Power rankings
-
- December
- 25
After Mamaroneck lost to White Plains I was prepared to drop them way down, but they looked really good on Tuesday. Did they just get a bump from having everyone back, or is this how the Tigers will look from now on? We’ll find out at their tournament this weekend. The big addition is North Rockland, who beat RT/H and crushed E/T/B (I know the Eagles were missing seven players, but I can’t punish NR for that). The big departure was Fordham Prep, who recently lost to Scarsdale (who lost 6-0 to Mahopac, so the Indians get the 10th spot).
1. Suffern (6-1): Other than a loss at West Genesee, the state’s top-ranked Division I team, the Mounties have outscored opponents 27-3. Suffern’s trademark defense, led by Kevin Norwin and Greg McCarron, has been outstanding, and first-year starter Paul Gabriel has a save percentage of 94.4.
2. Clarkstown North (8-0): The Rams won the high-caliber White Plains tournament to start the season — and the 7-3 win over Stepinac in the final is the closest margin of victory so far. Matt Willows (50 points) and Jake Shuman (45), the area’s top two scorers, lead an offense that has put up at least seven goals in each game, while all-state goalie Chris McIndoe and the defense have allowed a total of 14.
3. Mamaroneck (5-2): Afterearly-season losses to Rye and White Plains, the Tigers had renewed energy and focus in a 5-2 win over Pelham Tuesday night. Are its troubles finally behind them?
4. Pelham (6-3): The Pelicans won six in a row before falling to Mamaroneck and Queensbury (Section 2), the state’s top-ranked Division II team. The team’s starting five can match up with anyone.
5. White Plains (5-3-1): The Tigers have acclimated themselves well in their first season in League 1, and are currently tied for second with Mamaroneck, who White Plains already beat this season.
6. Iona Prep (5-2): The Gaels have already beaten St. Anthony’s three times (correction: twice. They play a third time next week). Against locals, Iona Prep lost to Fordham Prep 6-5 but defeated Stepinac 5-2.
7. Stepinac (5-4): The small team is capable of beating anyone if it doesn’t get worn out. The Crusaders defeated White Plains en route to the Tiger tournament final.
8. Rye (3-4): The Garnets have played a murderous schedule so far, but it should make them better in the long run.
9. North Rockland (5-1): The Red Raiders defeated League 1 Rye Town/Harrison as part of its current four-game win streak.
10. Mahopac (3-5): Win over Rye shows that young Indians can be dangerous.
This entry was posted
on Thursday, December 25th, 2008 at 2:45 pm by Harold Gutmann. 
Print
| 
Email
Harold,
Not sure agree with your comment about “not punishing North Rockland” just because they beat a team that was MISSING 7 PLAYERS. Minus 7 players is HUGE and you need to have the courage of convictions to determine whether this made NR’s win over that team as far more of a “one-off” thing. If so should be used as a particular positive to boost NR’s power rankings. Not a fan of other team or have anything neg. on NR. Just seems the fair way to analyze rankings in this case.
Harold,
3rd to last sentence above. Sorry, should read, “If so should “NOT” ......be used…
if thats the best report you can come up with on Suffern you should do a little more research
Slacrosse,
You’re right that missing seven players is huge. Maybe I didn’t make myself clear. I’m not sure who would win if both teams were at full strength, but right now, three games into ETB’s season, knowing that NR won League 3 last year over ETB and then beat them to start this year, I’m putting NR in the rankings and dropping ETB. Of course that could change dramatically in the coming weeks.
harold,
It’s not supposed to be an exhaustive study on each team. What would you write instead? Oh, and Merry Christmas
I’d primarily focus on where the offense comes from and mention their stellar defenseman. Not just who puts in the goals, and this case, the easy goals.
Merry Christmas to you too
hill has 7 goals this year.
Now that’s constructive criticism. Thanks ????, I’ll be sure never to believe our own web site again. I’m updating the post now.
Congrats to everybody in Section 1 Hockey. It has been a great season so far on the ice. Keep the posts coming on the blog. The more posts about stuff that actually happens on the ice, the better. We all love this game, so let’s keep talking about Hockey!
Merry Christmas!! Hockey rules!
Harold,
Iona has beaten St. Anthony’s twice, 5-2 on Nov. 30 at the Ice Hutch and 4-3 on Dec. 11 at Murray’s. The third meeting is January 2nd at 8:30 at the Ice Hutch.
Thanks mimi,
Our web site had them also beating SA on Nov. 21. I will repeat what I wrote at 5:37 p.m. That’s still weird that they will have played SA three times by next week. It skews the standings a bit.
