SECTION 6 LAX talk

Post Season Is Upon Us

2008-05-22T15:19:00.004-04:00

Hey folks,
Yeah, it's me again. Their is nothing worse than a guy who starts a blog and then disappears for two months! Sorry I haven't added anything lately, but my life has been a whirlwind of lacrosse these past 10 weeks. Not that I'm complaining mind you. The blog seems to have taken off by itself (I guess if you plant a seed...). In any case, most of the comments have had some interesting insights. Some a little too negative. We want to grow lacrosse in Section 6, not divide it. So try to stay positive and limit the personal attacks. None will be tolerated towards any players, period. With that said, let's talk some lacrosse...
Post Season Playoffs:
Class A: I would be highly surprised if anybody could knock off Orchard Park. I've seen them play four times. They are downright scary, and still have yet to put together their best game. The Quakers midfield is probably the best in the WNY. I'm sure Niagara Wheatfield will have something to say about it down the line, but after watching them several times (including against OP) I don't think they have the defense to carry it through. They have given up alot of goals this season. I don't know if it will translate come playoff time. Frontier may challenge like last year, but won't be able to match up athletically to the top two. Clarence and the rest drop off considerably and will be watching the finals from the sideline.
Class B: I've seen Hamburg play three times. They are by far the fastest team. While not overly physical, Hamburg is a pleasure to watch. Their "team" approach to the game of lacrosse is what makes them so special. They are the class of the B division right now. No team in their league has gotten close. They have outscored their Class B opponents 127-27 during the regular season. (and that from a coach who refuses to score anything past 18 on an opponent) They are for real. Amherst seems to be headed for a return trip to the finals against the Bulldogs. Always capable of anything, Coach Henn should have the Tigers ready to compete. So who knows? However the 16-5 regular season defeat at the hands of Hamburg may be fresh in their minds. Williamsville East has had a very successful season and may be around to challenge. However, they may not have the firepower to stay will the big dogs. The rest of the Bs are not ready to challenge for the title. But that's why we play the games, now don't we!
Class C: I think the "C" stands for Crazy! This division is a complete toss up, as any team is capable of beating each other on any given day. I'm interested, do teams actually play defense in this division? The scores are commonly in the double digits, often times both teams. Salamanca seems to control the C division during the regular season. However, East Aurora has played very well of late. I won't venture to guess as I have seen few of these teams play in 2008.

State Playoffs:
Class A: I watched Canandaigua handle both Orchard Park and Hamburg. If Orchard Park goes, they will have to play alot better than they did on May 9th. The Braves will be tough to beat. They are on a different level, and may be headed on a collision course with West Genny in the semis. However, don't count OP out. They are talented bunch, and capable of knocking off Canandaigua if given a second chance. Canandaigua will also have to get past Penfield and Irondequoit. It will be interesting to see how it all shakes out.
Class B: I think Hamburg has the best chance to continue. The far west regional will probably be a rematch of last year's game against Geneva. The Bulldogs were not ready last season. This year they will be, learning what it takes to play at that level. Geneva will be very physical. Hamburg will have to use their speed to counter. I think it would be a great matchup.
Class C: Whomever comes out of Section 6 will be fodder for Penn Yan as usual. In the history of the C classification, no Section 6 team has come close to them. We won't be able to compete. Penn Yan is down a bit this year, however, not down enough to lose to to Section 6.

Well, what do you think? Playoffs start in a week. Hope to see everyone out at the games. Both the sectional finals and Far west regionals will be held at Lew-Port High School.

