I’ve gotten both e-mails and blog posting asking when the soccer All-Star teams will be out, so here’s an update:
We’re in the final stages of putting the team together, so you could see them as early as next week.
Check out my preview of the Spartans’ 12:45 p.m. semifinal against Manlius-Pebble Hill in tomorrow’s paper.
I’ll be in Homer tomorrow to cover the game. Bring your boots – the weather report calls for 2 to 4 inches of snow tonight and 1 to 3 inches tomorrow.
My soccer state quartefinals preview is out, you can read it here.
I’ll be in Oneonta tomorrow, covering Warwick vs. Vestal.
Here’s the schedule for Saturday’s girls’ soccer quarterfinals:
Class AA: Monroe-Woodbury vs. Horace Greeley, 5 p.m. at Hudson Valley Sports Dome
Class A: Cornwall vs. Maine-Endwell, 3 p.m. at Hudson Valley Sports Dome
Class B: Burke vs. Briarcliffe, 1 p.m. at Hudson Valley Sports Dome
Class C: S.S. Seward vs. Stony Brook, noon at Centereach High School
The boys’ quarterfinals in Class AA, A and B haven’t been set yet, because the opening-round games are being played today.
Here’s the schedule for Tuesday’s state soccer tournament games, all at the Hudson Valley Sports Dome:
Girls’ Class D opening round: Livingston Manor vs. Smithtown Christian (Section 11), 3 p.m.
Girls’ Class C opening round: S.S. Seward vs. Solomon Schechter (Section 1), 5 p.m.
Boys’ Class C opening round: Millbrook vs. Blind Brook (Section 1), 7 p.m.
Just back from the Dome after a tripleheader of championship soccer – and 3-for-3 in picks. I’ll be right back there again in a few hours. Here are today’s picks, feel free to contribute:
Boys’ soccer
Class A final
Goshen vs. Cornwall: Cornwall has gotten hot at the right time of the season. But Goshen is the two-time defending champ. And the Gladiators won both regular season meetings, 2-1 on Sept. 14 and 3-0 on Oct. 11. Hard to see anything changing today. Prediction: Goshen 3, Cornwall 1
Class AA final
Newburgh vs. Warwick: Irresistible force, meet immovable object. On one side there’s the Goldbacks, offensive skill throughout the entire lineup. On the other side is the Wildcats, they of the 11 shutouts. But all signs point to a Newburgh win. Not only did the Goldbacks beat Warwick 3-1 on Sept. 10 they have something the Wildcats don’t have: Dome experience. Newburgh beat Red Hook 3-1 on the turf on Oct. 15. Warwick goalie Jon Moore has been terrific this year, especially in the postseason. He’ll have to be one again today if the Wildcats are to pull off the upset. Prediction: Newburgh 2, Warwick 0
Girls’ soccer
Class AA final
Monroe-Woodbury vs. Washingtonville: Who would have thought their Oct. 2 regular-season meeting at the Dome was a sneak preview? Monroe-Woodbury won that game 2-0. And the Crusaders come in as a slight favorite today, especially after hanging an touchdown-plus two on Pine Bush in the semifinals. But Washingtonville is the defending champ and is as good a big-game team as there is. So many things to watch in this one. Who wins the battle between M-W’s strike force (Jackie Frey and Caitlin Reilly) and Washingtonville’s D, led by super sweeper Ashley Drenth? Washingtonville freshman striker Nicole Rivera has been a revelation this season, does her strong play continue. This has a chance to be a dynamite final. Prediction: Monroe-Woodbury 3, Washingtonville 2
Volleyball
Class AA final
Pine Bush vs. Warwick: The script called for a third Pine Bush-Minisink Valley match. But Warwick forgot to read it; the Wildcats dumped the Warriors in five games in Slate Hill. They’ve put it together at the right time after a so-so regular season. But the Cinderella run comes to an end. Warwick may have won one of the three games Pine Bush has lost all year, but Pine Bush isn’t losing three in one night . The dynasty reaches seven. Prediction: Pine Bush 3, Warwick 0
Went 11-for-14 on Thursday. Only three games on today’s schedule, let’s get to them:
Boys’ soccer
Class B final
Burke vs. Spackenkill: “We’ve been preparing for Spackenkill all season,” Burke coach Rob Dickover told me after his team beat Fallsburg in the semifinals. Well, the Eagles have their wish. Goshen coach Mike Kelly, whose team scrimmaged Spackenkill this season and saw Spackenkill during the regular season when he was scouting future opponent Byram Hills, told me he thought this year’s squad might be better than the 2005 squad that went to the state final. That’s high praise. Prediction: Spackenkill 3, Burke 2
Girls’ soccer
Class B final
Burke vs. Red Hook: It’s a matchup of dynamite midfielders. Burke has Danielle Weimer, who has 26 goals, including two that helped knock out three-time Section 9 champ Highland in the semifinals. Red Hook has Yale-bound Marin McDermott, who has 34 goals. Whichever team wins the midfield battle wins the title. Prediction: Burke 2, Red Hook 1
Class A final
Cornwall vs. Wallkill: By now, everyone knows what happened the last time these two teams met. Will the Green Dragons have any extra motivation going into this game? Who knows, but Cornwall is riding a 10-game winning streak. Prediction: Cornwall 2, Wallkill 1
A perfect 10-for-10 on Wednesday. Of course, that probably means I’ll go 0-for-today.
