The CHSAA and private school teams are done in 2012, but the PSAL lives on, having just started its playoffs Thursday.
Tuesday will be the league’s ‘A’ second round, followed by the quarterfinals Thursday and the semifinals Saturday. A champion will be crowned next Monday at Hunter College – provided the gym ceiling doesn’t leak like it did two years ago.
There was some other action this week, though. St. Francis Prep advanced to the CHSAA Class AA state final for the first time since 1999, falling to host St. Mary’s of Lancaster up in the Buffalo area.
All the rest you can find below:
1. St. Francis Prep (12-1) (Last week: 1)
History was made Saturday. St. Francis Prep went up to Buffalo and advanced to the CHSAA Class AA state final for the first time since 1999, only to fall to host St. Mary’s of Lancaster in the title match. The Terriers, who were led by Talia Colasante, are the first team since Christ the King in 2000 to advance to the final.
Next: Season complete
2. Archbishop Molloy (10-3) (2)
Very few people expected Molloy to have the year it did, bringing up so many players up from the JV. But the Stanners beat St. Francis Prep, ending their rival’s six-year league winning streak and took SFP to five sets in the CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens final. The best part is that the core of the young team is back in 2012.
Next: Season complete
3. Stuyvesant (12-0) (3)
The Vixens with their No. 1 seed in the PSAL Class A playoffs were idle in the first round and will get game Curtis in the second round Tuesday. By this time next week, we could be talking about Stuyvesant in the championship match. But it’ll face a tough matchup with Midwood or John F. Kennedy in the quarterfinals Thursday.
Next: Curtis, PSAL Class A second round (Nov. 15, 5 p.m.)
4. Fieldston (13-0) (4)
The Eagles completed their best season in almost a decade last week, beating Brearley in the NYSAISAA final. It was the program’s best campaign since star Franci Girard graduated and went on to play for Stanford in 2003. Fieldston will bring a ton back and should challenge for a repeat.
Next: Season complete
5. Cardozo (10-0) (5)
The quest for a second straight title begins Tuesday in the second round against Forest Hills. The Judges are hoping they didn’t peak too early, especially with an interesting PSAL Class A quarterfinal matchup Thursday against either Hunter College HS or Brooklyn Tech. Ashley Grubler, Amy Sung and company will have their work cut out for them to make it two in a row.
Next: Forest Hills, PSAL Class A second round (Nov. 15, 5 p.m.)
6. Brearley (13-1) (6)
Catherine Egan completed an outstanding career last week in a loss to Fieldston in the NYSAISAA final. The senior middle did everything in her power to get Brearley the victory – she had 18 kills and five digs – but it wasn’t enough. The Beavers actually outscored the Eagles in total points, but Fieldston won three sets and its rival did not.
Next: Season complete
7. Fontbonne Hall (7-5) (7)
Lauren Ganun and Katie Lang have been starting since they were sophomore and they have meant everything for Fontbonne morphing from a Brooklyn also-ran to one of the best programs in New York City. The future is still bright for Linda Strong’s club, though, with a JV that went to the Brooklyn/Queens final.
Next: Season complete
8. Susan Wagner (13-0) (8)
The second-round opponent will be a very familiar one. Susan Wagner and Tottenville are PSAL Staten Island A9 rivals and the girls on both teams know each other well. Though the Falcons took care of business against the Pirates in the regular season, this will not be an easy matchup by any means – as the old saying goes, it’s hard to beat a team three times in one season.
Next: Tottenville, PSAL Class A second round (Nov. 15, 5 p.m.)
9. Francis Lewis (8-3) (9)
As the days go by, Francis Lewis gets healthier and more ready to take back the PSAL Class A title, which it held for three years from 2007 to 2009. The Patriots will face a mini-Cinderella in the second round. Academy of American Studies, seeded 20th, upset Seward Park in the opening round and the Eagles will be an unknown commodity for Arnie Rosenbaum’s club.
Next: Academy of American Studies, PSAL Class A second round (Nov. 15, 5 p.m.)
10. Grover Cleveland (11-0) (10)
Cleveland’s PSAL Class A second round opponent, Bryant, didn’t compete in any tournaments this year, but the two teams scrimmaged, so the Owls will not be a mystery to the Tigers. Anna Dawidowska’s team will be undermanned, though, after outside hitter Kimberly Vazquez moved to Puerto Rico due to family issues.
Next: Bryant, PSAL Class A second round (Nov. 15, 5 p.m.)
New: None
Dropped out: None
On the bubble: Hunter College HS (10-0), Bronx Science (12-0), Mary Louis (5-7), Poly Prep (5-6), Horace Mann (5-6) and Midwood (9-1)
CHSAA/PRIVATE RANKINGS
1. St. Francis Prep (12-1) (Last week: 1)
2. Archbishop Molloy (10-3) (2)
3. Fieldston (13-0) (3)
4. Brearley (13-1) (4)
5. Fontbonne Hall (7-5) (5)
6. Mary Louis (5-7) (6)
7. Poly Prep (5-6) (7)
8. Horace Mann (5-6) (8)
9. St. John’s Prep (11-1) (NR)
10. Preston (10-3) (9)
On the bubble: St. Joseph Hill (9-1), Cardinal Spellman (8-5) and Bishop Loughlin (9-3)
PSAL RANKINGS
1. Stuyvesant (12-0) (Last week: 1)
2. Cardozo (10-0) (2)
3. Susan Wagner (13-0) (3)
4. Francis Lewis (8-3) (4)
5. Cleveland (11-0) (5)
6. Hunter College HS (13-0) (6)
7. Bronx Science (13-0) (7)
8. Midwood (10-1) (8)
9. Brooklyn Tech (11-0) (9)
10. John F. Kennedy (10-3) (10)
On the bubble: Townsend Harris (7-4), Curtis (8-5), Tottenville (8-5), Bryant (13-0), Forest Hills (10-3) and Academy of American Studies (8-3)