Discussing Rule Revisions

2008-03-30T18:14:00.008-04:00

As the 2008 season gets underway, let's take a look at some rule revisions that will be in effect across our high school lacrosse fields. No "earth shattering" changes by any means but a couple small nuances in hopes to make the game better and safer for all our players. Often times, revisions are added to help clarify any gray area in the interpretation of the existing rules. This year is no different. I managed to track down Tom Sutton who presently heads-up the post of rules interpreter for the Niagara Frontier Lacrosse Officials Association (NFLOA). He gave me a couple minutes of his time to talk about some of the changes.
1-6-1 Clarifies that the designated goalkeeper’s crosse must be used by the goalkeeper and that a properly equipped goalkeeper must be on the field at all times.
Just a point of clarification of a rule they have always enforced relating that every team must have a properly equipped goalie on the field at all times.
1-6-2 Eliminates the requirement for a ball stop.
The rationale is that a ball stop is almost irrelevant in today's sticks. Not having a ball stop does not necessarily give a player any distinct advantage over another player. Most of the ball stops used in newer heads are extremely thin and don't provide direct ball stopping capability.
1-9-1g Stipulates that the jersey covers the shoulder pads completely
In the interest of safety, jerseys should cover shoulder pad area to help keep the pads from popping up and exposing the shoulder to possible injury. While not present around section 6, some teams in the past have used pinnies as uniform tops. This rule clarifies a definition of a game jersey.
1-9-1h Specifies that all players on the team wear shorts of the same dominant color.
Again, an important clarification as to game shorts. Hoping to help eliminate confusion of players on the field.
2-1-1 Stipulates that a team must have at least 10 players to begin the game or it forfeits the game. As to the safety of high school level players. If a team has less than 10 players, the game cannot be played. However, if a team has 10 players and then loses 1 or more to injury or expulsion, they can play man down for the remainder of the game clock.
4-6-3-c Clarifies that, for the purpose of determining which player is nearest to the ball on an unsuccessful shot that goes out-of-bounds, the ball is determined to be out-of-bounds when it crosses the plane of the endline or the sideline.
4-6-3-c Specifies that the stick is not considered a part of the player’s body when making the determination regarding which player is closed to the point at which the ball was declared out-of-bounds following an unsuccessful shot.
Points of clarification of a recent rule change. In a situation where a ball might go out towards the corner of the end line, a defender may be closer to the ball than an attack positioned at X. The angle of the referee would be of prime importance in such a case. The second rule clarifies that when judging which player is closest off an errant shot going out of bounds, it is NOT the stick of the player but the closest part of his body that determines possession.
6-5-3 Specifies that uniform violations are different than illegal equipment violations and that illegal uniforms must be determined and dealt with by the officials prior to the beginning of the contest.
Recently, the design of uniforms have come under scrutiny. No longer can teams have shoulder panels of different colors. I was discussing this topic with a vendor down at a Philadelphia lacrosse convention and he even said that piping through that area of the uniform would not be allowed. If a team does violate the uniform rule, simply the opening faceoff would be surrendered to the opposing team. However, any equipment violations would result in an infraction and the player forced to make necessary changes before re-entering play.
6-10-2a The revision clarifies the situation that would cause a stall warning to be lifted.
Long story short, defines the scenerios when a stall warning would be lifted. A stall warning that is not in the last two minutes of the contest, can only be lifted after a goal or a change of possession to the defensive team. Timeouts or the finish of a penalty will not change the stall warning.
The referees will be paying close attention to players not wearing mouthpieces properly. What many players fail to realize is that a mouthpiece, while protecting your teeth, also helps in the reduction of concussive forces on the jaw. Again, safety of players is the ultimate focus.
Tom feels that one of the most difficult calls for the referees to see is the the cross-check hold that defenders so often seem to get away with. However, the referees are making a point to be in a better position to make those calls. We also discussed what I feel can be the most maddening experience of watching a Section 6 lacrosse game; the whistle in after a re-start. Personally, I feel that the game of lacrosse is meant to be played in an uptempo style. The ball changes possession, the player picks up the ball, and it seems like an eternity before the referees whistle the play back in. By then, the defense has placed their players and any advantage gained has been quickly lost. As I watch college action or even high school games in other parts of NYS, rarely do I see a crew of referees slow a game down as much as we see here. In fact, good coaches train their players to pick up the ball and get it back in play as soon as possible. It opens up the field a bit and leads to fast break opportunities. Tom agrees, but also notes that often times the referees are busy positioning themselves. Play resumes first and foremost when they are properly in position to officiate the game.
Just a couple things to chew on so you don't make a fool of yourself yelling at the refs this spring(as I often do). They work hard to help keep the high school fields safe for all the kids. That's not to say that I might not ask them the occasional question!

Power Scheduling!

2008-03-20T15:26:00.004-04:00

Really, how difficult is to make up a lacrosse schedule? A coach shows up to his sectional meeting, hammers out dates for his mandatory league games, and then picks-up a couple non-leaguers from a few of his coaching buddies. Write all the dates down, then simply play the games.

