Two greater Niagara region softball teams earned No. 1 seeds for the Section VI playoffs, and both will be trying to exorcise some postseason demons.
Niagara Wheatfield earned the top spot in Class AA, while Barker is No. 1 in Class C for the playoffs, which begin in earnest Tuesday. Both were upset 7-1 in the semifinals last year by the class’ eventual champion — Niagara Wheatfield as the No. 2 seed by No. 3 Clarence, and Barker as the No. 1 seed by No. 5 Westfield.
This spring, coach Kevin Schucker’s Falcons won their fourth straight Niagara Frontier League title, going 15-3 overall and 13-1 in league play to finish three games ahead of Grand Island and North Tonawanda. They outscored NFL foes a combined 136-24 thanks to the power hitting of junior outfielder Lindsay Tylec and the pitching duo of seniors Brooke Bodewes and Gianna Graber.
In Thursday’s quarterfinals, Niagara Wheatfield awaits the winner of Tuesday’s pre-quarterfinal between No. 8 Williamsville North (11-6) and No. 9 Hamburg (8-9). The Falcons’ last sectional title was in 2011.
Barker (15-4), meanwhile, seeks its first Section VI crown. The Bulldogs, coached by Aileen Gilbert and Bill Moeller, shared the Niagara-Orleans League title with Royalton-Hartland after going 10-2 and splitting their season series. Barker outscored N-O opponents 103-24.
The Bulldogs are winners of seven straight after taking their Spring Slam Tournament over the weekend, led by freshman pitcher and tournament MVP Mady Flint. They will host either No. 8 Gowanda (9-7) or No. 9 Maple Grove/Panama (6-7) in Thursday’s quarterfinals.
In the three-team Class AAA bracket, No. 2 Niagara Falls (9-6) welcomes No. 3 Jamestown (5-11) on Tuesday. The winner earns the right to face No. 1 Lancaster (11-5) in a best-of-three championship series that begins Thursday.
Earning home pre-quarterfinal games Tuesday were Starpoint (No. 5 Class AA, 10-3), North Tonawanda (No. 6 Class AA, 14-5), Grand Island (No. 4 Class A, 11-7), Roy-Hart (No. 5 Class B, 10-2) and Wilson (No. 7 Class B, 8-5).
Starpoint finished third in ECIC II at 9-3 behind co-champions Williamsville South and Williamsville East.
North Tonawanda is playing for a quarterfinal date with No. 3 Williamsville East (11-8), which ended NT’s season in the semifinals each of the last two years.
Grand Island has reached the sectional semifinals three straight years, while Roy-Hart last made it in 2022.
Wilson was last year’s Class B2 champion.
Finals in Class AA, Class A and Class B are scheduled for May 31 at Grand Island, while the Class C and Class D championship games will be played May 30 at Olean.
The playoff pairings:
CLASS AAA
Semifinal (Tuesday, May 20)
No. 3 Jamestown (5-11) at No. 2 Niagara Falls (9-6), 5 p.m.
Finals
(Best-of-3; x-if necessary)
Thursday, May 22: Niagara Falls/Jamestown winner vs. No. 1 Lancaster (11-5), 5 p.m.
Wednesday, May 28: Niagara Falls/Jamestown winner vs. No. 1 Lancaster (11-5), 5 p.m.
x-Saturday, May 31: Niagara Falls/Jamestown winner vs. No. 1 Lancaster (11-5), at Grand Island, 11 a.m.
CLASS AA
Pre-quarterfinals (Tuesday, May 20)
No. 9 Hamburg (8-9) at No. 8 Williamsville North (11-6), 5 p.m.
No. 13 West Seneca West (5-11) at No. 4 Orchard Park (14-4), 5 p.m.
No. 12 Lockport (5-13) at No. 5 Starpoint (10-3), 5 p.m.
No. 10 Sweet Home (5-12) at No. 7 Kenmore West (11-8), 5 p.m.
No. 11 Clarence (8-10) at No. 6 North Tonawanda (14-5), 5 p.m.
Quarterfinals (Thursday, May 22)
Williamsville North/Hamburg winner at No. 1 Niagara Wheatfield (15-3), 5 p.m.
Orchard Park/West Seneca West winner vs. Starpoint/Lockport winner, at higher seed, 5 p.m.
Kenmore West/Sweet Home winner at No. 2 Frontier (13-5), 5 p.m.
North Tonawanda/Clarence winner at No. 3 Williamsville East (11-8), 5 p.m.
