The first set of state rankings for the 2024 the season have been released by the NYSSWA. Below are the WNY teams that made the cut:
Class AAA
Niagara Falls #13
HM: Lancaster
Class AA
Timon #1
Health Sciences #3
Canisius #12
HM: St. Joe's, Jamestown, Orchard Park, Nichols, Williamsville East, Niagara Wheatfield
Class A
Amherst #6
Pioneer #9
HM: Cheektowaga, Iroquois
Class B
Salamanca #2
Newfane #5
Fredonia #11
Akron #20
HM: Eden, Allegany-Limestone, Falconer, Burgard
Class C
Randolph #1
Westfield #3
Panama #14
HM: Maple Grove, Gowanda
Class D
HM: Clymer, Sherman
According to the rankings...
- Falls just needs to get through those 20 regular season games healthy, string together a pair of wins, and hop a bus to Glens Falls! Winning that 2nd game could be tricky with Aquinas sitting one spot behind them in NYS Class AAA at #14. And let’s be honest here, with the gauntlet schedule the Wolverines have in place for this season, there are most likely multiple losses coming their way throughout the year as they work toward the ultimate goal. The state rankings don’t care how good you are as much as how good your record is, so don’t expect to see Falls this high all year. I would, however, recommend keeping those bus plans in place!
- Had the NYS Federation Tournament of Champions not been canceled, South Buffalo would be in store for the ultimate glory at season's end. Either way, the state thinks they are as awesome as I do, and has them pegged for a CHSAA Class AA state championship!
- Amherst celebrates a third consecutive overall Class A championship in WNY, but for the second straight season falls in the regional round as a pair of Rochester teams open ahead of them in the rankings
- Newfane's hopes for a Section VI title are dashed at Buff State again this season, this time by Salamanca. The Warriors go on to enjoy their greatest season in program history, reaching the state championship game in Class B, but fall short of the state's highest honor, losing to Marcellus
- Randolph makes it back-to-back state championships and the school erects a statue of Kevin Hind outside of the gymnasium.
- Harrisville's anger, once aimed toward East High for winning the Class D state championship in 2018, now shifts toward Avoca/Prattsburgh
Click HERE for complete NYSSWA State Rankings
-centercourt
First take . Lol. Harrisville is the best team I have watched in Class D, but they have to control that anger, South Kortright is always tough, also Sackets Harbor, but don't count out Avoca-Prattsburgh even though we lost 4 starters.
On a side note , can't wait for the Randolph, York matchup. IMO they will meet in the Western Regionals with the winner the odds on favorite to win the C state title
Posted by: Tracy Presler | Tuesday, December 19, 2023 at 12:38 PM