The second set of state rankings for the 2023 the season have been released by the NYSSWA.  Below are the WNY teams that made the cut:

 

Class AA

Niagara Falls #14

Jamestown #18

Health Sciences #30

 

Class A

Amherst #18

St. Joe's #21

Canisius #22

 

Class B

Timon #2

Allegany-Limestone #5

Nichols #10

Salamanca #15

Lew-Port #19

Depew #23

 

Class C

Randolph #4

Holland #10

 

Class D

Panama #10

Clymer #14

Westfield #17

 

According to the rankings…

 

– The NFHS Pep Band can now look into booking a place in Glens Falls.  Ranked #23 in NYS Class AA just one week ago, the Wolverines are grooving like George Jefferson, now at #14 and ahead of Jamestown who dropped from #16 to #18 following its loss to St. Michael's. Rankings assure us we still get Falls/Jamestown at Buff State for a final hurrah.

 

– Aquinas is the team waiting to lose to Falls in the Class AA Far West Regional.  The Lil Irish are now just two spots behind Falls in the state at #16 in Class AA.  They own wins over Canisius & St. Francis this season, but not Nichols — the only team to defeat AQ this season.  Kind of makes you wonder how Nichols would fare against Canisius.  Anyone know when they play?

 

– I'm pretty sure they were 'Big Health' before they were even moved up to Class AA.  But now, Health Sciences is ranked among the big boys, debuting at the Big 3-0, as in #30 in NYS Class AA.  

 

– The Pep Band might see if the Jungle will transfer its reservation at The Queensbury.  Amherst's loss to unranked Pittsford Mendon over break was a punishable offense indeed, to the tune of 9 spots, dropping from #9 to #18 in NYS Class A this week.  Still the highest ranked team from WNY in that classification, but no longer in the Far West Region.  Unbeaten Irondequoit now owns the #9 ranking.

 

– St. Francis has a chance to communicate via megaphone with the committee this week, as the Red Raiders play a pair of teams ranked in NYS Class A – #20 St. Joe's & #24 Bishop Grimes.  After the way they battled with Health over the weekend, Frannies could seize an opportunity to turn some heads.

 

– Timon, Allegany-Limestone, & Nichols are all Top 10 squads in NYS Class B.

 

– Allegany-Limestone & Batavia will play first to score 40 points in March.

 

– The Holland Dutchmen are a Top 10 team in NYS!  First time in my time that it's happened.  The team didn't even crack the final state rankings last season, despite reaching the Section VI Class C Final at JCC.  They've come back with a vengeance in 2023 and return to action tonight for the first time in 18 days when they take on Olmsted.

 

– Saturday night features a rematch of the 2022 NYSPHAA Class C Far West Regional when Salamanca visits Avon, ranked #18 in NYS Class C.  The Warriors will enter the game ranked #15 in NYS Class B.

 

– Just in time for Wednesday night, the NYSSWA has created a matchup of ranked teams in NYS Class D.  It took a little magic tough…they magically expanded the Class D rankings from 15 to 20 teams this week, so Westfield now has a place at the table, coming in at #17.  The Wolverines visit NYS Class D #10 Panama for the first of two meetings this season in CCAA II West.

 

Click HERE for complete NYSSWA State Rankings

 

–centercourt