Section V hockey releases postseason brackets: Pittsford, Batavia United earn top seeds
Over the next two weeks, Section V hockey teams will face off to determine which clubs will claim championship banners and state tournament berths.
Section V released its brackets for the Class A and Class B tournaments on Sunday. The tournament begins with three preliminary games on Tuesday, and action resumes on Thursday with quarterfinal games.
Important dates to remember for Section V hockey tournaments
Preliminary round: Tuesday, Feb. 13 to Wednesday, Feb. 14 at higher seed.
Quarterfinals: Thursday, Feb. 15 to Friday, Feb. 16 at higher seed.
Class B Semifinals: Wednesday, Feb. 21 at higher seed.
Class A Semifinals: Thursday, Feb. 22 at higher seed.
Finals: Monday, Feb. 26 at RIT (Class B: 5 p.m.; Class A: 7:30 p.m.).
Class A tournament
Top seed: Pittsford.
Defending champion: Pittsford.
The Panthers earn the No. 1 spot following a 17-2-1 regular season. Pittsford enters sectional play on a nine-game winning streak, having not lost since its Jan. 13 meeting with Batavia Notre Dame United.
Pittsford’s other loss came on the season’s opening night, when the Panthers fell to McQuaid – the tournament’s No. 2 seed – 5-2.
The Panthers boast a deep bench with six players that exceeded 20 points during the regular season, led by forward Brady McMahon (16 goals, 29 assists). Bradley Pollard and Drew Ricketts, both listed as defensemen, also reached the mark.
Class B tournament
Top seed: Batavia Notre Dame United.
Defending champion: Webster Schroeder.
In its second season as a merged program, Batavia Notre Dame United – which combines Notre Dame of Batavia and Batavia High School – emerged as one of New York state’s top teams.
United was rewarded with the tournament’s top seed following an 18-win regular season. Of note, the team went a perfect 13-0-0 against teams from Section V. That includes wins over both Pittsford and Webster Schroeder, last year’s two champions.
Batavia Notre Dame United was the only Section V team with four players (Ivan Milovidov, Jameson Motyka, Brady Johnson, Joe DiRisio) to score 30 or more points during the regular season.
Section V owns the NYSPHSAA at-large bid this season, so both teams that reach the section final will advance to the state tournament.
This article originally appeared on MPNnow: Section V hockey releases 2024 postseason brackets
