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.
