This week marks the end of the regular season for the fall YMSSA teams and there is no better time to take a look at how the postseason should match up. Please note: This story is being written while there are still games to play, so we will be making best guess assumptions on how those games will play out.
Eighth Grade Boys Basketball: As the only remaining undefeated team the Hillel Heat are the top seed representing division two. The number two seed will be the Yeshivat Noam Knights, the Knights own a 7-1 record while this story is being written, but they have two games this week against Moriah and Yavneh. When the teams met up earlier the season, the Knights were large margin victors in both games. Even if the Knights lose both games they are still secured the number two spot (and first round bye) since they will have the most wins versus playoff teams in division one. The Kushner Cobras will be the number three team as they hold the head to head advantage over Manhattan Day School, who will be the four seed. The five and six teams, RYNJ Jaguars and Ramaz Rams, will enter the playoffs with identical records, having split the head to head matchups and secured the same amount of wins against playoff opponents, so the seeding will come down to a coin toss. Their remaining game against ASHAR is irrelevant as the JEC Thunder (seven seed), own the tiebreaker from their head to head victory over RPRY (number eight) on December 5. The SAR Sting get the ninth spot thanks to their victory over RYNJ on January 24, giving them a win over a playoff team and the advantage over the He’Atid Hurricanes who will be the 10th team.
Seventh Grade Boys Basketball: The outcome of their lone game versus ASHAR will have no impact on the RYNJ Jaguars entering the playoffs as the number one team. The next five teams are more tightly packed. The SAR Sting are the likely two team, as they have two wins against the Yavneh Redhawks and both teams are currently 6-3. However the Sting have a game against the Hillel Heat, if the Heat beat the sting and the Redhawks beat the Ramaz Rams, then the Redhawks take home the two seed and the second first round bye. Just to make things even more complicated, the Moriah Mountaineers and the Noam Knights still have a game to play while sporting identical 5-4 records. If Yavneh and SAR lose their final games, the winner of the Moriah vs. Noam game will finish as the number two team. The Hillel Heat are locked in as the number six team, because the best they can finish is 5-5 with one win against a playoff opponent.
Seventh and Eighth Grade Girls Basketball: The He’Atid Hurricanes are currently 8-0 and working on the school’s first ever perfect season. If they can remain undefeated versus RPRY and WTA, they will enter the playoffs as the number one team. If they lose one of the remaining games, the 9-1 Noam Knights will surpass them as the number one seed. If not, the Knights will collect the second bye as the number two team. There are too many games still to play to sort out the remaining seeding but the 3-10 teams will be Yavneh, Moriah, Hillel 8, Hillel 7, Kushner, MDS, WDS and SAR 7. Many will finish with the same record, without a head-to-head or record vs. playoff team’s edge. Looks like it’s time for the infamous coin toss to determine seeding.
Boys Hockey (Blue Division): All eight teams will make the playoffs. The 7-1 RYNJ Jaguars have spent most of the season as the top team, but their lone loss came to 6-1 Yavneh Redhawks. If the Redhawks defeat the SAR Sting in the final game of the season, they will bump RYNJ and enter the postseason as the top team. The one seed will face off with the Kushner Cobras in round one, while the two team will get WDS Blue. The Moriah Mountaineers have locked up the three spot and will host the Noam Knights, while the SAR Sting will travel down the Henry Hudson Parkway to play the Ramaz Rams.
By Jewish Link Sportsdesk
