Monday, Sept. 15, 2014; Plenty of turnover at top in boys soccer

   Leading off today: The early indication is that there's a regime change in progress in the top tier of New York boys soccer as Chazy, a Class D co-champ last fall, is the only 2013 NYSPHSAA tournament winner to start this season at No. 1 in the first NYSSWA rankings.

   Chazy shared the Class D title last season with Jasper-Troupsburg, which opens the year at No. 5. Chazy is off to a 4-1 start and J-T is 4-0. The early blemish on Chazy's record was a 2-1 loss to Beekmantown, ranked 12th in Class B, in the season-opener late last month.

   The only other defending champion earning a ranking to start the new season is Massapequa, which is No. 5 in Class AA.

   Besides Chazy, the other No. 1's in the inaugural rankings are Arlington (Class AA), Honeoye Falls-Lima (A), Livonia (B) and Lansing (C). Livonia is off to a 4-0 start, having outscored opponents by a combined 18-0 thus far.

   The full set of rankings is available here.

   Girls cross country: Only one defending NYSPHSAA team champion starts the new season at No. 1 in the New York State Sportswriters Association ratings, but the other three titlists are in the vicinity.

   Fayetteville-Manlius, winner of eight straight championships, is atop Class A and is followed by Saratoga, the winner of six consecutive titles immediately before the start of F-M's streak.

   In Class B, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake holds down No. 1, with 2013 champion Queensbury fifth. In Class C, East Aurora, which won six straight state "B" crowns from 2005-10, starts off one position ahead of Bronxville, which has won the last six Class C trophies.

   Beaver River starts off with the Class D No. 1 ranking, with defending champ Tully second.

   The full set of rankings can be found here.

   By the way, Fayetteville-Manlius posted perfect scores in the large-school boys and girls races Saturday during the 11th annual Vernon-Verona-Sherrill Invitational. Junior Samantha Levy won in 18:48.7 as F-M swept the first nine spots and 20 of the top 26 positions.

   In the boys race, Bryce Millar won in a sizzling 15:44.5.

   Following up: A few football leftovers from the weekend ...

    • Justin Hoagland made the most of his scant opportunities in Whitehall's 54-6 win over Pine Plains. He scored two touchdowns in three carries and tossed a pair of TD passes on his only attempts through the air.

    • The biggest game played in New York didn't even involve a New York team. New Jersey's Don Bosco Prep defeated Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas 24-7 on Saturday at West Point's Michie Stadium.

    Don Bosco entered the game ranked No. 12 nationally by MaxPreps and Scout.com, and No. 21 by USA Today. STA entered at No. 1 by Scout.com, No. 2 by USA Today and No. 3 by MaxPreps.

    • Panama lost three running backs to injuries during a 26-14 loss to Cattaraugus/Little Valley. Among them was Kyle Saxton, who ran for 890 yards last season. He

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suffered an apparent broken collarbone midway through the second quarter.

    • File this name away for future reference: Sophomore quarterback Jack Coan was 18-for-27 for 386 yards and four touchdowns to lead Sayville past Eastport-South Manor 42-0.

   A tough way to play: Based on an account of the situation in The Advance, you almost have to wonder why girls bother trying to play golf for PSAL teams.

   According to the story, PSAL fall matches typically are scheduled for 4 p.m., making it nearly impossible for many players to squeeze in the full nine holes before darkness sets in -- especially once daylight savings time ends toward the end of the schedule.

   California controversy: Why did the chicken cross the road? Possibly because it had been kicked off the campus of Ventura High School in California.

   According to numerous print and TV reports over the weekend, the school's principal barred its football booster club from selling Chick-fil-A sandwiches on campus because of the restaurant chain's purported stance on same-sex marriage.

   Though the corporation has not stated a position on the issue, the chain's now-deceased owner, S. Truett Cathy, was known for his conservative beliefs, and his son and new company president Dan T. Cathy has publicly expressed opposition to gay marriage.

   The booster club expected to raise about $1,600 from 200 meals donated by the Ventura Chick-fil-A restaurant, which has donated to the school district in the past.

   "With their political stance on gay rights and because the students of Ventura High School and their parents would be at the event, I didn't want them on campus," Principal Val Wyatt told the Ventura County Star.