Ron Moshier: Westmoreland domeward bound?

Who’s the Mohawk Valley area’s best bet to reach the Carrier Dome’s Section III football finals? By the looks, it’s Westmoreland.

 

The Bulldogs (7-0), who won the Class C South and earned a home playoff game when they upset Cazenovia – the Class B section champ the last two years – 23-20 in their regular-season finale, host Cato-Meridian (6-1) in the Class C quarterfinals, then would face Herkimer (5-2) or Lowville (6-1) in the semifinals. In Week 5, Westmoreland was a 26-6 nonleague winner at Herkimer.

 

The top half of the Class C playoff bracket is loaded, with defending section and state champion Bishop Ludden (7-0) hosting Adirondack (5-2) and Cazenovia (6-1) facing Thousand Islands (5-2) in the quarterfinals.

 

The Utica-Rome/Mohawk Valley side of Section III should get a title shot in Class A, too, with National Division rivals Camden, Whitesboro and New Hartford all capable of a Carrier Dome landing. And, as usual, don’t count out Dolgeville in Class D. The Blue Devils could very well meet defending champion Onondaga in the semifinals, a rematch of last year’s finalists, and a win there would send Dolgeville back to the Carrier Dome.

 

The best bet in Class D might be a defensive-minded championship game featuring two unbeaten teams – Watertown’s Immaculate Heart Central and Dolgeville – currently ranked No. 3 and No. 4 in the state, respectively. Of course, Section III’s Class D champ then would most likely have to face top-ranked Walton of Section IV, whose regular season ended with last week’s 72-0 demolition of Harpursville.