As far as PSAL seedings go, there’s certainly been worse. But this one is not without a few head-scratching selections either.
Like I said in my mock seeding blog yesterday, this might have been the toughest draw to figure out yet – in all of the PSAL sports I cover. So I sympathize with the committee and their plight. Below is the full list of ‘A’ seeds followed by my analysis.
1. Tottenville
2. James Madison
3. Construction
4. Francis Lewis
5. Susan Wagner
6. Clinton
7. Environmental Studies
8. McKee/Staten Island Tech
9. Bryant
10. InTech Academy
11. Cardozo
12. Bayside
13. Newtown
14. LaGuardia
15. Petrides
16. Bushwick
17. Stuyvesant
18. Manhattan Center
19. Port Richmond
20. Riverdale/Kingsbridge
21. Stevenson
22. Fort Hamilton
23. George Washington
24. Lehman
25. Richmond Hill
26. New Dorp
27. Hunter College HS
28. Lincoln
29. Midwood
30. Curtis
31. CSI/McCown
32. Bronx Science
I really don’t have a problem with the top six. Tottenville, Madison and Construction were going to be the first three for sure, but then there was an issue with Francis Lewis and Wagner. I would have put Wagner fourth after Lewis’ loss to Bayside last week. I know the Patriots won their division title, but the Falcons had three league losses all year: Tottenville twice and Construction.
Honestly, it doesn’t matter much anyway, because those teams will probably meet in the quarterfinals. Wagner will just have to take a bus ride to Fresh Meadows instead of Lewis heading to Staten Island.
That’s far from the worst thing in this seeding. I wouldn’t have Environmental Studies or InTech as high as they are, but sources told me this weekend that the committee placed a ton of importance on where a team finished in its division. Environmental won Manhattan and InTech was second in The Bronx, but was first for almost the entire season.
Two seeds I’m not sure about are Newtown and LaGuardia. Newtown had a nice league record, but didn’t beat Construction or Bryant and LaGuardia can’t be judged at all on when ace Alexandra Sappington, one of the city’s best pitchers, was still healthy. She went down in April with a torn ACL.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Petrides and Port Richmond were a little undervalued. Petrides finished fourth on Staten Island, the city’s best borough, and played tight games with everyone except for Tottenville. Port Richmond beat McKee/Staten Island Tech less than two weeks ago, but was probably hurt when Clinton run-ruled the Red Raiders, 12-2, last week. I do think both teams will be the favorite in the first round, though.
I know I said this Saturday, but expect a lot of upsets. There just isn’t a whole lot of difference between some teams in the top 10 and a team like Riverdale/Kingsbridge at No. 20. Defense is at a premium this season, so if one team has a breakdown anything can happen.
I expect Tottenville and Madison to be in the semifinals. Whoever joins them is still up in the air. Construction will not have it easy if it meets Clinton in the quarterfinals – and that’s if the Red Hawks get by a potential meeting with Port Richmond in the second round. Wagner also likely gets a maturing Bayside team in the second round in what could be an interesting game.
The whole postseason, in fact, should be interesting. I’m looking forward to it. Let’s hope the rain stays away.
