, 9/29 bye
Hoosick Falls (2-0) - Hoosick Falls probably looks like the best team in the section right now, with dominating victories over last year's Class C champion Schuylervile and last year's Class D champion Cambridge. The aforementioned game at Stillwater next week is their last test, as the rest of their schedule looks very easy.
Upcoming Schedule - 9/16 @ Stillwater, 9/22 vs Mechanicville, 9/30 @ Hoosic Valley
Cambridge (1-1) - Maybe Cambridge isn't as good as I think they are, but I still am holding fast to my belief that last week's game was an aberration and the Indians can compete with the best of Class C. They play at Lake George next week in a game that will solidify one or the other as a legit contender in the class. After that, Cambridge's toughest matchup is an October 6th matchup at slumping Schuylerville.
Upcoming Schedule - 9/15 @ Lake George, 9/23 vs Corinth, 9/30 vs Greenwich
Other Contenders:
Voorheesville (2-0) - 9/16 vs Watervliet, 9/22 at Chatham, 9/30 vs Coxsackie
Mechanicville (2-0) - 9/16 vs Hoosic Valley, 9/22 @ Hoosick Falls, 9/30 vs CCHS
Lake George (2-0) - 9/15 vs Cambridge, 9/23 @ Granville, 9/29 vs Schuylerville
Class D:
Salem (1-1) - Realistically, the only contenders in Class D are Salem and Fort Edward, though Rensselaer and Warrensburg might be able to pull an upset. We'll find out who the best team in the class is on September 30th, when Salem hosts Fort Edward. And, as of right now, none of the other games really matter.
Upcoming Schedule - 9/16 vs B. Gibbons, 9/23 vs Whitehall, 9/30 vs Ford Edward
Fort Edward (2-0) - Not much more to say.
Upcoming Schedule - 9/16 vs Whitehall, 9/23 vs Rensselaer, 9/30 @ Salem
===============
Quick note: Combined 2005 record of the four NFL teams on local TV right now (Philly-Houston, NYJ-Tennessee): 16-48. Ugh.
Class A:
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake (2-0) - BH-BL has two wins so far, a 32-13 victory over Gloversville and then a 42-7 domination of Glens Falls last week. Burnt Hills also has the advantage that they play in the weaker division, so the next-best team in the division is Bishop Maginn (as opposed to Division II, which houses L'burgh, Amsterdam, and Glens Falls). They don't have to play the Knights or the Rams during the regular season, and their toughest divisional play test comes next week when they play Maginn at home. The only game they are likely to lose is at the end of the month, when the play at 2-0 Queensbury.
Upcoming Schedule: 9/15 vs Maginn, 9/21 vs Mohon, 9/30 @ Queensbury
Amsterdam (2-0) - The Rams have not looked good in either of their two wins (at Maginn and Scotia), but they still are the defending state champs and they still are 2-0. The Rams also have time to straighten things out - they don't play Glens Falls or Lansingburgh until October. So Amsterdam should be 5-0 by the time the calendar turns.
Upcoming Schedule: 9/15 vs S. Glens Falls, 9/21 @ Averill Park, 9/29 vs Gloversville
Lansingburgh (2-0) - The Knights have posted a couple wins over the bottom class of Class A - at Scotia and home against Mohon. But they have looked very impressive in doing so. When the Knights take on Amsterdam on October 13th, it could very likely be for the Division II title. The Knights go on the road for the next two weeks - first against Gloversville and then against contender Glens Falls before an interesting home game against Class B contender Hudson.
Upcoming Schedule: 9/15 @ Gloversville, 9/21 @ Glens Falls, 9/29 vs Hudson
Other Contenders:
Bishop Maginn (1-1) - 9/15 @ BH-BL, 9/21 vs Scotia, 9/29 @ Averill Park
Glens Falls (1-1) - 9/15 @ Mohon, 9/21 vs Lansingburgh, 9/29 vs SGF
Class B:
Ravena (2-0) - Ravena has looked like the best team so far, beating Hudson Falls and Johnstown. In the coming weeks, they have two easily winnable games sandwiched around one very interesting matchup - a 9/22 game in Hudson. That game could decide the Reinfurt Division championship.
Upcoming Schedule - 9/15 vs Taconic Hills, 9/22 @ Hudson, 9/29 vs Cohoes
Cobleskill (2-0) - Cobleskill looks like the best team in the West division right now after a very good 20-19 win at Hudson. Hudson Falls is probably the second-best team in the division, but right now they're 0-2. Cobleskill should win their next three (or next two, at the very least), but nothing is a guarantee in the world of high school sports.
