By Mitch Abramson
Four brackets composed of four teams each will compete against each other and against teams from other brackets to determine the winner of the PSAL's 'A' and 'B' leagues. The four brackets designate the spelling of the PSAL, with the 'P' bracket ultimately facing the 'L' bracket and the 'S' and 'A' brackets meeting.
In the 'A' division, Benjamin Cardozo travels to Sheepshead Bay May 19 to play itself into the playoff race. On the 'B' side, four schools from Queens will need to win out-bracket games also on May 19 in order to contend for a championship. Newcomers must leave Long Island City to face Baruch, Far Rockaway travels to Banneker, Forest Hills stays home to play A.P. Randolph, and Hillcrest goes to Bronx State to play Lehman. All games begin at 4 p.m.
Playoffs for the 'A' league get underway May 20, with third-seeded Bayside leaving the borough to play No. 2 Hunter at Riverbank State Bank at 5 p.m. in the 'P' bracket. No. 2 Francis Lewis hosts third-seeded Beacon at Flushing Meadow Park at 4 p.m. in the 'S' bracket.
The 'A' bracket will see No. 4 William Bryant traveling to Van Cortlandt Park at 4 p.m. to play top-seeded Bronx Science, and third-seeded Townsend Harris goes to second-seeded Susan Wagner for a 4 p.m. game, also in the 'A' bracket. If Cardozo defeats Sheepshead Bay, the Judges will travel to face top-seeded Mckee/SI Technical High School at 4 p.m. in the 'S' bracket.
In the 'B' league, third-seeded Thomas Edison goes to No. 2 Grand Street Campus for a 'P' bracket game at 4 p.m., and the winner of Hollcrest-Lehman plays top-seeded Tilden away at 4 p.m. in the 'S' bracket.
The winner of Randolph-Forest Hills goes to Riverbank State Park at 3 p.m. to play top-seeded Lab Museum in an 'A' bracket game, and third-seeded Stevenson goes to No. 2 Jamaica for a 4 p.m. game, also in the 'A' backet. The winner of Far Rockaway-Banneker travels to No. 1 J.R.E.C. for a 5 p.m. 'L' game, and either Newcomer or Baruch will travel to No. 2 Long Island City to play a 4 p.m. 'L' game.
The 'A' quarterfinals, or bracket championships, will be played May 26 at Flushing Meadow Park, and the 'B' quarterfinals will be the next day at Tilden. Forest Hills High School hosts the 'A' semifinals on June 2, followed by the 'Bs' the next day, with the championship game played on June 5th at Belson Soccer Stadium. The exceptional senior game will be June 13 at Madison at 10 a.m.
