Delaney: Snowy weather

For the third time in three days on Thursday, area high school soccer teams were affected by snow. I don't know if it's dear Mother Natue or poor snow-management skills, but the weather has had its way with the Section III soccer semifinals.

The Old Forge-Remsen Class D girls semifinal was delayed for a little more than an hour on Thursday afternoon while crews at Sauquoit Valley finished clearing the school's artifical turf field. The game was originally scheduled for Tuesday at Sauquoit but was postponed because of snow. The game was re-scheduled a couple of times, including for Wednesday but couldn't be played because Old Forge didn't have school after the area received 12-16 inches of snow.

Sauquoit's field was covered by several inches of snow on Thursday morning and wasn't ready for the scheduled 3 p.m. kickoff. Hard work by the school's crew, helped by a bright, sunny afternoon, allowed the game to get under way a little after 4 p.m. The snow was slushy and wet - perfect for snowballs but not for soccer.

"In my opinion we were hit by a freak storm. It was a rare occurence," Remsen athletic director Dale Dening said Thursday. "I don't think Section III was prepared for this," Dening said. "I applaud Sauquoit Valley."

Sauquoit athletic director Frank Curriere said crews started work about 7:30 a.m. on Thursday. The clearing process took time because it had to be done in layers so the plows' blades wouldn't cut into the turf.

"The way the snow came and how much is why we're held back," Curriere said. "It's certain areas where the fields are being used and Section III wants to use the turf. It's the best facility."

The snow created trouble for the Section III finals, which were scheduled to start on Friday (Oct. 31) at two sites. With semifinal games still being played on Thursday night, Section III will have to wait until Friday morning to set the times of the championship games. Girls finals will be Friday and Saturday at Chittenango. The boys finals - at least some of the matches - be Saturday at Sauquoit Valley. A Class C boys semifinal between Cooperstown and Fabius-Pompey is scheduled for Friday evening at Waterville.

The snow at Sauquoit on Thursday wasn't an issue because of the game's early start time and the sun that helped with melting. The field was an obstacle at Chittenango for Whitesboro and ES-M and for the second half of the Poland-Lyme game.

So what's the answer for post-season games threatened by unpredictable Central New York weather? The Section III field hockey committee, apparently in possession of Doppler Radar, moved games to Thursday in anticipation of poor conditions on Tuesday and Wednesday. Smart, yes, but there are fewer teams/games to consider. There is a limiited window of opportunity to get in sectional and regional soccer games because the state semifinals and finals are locked in. The girls are Nov. 14-15 at Homer H.S./Cortland State and Tompkins-Cortland CC. The boys are Nov. 15-16 at the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta.

"I don't have any answers," said Old Forge coach Dave Leach, whose team made its second 90-minute trip to Sauquoit in three days on Thursday. Leach did say the state is proposing closed sectional tournaments, meaning teams must have a .400 winning percentage to get in. That would speed things along.

"We've had a nice fall, just not when we need it."