Boys Soccer Playoffs

In my previous post I broke down my prediction of the Class A girls soccer playoffs. So here come the boys.

Mount Sinai missed a big chance to win the League VI title outright Wednesday with a loss at Shoreham-Wading River. So the Mustangs are co-champs with Miller Place which makes it interesting as to which team earns the higher seed. The teams split the season series with 1-0 wins. Mount Sinai won the more recent game Saturday at home. We'll see Friday.

As with the girls, the No. 8 and No. 9 will play each other for the right to face the No. 1.

Here's how I would align the bracket:

1. Comsewogue (14-0, League V)

vs.

8. Westhampton (7-6-1, League VI) vs. 9. Bayport-Blue Point (6-6-2, League VI)

5. Sayville (10-4, League V)

vs.

4. Miller Place (9-2-3, League VI)

3. Mount Sinai (10-3-1, League VI)

vs.

6. Harborfields (6-6-2, League V)

2. Hauppauge (11-3, League V)

vs.

7. Shoreham-Wading River (8-6)

Harborfields makes it official

The Harborfields girls soccer won Thursday afternoon against Westhampton, 5-0, to clinch the League VI title, which had been held by Shoreham-Wading River the last two years. The Wildcats finished in second place with a very respectable record of 10-1-1, the same record that won them the league title last year.

Harborfields really came out of nowhere this year to go 11-0-1. In League V last year the Tornadoes went 2-9-1 to finish last. A young team this season, the Tornadoes should be tough again next year. While their poor record last year is partly attributable to playing in the ultra-competitive League V, it's still hard to imagine how they made such a dramatic turnaround so quickly. Rocky Point had a much better season a year after playing in League V, but not to the same level. Rocky Point went 2-8-2 last year and finished 8-4 this year, losing to Harborfields and Shoreham twice.

The brackets for girls soccer will be posted Friday, but as of Thursday night, here's my rough prediction of how things might look. Nine teams will get in, so the eight/nine seeds will play an outbracket Saturday for the right to play the No. 1. As for that No. 1, does it go to Islip or Sayville?? Tough call. I'll go with Islip since the Bucs beat Sayville 4-0 in their last meeting.

So here's how I would align the teams:

1. Islip (10-1-1, League V)

vs.

8. Hauppauge (6-5-1, League V) vs. 9. Mt. Sinai (7-5, League VII)

5. John Glenn (10-2, League VII)

vs.

4. SWR (10-1-1, League VI)

3. Sayville (10-1-1, League VI)

vs.

6. Rocky Point (8-4, League VI)

2. Harborfields (11-0-1, League VI)

vs.

7. Bayport-Blue Point (9-2-1, League VII)

Now, does Harborfields, since its the only unbeaten team receive the top seed, even though Islip and Sayville are the superior teams? It could happen, but I doubt it based on the fact that Islip and Sayville have clearly been the two best teams in Class A since like, 1945. But with an unbeaten record and League VI title, Harborfields does deserve the No. 2 seed.