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 in the last week of 2023, which means that the playoff run is about to begin for the Winter Sports season. Straight ahead on the Tuesday Morning JM in the AM Sports Update, Both Varsity Hockey and Basketball have divisions that have been thrown wide open by hard-fought battles that now leave favorites with tough matchups wondering whether home court will be theirs. All that and more straight ahead. Good morning, I’m Elliot Weiselberg.
It’s certainly a noteworthy moment when you can truly feel that anything can happen in a season. For Boys Varsity hockey this year, there most definitely is the feeling that anyone can emerge as the champion of the 2023-2024 season. The latest example occurred between HAFTR and the last undefeated, DRS, this last Saturday night in HAFTR. Jonah Oliner broke a 1-1 tie early in the 3rd period and the Hawk defense stepped up to the task of knocking off the Wildcats, potentially throwing the East into chaos. While a DRS win would have given the Wildcats cushion against all teams other than HANC, who it could have squared away in their matchup tomorrow night, but now, HANC, 8-1 following their 11-6 win over YDE, with a win over DRS would only have 1 game left against a team currently over .500, while the Wildcats still need to play TABC, 8-1 and leading the West following their 4-1 win over SAR and HAFTR, opening the door for HANC and a slim chance for HAFTR to still take the East. In other action, MTA took 2 on the week to jump over .500 at 5-4,throwing them into a tie with Kushner for the final playoff spot in the West.
In JV, DRS took two wins on the week, knocking off Frisch 4-2 and HAFTR 3-2. DRS stays undefeated at 6-0 and gear up to meet TABC, who fell to SAR 6-0. The win for the Sting keeps SAR perfect as they roll toward a meetup with DRS on the other side of the calendar turn to decide the league’s top spot. For TABC, the week ahead is crucial as they play Frisch in addition to the Wildcats. Should TABC not pick up any points in the two matchups, they will risk missing the postseason due to the two ties that will cost them all tiebreakers. HAFTR, at 3-4, isn’t quite in the same boat, but they still hold their own destiny in their hands, starting with a matchup against faltering YDE tonight in Brooklyn.
In Varsity Basketball, both conferences are shaping up to be exciting down the stretch run, as the West finds six teams between the 2 and 4 loss marks and the East sees two Brooklyn teams virtually guaranteed to walk away with byes. Out West, Frisch, Ramaz and TABC all hold two losses by virtue of TABC’s 40-36 win over Frisch. Yonah Mandel’s 10 points were crucial for the Storm in a defensive battle that keeps TABC in the running for the West top spot with a rematch between the two set for January. The second group in the West, Heschel, SAR and JEC all have 4 losses with Ohr Yisroel right behind them at 6-5 to keep things interesting. Ohr Yisroel salvaged its week that started with a 13 point loss to Frisch by defeating YDE 48-45.In the East, Flatbush and Magen David each pushed their claim forward with wins over DRS. Both still sit at only 1 loss, and expect to remain so until next week’s showdown between the two that, barring any shenanigans on behalf of 3-5 North Shore or 6-3 HAFTR in their matchups with Magen David, will determine where in Kings County home court will reside.
And that was your Tuesday Morning JM in the AM Sports Update, I’m Elliot Weiselberg.
