Every Tuesday morning at 7:20 ET Nachum Segal presents Elliot Weiselberg on JM in the AM to deliver the Yeshiva League Sports (YLS) Update. Tune in for the latest Yeshiva League 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.
Thanks Nachum!
We are more than halfway through the month of November and already some major matchups have sent shockwaves through the early season. Straight ahead on the JM in the AM Sports Update, HAFTR throws JV Hockey into a storm, Varsity hockey’s West is breaking into playoff form already and Frisch varsity basketball looks to end November on a better note than it began. All that and more, good morning, I’m Elliot Weiselberg.
Starting out in Varsity Hockey where a divide is working itself out in the West. TABC, SAR, Frisch, MTA and Kushner have all established themselves ahead of the pack. The five teams have a combined 3 losses and have gone 6-1 over the last week, including MTA taking two wins over Flatbush and Magen David and TABC taking two wins over Hillel and JEC. The only one of the teams to take a loss on the week was Kushner, a 5-2 defeat to HAFTR, who is in the running at the top of the East. Contrast that with the remaining 4 teams in the West who all have 4 losses each. Given that 5 teams make the playoffs, the West berths may be clinched before the middle of December. Out in the East, DRS, HAFTR and North Shore have created a gap. All 3 have at least 4 wins, with DRS taking wins over Rambam and Solomon Schechter and HAFTR also taking care of Flatbush last night. North Shore’s resurgence has been a breath of fresh air after a few down years. The Lions took 3 wins on the week, are now 4-0 and have a schedule that will give them a chance to return to the varsity postseason for the first time since the 2019-2020 league.
Moving out to JV where HAFTR bounced back from their overtime loss in Frisch last week with a major 3-2 win over TABC. Tied at 2-2 midway through the 3rd, Drake Spodek gave HAFTR the upper hand and Sam Spira shut the door for the Hawks and handing TABC their first loss of the season. TABC would rebound with a win over MTA on Sunday but will truly have the chance to show that they’ve turned the page when they take on undefeated SAR on Thursday with a chance to climb back into the top of the division.
Over in varsity Basketball YDE has kept pace the top of the East, taking another win to push a 3-0 start. The Thunder join DRS, also 3-0 following a narrow 37-35 escape over fellow contender Frisch last Tuesday night. The Wildcats will take on another challenge on Sunday with a mid-afternoon battle in Flatbush. The Falcons are looking to rebound from their first loss on the season to TABC 79-55, which dropped Flatbush to 3-1. Out West, a major double-battle this week as Ramaz and Frisch will play a home and home starting tomorrow night in Frisch and Sunday in Ramaz. Frisch will then follow that up with a game next Tuesday night against SAR. If Frisch plays their cards right, Thanksgiving break could be a chance to rest, relax and revel in a position atop the West heading into December.
Finally in JV Basketball, DRS and HANC both improved their standing this week, each taking two wins. The Wildcats knocked off Rambam and Westchester to improve to 3-0 while the Hurricanes locked up victories over YDE and Magen David. The two are barreling toward a showdown next Tuesday in DRS with each having one game in between, but with the halfway point extremely close, that game will be the opportunity for one team to break away towards the top of the division.
And that was your JM in the AM Sports Update, I’m Elliot Weiselberg.