Down the stretch they come!

 For most, it is the final weekend of the regular season. Sectionals begin next week, so let's take a look at hockey & basketball.

Hockey:

Shenendehowa has clinched the regular season title in the CDHSHL. Juan De La Rocha's club is 6 points clear of 2nd place Burnt Hills-Ballston Spa heading into their season finale tonight, Senior Night vs. Queensbury.

LaSalle sits in 6th place, when you factor in that Queensbury will be in the Division 2 playoffs, and not in the D1 tournament with everyone else. Tonight is Senior Night for the Cadets, too, as they host Adirondack. The Rivermen are in 4th, and will also close the regular season with tonight's game. LaSalle is looking to snap a 4 game losing streak. Lose, and they drop to 7th, assuming Bethlehem wins their Senior Night game vs. CBA.

The league's coaches will meet Sunday to finalize the playoff pairings. We know that Guilderville (9th) & the winless CD Jets (10th) are in the play-in portion of the tournament. Six points separate teams 2-8 as of now. The results of tonight & tomorrow's games will decide the field.

Basketball:

Our focus is on the Colonial Council. Troy, in its 2nd season in the league, sits atop the standings in both men's & women's action.

Women--Troy holds the tiebreaker over 2nd place Albany Academy in the event that the Lady Horses lose to Mohonasen on Senior Night tonight at Zotto Gym. A season sweep of Mohon locks down the league title. When sectional pairings are announced a week from today, we shan't be surprised if Section 2 decides that its bias in favor of the Suburban Council denies Troy a #1 seed, just like in volleyball back in the fall. Mohonasen can't catch Troy for the Colonial crown, but if the old men in charge of Section 2 have their way, their seedings figure to be like this:

1. Columbia. 

2. Amsterdam (Foothills Council).

3. Burnt Hills.

4. Troy.

5. Mohonasen.     

Rightfully, it should be:

1. Troy.

2. Columbia.

3. Mohonasen.

4. Amsterdam.

5. Burnt Hills.

Strength of schedule? Don't make me laugh. You could say Columbia has a tiebreaker over Troy based on their win over the Lady Horses in December, and Troy lost a tough one to Glens Falls later that month. Those are the only losses going into tonight.                                          

Men--Troy not only avenged their only league loss on Tuesday by beating Lansingburgh, but they clinched the league title in the process. They close at Mohonasen tonight & at Guilderland on Tuesday before sectional pairings are announced.

As far as Class AA is concerned, Troy currently is ranked #4 behind Amsterdam, Niskayuna, & Bethlehem. The January swoon for Jamil Hood's club put them in this position, and a win over Mohon tonight will strengthen their position. But, and this is important, if Troy were to lose to Mohon, and Columbia upsets Niskayuna, things change. Columbia, remember, defeated Troy recently, and would hold a tiebreaker, just like the women do.

Section 2 sees the Colonial Council as a weak sister next to the Suburban & Foothills Councils for whatever reason. That must change. Yesterday.