(Niagara Falls is the only team in Section VI going for a three-peat/Photo: Harry Scull,Buffalo News)
The Section VI postseason begins Tuesday night with five First Round matchups. The winner moves on to participate in the Pre-Quarterfinal round on Wednesday night at 7 pm. On Friday, 32 Quarterfinal games will decide which teams move on to Buffalo State and JCC for the semifinals.
Below I take a look at some of the best matchups we could potentially see in the pre-quarterfinals, quarterfinals, semifinals, and even the championship games, along with sleepers, some winning streaks, and predtictions.
** Please note that many of the games below are based on my predictions of who will win in prior rounds. I've been wrong before - just ask North Tonawanda
Most exciting brackets, top to bottom:
7. AA
6. B2
5. D
4. B1
3. A2
2. A1
1. C
- How exciting is the Class C bracket this postseason? So much so that I'm considering my first ever trip to JCC for the semifinals, which would have me missing opening night at Buff State. The Class C bracket is giving us Silver Creek at Chautauqua Lake and Maple Grove at Randolph for Quarterfinals!!! In case you missed it, Maple Grove just beat Tapestry. Tapestry has been the only ranked Class C team all season and Maple Grove is the #8 seed. If the brackets were to hold out, we'd have (1) Randolph, (2) Allegany-Limestone, (3) Tapestry, and (4) Chautauqua Lake at JCC. But honestly, who knows?!? Randolph split games this season with Silver Creek and Allegany-Limestone, losing the more recent meeting by 18. That Maple Grove team that just beat Tapestry lost three times to Chautauqua Lake this year. Last year, Class C was split into C1 & C2. Randolph beat East High to capture C2, before falling to Chautauqua Lake in the crossover. This year, they threw them all in one bracket and created an all-out royal rumble. Love the C bracket!!
Sleepers from each bracket
AA - Orchard Park: The Quakers would have to earn it right from the start, traveling to #2 seed Lockport for the Quarterfinals. But why can't these guys be the big splash team of the postseason? They are healthier than when the season began - a season that began with an emphatic win over St. Francis. They also just beat Clarence and won at Jamestown this year for the first time since Kyle Perla was distributing basketballs. I know the Lions are a tough & athletic matchup, but OP can take comfort in knowing they hung around twice in 11-point losses with another tough and athletic team from West Seneca West, who no one has beat this year.
A1 - McKinley: Maybe the easiest sleeper choice ever, considering the Macks are the #6 seed. No team wants to face them in the playoffs. While it's been an up & down year at Mack High, they have everything a team needs for success in the postseason. Coaching, guard play, size inside, defense, and all sorts of experience. So much so, that McKinley has reached Buff State in every season over the last 18 - the longest streak in Section VI.
A2 - Lew-Port: In a year where Class A2 is as wide open as this year is, the Lancers are prime candidates to catch you snoozing. They have the benefit of playing some tough competition in the NFL and showed they could hang with the likes of Niagara Falls and Lockport in losses this season. Remember a couple years ago when Lew-Port showed up and showed out at Buff State, playing in two of the week's most memorable games?
B1 - Burgard: Yes, the Bulldogs are just 9-11 on the season. But let's take a closer look at some of those losses - Middle College by 5, South Park by 8, East by 7, South Park by 2, McKinley by 2, and Franklinville by 3. They do have a win over Franklinville this year, along with a 27-point road win at Medina. Dunkirk hosts a dangerous team on Wednesday night.
B2 - Gowanda: It's admittedly tough to round up a sleeper in a bracket that has both Health Sciences and Middle College, because let's face it, one of them is winning Class B2. But I've seen the top eight seeds play this season and the Panthers have a good team with a standout in Nate Brawdy, along with a polished post player in Ture Hassler. Brawdy has enjoyed a nice career at Gowanda and this is his last shot at taking his squad to Buff State, so the stakes are high.
C - Maple Grove: I could write a bunch of catchy stuff here, but I'm picking the Red Dragons as the Class C sleeper for one simple reason - they just beat Tapestry by the same margin Health Sciences did and by more than Middle College did. Zzzzzzzzzz
D - Panama: The Panthers have a 6-3 sophomore in Cam Barmore who keeps getting better and they just pushed the #2 seed Sherman in a two-point loss at the end of the season. Head coach Ed Nelson led Panama to Glens Falls just two seasons ago.
