The playoff picture in Class B is starting to take shape, and there are a few teams starting to distance themselves from the pack. Blind Brook is unbeaten and off to their best start in years with a new coach in Lewys Jones, Keio is looking sharp but hasn’t played great competition, and Rye Neck has had quality performances against larger schools. Bronxville and Dobbs Ferry have also put together solid seasons and sit above .500 heading into league play. Here’s where we see things ending up if the season ended today:
Championship Matchup: Blind Brook vs. Rye Neck
Blind Brook sits at 5-0-2 and boasts one of the strongest GK’s in Class B in Luka Cuk, and Nico Palacios has added the scoring punch that the Trojans had lacked in recent seasons. Blind Brook is scoring over 4 goals a game and allowing less than 1 per game, which if I do my math right, is a good ratio. This is a deep, veteran group, with 15 seniors seeing playing time and we think they have enough to get to the title game.
Rye Neck’s only loss this year came in a competitive match at Class AA Harrison. They’ve scored 6 goals three times this season and most recently tied Class B undefeated squad Westlake. The Panthers will be battle tested come playoff time and we think we’re heading towards a rivalry matchup in the Class B final.
Poised to Make a Run: Keio, Dobbs Ferry, Bronxville
Keio is currently at No. 2 in the playoff standings and has the experience and confidence to take home the Class B crown. Their schedule down the stretch however, doesn’t compare to the challenges that Blind Brook and Rye Neck will face to prepare for the playoffs. Bronxville and Dobbs Ferry split a recent home and home and look like the two teams ready to make some noise if a top seed gets knocked off.
Matchup to Watch: Blind Brook vs. Rye Neck 10/1 and 10/17
Blind Brook travels to Rye Neck on October 1st and hosts the Panthers on 10/17. We expect these teams to be in the top 3 going into the postseason, but these matchups will likely determine which team will be in which spots.
