I was just checking www.weather.com for Saturday’s Syracuse forecast and guess what? More snow is predicted through the morning.

Wow! Snow! Something different in Syracuse in mid November.

Here is an interesting question that was brought up to me earlier by one of my bosses, What happens if snow knocks out tomorrow’s games? How would the Class A champion be determined?

I learned tonight, from Section 1 chair Sue Hughes, that high school teams can’t play two games in one day, according to federation rules. So, if the Class A semis are snowed out, would the two semi-final winners be declared co-champions?

Let’s hope the snow bypasses Syracuse Saturday. Wait a minute, this could be asking alot.

Once again, the snow has thrown a monkey wrench into the field hockey state final four in Syracuse.

This is the second time in the last five years that snow has added an extra day. In 2003, I remember arriving at then P & C Stadium for Rye’s game at 9:30 a.m. It was the first game of the day, however, I learned that it was being delayed. I went down to the field to find Section 1 chairperson Sue Hughes and her respective sectional chairs chipping ice off the carpet, with shovels, in an effort to prepare the field.

Well, the game eventually started and what a mistake. The snow, which started as helpless flakes, transformed into blizzard-like conditions. Rye would win the game, if I remember correctly, 2-1 over Southampton, on a Taryn Prostano goal. When I interviewed Prostano after the game she said it was not fun playing in those conditions.

Following Rye’s win, the sectional chairs approved the postponement of the remaining games.

Now, can we think about getting the state final four out of Syracuse so we don’t have to deal with snow or the threat of snow every year? There has to be another section that would be willing to host it.

Heck, I can think of four places immediately—Lakeland High School, Dietz Stadium in Kingston, Skidmore and Hofstra. What about the bubble in Milton? In 2005, it hosted regional field hockey games.

I know, these places are not centrally-located, but who cares? The cross country state championships were practically held in Canada. Back in 1994, the boys soccer state championships were held in Bath and Cohocton. I know this because I was there as Port Chester played in Bath, and Rye Neck in Cohocton, 25 minutes south on Interstate 381.

Let’s forget about the centrally-located theme for once and think about the weather concerns. Once October rolls around, he threat of snow in Syracuse becomes a real possibility. Syracuse has hosted the state final four since 1997. It’s time for a change and to get out of the snow.

Section 1 chairperson Sue Hughes, how about bringing the state final four to Section 1? Last year, Section 4 coordinator Jan Conover was impressed with Lakeland and last week I got the impression Section 9 chair Linda Krausz was also impressed.

The Williamsville North-Ward Melville Class A semifinal, which was halted with 21:13 remaining in the first half, and Saratoga-Lakeland semifinal have been postponed because of snow.

The Williamsville North-Ward Melville game will be resumed at the point it was stopped, at 2 p.m. and Saratoga-Lakeland will follow at 4 p.m. The Class a championship game will be played on Sunday at 10 a.m.

The Class C final (Warrensburg-Marathon) will be played at 10 a.m. followed by Rye and Garden City in the Class B final at noon.

The Williamsville North-Ward Melville Class A semifinal is delayed because of heavy snow.

The officials called the teams off the field with 21:13 remaining in the first half and have since been shoveling the area around the respective circles, the sidelines and endlines.

Lucy Rollins scored the first goal of the game and later assisted on Ai Nishino’s first-half goal as Rye defeated Section 3 champion Camden, 3-1 in a state Class B semifinal.

Torie Stearns added an insurance goal with just under two minutes remaining in the game. Rye scored its goals on penalty corners.

Rye (20-2) will play Section 8 titlist and defending state champion Garden City (20-0) in the title game Saturday at noon. Garden City is riding a 62-game winning streak.

In Class C: Marathon (Section 4) defeated Port Jefferson (Section 8), 4-1, and Warrensburg (Section 2) beat Pine Plains (Section 9), 2-1 on a goal in the final two minutes.

In Class B: Garden City (Section 8), the 2005 Class A state champion and 2006 state Class B titlist, defeated Maine-Endwell (Section 4), 2-0.

Lakeland and Rye have long since arrived in Syracuse and are awaiting their respective semifinals. Rye will face Camden (Section 3) at 3:30 p.m. and Lakeland will conclude semi-final day against Saratoga (Section 2) at 7:30 p.m.

The Hornets and Garnets, respectively, should win their respective semifinals. Both teams are too strong offensively and defensively. I doubt if Saratoga and Camden have faced the likes of a Lakeland’s Caitlin Collins, Cassie O’Mara, Tara McGovern and Chelsea Robinson or Camden has had to deal with the players Rye presents in Torie Stearns, Lucy Rollins, Alyssa Coughlan and Courtney Burke.both teams on the bracket’s other side is Long Island with Ward Melville (Section 11) in Class A and it should be Garden City (Section in Class B.

