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You can listen to Phil Blackwell, Eagle Newspapers' sports editor, at 10 a.m. every Saturday on WHEN, AM620

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Rating: 2.2/5 (5 votes cast)

Mar

01

State Title Dreams Fade...Except One

pblackwell, Random Thoughts

Amid all that snow, a talented body of Section III wrestlers and boys swimmers set out to their respective state championship meets last weekend - the grapplers to downtown Albany and the Times Union Center, the pool masters to Buffalo's Erie Community College.
All sought to be on top of the podium, and quite a few came really close. But only one man actually got there.
That would be Derek Pfluger, 135-pound wrestler from Sandy Creek, and the Comets' first-ever state champion on the mat.
Better yet, Plfuger did it without dropping a single match all season. He was already 40-0 going into the state meet, fresh off claiming Division II (small school) Most Outstanding Wrestler honors at the Section III championships on Feb...

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CATEGORY: General Sports

TAGS: Derek Pfluger, state wrestling, state boys swimming, volleyball, Skaneateles

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Mar

02

Boys Basketball Semifinals Recap

pblackwell, Random Thoughts

In a previous entry, I took note as to how the Section III hockey championships occurred in a small vacuum, with all the attention placed on Vancouver.
Similarly, it was quite easy to lose track of the goings-on in the Section III boys basketball semifinals, with it stacked up against SU's record-shattering crowd at the Carrier Dome, the whipping of Villanova and the rise to no. 1 in the polls...

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CATEGORY: Basketball

TAGS: Section III, boys basketball, semifinals, recaps

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Mar

02

Girls Basketball Semifinals Recap

pblackwell, Random Thoughts

As if the wait for the Section III girls basketball semifinals wasn't taxing enough, a little snowstorm (okay, it was 18 to 24 inches in most parts) pushed back the proceedings even further.
So each of the 20 surviving teams was anxious to play on Saturday and Monday. What emerged were games that were surprising on many different fronts - if not at the top.
The Class AA titans went to Liverpool - and both would prove successful. First, Corcoran fell asleep amid CBA's 2-3 zone, then woke up to score the last 10 points of the third quarter and go on a 17-2 run to get a 67-55 win. it helped to have Coriesha Hickey's 22 points...

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CATEGORY: Basketball

TAGS: Section III, girls basketball, semifinals, recap

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Mar

03

Finals Preview - The Boys Side

pblackwell, Random Thoughts

Since they start first, we'll commence our look ahead to the Section III boys basketball finals by considering the six boys games on the docket.
First, the big news is that we're in a different place. After all those years, and all those memories, that came from title games at Manley Field House, the scene has shifted 50 miles to the east, to Utica Memorial Auditorium. Different vibe, to be sure, but it remains to be seen whether it's better or worse.
That out of the way, we start with the two Class C finals on Friday night. In each case, the top seeds made it through, resulting in some fun match-ups.
First it's C-1, Tully against Westmoreland, and it's very tough to call. We all know the Black Knights' formula - a system without stars and a whole lot of defense...

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CATEGORY: Basketball

TAGS: Section III, boys basketball, finals preview

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Mar

04

Girls Basketball Finals Preview

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Simple, really - five game on Saturday to determine the five Section III girls basketball champions. And all of them have great storylines and match-ups that make it worth the drive to Utica Memorial Auditorium to see what unfolds.
The loudest fans might be present for the high noon opener, the Class B final between one trying to restore its dynasty and one that hasn't been here in a long time.
South Jefferson is concerned with the dynasty part. One year away from the crown after a seven-year stretch of titles was one year too many for Pat Bassett's crew, and it's responded by going 20-0 and zooming to the top of the state rankings with the usual stuff - scary defense, timely 3-point shooting and a dependable centerpiece in Maddy Wetterhahn...

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CATEGORY: Basketball

TAGS: Section III, girls basketball, finals preview

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Mar

05

Weekly Column: A View From the Top

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Around noon on Monday, March 1, 2010, what was expected for a couple of days officially came to pass. Syracuse was the home of the nation’s top-ranked men’s college basketball team.
Even typing that sentence causes a bit of a chill. Syracuse is number 1? Really? You mean that same unheralded, unranked, unappreciated bunch that became (briefly) a national punch line when it lost to LeMoyne in an early-November exhibition?
Well, all of it was, and is, true. And barring a complete brain-lapse from the 10 men gathered in Indianapolis this week to put together the field for the NCAA Tournament, the Orange will go there as a top seed, a favorite, expected in many circles to win it all.
This is rather new stuff...

