After Sunday’s PSAL Class A and B championship games, there are just three teams still playing from the PSAL.
Murry Bergtraum will represent the league upstate in the New York State Federation Class AA tournament, playing Saturday against Cicero-North Syracuse in the semifinals at 2 p.m. The winner of that game takes on Nazareth in the title game Sunday.
Wings, which beat Curtis on Sunday, heads to Albany as the PSAL’s ‘A’ representative. The Lady Wings face Archbishop Molloy in the NYS Federation Class A semifinals 1:30 p.m. Friday at the Times Union Center.
In the ‘B,’ Scholars Academy routed Bedford Academy on Sunday for its first-ever title in just its second varsity season. The Seawolves, who have a huge following from Rockaway, will take on defending Federation champion Irvington in the semifinals 10 a.m. Friday in Albany.
Here’s how the rankings look:
1. Murry Bergtraum (22-3) (Last week: 1)
This weekend is going to be a nutshell of the entire season for Bergtraum. Few expected the Lady Blazers to be able to win a 13th straight PSAL city title and now even less think they can win a New York State Federation Class AA championship. But the heart and guts this group has played with all season has gotten it to Albany – and that makes Bergtraum hard to count out.
Next: Cicero-North Syracuse, NYS Federation Class AA semifinals (March 26, 2 p.m. @ Times Union Center)
2. South Shore (23-6) (2)
Win or lose at the Garden, South Shore put the rest of the city on notice this season with wins against the likes of St. Anthony’s (L.I.) and Mary Louis. The past few seasons, the CHSAA has dominated PSAL foes, but the Vikings are working to reverse that trend and usher in a new era.
Next: Season complete
3. John F. Kennedy (18-10) (3)
Shaquaya Daniels and Bama Vann are going to be two extremely tough losses for Kennedy next year. But the Knights are going to be just fine led by Deaisia Acklin, Leshauna Phinazee and Joya McFarland, among others.
Next: Season complete
4. Francis Lewis (18-7) (4)
Next season is coach Steve Tsai’s proving ground. With Jasmine Davis, Tyese Purvis, Jazmine Hamlet and Erica Ward all seniors, Francis Lewis must get to at least the semifinals again for the season to not be viewed as a failure.
Next: Season complete
5. McKee/S.I. Tech (20-6) (5)
The Seagulls have a chance to make a real push next season, perhaps into the semifinals. MSIT will have back star Kaitlyn Astel as well as point guard Kelin Walsh, sharpshooter Olivia Iacono and hard-nosed forward Brenna DeRosa.
Next: Season complete
6. Manhattan Center (11-14) (6)
Youth will take over Manhattan Center next season. Janicha Diaz Carrion and Cashmir Fulcher are both budding stars who can have breakout years and Dahsia Williams has promise. Coach Jaywana Bradley will likely be looking toward Yen Pham for leadership.
Next: Season complete
7. Banneker (17-9) (7)
Africa Williams, Diara Adger and Jenipher Rodriguez all return to make up one of the best returning backcourts in the PSAL next season. There’s no doubt coaches Jonathan Anderson and Munch Llopiz also have some other moves up their sleeves as well.
Next: Season complete
8. Midwood (11-14) (8)
Mike Moore more than proves his coaching ability in the Class AA quarterfinals when he guided Midwood to a lead at halftime against loaded South Shore. With the young Hornets, like Monet Keane Dawes and Amber Rivera, a year older look for Midwood to be a threat in 2011-12.
Next: Season complete
9. Lincoln (12-8) (9)
The best thing about Lincoln’s season was that the team’s success was arguably a year ahead of schedule. Next year, the Railsplitters return just about all of their core and Simone Roberts, Shaquella Figueroa and Erica Juarbe are set to lead them to that elusive quarterfinals berth.
Next: Season complete
10. Wings (25-2) (NR)
It all came together for Wings on Sunday in a storybook ending. Tyler Moses overcame the emotions of seeing her family in a fight in the bleachers to hit a big 3-pointer. Aquillin Hayes made the biggest shot of her high-school career, draining a long 3 with 2.3 seconds remaining to unbreak a tie. Minutes later, she would commit to New Haven. The Lady Wings won their first-ever PSAL Class A title and will head upstate this weekend with a chance to take more hardware back to The Bronx.
Next: Archbishop Molloy, NYS Federation Class A semifinals (March 25, 1:30 p.m. @ Times Union Center)
New: Wings (25-2)
Dropped out: Truman (11-15)
On the bubble: Truman (11-15), Medgar Evers (14-9), Grand Street Campus (12-12), Tottenville (24-4), Goldstein (20-3), Curtis (19-9), Bryant (17-1), Baruch College Campus (20-2), Brooklyn Collegiate (22-8) and Scholars Academy (27-1)