New York Teams That Play Up

For some high school coaches, winning is everything. For others, winning against competitive teams is everything. Some teams have the luxury of being in competitive divisions like the PSAL Brooklyn Class AA or leagues like the CHSAA Class AA but many good teams are unfortunately relegated to historically weaker divisions and leagues where it’s easy to dominate with a halfway decent team.

Winning huge against lesser in-league competition may feel good but gives players a false sense of how good they really are. That delusion is further reinforced by coaches who opt for an equally as weak or weaker non-league schedule just to pad stats. Many coaches are OK with this lifestyle. A few good men are not.

Here is an example of six New York teams that play up to their level of talent and then some. Their coaches have creatively enhanced the teams overall schedule by maximizing their out-of-league games and thereby challenging the players and increasing their profile..

Chaminade H.S. – A member of the Nassau/Suffolk CHSAA AA, the Flyers already have a somewhat competitive in-league schedule for a Long Island team but fortified it with a very impressive out of league schedule. Head Coach Bob Paul’s squad is slated to play Cardinal Hayes, South Shore, L.I. Lutheran, St. Peter’s, The Knox School, Lawrence Woodmere Academy and Francis Lewis. Chaminade is currently ranked in our Long Island ranking.

Brooklyn HS of Law & Technology- Although self-imposed, in the PSAL Brooklyn Class A division, the Law & Tech Jets could be satisfied with continuing to bang out 30, 40, and even 50-point win during in-league play. Coach Kenny Pretlow has done a good job over the years as his team has earned a rep as the Class AA killer, playing up and most times winning against team that should beat them on paper. This season is no difference as the Jets are scheduled to play, All Hallows and Cardinal Hayes. Law & Tech is currently ranked in our NYC rankings.

Nazareth Regional H.S. – The Kingsmen may be a Class A CHSAA team with a weaker in-league schedule, but new head coach Dwayne “Tiny” Morton has pumped up the volume in the Brooklyn high school with an impressive out-of-league schedule for his squad. Naz is slotted to play St. Benedict and The Patrick School out of NJ along with a game versus Class AA Cardinal Hayes and Eagle Academy.

The Dwight School – The Class B Manhattan high school under head coach David Brown appears to be more courageous than many Class AA schools with a competitive non-league schedule that already includes a win against our Long Island ranked Lawrence Woodmere along with upcoming games against The Knox School, Iona Prep and games in upcoming Kruel Classic.

All Hallows H.S. – The Gaels may have reluctantly moved down from Class AA to Class A in the CHSAA but Head Coach Marvin McCullough kept the Bronx team's out-of-league schedule crisp. They already beaten previously ranked St. Raymond and are scheduled to play up versus Molloy, Holy Cross and Law & Tech.

Scarsdale H.S. – New head coach Joe Amelio gets an honorable mention. He could’ve taken the easy route with buffer games using his newbie status as an excuse but he wasted no time, jumping into the deep end of the pool, scheduling games against Class AA Holy Cross and St. Anthony.

We sometime receive inquiries as to why teams with seemingly stellar records sometimes don’t make it into our rankings. The answer is simple. Our rankings are not solely based on wins and losses but also on the overall strength of schedule and the level of competition.