Not so fast! Scheduling in today's high school game requires a coach to do a bit of homework. Do you have a game plan? Is your team young, and would benefit from a couple confidence-builders early on? Conversely, is your team loaded with talent and looks to make a run at the sectional title? Wouldn't it be beneficial to schedule the toughest non-leaguers possible to get them ready for the difficult challenges down the road?

A quick glance at the 2008 Section 6 master schedule reveals a growing trend in lacrosse termed as "power scheduling." Many of the elite lacrosse programs in WNY are picking-up difficult non league opponents, often competing with teams from outside our section. Sometimes against some of the best programs in the nation! This season, section 6 will take on teams from Pennsylvannia, Virginia, Maryland, Washington DC and even Texas. In a race to provide the best possible competition for their players, coaches are actively seeking-out opportunities against several well-known lacrosse powers across New York. This year, eleven different Section 5 teams will play 20 regular season games against Section 6.

I asked a couple coaches from top programs for their view on this topic. Amherst coach Stefan Henn is notorious for scheduling difficult non-leaguers early in the season, "...they (early non leaguers) never hurt you, they are a great measuring stick and help to get rid of the 'fear factor' of playing quality opponents." Henn and his Tigers have proven year in and year out that they refuse to back down to any opponent. Stefan continues, "...anyone can be a bully in their own neighborhood, go a couple towns over, and you ain't so tough anymore." Henn feels that traveling can be a good experience for his team as well, "...get used to road trips...for the state finals you take a bus, so start takin' one now." The Tigers will put that philosophy to the test as they visit perennial NYS power Penn Yan on March 28th.

Orchard Park will make their yearly pilgrimmage down to Maryland during spring break, as they take on Archbishop Curley and national power Georgetown Prep out of DC's Interstate Athletic Conference, arguably the most competitive high school lacrosse league in the country. Perhaps the most challenging schedule of any Section 6 team is that of the Hamburg Bulldogs. Head coach Jerry Severino has scoured the four corners of the earth (...well, not really that far) to find the teams that will give the Bulldogs the best chance to repeat as Class B champions and make a deep run into the state tournament. Severino has the same thought process as Henn when it comes to scheduling, "I went after some of the best state competition when building my non Class B games. For years, we all know that preparing for the playoffs begins in early March and dodging opponents does little to prepare you." Hamburg's schedule is downright scary! Beyond picking up local class A teams like; Williamsville North, Frontier and Niagara Wheatfield, the Bulldogs secured four games against section 5 teams (Penn Yan, HF-L, Webster-Schroeder and Canandaigua). While other section 6 players disappear on vacation to Florida and Mexico during spring break, the Bulldogs will be taking a business trip to play two teams down in Virginia. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, they still must take on both Amherst and West Seneca East who have the firepower to knockoff the reigning class B champs.

Not everybody takes on these challenges. Scouring the rest of the schedules reflects that only 11 of the 32 local teams (33%) will be competing out of section. However, many teams do travel over to Rochester in late March to pick up a scrimmage or two. The difficulty comes about for all the "have-not programs." These are the section 6 teams that are not afforded the best in non league competition. How do they get better if they are passed over for out of town teams? They have little to bring to the table both locally and elsewhere. Do we really believe that these teams could pick up the phone and schedule a game against Corning East, Penn Yan, West Genesee or Irondequoit? The conversation wouldn't last long. If you're not in demand, you simply don't have the leverage to create a power schedule. So the rich get richer. Does that help make section 6 lacrosse better in the long run? To tell you the truth, I don't have an answer.

Personally, I like the ability to power schedule. If lacrosse programs in this area want to get better and seriously hope to elevate section 6 lacrosse, then they have work to do. It is the responsiblity of the coaches to provide the best opportunities for their players. On a more individual basis, it is the duty of the coach to expose his players to the best competition, and in turn provide them the possibility to play at the next level. Obviously, being in a highly competitive high school program will help open some of those doors. We need to play the best if we someday hope to have a section 6 team lay claim to a NYS title. Accordingly Henn admits, "Wins don't count...only wins in June count and playing the best sets you up for that." The theory being, put your players in difficult situations, win or lose they will learn from it and it will pay dividends when it really counts. Severino and his Bulldogs are on a mission to prove a point this coming season. He adds, "...experiencing challenges will provide the boys with knowledge that may prove critical at the end." The groundwork for creating a champion is built in the offseason. Planning the path and schedule for success is just as important as playing the games.

