Leading off today: Circle Sept. 10 on your calendar for a most unusual football tripleheader in Middletown, with a trio of Section 9 squads taking on opponents from the CHSFL.

   The Saturday event includes Manhattan’s Xavier High vs. Pine Bush, Brooklyn’s Xaverian vs. Monroe-Woodbury, and Archbishop Stepinac vs. Middletown, ESPN New York reported.

   Besides helping both organizations to solve scheduling logistics issues, the games represent a thaw in somewhat strained relations. “There was a perceived notion among many of the Section 9 coaches that, since the CHSFL schools get many of their student athletes from a regional area, that competitiveness and safety were a concern,” Section 9 scheduler Chris Mayo said.

   Helping matters is the fact that all parties can rally around ceremonies marking the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. “A lot of firemen and policemen in our area lost their lives in the attack,” Mayo said. ”What a great opportunity to honor them.”

   Assuming the event goes off without a hitch, there could be a 2012 version hosted by the CHSFL-- again helping participants come up with otherwise hard-to-find non-leaguers.

   End of the line: The game was lacking in star power, but Nazareth nevertheless brought an end to Christ the King's 27-year reign atop the CHSAA's Brooklyn/Queens division in girls basketball.

   With Christ the King missing Virginia recruit Bria Smith for the third straight game due to a bruised left knee, Nazareth capped its debut season in the league with a 45-33 victory in the first-place tiebreaker at St. Francis Prep. Nazareth was minus coach Apache Paschall, serving a week-long suspension imposed by his principal, and freshman Bianca Cuevas.

   The teams split their regular-season series. The playoff win gives Nazareth the top seed for the Brooklyn/Queens 'AA' tournament.

   "This really has no relevance for us," CTK coach Bob Mackey said of the Royals' 27-year domination. "Streaks are meant to be broken. It's not really a big deal. You just go back and try to start another streak."

   En route to 400: Westhill girls basketball coach Sue Ludwig won her 399th game Tuesday with a 62-28 triumph against Clinton to open the Section 3 Class B tournament.

Road To Glens Falls boys hoops site

   Westhill, 13-5 this season, travels to unbeaten South Jefferson (18-0) on Friday as she looks for win No. 400 vs. just 70 losses in a 20-year career. Westhill’s scheduled regular-season finale last Saturday was canceled due to weather.

   Section 5 has three coaches knocking on the 400 door. Keshequa’s Pete Piraino, Honeoye Falls-Lima’s Steve Willoughby and Bloomfield’s Phil White are all closing in this postseason.

   Piraino won his 398th on Wednesday vs. York, 48-44. The Indians (19-1) play Perry on Saturday in the Class C tourney.

   HF-L's Willoughby is also at 398 heading into Saturday's Class A quarterfinal vs. Newark, with Pittsford Mendon (18-0) potentially next on deck for the Cougars.

   Bloomfield's White is at 397 entering Saturday's Class CC semifinal vs. Bishop Kearney in a matchup of 13-7 teams/

   Extra points: Majied Eason, a coach in the Rochester City School District the last nine years, will replace Jason Muhammad in charge of the Marshall football varsity team. Eason, 45, coached the JVs at Wilson before taking a similar role at Marshall last fall. Muhammad, an assistant principal at Marshall, announced after last season he wouldn't return.