I am literally cold to the bone right now. The floor at the Glens Falls Civic Center is on top of the ice (minor league hockey) and it is freezing in here. There’s also very little available food and the crowds are sparse. Other than that, everything’s great.

The Class AA semifinal just wrapped up. Murry Bergtraum beat St. John the Baptist convincingly, 67-40, and will face public school power Rush-Henrietta for the championship tomorrow night. All-american guard Erica Morrow, who is headed to play with Fantasia Goodwin at Syracuse, had 17 points on five 3’s and five steals.

You all know Rush-Henrietta from its two games in the final four against White Plains. That should be some game tomorrow. I’m going to go out on a little bit of a limb and say Rush-Henrietta wins it. (Of course, I was eating a sandwich when Murry Bergtraum made its big run vs. St. John’s the Baptist, so what do I know?)

As for Lakeland, I’ll have a wrap-up on that game later. But considering Kennedy was considered the second-best team in the PSAL regarless of classification, I’d say what the Hornets did was quite amazing. They are obviously the best Class A team in the state, without a doubt.

Lakeland rallied from a nine point deficit to take a lead in the fourth quarter but ultimately fell to Kennedy of the Bronx 47-44 in the Class A state Federation semifinals.

Tatiyiana McMorris led the PSAL representative with 16 points. She had eight of them in the fourth quarter.

The Hornets briefly led 42-40 on a basket from freshman Tori Jarosz with 3:28 to play.

Sarah Benischek had seven points for Lakeland (27-1). She recorded the 1,000th point of her career and also set a new school record for 3-pointers made in a single season, breaking the mark set by Jen Ritz.

Action is officially underway here at the Glens Falls Civic Center, where Blessed Sacrament of New Rochelle just tipped in its Class B semifinal. As you can imagine, we were all enthused about the 10 a.m. start.

The good people at The Journal News have provided you, the fans, with a six-person crew for the Federation this weekend. The reporters are myself, “Carp,”:http://carp.lohudblogs.com Harold Gutmann, and “Kevin.”:http://kickoff.lohudblogs.com Matt Brown and Peter Carr are holding things down on the photo side.

Harold, Kevin and I all drove up together last night because of the early start time. On the way to our hotel, Kevin made a joke about a bunch of city schools heading three or four hours north to play for championships that could very easily be decided a whole lot closer to home, so we put our heads together and thought about it: Do you know that Peekskill and Lakeland are the CLOSEST schools to Glens Falls this weekend? Lakeland is 159 miles from the Civic Center and Peekskill is 168. I’m sure both with feel right at home.

Prediction: Although, as I noted in today’s story, “Lakeland is facing its stiffest competition all season,”:http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070323/SPORTS02/703230400/1034/SPORTS I just cannot pick against the Hornets. Not only have they won every game, but they’ve never even really been threatened.

Steve Fallo always says his team is the one to beat until it has a blemish on its record; I happen to agree. LAKELAND 64, KENNEDY 59. The Hornets will have to score a little more than normal to win, but they will.

Now here’s a stat for you: If Lakeland and Mount Vernon boys both win on Friday, I will have seen 102 basketball games in 114 days by the end of play at the Glens Falls Civic Center on Saturday night. One-hundred and two! It sounds like the title of a sports novel or something…

Here’s another stat I came up with for everyone who believes I covered every White Plains game: I saw 39 of the 76 teams in Section 1 play at least once. I also saw four other area teams (Rye Country Day, Holy Child, Maria Regina, and Our Lady of Victory).

The next time someone asks me what I’ve been up to lately, I’m going to tell them all this. It sums it up quite nicely.

A few quicks things:

1. It looks like the comments feature is up and running. But I doubt anyone will comment. Apparently, you’ve all decided to stop or no one reads this anymore. Hello?

2. Kennedy will play Lakeland on Friday at 1:30 p.m. No, not that Kennedy. The other one. The Bronx powerhouse defeated Manhattan Center Tuesday night to “win” the PSAL’s Class A berth at the state Federation tournament this weekend. I say “win” because Kennedy is the same team that lost to Murry Bergtraum on Sunday at the Garden in the Class AA championship game. As I said Sunday, the PSAL changed its rules this year and decided to let the second and third place teams in the Class AA tournament play for the A bid to Glens Falls.

Also, check this out. “Apparently, Kennedy has 4,122 students.”:http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/browse_school/ny/2009 I’m pretty sure the school has a higher population than some counties in Mississippi.

3. This is why The Sixth Man is the best. Both the brackets on the NYSPHSAA website and the contributers to another high school message board in another part of the state said Jefferson will play Lakeland and that Campus Magnet is the PSAL’s Class B entry. Well, both were wrong and the NYSPHSAA bracket was finally corrected today.

As I’ve said here before, Jefferson will play in the Class B tournament this weekend — even though it won the PSAL A Division tournament. I hope people weren’t confused by that (although I’d certainly understand).

4. Looking for more PSAL information? “Log onto PSAL.org.”:http://www.psal.org/psalsports/sport/psal_sppage.aspx?csport=003 The site isn’t updated 100%, but it does have past game results, playoff brackets, etc. You can find information about Murry Bergtraum, Kennedy and Jefferson there.