Why's It So Difficult To Get A-Head?

2008-03-17T17:10:00.013-04:00

This is the busy season at local lacrosse stores. As spring practice gets underway, players of all shapes and sizes are getting geared up for another high school lacrosse season. Years ago, players had limited product to choose from. However, walking into a local lacrosse store nowadays can be an overwhelming experience. The variety of gloves, shafts and heads available are absolutely staggering! With new companies popping up everyday, the marketing of lacrosse products are at an all-time high.

Should we believe all the hype? Is this new shaft the next best innovation in the game, or some gimmick helping to further feed a multimillion dollar industry? Why is this plastic head $80 more expensive than the one sitting next to it? Am I skilled enough to even feel the difference between an aluminum alloy shaft and those made from carbon fiber, scandium, vandium, titanium or any other rare metal off the fourth row of the periodic table? Does anybody really know for sure?

Well, don't sweat it! The answer is easy-ask someone at the store for some help. Our local equipment experts here in WNY are more than willing to help fit you with the right piece of equipment dependent upon your skill level and experience. Don't go to the large sporting goods stores (i.e. Dicks), they simply don't have the knowledge base for many of the lax products they sell. In the Buffalo area we are fortunate to have three stores that specialize in lacrosse . They have all developed their special niche in the local market, and will be glad to help minimize your growing frustration. The three of them took some time out for me to answer a couple questions. Maybe their responses can be of some help.

Thanks so much guys for participating in the post -BD
Our panel of experts:
Ken Cummins of Blue Bison Sports - Transit Road in Williamsville
Pat Lally of Nickel City Sports - Southwestern Boulevard in Orchard Park
Mike Ferrentino of Players Sports - Michael Road in West Seneca

Top Selling Helmet:
BB: Brine Triumph
NCS: Cascade CPX or Pro7 Brine Triumph
PS: brand new 2008 Riddell XR - superior sight lines and protection

Best Brand of Shoulder Pads You Carry:
BB: Brine Supercrosse Pros
NCS: Warrior Hitman, Brine Menace
PS: Reebok 9-K

Top Selling Gloves:
BB: Brine Kings
NCS: Warrior Superfreaks, Hypnos, Shockers or Brine Kings, Exodus II, Defts
PS: Reebok 9-K or Maverik Dynasty (nasty glove!)

Top Attack/Middie Shaft:
BB: Brine Ignite Supra
NCS: Warrior Kryptolyte, Dolomite; Brine Supra, Swizzbeats; Gait DB803, DB803ice
PS: STX Sci Ti Premier or Maverk Wonderboy

Top Selling D-Pole:
BB: Harrow defensive pole
NCS: Warrior Dolomite, Kryptolyte; Brine Supra; Gait DB803, DB803ice
PS: STX Sci Ti Premier or titanium

Top Selling Box Shaft:
BB: Harrow box shaft
NCS: Warrior Kryptobox; Brine Defender
PS: Harrow Monster or Talon Thunder

Top Selling Head:
BB: Brine Clutch
NCS: Warrior Helix, Mojo, EvoPro, Stiffi; Brine E3, CyberPro, Voyce, Franchise; Gait Torque, Chaos; STX Excalibure, Proton Power
PS: STX Proton Power or Harrow Turrent

Coolest New Lacrosse Product on the Market:
BB: Riddell XR helmet
NCS: Brine Lax Wall - best training device for any player
PS: free coaches websites to educate the coaches

Dumbest Lax Product in the Past Five Years:
BB: Riddell Defensive Arm pad
NCS: Any stick with rubber sides
PS: any new product is great for someone.

Who Strings the Best Sticks in WNY?
BB: Blue Bison Sports, of course!
NCS: Justin Flynn at Nickel City Sports
PS: "Dr Stick" Coach Dale Wesolowski

Offset Shaft Technology (STX Crankshaft or Gait Thrust) Breakthrough or Gimmick?
BB: Gimmick
NCS: Gimmick, Worst idea both companies have tried.
PS: Breakthrough... "if the best middie in the world, Kyle Harrison, thinks it's a breakthrough, then I believe it."