Top 10 Pre-Quarterfinal Games (Wednesday, February 21st)
10. Salamanca @ Silver Creek
9. Kenmore West @ Hamburg
8. I-Prep @ City Honors
7. Niagara Wheatfield @ Frontier
6. Fredonia/Alden @ MST Seneca
5. CSAT @ Depew
4. Starpoint @ Iroquois
3. Kenmore East @ McKinley
2. Grand Island @ Hutch-Tech
1. Burgard @ Dunkirk
Top 12 Quarterfinal Games (Friday, February 23rd)
12. North Tonawanda @ Williamsville East
11. Amherst @ South Park
10. Orchard Park @ Lockport
9. MST Seneca @ Newfane
8. Silver Creek @ Chautauqua Lake
7. Burgard/Dunkirk @ Medina
6. Starpoint @ Maryvale
5. CSAT @ Lackawanna
4. Lew-Port @ Lake Shore
3. Clarence @ Jamestown
2. McKinley @ Sweet Home
1. Maple Grove @ Randolph
Most Exciting Potential Semifinals
8. East vs. Ellicottville (D)
7. Newfane vs. Lackawanna (B1)
6. West Seneca West vs. North Tonawanda (A1)
5. Lockport vs. Williamsville North (AA)
4. Cheektowaga vs. South Park (A2)
3. Randolph vs. Chautauqua Lake (C)
2. Allegany-Limestone vs. Tapestry (C)
1. Middle College vs. Health Sciences (B2)
Most Exciting Championship Games
5. Class AA
4. Class A2
3. Class C
2. Class D
1. Class A1
Winning streaks heading into sectionals
West Seneca West - 20
Olean 15 (and 19 of last 20)
Williamsville South - 11 (and 16 of last 17)
Sherman - 11 (and 12 of last 13)
Olmsted - 8
Maryvale - 6 (and 8 of last 9)
Franklinville - 5 (and 12 of last 13)
Middle College - 5 (and 9 of last 10)
Williamsville North - 5
Lackawanna has won 14 of last 15
Niagara Falls has won 12 of last 13
Ellicottville has won 10 of 11
MST Seneca has won 9 of 10
Allegany-Limestone has won 7 of 8
Cheektowaga has won 7 of 8
Newfane has won 7 of 8
Predictions
AA - Niagara Falls
A1 - Williamsville South
A2 - Maryvale
B1 - Olean
B2 - Health Sciences
C - Allegany-Limestone
D - Franklinville
-centercourt
Is you crazy. Medina win 13 in a row? They haven't won 13 games all year.
Posted by: Mustang math | Saturday, February 17, 2018 at 08:32 PM
I is crazy and I failed Mustang math :)
Posted by: centercourt | Sunday, February 18, 2018 at 07:27 AM
Remember where you heard this.Southwestern has a very nice club.Saw them again the other night vs Chautauqua Lake and the game coulda gone either way.Devin Pope and co.eeked out Avery close victory.Anyhow I liked what I saw and could see them very possibly at Buff State
Posted by: Robert Gerspach | Sunday, February 18, 2018 at 08:43 AM
Class AA: Niagara Falls
Class A1: Will South
Class A2: South Park
Class B1: Olean
Class B2: Health Sciences
Class C: Chautauqua Lake
Class D: Franklinville
Class AA is weak, again. Anything but another championship for NFHS would be a disappointment for them.
Greg Dolan won't be stopped. He's going to carry this team on his back if he has to.
A2 is the hardest bracket to predict IMO. Yes, I know South Park lost at Maryvale (by a point) back in December. Yes, I know South Park lost at home to Cheektowaga (by 4 points). But hear me out. South Park lost its first meetings to MEC and McKinley but they won the rematch against McKinley and Yale Cup Champion, MEC by 9 and 13, respectively. I think they can beat Maryvale and Cheektowaga in a rematch.
Olean back in Class B. Enough said.
Shame we have to see MEC and Health Sciences play in the semi-final and not the finals. I'm going with Davonte Gaines and HS.
I think Tapestry has the most talent in Class C but also the least experienced and will virtually be playing an away game in Jamestown. I really like Devin Pope and think he runs the table for Chautauqua Lake.
Anyone who knows me, knows I like East High. But I actually think if they were in Class C again, they would have a better chance than in D. Their lack of depth concerns me a lot (8 warm bodies and maybe 4 guys where I don't cringe when they have the ball, but those 4 guys are GOOD), playing in Jamestown again and the fact that Franklinville has an extremely talented big man and shooters all around, I like Franklinville repeating as D Champion.
Posted by: StateChamps2003 | Sunday, February 18, 2018 at 12:42 PM
MMA ?
Posted by: T | Sunday, February 18, 2018 at 06:17 PM
A1: Will South- Dolan carries the day
A2: South Park
B1: Olean
B2: Health Sci.
C: Tapestry
D: East- Anderson and Allen overcome Franklinville
A Crossover: Will South
B Crossover: Health Sci
Best possible match ups
Will South vs West Seneca West
Health Sciences vs MC
Class C & D Semis and Finals these should be some of the most entertaining games of the sectionals, will be super competitive.
Class A&B Crossovers
Best Chance to win a State Title:
Class B and Class D representatives
Posted by: PJB | Monday, February 19, 2018 at 10:46 AM