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CATEGORY: Basketball

TAGS: SU, men's basketball, no. 1 ranking, NCAA

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Mar

06

Girls Basketball Finals Recap

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...

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CATEGORY: Basketball

TAGS: Section III, girls basketball finals, wrap-up

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Mar

07

Still Skating...and Still Winning

pblackwell, Random Thoughts

Section III had a whole lot to be proud of on Saturday, between the rink and the oval In wildly varying circumstances, two ice hockey teams and a string of talented indoor track stars brought home victory.
New Hartford, trying to repeat as state Division II ice hockey champions, found itself in a marathon regional final against Webster Thomas (Section V) in front of the home fans at the Rec Center.
Twice, the Spartans led in the third period. Twice, Thomas (looking to avenge a loss in last year's regional final) tied it, the latter on a short-handed goal that made it 4-4 and forced overtime when Joe DiRose stopped Clayton Whittemore on a penalty shot with 15 seconds left.
One OT didn't settle it...

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CATEGORY: General Sports

TAGS: Hockey, New Hartford, West Genesee, state indoor track meet, wins

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Mar

07

The Shot....And Much More

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...

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CATEGORY: Basketball

TAGS: Section III, boys basketball, finals recap

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Mar

09

Tully Tames West Canada

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...

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CATEGORY: Basketball

TAGS: Tully, West Canada, boys basketball, Class C final

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Mar

10

Weekly Column: This Utica Thing Could Work

pblackwell, Random Thoughts

Give some truth serum to John Haas prior to the Section III Class AA final, and he could tell you that the prospect of his Cicero-North Syracuse boys basketball team facing Utica Proctor in Utica’s Memorial Auditorium wasn’t exactly a fair set-up.
But the moment Anthony DelCoro’s wild 3-pointer crashed off the glass and through the net to give the Northstars a miraculous 61-60 victory and the program’s first-ever sectional title, Haas surely changed his mind.
In sports, a magic moment is magical no matter where it takes place...

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CATEGORY: Basketball

TAGS: Utica, Section III finals, one venue

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Mar

14

Ruling Hockey, Twice Over

pblackwell, Random Thoughts

Never mind anything else - when it comes to hockey in New York State, regardless of gender, Section III rules ..or at least it rules the parts where state tournaments are contested.
Back in February, it was Oswego's girls roaring to the state title in Skaneateles, not allowing a goal in the "Frozen Four" and riding the incredible talents of eighth-grader Taylar Cianfarano.
Now it's March, and much the same story applied, twice over, on the boys side when the gold plaques were handed out in Utica Auditorium.
The paths West Genesee and New Hartford took to this place were quite diverse...

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CATEGORY: Hockey

TAGS: Hockey, state championships, New Hartford, West Geneseer

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Mar

15

On to Glens Falls...But Not to Troy

pblackwell, Random Thoughts

When the New York State Public High School Athletic Association basketball championships get decided this weekend, it will have a heavy Section III flavor - at least in Glens Falls, anyway.
Three of the five boys sectional champions found their way to the state final four through victories in regional play, each of the impressive variety.
By sharp contrast, none of the five girls champions were able to make it to Troy.
Start with the successes on the boys side. One was rather ho-hum, for Jamesville-DeWitt is making this an annual affair. It helped, too, that the regional opponent at Hudson Valley Community College, Burnt Hills, had a sub-.500 record in the regular season and were expected by no one to get this far.
You could pretty much guess the outcome...

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CATEGORY: Basketball

TAGS: State basketball, regional playoffs, J-D, Westhill, New York Mills

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Mar

16

NCAA Preview - West Regional

pblackwell, Random Thoughts

Over the next two days, feel free to use the information in the upcoming four posts to fill out your friendly little NCAA tournament bracket. Or feel free to completely ignore any and all information in these entries.
You see, no matter how much we analyze (really, over-analyze) the Dance, it will go in places you don't expect. Consider this, then, as a primer, with wild guesses as to who survives the wonderful, wild splendor that is the first two rounds.
We start in the West, because that's where the home team got sent. Syracuse, once 28-2, lost a couple of times and - bingo! - shipped out so that, if it gets to the Sweet 16, Salt Lake City it will be.
First, though, there's that small matter of getting through Buffalo. Being just 140 miles from home is nice...