Future Change in 2008 Stick Head Dimensions / Good or Bad for the game?
BB: Good for defense, bad for offense
NCS: Good for the game and safety of players
PS: Good, the new head of the future will be good for the game in the long run

Quite a bit to digest. What products do you play with? What's good and bad about any of these products? Do you have a particular brand that you favor? Inquiring minds want to know. The floor is yours...

The Best of the Rest

2008-03-10T13:39:00.003-04:00

Let us turn our attention away from the Top teams in section six lacrosse and examine those dark horse teams that may well surprise us all this coming season. Everybody likes an underdog and Western New York is full of them.
In Class A, look out for the Lancaster Redskins. Renson Mullen should have his boys off and running, especially with a strong JV contingent from last year. Look for Clarence to once again be in the mix. Three consecutive games in early May with Frontier, Wmslv North, and West Seneca West should determine playoff slot. My personal favorite is Lockport. Mike Evans has done an incredible job in just three years. The Lions are very athletic and looked poised to gain some much deserved respect in 2008.
Beyond the "big 3" in Class B, look for some past powers to make some waves this season. Sweet Home (John Faller) and Grand Island (Steve Steck) are always so well coached it is very difficult to count them out of any game. However, I am picking Williamsville East to knock off one of the top teams. They were extremely young in many positions that last season yielded a 9-10 record. Coach Greenway should have the Flames ready for an all important back-to-backer in early May against Hamburg and West Seneca East.
The Class C should be interesting as East Aurora lost 13 seniors to graduation. The up-and-comer looks to be Eden. Coach Chris Archabald has the Raiders poised to make a run at a potential sectional title. Attackman Andy Williams should lead the way. As far as a dark horse, Gowanda should be improved over last season's 7-13 record. The Panthers were marred by inconsistent play in 2007. Salamanca could be strong enough to again make it to the finals this year. Akron is a wildcard as Bryan Bellis takes over the reins from Gary Sundown.
I defer to area lax expert Mike Ferrentino on the parochials. Mike feels that Canisius and St. Francis should secure the top spots. However, never underestimate Timon. Mike Burke always crafts a great non-league schedule to get the Tigers ready for the playoffs in May. It seems like this highly competitive division always seems to beat each other up a bit. Don't count out St. Joes and Nichols.
Any thoughts of your own? What would be the one/two teams that you think will take it to the next level in 2008?

Preseason WNY Top 10 List

2008-03-07T13:57:00.005-05:00

While I'm on the topic of "top" lists. Here is my official "Unofficial Top 10 List" of lacrosse teams coming into the 2008 season. You be the judge. Nevertheless, it should be an interesting year on the fields across WNY.

2008 Preseason Top 10

1. Orchard Park (why not, 17 of last 18 titles. Like an old friend once said, "To be the man, you gotta beat the man")

2. Niagara Wheatfield (Here a Printup, There a Printup, Everywhere a Printup. If everyone stays healthy, the drought may be over!)

3. Hamburg (Returning section 6 champions look to take it to the next level in 2008. Deep talent pool at all positions. Those kids love to run!)

4. Amherst (Coach Henn and his attackman will look to light up the scoreboard once again this season. May 12th matchup down in Hamburg may be prelude to sectional final)

5. St. Francis (Could possess the best goalie in section 6. Should be the most talented out of all the parochial schools)

6. West Seneca East (Should be on a mission this year to prove something to non-believers. I love watching this team play. A blue collar effort always wins me over.)

7. Canisius (The Crusaders begin their season with March matchups against Strake Jesuit (TX) and Gonzaga (Wash DC) .....good luck with that.)

8. Frontier (The Falcons don't ever seem to miss a beat. Great coaching, and Clay Del Prince is an absolute animal!)

9. Williamsville North (Smarty will have the Spartans ready to roll once again. Strong non-league schedule should have them prepared in late May)

10. East Aurora (returning Class C champs should be poised to defend their title in 2008)

Ideas of your own? Bring It!

The Seeds Were Sown

2008-03-06T19:07:00.006-05:00

It wasn't that long ago that Western New York offered little in the way of anything lacrosse. The growth of this great sport in the past decade has given rise to all sorts of possibilities for youth and high school field laxers alike.

