Field hockey: Predicting the Section 1 playoffs – The Journal News

The Section 1 field hockey playoffs start Monday.

There are always playoff upsets.

But this season, maybe the biggest upset is that Section 1 has made it this far -- or at least most of Section 1 has.

Lakeland field hockey players jump onto goalie Celeste Pagliaroli after the final buzzer in Lakeland's 2-1 victory over Greeley at Lakeland High School Nov. 5, 2020. (Photo: Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News)

In a switch from past practicein which the Section 1 field hockey championships were really full-fledged championships in classes A, B and C, every team, regardless of record, has qualified to play for these regionalized titles.

Qualified doesn't mean will play, however.

The exception are those teamsfrom schools that haveshut down all or parts of their sport programs due to COVID cases/potential exposure.

That means for the field hockey playoffs, no Brewster, no Rye, no Ursuline and no Harrison. The list, unfortunately, could expand before the scheduled finals (Dutchess and large southern Westchester schools on Wednesday and everyone else on Friday).

And Section 1 officials are also aware Albany could cancelall interscholastic sports at any time, given the surge in statewide COVID rates.

But, for now, the games are on.

Below is a listing of today's games with some brief notes about the brackets.

Note: As of this early Monday morning posting, Section 1had not assigned times to the games. Also, its fan policy will continue through playoffs: No visiting fans allowed and two fans allowed per each home player.

If any region has reason to grouse about these playoffs it's Dutchess. Yes, it's great that anyone is playing this fall, no less this late in the season. But it would have been nice if it these four teams could have been included in with Northern Westchester/Putnam, since Dutchess squads played those teams during the regular season.

As it is, the final will likely be No. 1 Ketcham vs. No. 2 John Jay-East Fishkill.John Jay-EF won their first of two regular-season encounters 2-1. Recently, Ketcham won 3-1. Translation: Flip a coin.

Monday's games

No. 4 Lourdes at No. 1 Ketcham: Lourdes hasn't won a game. This won't change Monday. Ketcham should romp.

No. 3 Arlington at No. 2 John Jay-East Fishkill: Arlington has a shot but JJ-EF should win this.

Large division

Greeley's Grace Arrese (4) during game against Lakeland in field hockey action at Lakeland High School Nov. 5, 2020.(Photo: Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News)

Greeley at 10-1 (its lone loss coming 2-1 toLakeland in a game it at times dominated) is the odds on favorite here, although JJ-CR should give it a decent game.The absolute shame of this season is there was no Greeley-Mamaroneck game. Greeley is currently No. 3 in the rankings and Mamaroneck No. 1. In normal times, these teams would no doubt have met for the Section 1 Class A championship. Monday, Greeley has a bye. All other teams in this division are in action.

Monday's games

No. 5 Somers at No. 4 Mahopac: Could be the game of the day. Somers had a tougher schedule. If it wins, it won't be much of an upset. But Mahopac is enjoying a big resurgence in its field hockey program and won't want to see the season end this soon and on home turf. Making Somers a slight favorite.

No. 6 Fox Lane at No. 3 Carmel: All Carmel here. The Rams are toofast andtoo skilled for the reguilding Foxes.

No. 7 Yorktown at No. 2 John Jay-Cross River: The Wolves aretoo deep for Yorktown. JJ-CR, one of the section's better teams, will win and it could be a blowout.

Small schools

Lakeland's Keirra Ettere (7) during game against Greeley in field hockey action at Lakeland High School Nov. 5, 2020.(Photo: Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News)

Speaking of grousing, North Salem would have been the favorite this year to win the Section 1 Class C crown and, in all likelihood, go to the state championships.

Now, it's lumped into a division for these makeshift playoffs with Class B Lakeland, a team that just won its 24th consecutive league title, only recently saw its more than 200-game unbeaten streak in Section 1 play snapped by Mamaroneck and has won 10 state titles in the last 11 years.

Forget that Lakeland, which has a quarterfinal bye Monday,isn't quite as good as some of those (or maybe all of those) state championship squads it had. This is still a superb field hockey team that can beat anyone on any day.

So, this is the Hornets' division to lose and don't bankon that happening.

Monday's games

No. 5 Panas at No. 4 Hen Hud: Panas beat Hen Hud by one last month. But Hen Hud has played well lately. Figure Hen Hud in a tight one.

No. 6 Putnam Valley at No. 3 Croton: Seedings are meaningless here. Yes, Croton beat Put Valley during the regular-season. In fact, that was just Friday. But Putnam Valley outshot Croton, despite Croton getting the 1-0 win. Croton is a favorite here but a very slight one. This is one of those games that could go to OT.

No. 7 Byram Hills at No. 2 North Salem: All Tigers on this one. Very good team that is especially impressive, since it's one of the few that practices and plays at home on grass and then somehow still wins on artificial turf.