5. For this weekend’s schedule… “please check out our Federation schedule here.”:http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070320/SPORTS02/703200332/1111 With Lakeland and three boys teams heading north, we’ll be pretty busy in Glens Falls.

I know, I know, some of you probably think I just cut and pasted this every week, cherry-picking all “my teams” from League I-A and arranging them around a few others. But that’s not true.

I tell you this NOT with the hope of getting a pat on the back or a nice e-mail (jthomson@LoHud.com), but I don’t know anything on this blog I’ve invested more time and thought into on a weekly basis than the Top 10. That said, I wanted to do this one right.

As I said yesterday morning, I bounced teams back and forth in my head all Sunday afternoon during my drive home from the Capital District. What I found were even tougher decision than I faced in the regular season.

The most difficult aspect when comparing teams is this: Which do you favor, the regular season or the postseason?

I’ll tell you right now, I favor the postseason. Not only are the playoff games the most recent and the most important of the season, they give a good indication of what level the team in question had reached by the end of the season. (And yes, the best example of this BY FAR is Mount Vernon.)

So I ask you to keep that in mind. Other than that, here goes…

2006-07 LoHud.com Top 10, Final Edition —

1. Lakeland (27-0): Not much to say here that hasn’t already been said. The Hornets are the Section 1, regional and state champions in Class A and finished the season unbeaten. They won the first state title by a Westchester County school since 2000 and the first state title in program history. Plus, they still have a chance to add a Federation crown this weekend. WEEK 1: White Plains.

2. White Plains (23-3): The Tigers won their third straight Class AA championship and nearly reached a third straight final four. They also finished 10-0 in the toughest league in Section 1 for the second year in a row. I only wished they could’ve met Lakeland at some point because it would’ve been fun. WEEK 2: Lakeland.

3. Pearl River (18-5): To me, there is a drop off from the top two spots but the Pirates are worthy of falling next. They not only played Lakeland tougher than anyone in Section 1, they also avenged two of the other losses on their schedule (to Albertus Magnus and Minisink Valley) and won 13 of 15 to end the season. WEEK 1: Our Lady of Lourdes.

4. Mount Vernon (16-8): Having defeated North Rockland and Ursuline along the way, the young Knights were incredibly dangerous by the time they made a surprise appearance in the Class AA championship game as a No. 10 seed. They then gave White Plains all it could handle in the first half before fading late. Consider them the favorite for next season until proven otherwise. WEEK 1: Scarsdale.

5. Scarsdale (17-6): Very tough to place them behind Mount Vernon, who they beat twice, but the Raiders didn’t quite advance as far. Still, they had a better season than you probably realize. Three of Scarsdale’s losses came to White Plains, a team the Raiders simply couldn’t beat, and one came at the hands of Lakeland. They were as good or better than the rest of the pack. WEEK 1: Pearl River.

6. Ursuline (15-8): The Koalas may’ve fallen to Mount Vernon in the Class AA semis, but they earned one of the most significant wins of the season by beating Lourdes on the road. That is not an easy gym to play in — especially not with the Warriors 15-year reign of Section 1 title on the line — but Ursuline persevered. And don’t forget, the Koalas improved by nine wins from 2005-06. WEEK 1: North Rockland.

7. Albertus Magnus (20-5): The Class B champs did anything you could ask for: pulled off upsets of Pearl River and North Rockland; swept the field in Class B; and avenged a loss to Burke Catholic when it mattered most. This is another team that belongs anywhere from No. 3 through 7. WEEK 1: Ursuline.

8. North Rockland (18-4): The Red Raiders showed so much promise in early December and then overcame a shaky holiday period to finish strong. But they definitely dropped a couple spots by not returning to the County Center. WEEK 1: Horace Greeley.

9. Our Lady of Lourdes (14-8): The Warriors are the only team in Section 1 to beat White Plains since February of 2005, which says quite a lot. Still, they didn’t reach the County Center and finished the season 2-5 vs. teams ranked ahead of them. WEEK 1: Haldane.

10. Blind Brook (20-5): Perhaps no team maxed out quite like the Trojans, which won the first gold ball in program history and advanced to the final four. Even in Troy — against a superior team in Bloomfield — they were there scrapping until the very end. And don’t forget: Blind Brook’s victory over Haldane in the Class C championship was the biggest upset of the season in Section 1. WEEK 1: Albertus Magnus.

ON THE BUBBLE: Putnam Valley (15-8), Beacon (17-5), Briarcliff (19-3), Ossining (14-8), Haldane (17-4).

Any thoughts, reflections, comments???

I don’t know how many of you watched the PSAL championships on MSG last night, but if you did you know that “Murry Bergtraum won the Class AA title again.”:http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hschool/2007/03/19/2007-03-19_bergtraum_on_cloud_nine-2.html The powerhouse beat Kennedy of the Bronx, “another team I metioned here on Sunday night.”:http://sixthman.lohudblogs.com/2007/03/17/potential-lakeland-opponents-in-glens-falls/

According to the story about Murry Bergtraum I linked to above, Kennedy now plays Manhattan Center on Tuesday with the winner to advance as the PSAL’s Class A rep at the state Federation tournament in Glens Falls. (I don’t know where the game is, but I will try and find out.) That team — expect it to be Kennedy — will then face Lakeland at 1:30 p.m. on Friday.

