Has the balance of power changed in Class A football?

 Three weeks remain in the Section II football regular season. The same three teams that were tied atop the Capital Division in Class A last year---Amsterdam, Averill Park, & LaSalle, were also tied headed into play last night. That may not be the case much longer.

Earlier today, the Rams lost to Grasso Division leader Burnt Hills, 29-8, knocking Amsterdam from the ranks of the unbeaten. As we saw last night, Averill Park fell to Ballston Spa, 45-40, in a wild thriller that took nearly three hours with all the scoring. LaSalle defeated South Glens Falls, 35-6, so the Grasso Division won two of the three matchups.

Heading into play next week, the teams are all 2-0 in the division, and will see each other over the final three weeks. To wit:

Amsterdam & Averill Park will play each other next week. Amsterdam then goes to Troy, and will likely spoil Homecoming for the Flying Horses, before returning home for Senior Night vs. LaSalle. The Warriors would play LaSalle and Mohonasen in weeks 7-8. The Cadets, who've won four in a row, will host Columbia for Senior Night next Friday, before going on the road to play Averill Park & Amsterdam.

Projected finish:

I'm thinking LaSalle coach John Audino will have his Cadets studying game films of both Amsterdam & Averill Park. They're the hottest team in the division right now, and winning the division would fulfill one of the school's goals when they hired Audino four years ago. One goal, of course, was accomplished last year by winning the Collar City Cup from Troy.

For Amsterdam, suddenly, the division is not a sure thing. They will see a very angry Warrior team, upset over the loss to Ballston Spa, and will look to take it out on the Rams, but it won't happen. Losing to the Scotties may end up costing Averill Park in the long run.

By the time Averill Park plays Mohonasen, occupying the basement in the division at the moment, I think the division will have already been decided, and if it isn't, it will be when Amsterdam hosts LaSalle on October 28.

Final standings:

LaSalle 5-0 (7-2 overall).

Amsterdam 4-1 (8-1 overall).

Averill Park 3-2 (4-5 overall).

Of course, I could be wrong.