It'll be a busy few weeks in Section V's small school brackets, as the Class B and C tournaments are both split in two.
Both tournaments will finish with crossover games to determine which schools advance to state regional play. Class B's is scheduled for Oct. 31, while the Class C crossover is set for Nov. 3.
Here's a look at the five small school brackets:
Class B- 1
- Defending champion: Hornell
- Top seed: Penn Yan
- Championship: Wednesday, Oct. 28
Class B-2
- Defending champion: Hornell
- Top seed: Livonia
- Championship: Wednesday, Oct. 28
It's been a dream season for Penn Yan, the top-seeded team in B-1. The Mustangs have never won a Section V title in boys soccer, but enter the postseason having won four of their last five matches. Penn Yan's only loss during that stretch came to Finger Lakes rival Wayne, a Class A team that won't be of concern in this bracket.
Another Finger Lakes team, Palmyra-Macedon, is the No. 2 seed. Last
year's Class B finalists were Hornell and Cal-Mum/LeRoy. Those two squads round out the top four seeds in B-1.
Livonia is one of the most successful programs in the section's history, and as the top seed in B-2 can conceivably add to its championship count. The Bulldogs haven't lost a step under first-year head coach Ryan Humphrey, a longtime JV coach who took over varsity following Ray Maxwell's retirement. Senior Gavyn Phillips was one of only four players in Section V to reach 50 points during the regular season.
The section's leading scorer, Connor Binkowski (30 goals, 58 points), plays for second-seeded Haverling. The Rams seek their first section title since 2021, when the team reached the Class B state final but lost to Section III's Skaneateles in overtime.
Class C-1
- Defending champion: Williamson
- Top seed: East Rochester
- Championship: 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31 at Honeoye Falls-Lima
Class C-2
- Defending champion: Naples
- Top seed: Geneseo
- Championship: 12 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31 at Honeoye Falls-Lima
East Rochester (14-1-0) has been one of the top-ranked teams in New York state, and the No. 1 team for multiple weeks. With only one loss, a 1-0 defeat to Williamson at the end of September, the Bombers seem primed for a deep postseason run. The senior trio of Sean Lewis, Xander Boldt and Eliot Marino have all been effective scorers this fall.
Some familiar groups round out the top four seeds, all of which received a bye to the quarterfinals. Byron-Bergen/Elba (14-0-2) dropped to the second seed despite its undefeated record, while Holley (13-1-2) and Williamson (11-2-2) also boast near-perfect records. Of those top four teams, only Holley (2010) has not won a championship in the last three years.
Geneseo earned the No. 1 spot in C-2, and enters sectionals flying high on offense. The Blue Devils have scored 14 goals in their last two games, while their 57 overall for the season ranks in the top five in all of Section V.
Naples won the 2024 Class D title, then bumped to C-2 last season to the same end. Now pursuing a third straight title, the Big Green have had some ups and downs this fall, including an overtime loss to Wayne in the regular-season finale that cost them the Finger Lakes-East crown.
Two programs with new affiliations, Dundee/Hammondsport and Campbell-Savona/Bradford, also earned first-round byes.
Class D
- Defending champion: Fillmore (D-1), Avoca-Prattsburgh (D-2)
- Top seed: Fillmore
- Championship: 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30 at Perry High School
Life is good in Fillmore, where last year's New York state Class D co-champions have reeled off 16 straight wins this season. The Eagles are one of only eight teams in the state that enter postseason play without a loss or draw (coincidentally, three others are also in Class D).
Among Section V's individual leaders, Levi Russell is fourth in goals scored (20) and Jared Boon is first in goals-against average (0.25) and shutouts (12). Both are juniors, which suggests Fillmore's impressive run will extend beyond this fall.
Two teams from the section's private parochial league, Northstar and CG Finney, earned the second and third seeds in the bracket.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: What to know about Section V boys soccer small school tournaments
