Wednesday, June 6, 2012: The final week by the number
Leading off today: By the numbers, here's a look a the last meaningful stretch of the 2011-12 high school sports calendar:
0
Goals allowed by Fairport in Saturday's seven-goal win over Orchard Park in the NYSPHSAA boys Class A lacrosse quarterfinals. It was the eighth shutout in tourney history but the first in Class A. Semifinals in all three classes are today, with finals set for Saturday.
0
Amount of attention being paid attention to the third annual New York State High School Football Classic. I think the game in the Upstate vs. Downstate format is still scheduled for June 10 in the Carrier Dome. As I've said before, there really isn't another spring or summer date available for the game, but playing it on the weekend of the baseball, softball and lacrosse finals as well as the track and field championships is suicide if no one involved with the game is going to put meaningful effort into publicizing it.
1
The number of defending champions still alive in the NYSPHSAA baseball tournament through Tuesday's action. Class AA champion Victor from Section 5 is the last 2011 champ still in the running.
2
The number of defending champions still alive in the NYSPHSAA softball tournament through Tuesday's action. John Jay East Fishkill in Class AA and Windsor in B will be trying to go back-to-back Saturday at Queensbury.
3
The number of defending champions still alive in the NYSPHSAA lacrosse tournaments entering the semifinals. Jamesville-DeWitt (Class B boys), Garden City (B girls) and SYracuse CBA (C girls) are still in the running. A victory by Garden City would be the seventh straight for the program, tying the all-time NYSPHSAA record for all teams in all sports held by Honeoye Falls-Lima girls cross country (1998-2004).
1 2
Number of runs scored by Briarcliff during a two-out rally in the sixth inning of a 13-5 boys Class B baseball win over Babylon to reach the semis in Binghamton. Briarcliff, which won despite committing six errors, loaded the bases with none out in the sixth before Babylon chalked up two outs and appeared ready to get out of the jam with little or no damage.
1 3
Extra-base hits banged out by the Clarence softball team Tuesday during an 18-2 win in state Class AA quarterfinals action against Fairport. The Red Devils, who slugged four homers and nine doubles to rout the Red Raiders, are back to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association semifinals for the third time in five seasons.
1 5
Home runs belted by MacArthur's Kristen Brown heading into the state Class AA softball semifinals vs. Clarence. Brown, who has committed to play shortstop for the University of North Carolina, is hitting over .560 with 45 runs batted in. She's also 9-3 with a 2.27 ERA for the Generals, relishing their first final four berth since 1988.
Strikeouts posted by Shoreham-Wading River pitcher Mike O'Reilly in an 11-inning, 3-1 loss to Plainedge in the Class A baseball quarterfinals. O'Reilly, who threw 110 pitches, pitched a six-hitter and ran his string of scoreless innings to 22 until allowing the trio of runs in the 11th inning.
2 4
Consecutive victories reeled off by Victor left-handed pitcher Matt Portland, who is unbeaten in his high school career. The Northwestern University recruit fanned 10 in six innings of work as the Blue Devils rolled past Lancaster 15-1 on Tuesday.
8 1
Wins post by the West Islip boys lacrosse team in its last 85 contests. Victories Wednesday vs. Niskayuna and then Saturday against the Fairport/Ithaca survivor would give West Islip its fifth NYSPHSAA Class A championship in seven seasons and continue the Nassau/Suffolk dominance. Throw out West Genesee -- admittedly not exactly an itty-bitty detail -- and the only teams north of NYC to win the large-school title are Syracuse Henninger (1980), Yorktown (1984) and Mahopac (1996).
1 9 9
Career hits by Frewsburg senior Thaddeus Johnson after banging out three more Tuesday vs. Lyons during a 14-5 win in the NYSPHSAA quarterfinals. Johnson, who broke the presumed NYSPHSAA record of 188 on May 24 with a first-inning home run vs. Holland -- five days after tying the mark with a HR against Falconer.
He'll be back in action Saturday in the state Class C semifinals vs. Lansing at Johnson City High School.
2 4 3
Overall position (seventh round) in the Major League Baseball draft at which Fordham Prep shortstop Andrew Velazquez was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks this week, making his the first New York high school senior taken.
Pittsford Sutherland outfielder Grant Heyman was the next to go at No. 355 in the 11th round to the Toronto Blue Jays, and George Washington catcher Nelson Rodriguez was taken in the 15th round at No. 473 by the Cleveland Indians.