Awaiting in Saturday’s championship game will be Mary Louis Academy of Queens, “which beat St. Peter’s of Staten Island in yesterday’s CHSAA Class A state final.”:http://www.silive.com/hssports/advance/index.ssf?/base/Sports/1174299349221760.xml&coll=1

We wake up here on Monday morning and it appears The Sixth Man will live on another week thanks to the first state championship in school history for Lakeland. I admit, I had a thought Saturday morning — one I shared with Michelle Caley’s mom as we each picked breakfast from the hotel’s buffet — that the blog could very quickly run out of material after I left Troy, but luckily the Hornets kept the 2006-07 season churning toward Glens Falls.

On my front, there is so much work to do, both on the basketball season and the impending baseball season. I have the Westchester/Putnam all-stars to compile and the baseball preview to work on — plus the Federation tournament — and not a ton of time to do it. Still, I’ll have a few wrap-up items to get to this week and plenty more on Lakeland and its potential opponents. I encourage you to stick with me throughout the week as we preview the weekend in Glens Falls and put a bow on the season.

As I’ve mentioned before, this right here has been so much fun thanks to all the words I’ve received (kind and otherwise), both through comments and in person. Let’s keep it running as long as possible. Any questions or concerns, just let me know.

I will post the final Top 10 of the season tomorrow. I put a great deal of thought into it on my trip home from Troy yesterday and will unveil just how those thoughts shook out first thing in the morning.

I was asked about this a couple times tonight, so here’s what Lakeland’s schedule looks like for state Federation tournament in Glens Falls:

Friday, March 23rd: vs. PSAL winner, 1:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 24th: (if necessary) vs. CHSAA winner, 10:30 a.m.

Now, the PSAL consolation game was played tonight at Hunter College between Midwood and Manhattan Center. I cannot find out who won. The winner will then play the loser of today’s Class AA championship between Murry Bergtraum and Kennedy of the Bronx. I’m not sure when that game is, but I’d assume it’s Monday or Tuesday. (You can ask me why the PSAL chooses its Class A school this way – and whether or not I think it’s right – but I don’t have an answer to either question. It confuses me, too.)

The CHSAA game is scheduled for today (Sunday) at 3 p.m. at Cardinal Spellman High School in the Bronx. Defending Federation champ St. Peter’s of Staten Island faces Mary Louis Academy.

“Here’s a little something on St. Peter’s,”:http://www.silive.com/hssports/advance/index.ssf?/base/Sports/1174122933176470.xml&coll=1 which beat Pearl River by 20 points in December. “Here’s something more in depth.”:http://www.silive.com/columnists/dowd/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1173866422275710.xml&coll=1

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I’ve saw Kennedy scrimmage against White Plains this season. I know senior guard Tatiyiana McMorris is headed to Marquette. I also saw Murry Bergtraum last year and you know them – they are Murry Bergtraum. Senior guard Erica Morrow is headed to Syracuse. She is the second highest-rated senior in the state of New York, “according to Scout.com player rankings.”:http://scout.scout.com/a.z?s=209&p=9&cfg=wbb&c=4&yr=2007&pid=88

I don’t know anything about Manhattan Center or Midwood, but I know both are historically very tough. From what I can find, neither has a major Division I player on its roster.

I’m sure this is all confusing. Hopefully it all sorts itself out soon enough.

Sorry that this didn’t go up sooner. I hit the save button and left it when I went to interview, but it apparently didn’t work.

The Hornets did, in fact, win the Class A state title, the first in school history. They did it with a typically defensive fourth quarter, outscoring Franklin Academy 12-2.

But that wasn’t the biggest thing. Lakeland didn’t allow a Franklin Academy point in the fourth quarter until there was 43.8 seconds left. Amazing stuff.

Amy Voelkel had 11 points and six rebounds and was named MVP. Sarah Benischek joined her on the all-touranment team with 13 points, including 3 of 7 from 3. Rosemarie Fazio was excellent again, picking up 12 points, nine rebounds and four steals. She was equally deserving of a spot on the all-tournament team (and would’ve got one if they didn’t pick one player from each team).

This is the first state championship for a Section 1 team since Lourdes won in 2004. The last teams to win other than Lourdes was Ursuline and Haldane, which both won in 2000. And, of course, Lakeland finished the season 27-0.

As I mentioned earlier tonight, Lakeland made every play. The Hornets were better than any game I’d ever seen them play over the last four seasons and totally dominated the game. Their defense held Franklin Academy to 11 of 27 shooting and forced 24 turnovers.

Lakeland plays next on Friday at 1:30 p.m. at the Glens Falls Civic Center. The opponent will be the Class A champion of the PSAL, with the winner to face the CHSAA winner on Saturday morning at 10 a.m.