New C-P T20
This list is tentative, pending the results of Sunday's five Cougar Classic games. Though I won't go into it now, I've already worked out all the permutations of what could possibly happen on the court, from a Mainalnd win over Heights to Gami losing to Council Rock North. Obviously the Wilson-Spirit game has huge implications, and trust me when I say it's causing some time-crunch consternation on the part of the folks at the C-P office. If Wilson wins -- and I give the Tigers a 50-50 shot -- I haven't decided yet whether I'll move them up to No. 3, where I think they belong, or stick with the process and opt to move Spirit down to No. 5, keeping the undefeated teams together near the top. Of course, if AC beats Boro, that decision gets simple. I'm not saying I have a rooting interest, other than to make my life easier.
Anyway, here's how it stands after Saturday's games, and how it will stand if there are no "upsets" on Sunday:
1. Gami
2. CC
3. HSpirit
4. Boro
5. Wilson
6. AC
7. RV
8. Heights
9. CH East
10. Cumberland
11. OCity
12. Haddonfield
13. Williamstown
14. Washington Twp.
15. Sacred Heart
16. Eustace
17. Paul VI
18. Cherokee
19. Pennsauken
20. Mainland
Almost: Moorestown, Eastern, Gloucester Catholic, Haddon Township, Kingsway, Timber Creek, Collingswood
This week was extraordinarily difficult, thanks to Tuesday's shuffling. A seemingly unprecedented number of ranked teams lost this week, and many of the giant killers went and lost themselves in their next game, complicating things further. Kingsway might have been in with a win over GC, for instance. Many of the teams that made the rankings this week have a loss to an unranked team, but they all have quality victories cancelling those losses out.
Haddonfield was one of the most problematic teams. On a two-game skid, the Haddons still haven't lost to a bad team, and both defeats could be seen as special circumstances. As I wrote a couple posts ago, Haddon Township is one of those throw-out-the-records opponents that always plays the Dawgs close, and Paul VI had its back against the wall playoff-wise. Those factors, coupled with the undeniable weight of victories over ranked teams like Heights, Sacred Heart and Cherry Hill East, kept Haddonfield safely in.
Williamstown was in danger of falling out, but a decisive victory over Sacred Heart on a neutral court kept the Braves afloat. Williamstown beat the Lions, who beat Eastern, wwho has beaten Cherokee, who has beaten Cherry Hill East, who has beaten Williamstown. What a tangled web we weave, but it's a web that caught the Braves before they fell too far.
Eustace was another conundrum. Again, Saturday's game was pivotal because Lazos came back. Much like RV, which played with an ailing Chelsea Cole for the first few weeks of the season, BE had some uncharacteristic losses. Truth to tell, Paul VI's win over Haddonfield was a factor as well, because it made Eustace's win over the Eagles look all the better.
Cherokee made its first appearance in the rankings this week, and that won't change no matter what happens Sunday. Congratulations to the Chiefs on their American-stirring win over East. That result, along with losses by Williamstown, Pitman, and Cinnaminson, means many of the division races in SJ are now a mess, with the notable exception of those in the CAL. Gami, OCity, Spirit and SHeart are all in command of their divisions, but in the western part of the area, only CC, Willingboro, Trenton Catholic and Timber Creek can say the same. And it wouldn't take much for them to fall into disarray, either.
Mainland and Pennsauken make return appearances. Kevin Callahan came back from Thursday's Pennsauken game singing the Indians' praises as loud as he could.
Lastly, Paul VI makes it in this week despite being only 5-5, but I couldn't have kept the Eagles out if I had wanted to, reasonably. They have exactly zero losses to unranked area teams, and a win over Haddonfield sealed the deal.
As I mentioned, I'll be at the Cougar Classic Sunday primarily to cover the Wilson-Spirit showdown, but I'm planning to go and watch a few of the preceding games. they're all interesting matchups, and I can't wait to see how they turn out.
Anyway, here's how it stands after Saturday's games, and how it will stand if there are no "upsets" on Sunday:
1. Gami
2. CC
3. HSpirit
4. Boro
5. Wilson
6. AC
7. RV
8. Heights
9. CH East
10. Cumberland
11. OCity
12. Haddonfield
13. Williamstown
14. Washington Twp.
15. Sacred Heart
16. Eustace
17. Paul VI
18. Cherokee
19. Pennsauken
20. Mainland
Almost: Moorestown, Eastern, Gloucester Catholic, Haddon Township, Kingsway, Timber Creek, Collingswood
This week was extraordinarily difficult, thanks to Tuesday's shuffling. A seemingly unprecedented number of ranked teams lost this week, and many of the giant killers went and lost themselves in their next game, complicating things further. Kingsway might have been in with a win over GC, for instance. Many of the teams that made the rankings this week have a loss to an unranked team, but they all have quality victories cancelling those losses out.
Haddonfield was one of the most problematic teams. On a two-game skid, the Haddons still haven't lost to a bad team, and both defeats could be seen as special circumstances. As I wrote a couple posts ago, Haddon Township is one of those throw-out-the-records opponents that always plays the Dawgs close, and Paul VI had its back against the wall playoff-wise. Those factors, coupled with the undeniable weight of victories over ranked teams like Heights, Sacred Heart and Cherry Hill East, kept Haddonfield safely in.
Williamstown was in danger of falling out, but a decisive victory over Sacred Heart on a neutral court kept the Braves afloat. Williamstown beat the Lions, who beat Eastern, wwho has beaten Cherokee, who has beaten Cherry Hill East, who has beaten Williamstown. What a tangled web we weave, but it's a web that caught the Braves before they fell too far.
Eustace was another conundrum. Again, Saturday's game was pivotal because Lazos came back. Much like RV, which played with an ailing Chelsea Cole for the first few weeks of the season, BE had some uncharacteristic losses. Truth to tell, Paul VI's win over Haddonfield was a factor as well, because it made Eustace's win over the Eagles look all the better.
Cherokee made its first appearance in the rankings this week, and that won't change no matter what happens Sunday. Congratulations to the Chiefs on their American-stirring win over East. That result, along with losses by Williamstown, Pitman, and Cinnaminson, means many of the division races in SJ are now a mess, with the notable exception of those in the CAL. Gami, OCity, Spirit and SHeart are all in command of their divisions, but in the western part of the area, only CC, Willingboro, Trenton Catholic and Timber Creek can say the same. And it wouldn't take much for them to fall into disarray, either.
Mainland and Pennsauken make return appearances. Kevin Callahan came back from Thursday's Pennsauken game singing the Indians' praises as loud as he could.
Lastly, Paul VI makes it in this week despite being only 5-5, but I couldn't have kept the Eagles out if I had wanted to, reasonably. They have exactly zero losses to unranked area teams, and a win over Haddonfield sealed the deal.
As I mentioned, I'll be at the Cougar Classic Sunday primarily to cover the Wilson-Spirit showdown, but I'm planning to go and watch a few of the preceding games. they're all interesting matchups, and I can't wait to see how they turn out.
posted by SMc. @ 2:19 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home