Simply put, despite the incredible growth in the past decade, lacrosse is still an unfamiliar sport to many people in our community. When I was growing up Williamsville in the late 1970s and early 80s, I played just about any type of game my friends and I could get our hands on. Never in that time was I introduced to a lacrosse stick or anyone who played the game. The papers of that time had limited coverage except an occassional score of private schools like Gow, Park or Nichols. Beyond the confines of the Tuscarora and Oneida Reservations, very little was known about the sport.

Ever so slowly, people from other parts of NYS settled here and transplanted the game they enjoyed into the WNY culture. Ed Van Tine, the Hamburg legend, brought his love of lacrosse to the southtowns back in the late 1970s . A product of West Genesee High School in the Syracuse area, he created and grew the program from meager beginnings. The Buffalo area wasn't laxing much in those days. To have him tell it, "...it was difficult finding games as their were only six total teams back then." John Faller, who started coaching at Sweet Home in the mid 1970s and continues to this day. Not simply a coach, Faller has been instrumental as chairman of Section Six lacrosse for these many years. Ed Greenway from Williamsville East, another West Genny product, who created a program in Williamsville. Beginning with just one combined district team, the sport quickly flourished, evolving into varsity programs for all three high schools. Most importantly, Greenway helped create a youth program with close friend Rick Hopkins. Their summer league continues to expand each year, creating lacrosse opportunities for literally hundreds of players (boys & girls) throughout several communities. Jeremy Murphy and Stefen Henn, who 10 years ago founded the Fastbreak Lacrosse Camp, Buffalo's most popular summer camp. Evidence of their passion and commitment to the sport are reflected in the countless past players and staff members (many of them former campers). They find a way to make lacrosse fun, and in doing so, set the path for a lifetime love affair with the game.

Obviously, the local lacrosse landscape is very different in 2008. Youth and high school players alike can choose from a wide variety of leagues, camps and tournaments to show off their lacrosse talents. I think it has to be very gratifying for those early pioneers of WNY lacrosse. They can see the changes that have taken place. They know that their efforts have not only helped the game of lacrosse but also strengthen the communities that they live in. As we continue to grow the game here, I hope that we look into the past and do it the "right" way. These mentors have and will continue to steer our course.

Who do you feel has made a great impact on lacrosse in Western New York and why? Maybe it's an old coach, friend or player. Your turn to comment and put them in the spotlight!

Top 5 By Position in Section 6

2008-03-05T10:41:00.003-05:00

At the risk of offending many die-hard lacrosse fans in Western New York, here are my Top 5 preseason picks at each position. I get a chance to see a good amount of scholastic and tournament lacrosse throughout the year. However, I am no expert by any means. These are players I have seen in action, and their play has in some way left an impression on me. Don't like my picks? That's fine. If not these guys, who do you pick as your top 5? I look forward to your responses.

Top 5 Attackman
Joe Resatarits - Hamburg
Jeff Tundo - Orchard Park
Tyler Strassburg - WSE
Brent Doerflein - Amherst
Casey Rich - Amherst

Top 5 Middies
Elijah Printup - Niagara Wheatfield
Matt Ferrino - Orchard Park
Sean Smith - Amherst
Kevin Lalley - Orchard Park
Jordan Collins-Hartwig - Clarence
LSM - Greg Bensman - WSE

Top 5 Defensemen
Nick Melligan - Niagara Wheatfield
Clay Del Prince - Frontier
Ethan Murphy - WSE
Barret Gast - Orchard Park
Jimmy Cardinale - Sweet Home

Top 5 Goalkeepers
James Maxwell - Hamburg
Jeff White - Canisius
Ryan Duff - Clarence
Jon Lawless - St. Francis
Connor McNally - Amherst

Top 3 Faceoff Guys
Mike Moran - Orchard Park
John Rossi - St. Joes
Ryan Connolly - Clarence

The Battle For Class B

2008-03-04T22:15:00.002-05:00

The Class B division has historically been one of the most competitive in Section 6. The 2008 season should be no different, as nine teams will battle it out to see who is left standing come June 6th. In 2007, the Hamburg Bulldogs broke through with a big sectional championship win against Amherst, their nemesis from the north. Coming into the last season, the Tigers had strung together six straight Class B titles. Will these two teams battle it out again this year in the finals, or is West Seneca East going to be the surprise team of Class B this season? Last year, the Trojans lost a heartbreaking triple overtime game in the semifinals. Will they breakthrough in 2008 or will a dark horse develop to emerge as sectional champions? What's your take?