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CATEGORY: Basketball

TAGS: NCAA, West Regional, analysis

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Mar

16

NCAA Preview - Midwest Regional

pblackwell, Random Thoughts

In the second of our four NCAA Tournament preview entries, we turn the gaze to the Midwest - where, if you believe a majority of the talking heads (and that doesn't mean Harrison, Byrne, Weymouth and Frantz), the toughest bracket and favorite both sit in the same place.
Kansas fits the latter category. At 32-2, the Jayhawks seem to have it all - the big post presence in Cole Aldrich, the leadership and experience of Sherron Collins, the youthful gifts of Xavier Henry and the proven coaching of Bill Self, who won it all in 2008. The best thing about KU is that, despite every reason for rancor and jealousy, the team's chemistry is close to perfect.
Rock Chalk has rocked just about everyone this winter, and should do the same Thursday in Oklahoma City to Lehigh...

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CATEGORY: Basketball

TAGS: NCAA, Midwest Regional, analysis

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Mar

17

NCAA Preview - East Regional

pblackwell, Random Thoughts

In the third of our NCAA Tournament analyses, the focus heads to the East, which will end up in our own Carrier Dome a week from now and might feature some very interesting guests.
Okay, so John Calipari is not the most popular or likable coach in the country. But Kentucky fans sure don't care. Under Cal's relentless push, the young Wildcats went from mediocrity to SEC dominance and top seed in the East. It helped to have point guard John Wall and double-double machine DeMarcus Cousins around, two possible All-American freshmen who are certainly of the one-and-done, NBA-lottery type.
Kentucky's brawn and underrated clutch ability is on display in New Orleans against Atlantic Sun champion East Tennessee State. Anything less than a title will be a failure to Big Blue Nation...

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CATEGORY: Baseball

TAGS: NCAA, East Regional, Analysis

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Mar

17

NCAA Preview - South Regional

pblackwell, Random Thoughts

So to finish our scan of the entire NCAA Tournament picture, we plant ourselves in the South, where the regionals will be in Houston - and two different teams from Texas could end up there.
But it's Duke that sits as the top seed, a prospect that many did not agree with. Then again, many do not agree with the Blue Devils' very presence in our society, the hatred runs so deep. What is factual is that Coach K's Dookies ruled the ACC again through lots of defense and a bigger, more physical approach than in years past...

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CATEGORY: Basketball

TAGS: NCAA, South Regional, analysis

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Mar

18

Weekly Column: Just Get to Augusta Already

pblackwell, Random Thoughts

All right, time for a recap. In the 2009 Masters, Angel Cabrera won after Kenny Perry, who led through much of the final round, bogeyed the last two holes and Chad Campbell, who also reached the playoff with Cabrera and Perry, missed a short putt on 18 to get eliminated.
Read those facts, and remember them. For it might be the last you hear about them prior to the 74th edition of this springtime classic.
What the return of Tiger Woods to competitive golf at Augusta National means, quite simply, is that the rest of the field will cease to exist...

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CATEGORY: Golf

TAGS: Masters, Tiger Woods, return, spotlight

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Mar

21

J-D Reigns Again...and Westhill Joins Them

pblackwell, Random Thoughts

Think this was a rather productive weekend for Central New York basketball?
The SU part was quite welcome, especially with all the we-don't-have-Onuaku angst. The Cornell part was even better - think they'll have some support in the Dome Thursday night against mighty Kentucky?
Then there's the rather significant fact that the Syracuse suburbs now are the proud home to two state high school champions - one further building upon its dynasty, the other returning to the top 13 years after its first taste.
Jamesville-DeWitt is used to the fuss, accustomed to going to Glens Falls and returning with plenty of hardware...

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CATEGORY: Basketball

TAGS: J-D, Westhill, boys basketball, state champions

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Mar

23

NCAA West: The Orange Quest Continues

pblackwell, Random Thoughts

Part of the pure excitement, elation and fun of the first four days of the NCAA Tournament was the fact that Syracuse did not stress - in the way that many, many other big names did.
Watching Saturday night, as Northern Iowa knocked out heavy pre-tourney favorite Kansas, the feeling was immediate - the Orange's chances to win it all had just improved. A lot.
The fact that SU took care of its own business, toying with Vermont and blowing by Gonzaga without the services of Arinze Onuaku, only adds to the buzz and confidence everyone around here feels as the local team ventures out to Salt Lake City for the West regional.
SU's next hurdle is Butler, winners of 22 in a row. The Bulldogs backed up its no...

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CATEGORY: Basketball

TAGS: NCAA Tournament, West Regional, analysis

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Mar

23

NCAA East: Big Blue vs. Big Red

pblackwell, Random Thoughts

In this NCAA Tournament full of rich storylines and improable occurrences, the climactic moment just might play itself out Thursday night, right in our very own Carrier Dome.
Kentucky against Cornell. Big Blue against Big Red. SEC against Ivy League. A school with more than 100 tournament wins against a school that just got its first win in the Dance last Friday.
Everything about this game, on the surface, screams complete mismatch...

