Matchups set for district, sectional baseball and softball.

The District 4 baseball matchups could feature some very familiar NTL matchups as possible second-round matchups of Sayre and Canton in Class A and Wyalusing and Towanda in Class AA could be on the horizon.

In Class A the Canton Warriors are the No. 2 seed and they get a first-round bye.

Sayre is the third seed and they host No. 6 St. John Neumann at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday with the winner taking on Canton at 11 a.m. Saturday at Bowman field.

"Anytime you get a bye and you don't have to play an opponent it's better," Rockwell said. "At the same time, we won't have played in eight days and that's not so good."

For Sayre getting a chance to play at home is nice, but missing out on the bye was tough.

"It definitely feels better to be at home then on the road in districts," Sayre coach Jon Pack said. "But, we were in the driver's seat that last week for the No. 2 seed and the bye right down to Williamsport.

"Things didn't work out in our favor and we have to go and play an 11-9 team that has won four or five in a row. We just have to go out and play well."

If Sayre wins they get that matchup with Canton and the Warriors know that's a matchup they have seen many times before.

"It seems like we play them all the time down there," Canton coach Bob Rockwell said. "We both know each other well. They have owned us lately in districts, so it would be a tough game."

Sullivan County is the No. 4 seed and they play host to No. 5 Muncy at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The top seed is Montgomery.

In Class AA the Towanda Black Knights wrapped up their regular season with a 7-2 loss to Danville on Saturday afternoon.

Now, the Black Knights turn around and host Danville in the first round of districts at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

"We have a rematch of last year's district finals, with both of us in a must-win situation now," Towanda coach Bill Sexton said. "Last year we both know we were going to districts, this year it's in the first round.

"They are a decent team. They are better than their record, they played a good schedule. We did not play well against them on Saturday and it's nice to have a do-over."

On Saturday the Ironmen threw their ace Andrew Andreycheck to try and help them reach districts, while Towanda threw some younger arms.

"We have all our pitchers starting with Mason (Roof) and Zack (Ripic) and we have everyone ready to go," Sexton said. "Our JV pitchers pitched well against them, we made some mistakes on defense, but I thought they pitched well enough to give us a chance to win."

"We saw the best pitcher we have seen this year in Andreycheck and he's not going to throw against us this time. To play on our own field and have a normal day at school and now have to drive an hour and 45 minutes to two hours is nice, but you still have to show up and play."

The winner of No. 6 Towanda and No. 11 Danville travels to Wyalusing to take on the third-seeded Rams on Friday at 4:30 p.m.

"We are very excited," Wyalusing coach Dave Hitchcock said. "With where we ended to season on a high note, we are excited to get started.

"We get the winner of Danville and Towanda and that's the one not so good thing. You always like to root for all the NTL teams and you wish Towanda was on the other side of the bracket"

Getting a chance to play their game at home is something that Wyalusing is happy about.

"That's nice to have the game on your home field," Hitchcock said.

Wellsboro is the No. 7 seed and they host No. 10 Montoursville at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, with the winner traveling to South Williamsport on Friday to take on the top seed.

Troy is seeded ninth and they travel to No. 8 Hughesville on Tuesday for a 4:30 p.m. game.

The top seed is Loyalsock.

In softball for Class A Wyalusing is the No. 4 seed and they open with a home game Thursday against No. 5 Montgomery. Unbeaten Northeast Bradford is the top seed and they have a bye and take on the winner of Wyalusing and Montgomery on May 29 at Elm Park at 5:30 p.m.

"I'm sure the kids can't wait to start playing," Northeast Bradford coach Gary Hennip said. "Everyone is looking forward to starting playoffs, it's always a fun time."

And, both NTL rival Wyalusing, and Montgomery, who defeated the Panthers in the district finals two years ago, are familiar opponents.

"When you get into districts they are all good teams," Hennip said. "We know Wyalusing really well. We don't know Montgomery as well, but we know they are a good team that plays in a good league down there."

The one thing that has eluded the Panthers the past three years is a district title. Three years in a row they have gone to states as the district runner-up.

"We have been runner-ups three years in a row and I know for these kids that's a major goal," Hennip said of trying to win a district title.

Cowanesque Valley is the seventh seed and they travel to No. 2 Southern Columbia on Thursday.

Muncy is the third seed, coached by Athens graduate Mallory Hafer, and they host No. 6 St. John Neumann on Thursday.

In Class AA the Towanda Black Knights are the No. 4 seed and they have a first-round bye before hosting No. 5 Bloomsburg on Thursday.

"I am really happy to get a bye, it's really unexpected," Towanda coach Bryan Fuller said. "We played some good ball this year and I'm very happy to have a home game and give the home fans one more chance to watch us play."

For the Towanda seniors getting that one more game at home is nice.

"That will be special for the seniors," Fuller said. "I have four seniors this year and they are four great young ladies and it will be nice for them to get one more home game."

With a young team getting the first game at districts should take a few of the nerves away.

"I think it will help," Fuller said. "I only have two girls that have experience at the positions they are playing and that's my pitcher and my catcher. For everyone else this is a new experience this year. It's going to be nice to have that game at home."

Wellsboro is the No. 6 seed and they host No. 11 South Williamsport on Tuesday. The winner travels to Troy where the Trojans are the No. 3 seed and they have a Thursday game against the winner of Wellsboro/South Williamsport.

The top seed is Warrior Run.

In AAA the Athens Wildcats are seeded fourth and they host No. 5 Selinsgrove on Thursday.

"They are really excited about that, we were not expecting to have a home game," Athens coach Rich Decatur said.

For the Wildcats just being in districts is a special feeling, getting one more game at home just makes things that much nicer.

"The seniors are really looking forward to it," Decatur said. "It's been over six years since we made district play and the kids are really looking forward to it.

"There is nothing better than playing at home and the girls really want to win and get down to Elm Park."

NEW YORK

The Waverly baseball team will get a first round bye in the Class B playoffs and the fourth-seeded Wolveriens will host No. 5 Norwich at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday.

In Class C the Tioga Tigers are the eighth seed and they host No. 9 Sidney at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, while Notre Dame is the fifth seed and they host No. 12 Newfield on Tuesday.

In softball the Wolverines are the eighth seed in class B and they play host to No. 9 Chenango Forks at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, with the winner taking on No. 1 Windsor on May 29.

Notre Dame is the top seed in Class C and the defending state champions have a bye before hosting the winner of Groton and Newark Valley at 4:30 p.m. on May 29.

Tioga is the No. 7 seed and they host No. 10 Oxford on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. with the winner meeting No. 2 Union Springs.

About the Author
	Brian Fees Brian Fees is the sports editor of the Daily & Sunday Review in Towanda, PA.

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