Harold, no problem, that Nov. 21 game was Iona beating Farrell, 3-2, in Coney Island to open up the season
To have a 3-5 team and a 3-4 team in the top ten is ridiculous, regardless of how you spin it. Teams that are undefeated in league three such as Ossining or New Rochelle are better than half the top ten anyway and deserve a mention if for no other reason that they have actually WON ALL their games.
Does Willows really have 50 points in only 8 games? I know he’s playing on league 2, but he has to be on pace to break some sort of record, no?
Didn’t Ossining lose to a league 4 team?
I dont blame Harold for keeping us off for now. Our only good win was against Scarsdale and since then we’ve just been doing enough to get by. We almost lost to CS and we barely beat Carmel. And if Harold really did only see the first period of the JFK game, there is no way he thinks we belong in the top 10 or even the top 15.
Harold,
Iona is actually 5-2-1 (the tie was against Farrell in Coney Island, 2-2, on Dec. 14)
Pac is on the list because there a leauge 1 team. They play a power leauge schedule that’s the only reason there on the list.
Jon the 50 points is correct North has played 8 games and only 1 was close but still North scored 7 goals if you add up there totals Willows must have 50 points.
Yes Hockey does rule.
Rational,
I thought long and hard about New Rochelle, which has been a great success story considering they lost its home rink and moved up to a new league. Its best win was against League 2 Scarsdale 5-2, but Mahopac also crushed Scarsdale 6-0, so that wouldn’t be enough to lift them up. If you want to remove Rye, just ask yourself, what would New Ro’s record be against Queensbury, Suffern, Mamaroneck, etc.? Would it be 6-0 or 3-4 or worse? Now I’m guessing we’ll disagree on the answer, but that’s why Rye is ranked where it is. What does everyone else think?
As for Ossining, they didn’t win ALL THEIR GAMES, they lost to Sleepy Hollow/Irvington, so if I was going to rank anyone it would be SH/I, who also has a nice win over L2 Mount Pleasant. Maybe next week
Jon,
According to the state web site (http://www.nysphsaa.org/records/b_hockey.asp), the record for points in a season is 134, held by Bryan Gitler of Scarsdale in ‘03-’04.
At Willows current pace of 6.25 points a game, and a 24-game regular season, he would have 150 before the playoffs even started.
Every year almost 30 teams enter the playoffs. When the dust clears its usually the league 1 teams still standing in the D 1 and D 2 sectional final. While there are rare upsets, the power league teams are still ahead of the others. Ossining? nah, their schedule is too weak. Mahopac has been respectable in league 1 play, and while I can understand people looking for league 3 and 4 teams with good records to be ahead you must be fair and consider the schedules these teams play. Mahopac could be and certainly most leaue 1 teams would be undefeated playing Ossinings or New Rochelles schedule. These teams want to be counted in with the big boys? Play them, and beat them. Thats how it works.
OK now I understand. If, you’re not in league 1 you shouldn’t expect any recognition whatsoever??????......I refer you back to last years’ playoffs where Wh Plains held on to squeek by New Rochelle(lea 4) by a late goal in probably the best game of the Playoffs except for the final. White Plains then beat Ryetown soundly and barely lost to Sectional champ Mamaroneck….........Get it!!! Don’t assume that “Mahopac or most certainly any league 1 teams would be undefeated playing Oss or New ro’s schedule”. It’s elitist and doesn’t fit at this level of hockey. Everyone can’t play in lea 1. It doesn’t work. There are 4 leaguea for many reasons and they’re NOT only ability to compete!!!
The bottom line is the weaker teams of league 1 or 2 vs. thebetter teams at the top of 3 and 4 are competitive contests. (i.e. Pelham 1 goal winners over NewRo in a preseason contest.)
I guess I have to change my rankings.
1 Suffern they can score and play defense.
2 Clarkstown North for obvious reasons.
3 since Mamaroneck is back to playing the way there suppose to they deserve to be 3.
4 Pelham they play good hockey
5 White plains there a very good team.
6 it sounds like Rye has been having there problems so im keeping them in 6th.
That was tied before they switched to the back-up goalies. Pelham was obviously much deeper but that would be a good regular season game. New Ro has 2 extra games because the snow cancelled their tournament in Utica. If any upper league team has an extra slot and wants prove we can’t be “counted in with the big boys” call Tozzo.
On a side note, Jim Tozzo doesn’t get wet, water gets Jim Tozzo (he looks like Chuck Norris)
Mahopac lost another Capitan last week. That makes two quitting Capitans in two years. Something is not right with that program.
Who?