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CATEGORY: Basketball

TAGS: NCAA Tournament, East Regional, analysis

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Mar

24

NCAA Midwest: It Turns On Turner

pblackwell, Random Thoughts

Our obsession with brackets and pools come NCAA Tournament time can be a bit debilitating. We become more vested in seeing our choices get through than in the possibility that something earth-shaking might take place.
Free from that burden (at least money-wise), I could revel in what happened last Saturday night in Oklahoma City. The drama of Northern Iowa trying to hold on against Kansas, the team picked by so many to win it all, rivaled anything seen in this Dance in a long time.
And when Ali Faroukmanesh hit the mother of all No-No-YES!!! 3-point dagger from the corner...well I screamed as much as during any SU game this year. Just magic stuff, and further proof that trying to predict this thing is pointless...

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CATEGORY: Basketball

TAGS: NCAA Tournament, Midwest regional, analysis

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Mar

24

NCAA South: Like Them Or Not

pblackwell, Random Thoughts

At this time 10 days ago, a whole lot of teeth-gnashing was going on about Duke being placed above Syracuse (no. 3 overall seed to no. 4) in the NCAA Tournament committee's pecking order.
And if that wasn't being criticized, the bracket took the hits. Too easy for the Blue Devils, many remarked. A cakewalk to Indianapolis, just as CBS wanted so it can get the combined ratings of Duke fans and Duke haters.
It's a good story, but preposterous. No one, especially Mike Krzyzewski, would compare this outfit of Dookies to the 1991, '92 and 2001 title teams, or even to other Final Four squads. Less talent, for sure, and far more grit that glamour going on.
What the Blue Devils do best is defend, as both Arkansas-Pine Bluff and California found out in the first two rounds...

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CATEGORY: Basketball

TAGS: NCAA Tournament, South Regional, analysis

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Mar

26

This Hurts..And This Will Heal

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A rash of turnovers.

A long, desultory scoring drought to start the night.

Teases at comebacks, only to get answered.

An actual rally that creates a four-point lead with less than four minutes left, false security.

An untimely steal out of a time-out that leads to a crucial baskets on the other end.

A 3-point shot that bounces off the rim a few times, then somehow drops through.

An injured center that sits through it all, unable to do anything, and in the end cries in the locker room, inconsolable...

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CATEGORY: Basketball

TAGS: SU, men's basketball, NCAA Tournament, loss, Butler

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Mar

28

The Anticlimactic Ending

pblackwell, Random Thoughts

Say you are the boys basketball team Jamesville-DeWitt, or Westhill. After four months of hard work, of taking everyone's best shot, of striving and straining, you go to Glens Falls, reach for glory - and capture the state championship, the pinnacle, the very best one can do in high school sports. It's time to savor it, to celebrate with friends, family, classmates and teammates, and to get some well-earned rest.
Except that you don't rest. Instead of respite, it's another week of practice, then another trip out of town for another tournament against another band of high-quality opponents - all in front of sparse crowds.
Such was, and is, the Federation Championships...

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CATEGORY: Basketball

TAGS: State Federation championships, J-D, Westhill, losses

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Mar

29

A Compelling Quartet in Indy

pblackwell, Random Thoughts

Brace yourself, America, for a Final Four unlike any we might have ever witnessed, in the wake of an NCAA Tournament where almost nothing went to plan.

Get ready for Duke, back after a six-year absence - too long for its partisans to bear, way too short for its haters to consider. The Blue Devils are back, like it or not.

Prepare for West Virginia, who last got here when Jerry West ruled the hardwood, and for the sight of Mountaineer fans singing John Denver at the top of their lungs, and not apologizing one bit.

Welcome back Michigan State, who was supposed to expire several times on this trek back to the college basketball summit, especially when its best player went down. Behold the power of Tom Izzo...

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CATEGORY: Basketball

TAGS: NCAA Final Four, Butler, Michigan State, West Virginia, Duke

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Mar

30

Weekly Column: Is More OT Better?

pblackwell, Random Thoughts

Jan. 24, and the NFC Championship Game stretches into overtime. New Orleans wins the coin flip, gets a good kick return, uses a short drive to reach Minnesota territory to set up Garrett Hartley for his 40-yard field goal that sends all of Louisiana into rapture.

Next year, the scenario would be different. The Vikings would get a chance to respond, maybe tie it, maybe win it or maybe throw it away...

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CATEGORY: Football (American)

TAGS: NFL, overtime rules, changes

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