Sports

Ranking Rockland's Fall Sports Teams: One Man's Opinion

Rockland County schools sent 88 varsity teams onto competition this fall.

Former Pearl River Athletic Director Tom Doherty once again took on the task of ranking the best of them.

The following is Doherty's Dandy Dozen (plus three) for the 2013 fall sports season,

  1. Pearl River girls cross country -- The Section 1 Class B champions finished seventh in the Nike National Regional Qualifying meet and fourth in the New York State Federation Championship Meet. They finished the season ranked No. 3 in the State Class B poll by the New York State Sportswriter's Association. 
  2. North Rockland girls soccer -- The Section 1 Class AA champions went 21-1-1, reaching the state championship game and finishing the season ranked No. 2 in the state Class AA poll by the NYSSCOGS.
  3. Suffern girls cross country -- The Section 1 Class A meet champions finished 11th in the Nike National Regional Championship meet, 10th in the New York State Federation Championship Meet and fourth in the State Class A Championship Meet. 
  4. Tappan Zee boys cross country -- The Section 1 Class B champions finished ninth in the NYS Federation Championship Meet and sixth in the State Class B Championship. 
  5. North Rockland boys cross country -- The Section 1 Class A champions took fifth in the State Class A Championship Meet and 16th in the NYS Federation Championship Meet. They also won the Rockland County Championship Meet.
  6. Pearl River boys cross country -- The Pirates finished second in the Section 1 Class B Championship Meet and finished the season ranked No. 7 in the state Class B poll by the NYSSWA.
  7. Clarkstown South girls soccer -- The Vikings (14-4-1) reached the Section 1 Class AA championship game and were ranked No. 9 in the State Class AA poll by the NYSSCOGS.
  8. Albertus Magnus girls soccer -- The Falcons (12-5-3) reached the Section 1 Class B championship game and were ranked No. 11 in the State Class B poll by the NYSSCOGS.
  9. North Rockland football -- Reached the Section 1 Class AA championship game and ended the season ranked No. 23 in the State Class AA poll by the NYSSWA.
  10. Suffern girls volleyball -- Suffern (18-4) reached the Section 1 Class AA championship game.
  11. Pearl River boys soccer -- The Pirates (14-4-2) reached the Section 1 Class A championship game.
  12. North Rockland girls cross country -- North Rockland finished second in the Section 1 Class A Championship Meet.
  13. (TIE) Tappan Zee girls cross country finished third in the Section 1 Class B championship meet. Suffern girls tennis (19-1) finished third in the Section 1 Team Championship Tournament and won the Rockland County Tournament. Clarkstown girls swimming finished fourth in the Section 1 Championship Meet and won the Rockland County Championship. 
Doherty also gave special recognition to the Suffern boys volleyball team, which reached the regional finals in Division I. There are only three teams in Section 1 for that sport.

Doherty gave honorable mention to teams that appeared in any final state rankings, reached the final four in Section 1 competition, won a Rockland County Championship or won a league championship.

Those teams are:
  • Albertus Magnus girls volleyball
  • Nanuet football
  • Nanuet girls cross country
  • Nyack boys cross country
  • Nyack field hockey
  • Nyack football
  • North Rockand boys soccer
  • Pearl River field hockey
  • Suffern boys cross country
  • Tappan Zee boys soccer
  • Tappan Zee football
  • Tappan Zee girls soccer
  • Tappan Zee girls tennis
  • Tappan Zee girls volleyball
Doherty's criteria for the Dandy Dozen (plus three) are in order:
  1. National championship results
  2. New York State Federation Championship results
  3. NYSPHSAA Championship results
  4. Section 1 Championship results
  5. Final state rankings
  6. Rockland County Championship results
  7. League Championship results
  8. Strength of schedule
  9. Final overall records
  10. Head-to-head competition


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