Semifinals (Tuesday, May 27)
Quarterfinal winners, at higher seeds, 5 p.m.
Final (Saturday, May 31)
Semifinal winners, at Grand Island, 1:30 p.m.
CLASS A
Pre-quarterfinals (Tuesday, May 20)
No. 16 Kenmore East (1-14) at No. 1 Williamsville South (14-5), 5 p.m.
No. 9 Cheektowaga (5-9) at No. 8 Albion (10-5), 5 p.m.
No. 13 West Seneca East (2-11) at No. 4 Grand Island (11-7), 5 p.m.
No. 12 Pioneer (5-12) at No. 5 Olean (10-7), 5 p.m.
No. 15 Amherst (1-16) at No. 2 Lake Shore (15-5), 5 p.m.
No. 10 Lewiston-Porter (4-10) at No. 7 Maryvale (6-8), 5 p.m.
No. 14 CSAT (1-6) at No. 3 Depew (13-3), 5 p.m.
No. 11 Dunkirk (3-14) at No. 6 Iroquois (9-5), 5 p.m.
Quarterfinals (Thursday, May 22)
Pre-quarterfinal winners, at higher seeds, 5 p.m.
Semifinals (Tuesday, May 27)
Quarterfinal winners, at higher seeds, 5 p.m.
Final (Saturday, May 31)
Semifinal winners, at Grand Island, 4 p.m.
CLASS B
Play-In Game (Monday, May 19)
No. 17 Medina (4-13) at No. 16 Salamanca (3-13), 5:30 p.m.
Pre-quarterfinals (Tuesday, May 20)
Salamanca/Medina winner at No. 1 Olmsted (9-0-1), 5 p.m.
No. 9 Eden (9-6) at No. 8 Springville (12-6), 5 p.m.
No. 13 Akron (4-8) at No. 4 Alden (12-2), 5 p.m.
No. 12 Tonawanda (5-7) at No. 5 Royalton-Hartland (10-2), 5 p.m.
No. 15 JFK (4-11-1) at No. 2 Fredonia (14-3), 5 p.m.
No. 10 East Aurora (10-6) at No. 7 Wilson (8-5), 5 p.m.
No. 3 Buffalo Arts (7-1) at No. 14 Newfane (5-13), 5:30 p.m.
No. 11 Southwestern (6-7) at No. 6 Allegany-Limestone (13-5), 5 p.m.
Quarterfinals (Thursday, May 22)
Pre-quarterfinal winners, at higher seeds, 5 p.m.
Semifinals (Tuesday, May 27)
Quarterfinal winners, at higher seeds, 5 p.m.
Final (Saturday, May 31)
Semifinal winners, at Grand Island, 6:30 p.m.
CLASS C
Pre-quarterfinals (Tuesday, May 20)
No. 9 Maple Grove/Panama (6-7) at No. 8 Gowanda (9-7), 4:30 p.m.
No. 12 Frewsburg (0-13) at No. 5 Falconer (10-3), 5 p.m.
No. 10 Cassadaga Valley (4-8) at No. 7 Portville (7-7), 5 p.m.
No. 11 Cattaraugus-Little Valley (5-10) at No. 6 Randolph (9-6), 5 p.m.
Quarterfinals (Thursday, May 22)
Gowanda/Maple Grove/Panama winner at No. 1 Barker (15-4), 5 p.m.
Falconer/Frewsburg winner at No. 4 Silver Creek (9-4), 5 p.m.
Portville/Cassadaga Valley winner at No. 2 Chautauqua Lake (11-3), 5 p.m.
Randolph/Cattaraugus-Little Valley winner at No. 3 Westfield (9-5), 5 p.m.
Semifinals (Tuesday, May 27)
Quarterfinal winners, at higher seeds, 5 p.m.
Final (Friday, May 30)
Semifinal winners, at Olean, 5 p.m.
CLASS D
Quarterfinals (Thursday, May 22)
No. 5 Pine Valley (6-9) at No. 4 Franklinville (7-9), 5 p.m.
No. 6 North Collins (2-16) at No. 3 Clymer/Sherman (9-3), 5 p.m.
Semifinals (Tuesday, May 27)
Franklinville/Pine Valley winner at No. 1 Ellicottville (11-3), 5 p.m.
Clymer/Sherman/North Collins winner at No. 2 Forestville (11-2), 5 p.m.
Final (Friday, May 30)
Semifinal winners, at Olean, 7:30 p.m.