Section 1 Football Playoff Format Presents Endurance Challenge

No matter which team it is, the winner of Pearl River's home Section 1 Class A playoff game against Rye 3 p.m. Thursday will face a difficult challenge, one that has little to do with the opponent the Pirates (6-1) or Garnets (4-3) would face.

With the semifinals set for Tuesday Nov. 1 and the championship game at Mahopac Sunday Nov. 6, the finalists in Section 1 will have to play three games in 11 days, a difficult endurance test in a sport in which teams normally play once a week.

The format is nothing new. Section 1 did the same thing two years go in some classifications. But it is a challenge.

"If you could see our guys Monday morning (after a Saturday game), they are beat up," Pear River Head Coach Jeff Michael said. "They are walking gingerly. For them to play that many times in that short of a span, whoever makes it out of Section 1 is going to be beat up. They may not be physically ready for the game (in the first round of states.)"

The state tournament is the reason for the compacted sectional schedule. Section 1 needs to determine a champion by Nov. 6, in time to play the following weekend at in states. That doesn't mean all of the coaches are happy about it. Michael is concerned about the physical toll on the players.

"A lot of coaches feel the same way," Michael said. "A lot of us want the season to go back to the original start date and join up with everybody in states. We are the last section in the state to get started. That's what leads to the three games in 11 days. That's something a lot of us are singing the blues about.

"Fortunately, in Section 1, everybody has to deal with the same thing. Everybody has two full days less to watch video and scout the opponent."

"That was definitely one of the concerns of the AD's, but that's what got voted in," said Pearl River Director of Athletics Todd Santabarbara.

Despite their concerns, Santabarbara and Michael are both hoping to see the Pirates face the challenge of three games in 11 days because it would mean playing for a championship.

"I would love to play the three entire games," Michael said. "Without question. I speak for the coaches and the kids. We put so much time into the season. They just want to get to Mahopac. Everything else is just the cherry on the sundae."