Football is obviously the big sport in the fall, but this opening weekend is even bigger when you consider the big events that are getting other seasons started.
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In today's paper we mentioned two boys soccer events, the Clarence Tournament and the Coaches V. Cancer ECIC-NFL Challenge at Sweet Home. The Clarence event speaks for itself with top teams East Aurora, Nichols and Kenmore East visiting.
The Sweet Home event has organizers wondering aloud if it is the largest boys soccer event to be held in Western New York. With five games on Friday and five on Saturday, I can't think of anything of that scope.
It's a great format and a great cause. Officials will wear a commemorative shirt to honor former longtime Western New York official Tom Mingle, who passed away on Sept. 5, 2008. The officials -- who are donating all of their game fees to cancer research -- will make a presentation to Tom's family during halftime of the Sweet Home/North Tonawanda game at 12:45 p.m. Saturday.
The format of the event is two points for a win and one point for a tie; if the two leagues are tied the tiebreaker is fewest goals allowed.
Here's the lineup:
Friday's games
Sweet Home vs. Kenmore West, 2 p.m.
Wmsv. East vs. North Tonawanda, 4 p.m.
Wmsv. North vs. Niagara Falls, 4 p.m.
Wmsv. South vs. Lew-Port, 6 p.m.
Hamburg vs. Niagara-Wheatfield, 6 p.m.
Saturday's games
Wmsv. North vs. Lew-Port, 10 a.m.
Wmsv. East vs. Niagara-Wheatfield, 10 a.m.
Sweet Home vs. North Tonawanda, noon
Hamburg vs. Kenmore West, noon
Wmsv. South vs. Niagara Falls, 2 p.m.
Also, this afternoon is the first round for the Eden Kickoff Classic, which features the hosts meeting Springville and Pioneer taking on Roy-Hart; the winners meet Friday.
Friday just isn't opening night for football at Orchard Park, Rochester boys soccer power Aquinas will visit OP at 5 p.m.
Speaking of Aquinas, on Saturday the Little Irish host Canisius while the girls team hosts East Aurora.
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Clarence also has a nice collection for its girls soccer tournament, held in conjunction with the boys. Friday's first-rounders are Nardin at Clarence and Nichols vs. Kenmore East.
Some nonleague girls soccer action Friday includes a great program showdown of Williamsville North at Grand Island as well as Williamsville South at North Tonawanda.
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Clarence just leads the league in big opening events -- the 23rd annual Clarence Invitational in boys volleyball includes a who's who of top teams in its 16-team field. Orchard Park,
Canisius, Eden and St. Francis will be there. The tournament starts at 8 a.m.
Speaking of volleyball, the boys get some serious bump-set-spiking in tonight as OP -- which went undefeated last year -- opens against St. Francis at home at 7 p.m.
On Friday, Catholic girls state champion St. Mary's opens up at Victor of Section V (Rochester area) while Williamsville North is at Starpoint.
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All that and even boys basketball (!) sneaking in with the Elia Tournament at Niagara Falls.
---Keith McShea
Below is a list we've compiled from your responses to the Kicking off 2009 football talk post as well as some other research.
PLEASE let us know of any inaccuracies, updates or additions via the comments section below or an email to kmcshea@buffnews.com Thanks.
Also, check out a statewide scrimmage list from the NYS Sportswriters Association.
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Saturday's scrimmages
Cardinal O'Hara at Cleveland Hill, 8 a.m.
St. Francis, Sweet Home and East at Lockport, 9 a.m.
Williamsville North, Burgard, Starpoint and Kenmore West at Clarence, 9 a.m.
Maple Grove and Clymer at Cassadaga Valley, 9 a.m.
V-Hornell at Olean, 9 a.m.
Alden, Wilson and Lew-Port at Medina, 9:30 a.m.
East Aurora and Gowanda at Cattaraugus/Little Valley, at 9:30 a.m.
Riverside and Grand Island at North Tonawanda, 10 a.m.
Maryvale, Grover Cleveland, Eden and three others -- yup, a seven-team scrimmage -- at Williamsville South, 10 a.m.
West Seneca East and Cheektowaga at Canisius, 10 a.m. (Stransky Complex at 2885 Clinton St., West Seneca)
St Joe's at Orchard Park, 10 a.m.
Salamanca, V-Dansville and V-Wellsville at Pioneer, 10 a.m.
Hamburg at Jamestown, 10 a.m.
Southwestern at Randolph, 10 a.m.
Frontier and Lackawanna at Iroquois, 5 p.m.
West Seneca West, Lake Shore and Kenmore East at Amherst, 6 p.m.
Depew and Niagara-Wheatfield at Williamsville East, TBA
Batavia at Albion, TBA
Lancaster at V-Webster Schroeder, 9:30 a.m.
Newfane and V-Charles Finney at V-Elba/Byron-Bergen, 10 a.m.
Niagara Falls, V-Hilton, V-Marshall, V-Spencerport at V-Greece-Olympia, 10 a.m.
---Keith McShea