Upcoming Schedule - 9/15 vs Schalmont, 9/23 @ Fonda, 9/29 vs Hudson Falls
Albany Academy (2-0) - The Cadets are 2-0, but have beaten a couple mediocre teams (Fonda, Schalmont). They won't be tested for the next three weeks either, so this is another team that will almost surely enter October unbeaten. That's when things get interesting for the Cadets, with home games against Hudson and Ravena.
Upcoming Schecule - 9/15 @ CCHS, 9/22 @ Cohoes, 9/29 @ Taconic Hills
Hudson (1-1) - Hudson should be a good team this year, with a 33-0 drubbing of Broadalbin-Perth and a close 20-19 loss to Cobleskill. They have a very tough schedule for the coming weeks, however; after a game against cohoes, they have to play Ravena and then at Lansingburgh. Hard to see the Blue Hawks winning all three games, although only the former two are league games.
Upcoming Schedule - 9/15 vs Cohoes, 9/22 vs Ravena, 9/29 @ L'burgh
Other Contenders:
Hudson Falls (0-2) - 9/16 @ Fonda, 9/23 vs Broadalbin-Perth, 9/29 @ Cobleskill
Class C:
Chatham (2-0) - Chatham has shown that they have no trouble beating the lesser teams, with a 71-7 drubbing of Hoosic Valley and a 47-7 victory over CCHS already under their belt. But how will they fare against the better teams? We should know more after the next two weeks, games at Coxsackie and against Voorheesville. Still, the South division looks like the easiest in Class C, and I would not be surprised to see Chatham run the table.
Upcoming Schedule - 9/16 @ Coxsackie, 9/22 vs Voorheesville, 9/29 @ Tamarac
Stillwater (2-0) - I still don't know whether Stillwater is a contender or a pretender, as their two wins have came over middle-of-the-pack teams (Granville, Canajoharie). But we should know a lot more about them after one of next week's best games, when Hoosick Falls comes to town. They also happen to have a bye week on the 29th-30th. If they beat Hoosick Falls, they will have a very good chance to run the table the rest of the way.
Upcoming Schedule - 9/16 vs Hoosick Falls, 9/23 vs CCHS, 9/29 bye
Hoosick Falls (2-0) - Hoosick Falls probably looks like the best team in the section right now, with dominating victories over last year's Class C champion Schuylervile and last year's Class D champion Cambridge. The aforementioned game at Stillwater next week is their last test, as the rest of their schedule looks very easy.
Upcoming Schedule - 9/16 @ Stillwater, 9/22 vs Mechanicville, 9/30 @ Hoosic Valley
Cambridge (1-1) - Maybe Cambridge isn't as good as I think they are, but I still am holding fast to my belief that last week's game was an aberration and the Indians can compete with the best of Class C. They play at Lake George next week in a game that will solidify one or the other as a legit contender in the class. After that, Cambridge's toughest matchup is an October 6th matchup at slumping Schuylerville.
Upcoming Schedule - 9/15 @ Lake George, 9/23 vs Corinth, 9/30 vs Greenwich
Other Contenders:
Voorheesville (2-0) - 9/16 vs Watervliet, 9/22 at Chatham, 9/30 vs Coxsackie
Mechanicville (2-0) - 9/16 vs Hoosic Valley, 9/22 @ Hoosick Falls, 9/30 vs CCHS
Lake George (2-0) - 9/15 vs Cambridge, 9/23 @ Granville, 9/29 vs Schuylerville
Class D:
Salem (1-1) - Realistically, the only contenders in Class D are Salem and Fort Edward, though Rensselaer and Warrensburg might be able to pull an upset. We'll find out who the best team in the class is on September 30th, when Salem hosts Fort Edward. And, as of right now, none of the other games really matter.
Upcoming Schedule - 9/16 vs B. Gibbons, 9/23 vs Whitehall, 9/30 vs Ford Edward
Fort Edward (2-0) - Not much more to say.
Upcoming Schedule - 9/16 vs Whitehall, 9/23 vs Rensselaer, 9/30 @ Salem
===============
Quick note: Combined 2005 record of the four NFL teams on local TV right now (Philly-Houston, NYJ-Tennessee): 16-48. Ugh.
# posted by Kevin @ 12:38 PM 