Ward Melville will take on Williamsville North (Section 6) in the other Class A semifinal while Class B offers an intriguing semifinal with Garden City and Maine-Endwell (Section 4).

I will see both teams when I arrive on Friday. Hopefully, the snow will hold up. All the more reason to move the state final four to Section 1 and Lakeland High School.

To both teams, I apologize for the late post on this game.

For the second consecutive year Rye Country Day School and Holy Child played for the New York State Association of Independent Schools championship with this title going to RCDS, 1-0.

Last year, Holy Child defeated RCDS, 1-0 on a Laura Hudson goal with two seconds remaining to give Holy Child coach Barbara Lorys a second state title. Lorys guided Rye Neck to the 1998 Class D state championship.

Kim Cunningham scored on a penalty corner at the 15:32 mark of the first half. Cunningham also scored on a penalty corner, to give RCDS a 1-0 lead, in the teams’ Fairchester Athletic Association semifinal last Tuesday.

Once Cunningham gave RCDS a lead, the defense and senior goalie Jessica Ostrau went to work, especially in the second half.

RCDS controlled play in the first half, but Holy Child responded and came out charging in the second half. The Gryphons were much more aggressive and this resulted in more penalty corners.

Holy Child generated five, three of which resulted in excellent shots, only to have Ostrau stand tall. On Holy Child’s third corner of the second half, RCDS cleared the circle, but Mairead Kennelly carried back in and ripped a shot that Ostrau kicked out.

On successive corners in a 25-second span with six minutes remaining in the game, Ostrau stopped two lasers from Charlotte Tierney. The second one was targeted for the lower left-hand corner of the net, but Ostrau was ready, kicking out her right leg and having the shot bounce off.

RCDS senior and fellow tricaptain Annie Thomas said it best following the game about her fellow tricaptin, goallie and good friend, “Jess is amazing!”

The RCDS defense of Amanda Cole, Alexandra Boillot and Thomas played the majority of the second half without Zoe Parker, who injured her left hand. Rebecca Sackler stepped in and did a great job with Thomas, Cole and Boillot.

Congratulations to RCDS, which also won this title in 2004, on a great season. All soft-spoken, well-liked and underrated RCDS coach Georgette Summers does annually is produce winning teams and excellent players.

And let me not forget a congratulations to Holy Child for another outstanding season. Holy Child coach Barbara Lorys and assistant coach Cheryl (Condro) O’Shea (whose sister Tricia Miller is the Mamaroneck varsity assistant0 were Rye Neck field hockey teammates playing for coach Gail Stevenson. Lorys and O’Shea have done an outstanding job with this program. In four years, this dynamic tandem has guided a once dormant program to a state championship and state final. The best part is that Lorys and O’Shea are two of the nicest people you could ever meet.

Obviously, there is going to be two different sides to what actually happened on Saturday. Either way, please restrain yourself when it comes to commenting on the girls. For the Pleasantville fan, if you feel that the Bronxville girls were doing what you said they were doing, please don’t voice your negative comments about them on the blog. You feel strongly about this so I am sure there are other avenues for you to take to address this.

For Fairness Rules, in fairness to the Pleasantville fan, this individual did congratulate and comment Pine Plains for a strong game Saturday and did wish the Bombers good luck in Syracuse.

Thank you Fairness Rules for taking the stand against attacking the Bronxville girls and the community.

If you get a chance, take a ride to Storrs Sunday to watch four former Section 1 standouts battle for an NCAA final four berth.

Boston U., featuring Somers’ Sarah Shute and Putnam Valley’s Kim Kastuk, will take on UConn’s Melissa Gonzalez of Lakeland and Katie Scully of Ossining, beginning at 2 p.m.

I’m sure you can watch on CSTV, although it would be better in person.

UConn handled UMass, 4-1 as Gonzalez scored a goal, and Boston U. defeated Big 10 champ Iowa, 1-0 in double overtime.

And while we are discussing former Section 1 standouts, 2007 Lakeland graduate and four-year varsity player Kara Connolly stopped by the Lakeland press box today to say hello to PA announcer and Lakeland Social Studies teacher Tom Peters.

Connolly suffered a broken right hand in New Hampshire’s final game of the season. Connolly had been seeing significant playing time this past season. If there is a bright side to this, it’s that Connolly, who will have surgery soon, will be fine and back playing soon. Connolly will leave her mark on UNH before she graduates.

Hope the surgery goes well and you are feeling better soon Kara. And enjoy the BU-UConn game Sunday.