Brackets for the Section II softball tournament were announced Monday afternoon with four of the five returning Section II champions as top seeds.
Play begins Tuesday with first round games, while the semifinal and championship rounds are scheduled for May 24 and championship contests slated for May 26 at Luther Forest Athletic Fields in Malta or Moreau Rec Park in Glens Falls.
The No. 1 seeds are Shenendehowa (Class AA), Queensbury (A), Ichabod Crane (Class B), Chatham (Class C) and Salem (Class D).
Queensbury is the only top-seed not returning as a champion. The last time the Spartans won a Section II title — 1993 — followed by two sectional final appearances in 1996 and 1999.
Ichabod Crane is the 3-time defending Class B champion and Chatham returns as the two-time defending Class C champion.
Class D saw the biggest decrease in post-season teams with only four teams competing, Salem, No. 2 Argyle, No. 3 Germantown and No. 4 Fort Ann out of the 13 teams in Class D.
Mekeel Christian Academy, Northville along with the Fort Plain/OESJ squads fielded only junior varsity teams this spring.
Class B saw a decrease of nine teams choosing not to compete in the postseason including Broadalbin-Perth, Johnstown and Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons.
In Class A Amsterdam opted out of the postseason and Gloversville did not field a varsity team this spring.
There were no Section II softball tournaments held in the 2020 season due to coronavirus pandemic-related restrictions. The 2021 season concluded at the sectional level as regional and state-level championships were also canceled.
SECTION II SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
CLASS AA
First round
Tuesday
9-Albany at 8-Shaker, 4:30; 10-Niskayuna at 7-Saratoga, 4:30.
Quarterfinals
Thursday
Shaker/Albany winner at 1-Shenendehowa, 4:30; 5-Colonie at 4-Ballston Spa, 4:30; 6-Guilderland at 3-Columbia, 4:30; Saratoga/Niskayuna winner at 2-Bethlehem, 4:30.
Semifinals
May 24
At Luther Forest Athletic Fields, 5.
Championship
May 26
At Luther Forest Athletic Fields, 5.
CLASS A
Quarterfinals
Thursday
8-Scotia-Glenville at 1-Queensbury, 4:30; 7-Mohonasen at 2-Troy, 4:30; 6-Hudson Falls at 3-Averill Park, 4:30; 5-South Glens Falls at 4-Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, 4:30.
Semifinals
May 24
At Schalmont, 5
Championship
May 26
At Luther Forest Athletic Fields, 5.
CLASS B
First round
Tuesday
9-Catholic Central at 8-Hudson, 4:30; 13-Mechanicville at 4-Fonda-Fultonville, 4:30; 12-Coxsackie-Athens at 5-Cohoes; 14-Albany Academy at 3-Tamarac, 4:30; 11-Voorheesville at 6-Schalmont, 4:30; 10-Schuylerville at 7-Greenville, 4:30.
Quarterfinals
Thursday
Hudson/Catholic Central winner at 1-Ichabod Crane, 4:30; Fonda-Fultonville/Mechanicville winner vs. Cohoes/Coxsackie-Athens winner, site TBD, 4:30; Tamarac/Albany Academy winner vs. Schalmont/Voorheesville winner, site TBD, 4:30; Greenville/Schuylerville winner at 2-Glens Falls, 4:30.
Semifinals
May 24
At Luther Forest Athletic Fields, 5.
CLASS C
First round
Tuesday
20-Corinth at 13-Granville, 4:30; 21-Duanesburg at 12-Hoosic Valley, 4:30; 19-Ft. Edward/Hartford at 14-Mayfield, 4:30; 22-Waterford-Halfmoon at 11-Galway, 4:30; 18-Canajoharie at 15-Schoharie, 4:30; 17-Cambridge at 16-Berlin/New Lebanon, 5:15.
Second round
Wednesday
Berlin/New Lebanon/Cambridge winner at 1-Chatham, 4:30; 9-Rensselaer at 8-Hoosick Falls, 4:30; Granville/Corinth winner at 4-Lake George, 4:30; Hoosic Valley/Duanesburg winner at 5-Berne-Knox-Westerlo, 4:30; Mayfield/Ft. Edward/Hartford winner at 3-Greenwich, 4:30; Waterford-Halfmoon/Galway winner at 6-Warrensburg, 4:30; 10-Maple Hill at 7-Stillwater, 4:30; Schoharie/Canajoharie winner at 2-Whitehall, 4:30.
Quarterfinals
Thursday
At higher seeds, 4:30 p.m.
Semifinals
May 24
At Moreau Rec, 5.
Championship
May 26
At Moreau Rec, 5.
CLASS D
Semifinals
May 24
1-Salem vs. 4-Fort Ann, at Moreau Rec, 5; 2-Argyle vs. 3-Germantown, at Moreau Rec, 5.
Championship
May 26
At Moreau Rec, 5.
Categories: -Sports-, High School Sports