Anyway, on to the picks. Feel free to provide your own.
Boys’ soccer
Class C final
S.S. Seward vs. Millbrook: When I talked to the Spartans after they beat Tuxedo about playing at the Dome, their faces lit up. They love that fast turf; their game is predicated on speed. They beat Millbrook 3-1 during the regular season, but that was early. And any team that knocks off Spackenkill and Roosevelt in consecutive games – at the Dome, no less – needs to be taken seriously. Should be a tight one, but Seward makes it 7-in-7 in Section 9 titles. Prediction: Seward 2, Millbrook 1
Class AA semifinals
Monroe-Woodbury at Newburgh: Round 3, and I mean it. This one will be a battle. Monroe-Woodbury beat Newburgh on their home field, the Goldbacks then returned the favor in Central Valley. It’s an interesting contrast: Newburgh builds its offense with precise, on-the-ground passing, while Crusaders rely on their size and speed. Should be a good one. Prediction: Newburgh 2, Monroe-Woodbury 1
Warwick at Roosevelt: You won’t find a team stingier than Warwick, the Wildcats have 11 shutouts this year. The key for them is avoiding a letdown after knocking out Pine Bush on Tuesday. Roosevelt played just one Class AA school this year – Middletown. That catches up with them here. Prediction: Warwick 2, Roosevelt 0
Class A semifinals
Rondout Valley at Goshen: It’s been a nice season for the Ganders. But it’s hard to go against the two-time defending champs. Prediction: Goshen 3, Rondout Valley 1
Cornwall at Onteora: Onteora knocked Cornwall out of last year’s tournament in the quarterfinals. Now there’s even more at stake and this is where Cornwall gets revenge. Prediction: Cornwall 2, Onteora 1
Girls’ soccer
Class C final
S.S. Seward vs. Webutuck: The Spartans are using the same formula that got them to the state Class D semifinals a year ago: Stingy defense plus timely goal-scoring. And with the addition of sophomore Kristen Ludecker, you can argue that the Spartans have offensive depth than last year. Prediction: Seward 2, Webutuck 0.
Volleyball
Class AA semifinals
Kingston at Pine Bush: Pine Bush coach Lori Kachelmeyer told me at the start of the season that Kingston would be a team look out for this year and she was right on the money. But it’s hard to see the Tigers knock off the six-time section champs. Prediction: Pine Bush 3, Kingston 0
Warwick at Minisink Valley: Warwick, up-and-down all regular season, scored a mild upset when they beat Monroe-Woodbury in the quarterfinals and are definitely dangerous. But Minisink Valley beat them twice during the regular season and have been more consistent. Prediction: Minisink Valley 3, Warwick 1
Class A semifinals
Saugerties at Cornwall: Cornwall’s only loss this season came to Monticello. Loss No. 2 won’t come today. Prediction: Cornwall 3, Saugerties 0
Port Jervis at Monticello: Port Jervis took just one game in its two regular-season losses to Monticello. This one will be closer, but the girls from Sullivan County will come out on top. Prediction: Monticello 3, Port Jervis 2
Class B semifinals
Goshen at Red Hook: It’s going to take a monumental effort by the Gladiators to knock off the four-time Section 9 champs. Too much talent, too much depth. Prediction: Red Hook 3, Goshen 0
O’Neill at New Paltz: It’s been a terrific season for O’Neill. But New Paltz is the more battle-tested of these two squads and reached the final last year. Prediction: New Paltz 3, O’Neill 1
Class C semifinals
Sullivan West at Rhinebeck: The Bulldogs are the best Class C team in the OCIAA. But Rhinebeck. Prediction: Rhinebeck 3, Sullivan West 0
Pine Plains at Millbrook: Don’t know much about these two teams, so I’ll take the home squad. Prediction: Millbrook 3, Pine Plains 1
Soccer All-Stars update…and goodbye
I know it’s been a long wait, but the boys’ team will be out tomorrow and the girls’ team will be out on Sunday.
It’ll be the same format as years past: three teams, four forwards, three midfielders, three defenders and a goalie on each team. I’m sure the teams will spark plenty of debate – looks like they have already. In fact, I’d be worried if there wasn’t any debate – that’s what makes All-Star teams so much fun.
It’s also my last assignment for the sports department at the Times Herald-Record. After six-plus years covering sports, I’m sliding over to the news section, where I’ll be covering cops, crime and other things.
It’s been a blast, really. There will be times, when I’m writing about things far more unsettling than high school sports, that I’ll look back fondly on my time spent here, and think this:
It really is just fun and games.
Hope all of you keep that in mind, too.
Later,
Keith Goldberg