Delaney: Three area soccer teams first-time No. 1 seeds

At Poland and even Mount Markham, a top-seeded boys soccer team is old hat in the Section III Tournament. 

 

But for the Whitesboro and Mohawk boys - and the Remsen girls - the No. 1 seed is special. Those three first-time top seeds joined the Poland and Mount Markham boys as the Utica area schools at No. 1 for the Section III Tournament that starts this week. 

 

In the five-class boys tournament, four of the No. 1 seeds are from the Utica area. The exception is Class AA Baldwinsville from the Syracuse area. It's been a while since so many Utica schools got No. 1s, a fact that wasn't lost on longtime Mount Markham coach Charlie Engle. Whitesboro coach Ben Karas felt a sense of gratification for his Class A Warriors, who clinched the Tri Valley League last week. The Warriors don't have as deep a soccer history as at Poland and Mount Markham.

 

"I'm really excited for my kids," Karas said.

 

Mohawk coach Gabe Whittaker was also thrilled and Remsen girls coach Jim Wilder called the top seed "quite an honor."  The Mohawk boys and Remsen girls are both undefeated.

 

Remsen was the only Utica area girls team to get a No. 1 seed. Camden, Clinton and Sauquoit Valley are No. 2s.  

 

There is good high school soccer in the Utica area and a strong fanbase, even if that doesn't always translate to attendance.  Afternoon start times have a lot to do with that. There will be night games during the Section III Tournament and we'll see if the top seeds can light up the fans.