Nachum welcomed Elliot Weiselberg back to JM in the AM to deliver the Yeshiva League Sports (YLS) Update. Tune in for the latest Yeshiva League Spring Sports information, as well as, the occasional update on other sports happenings in the Jewish world. The transcription for this morning’s update is below.
Good Morning Everyone!
It’s been quite a stretch since we last brought you the JM in the AM Sports Update. Almost a full winter regular season has passed by, and with the playoffs on the horizon, now is a good a time as any to bring you up to speed on where teams stand in hockey and basketball. We’ll set up the last week of the regular season and look ahead to the playoffs. All that and more, straight ahead, I’m Elliot Weiselberg.
Hockey’s JV and Varsity East divisions have their playoffs set, while the West still has spots to be determined.
In Varsity, the top 4 teams in each of the two conferences make the playoffs with the top 2 in each earning first round home games. The East will see DRS, HANC, Magen David and Rambam advance. Rambam worked their way into the postseason by overtaking Flatbush on the play of goalie Sam Korman who backstopped the Ravens to a 2-0 win over HANC and a 2-1 win over Flatbush themselves this past Sunday, knocking the Falcons from playoff position.
The West is somewhat more complicated as the 4 playoff teams have been determined, but most of the order is still up in the air. SAR will be the 4 seed and will travel to DRS in a repeat of a confrontation from last week, where DRS dominated 7-3. In front of the Sting, three teams sit at 21 points. TABC will have the advantage, having two games still remaining with two non-playoff teams, Kushner and Ohr Yisroel. Any slip ups will open the door for Frisch, who will face off Motzai Shabbos with JEC. Frisch put the pressure to the Storm this past weekend following a 2-1 overtime victory over TABC in Frisch to sweep the season series. Waiting out the stretch is MTA, who have no more games left, but still have a shot at the two seed if Frisch loses their finale and TABC takes a point in either of their last 2 games. Otherwise, the Lions will travel to HANC in Round 1
In JV, the top 3 teams in each of the two conferences make the playoffs, with the division winners getting a bye. DRS and TABC have locked up the East and West, respectively. Behind DRS, HAFTR takes the 2 seed and will host the West #3 seed, while Rambam locked up the East #3 seed Monday night, avenging an early season loss to North Shore 5-1 to overtake them for the final spot. Out West, behind TABC, Kushner has locked up a playoff spot, but wont know whether it will be the West #2 or #3 seed until the Cobras face MTA tomorrow night. Currently in 2nd with 10 points, Kushner needs only one point to lock up a home playoff spot. Meanwhile, MTA will be fighting for their playoff lives. A regulation loss will deadlock them into a tie with Frisch, who will overtake them based on tiebreakers
In Varsity Basketball, the top 6 teams in each of the 2 conferences advance with the top 2 teams each getting byes. The Varsity West has its 6 participants and its 2 bye teams. SAR ran away with the division, with a 13-1 record, while Ramaz earned the 2 seed following wins over Heschel, Frisch, Kushner and Ohr Yisroel to open up the month of February. TABC, sitting at 10-3 will be the 3 seed. Frisch, MTA and Hillel will be 4-6. Frisch currently sits at 8-5 with a game against TABC. Out East, DRS is tops at 12-2, but 2-6 is a mess, as Flatbush, Magen David, Waterbury and YDE currently sit at 8 wins, meanwhile Magen Abraham rounds out the final East playoff spot and can also still reach 8 wins.
In JV, the top of the East is ruled by Brooklyn as Magen David currently sits at 8-2, however, Flatbush at 7-2 can cause a little chaos with a win over HAFTR tonight. Doing so would deadlock the 2 teams and force a coin flip to break the tie for the conference top seed. North Shore at 6-3 could still make waves at the top of the division, but already knows that it will be in the playoffs, while DRS and HAFTR squared off last night in their battle for the final East berth. Out West, Frisch, Ramaz and SAR have clinched berths, TABC can do the same with a win tonight versus Frisch or tomorrow against Kushner, and JEC has the edge over Kushner for the final spot in the West.
For the latest rankings for both hockey and basketball be sure to follow Yeshiva League Pass on Instagram.
For the JM in the AM Sports Update, I’m Elliot Weiselberg.