Large division

With COVID taking programs out of the playoffs, this division has only four schools. There's a lot of talent here. But Mamaroneck should own this title. No teamfrom Section 1 had defeated Lakeland in 12 years until the Tigers did so earlier this month. As noted above, it's a shame it didn't get to play Greeley, the team that beat it by a goal for the Section 1 title last year after years of trying. Mamaroneck wanted redemption. COVID prevented its shot at that. But unless COVID shuts down sports beforeWednesday evening, figure the Tigers willwin with this consolation prize.

Monday's games

No. 4 White Plains at No. 1 Mamaroneck: Yes, White Plains is very good. It's having its best season in recent memory and defeatedboth Bronxville and Scarsdale. It also lost just 2-0 to Mamaronecklast week, despite White Plains' leading scorer, Alexa Donahoe, sitting that game out with injury. That was a huge turnaround from its opening-day 10-0 loss to Mamaroneck. Could White Plains win this game? Despite its seeding, it probably would have the best shot of any team in this division of beating Mamaroneck. But figure Mamaroneck will double-team Donahoe and White Plains' other star, Julia Hricay, just as it did in their first match-up. Deny them the ball and you pretty much deny White Plainsthe game. Simply, as good as White Plains is -- and it does have good talent beyond its two stars--it doesn't have Mamaroneck's depth. Mamaroneck is strong at every position and it has something no team in Section 1 has: Samantha Maresca in net. She has recorded 49 shutouts over her careerfor Mamaroneck and will play for Division I Sacred Heart next year. To beat Mamaroneck, you have to beat Maresca. That's asking a lot -- probably the impossible. Mamaroneck is ranked No. 1 overall. Figure that won't change this season.

No. 3 Scarsdale at No. 2 Pelham: This is a very tough one to call. Scarsdale had a rough season with COVID putting it on ice early for a prolonged period. When it returned, it lost to teams it didn't normally lose to. But it also showed flashes of its old self. It recently rebounded with a one-goal win over White Plains after losing to the Tigers by a goal earlier. Pelham isone spot above the Raiders in the overall Journal News/lohud rankings and recently destroyed small-school top seed Rye Neck 9-1. It has been solid throughout the season. But we're going with a small upset here: Scarsdale

Small schools

Bronxville, last year's state Class C champion, did a nosedive at the end of the season. Once a top-five team overall, it's now not ranked at all in The Journal News/lohud Section 1 top 10.

The Broncos havethe second spot in this division behindRye Neck. Both teams have byes on Monday and won't play until Wednesday's semifinals.

But forget Section 1's seedings here. And forget the Broncos' skid. Anything less than Bronxville winning this division will be an upset. It fell just 1-0 to No. 5-ranked Rye last week. Yes, it has had trouble scoring and, of late, winning. But the Broncos are still tops in this grouping.

Monday's games

No. 5 Pleasantville at No. 4 Hastings: These teams didn't play this season. Both did play No. 2 Putnam/Northern Westchester-seed North Salem, however, Pleasantville falling 2-0 and Hastings falling 4-0. Give Pleasantville a slight edge here in this quarterfinal match.

No. 6 Valhalla at No. 3 Irvington: Once a doormat, Irvington is moving northward at a pretty quick pace. It's 4-5-3 this season and is probably better than its record. It should beat the Vikings but will have a tough time getting past Bronxville in the semis.

Everyone is one in Rockland. No big and small divisions. This championship will be a true Rockland County championship, which, in a way, is pretty cool.

This division isn't as black and white as others.

The top seed is Clarkstown South at 8-1-1 and should win it all. But the emphasis is on should. Pearl River tied the Vikings 3-3 Nov. 9. And second-seeded Suffern split a two-game series with South during the regular season.

How close these teams are is also clear from No. 3-seed Pearl edging No. 2-seed Suffern by a goal during the regular season.

Chances are good several of the Rockland games, beginning with Monday's quarterfinals, will be decided by a single goal.

Monday's games

No. 8 Albertus Magnus at No. 1 Clarkstown South: Vikings all the way on this one.

No. 5 Nanuet at No. 4 Clarkstown North: Want to talk close? These teams tied 2-2 last month. Going with North here but a Nanuet win would not be a shocker.

No. 6 North Rockland at No. 3 Pearl River: North Rockland has had a down year but fell by only a goal to Pearl River Saturday. Still, Pearl is the better team and should win this one.

No. 7 Nyack at No. 2 Suffern: Down year for Nyack, solid for Suffern. Mounties should be the easy winner here.

PLAYOFFS ARE HERE: Field hockey: Here are the seedings for the Section 1 tournament

REMARKABLE RUN ENDS: Field hockey: Mamaroneck ends Lakeland's historic 12-year Section 1 unbeaten streak

HORNETS SURVIVE: Field hockey: Lakeland scores early and hangs on to extend 12-year Section 1 unbeaten streak

Nancy Haggerty covers cross-country, track &field, field hockey, skiing, ice hockey, girls lacrosse and other sporting events for The Journal News/lohud. Follow her on Twitter at both @HaggertyNancy and at @LoHudHockey.

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Field hockey: Predicting the Section 1 playoffs - The Journal News