The road to Syracuse begins tomorrow night for 10 Section II football teams. Five Super Bowls in the space of a scant more than 24 hours. Both of Friday's games, though, will be hampered by afternoon rains that might still be coming down come game time.
Friday:
Class AA Super Bowl: Shenendehowa vs. CBA @ Guilderland (Spectrum News 1, cable channels 1, 9, or 200), 7 pm.
Guilderland's new turf field will get its sternest test with the rains pouring down the remnants of Tropical Storm Nicole. Keep in mind that Shen coach Brian Clawson has never beaten a Bob Burns coached team, either at Troy or CBA. As we've previously noted, Burns took two undefeated Troy teams all the way to the state title (2016-17), and Burns' Brothers are undefeated going into this rematch with the Plainsmen. Expect more wrestling jokes aimed at Shen's Brett Steiner during the Spectrum telecast. This will be a tighter, more defensive game than last time. It has to be, otherwise, with Donald Jones (CBA), Henry Picard, & Ishaan Aloize (Shen) running all over the joint, they might be able to race through the raindrops and we could get a 45-44 game or something like that.
The pick: CBA. History is on Burns' side.
Class C Super Bowl: Warrensburg-Lake George vs. Schuylerville @ Lansingburgh, 7 pm.
I'd love it if Lansingburgh uses their YouTube channel to air this game online. The Knights also have a turf field, so the conditions for the teams here are the same as in the AA game. It'd be a nice story if Warrensburg-Lake George wins this, as it would be the first sectional title for Warrensburg, a small North Country town that merged its football program with Lake George in order to field a team. It's been a dream season, but dreams ultimately can be shattered. Schuylerville rediscovered its defense in beating previously unbeaten Fonda last week. Expect more of the same.
The pick: Schuylerville.
Saturday:
Class B Super Bowl: Lansingburgh vs. Ravena @ Shen, 1 pm.
No one expected the Knights to be the ones carrying the flag for the city of Troy this deep into the season, but LaSalle was eliminated last week, and Troy missed the playoffs due to quarter points. Jeff Pasinella's club has come a long way in the last five years, playing for a sectional title for the first time in over a decade, back when they were in Class A. However, Ravena will end 'Burgh's Cinderella story.
The pick: Ravena.
Class D Super Bowl: Chatham vs. Cambridge-Salem @ Mechanicville, 1 pm.
Chatham has dropped in class from C to D, but things will likely change again in a few months with the introduction of Class AAA for next season. We'll save the inevitable battery jokes for next fall.
Cambridge, aside from its merger with Salem, is facing an identity crisis, as many of you know. There's a push to change the team nickname from "Indians", but to my knowledge, no one's pushing other schools, such as Fonda or Glens Falls, to do the same. Then again, the school board meetings have gotten newsworthy as long as the debate rages on. On the field, though, Cambridge remains a power in Class D. About the only way the debate ends is if the district agrees to a change in exchange for some lights not only for their field, but others in the North Country as well, as they're among the last holdouts in Section II for hosting games under the stars.
As you can probably tell, the teams have slipped past the radar.
The pick: Cambridge-Salem.
Class A Super Bowl: Averill Park vs. Niskayuna @ CBA, 7 pm.
They're going to have a hard time drawing fans for this game, due to a little college basketball game at MVP Arena between Siena & UAlbany going on at the same time. Nisky has won 7 in a row after a rough start. Averill Park upset defending champ Burnt Hills last week, largely on another bravura effort by Jacob Phelps. The Silver Warriors' defense will have their work cut out for them trying to slow down Phelps and QB Nick Galuski.
Worth noting: While both teams are seeking their first title, no Rensselaer County team has won in A or AA football since-----wait for it----Troy five years ago. Averill Park will be looking to end that hex. Defensive coordinator Mark Galuski, Nick's father, was on Bob Burns' staff at Troy, so that may be a difference maker.
The pick: Averill Park.
Of course, I could be wrong.
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