Haldane and Beacon will compete with nearby schools
The officials who oversee high school sports in Section 1, which includes 82 schools in Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland and Westchester counties, released their plan on Oct. 26 for the fall state tournament that will begin on Nov. 16 and be completed before Thanksgiving.
The New York State Public High School Athletic Association earlier announced there would be no regional or state tournaments in 2020. The sectional plan is to hold a single-elimination tournament with a division for small schools and another for larger schools.
The cross-country competition will be held at the Hudson Valley Superdome in Milton on Nov. 21 and 22, while boys’ and girls’ soccer will be staged at the field of each higher seed. Girls’ tennis will be held Nov. 8 and 14 at a regional host that has yet to be determined.
The final day for regular-season games will be Nov. 14. A meeting to seed teams will be held on Nov. 15.
Haldane and North Salem, both Class C schools (determined by student enrollment), will compete in the Putnam-Northern Westchester small-school division with Class A schools Lakeland, Peekskill, Walter Panas, Hendrick Hudson and Byram Hills, and Class B schools Putnam Valley, Briarcliff and Croton Harmon.
Beacon and Our Lady of Lourdes, both in Class A, will compete in the Dutchess division with Class AA schools Arlington, John Jay of East Fishkill and Ketcham.
Ahmed Dwidar, who coaches the Haldane boys’ soccer team, voiced what most Section 1 coaches and athletes seem to be thinking. “We are so lucky to be playing, and we’re so glad to have another opportunity to pick up a game in which our seniors might be able to get a win,” he said
Section 1 officials also announced they would realign the leagues for basketball, baseball and softball to minimize team travel during the pandemic and authorized teams to hold offseason workouts. Winter sports are scheduled to begin on Nov. 20, although officials said they were waiting for guidance from the state on whether basketball, hockey and wrestling could take place.
