Even as the question of whether there will be a high school spring sports season remains open, plans are already in place for when Section III football returns in September.
And when it does, Cazenovia will face a new group of opponents as it has made the move from Class B to C.
A long, successful stint by the Lakers in the B East division that included a string of league and sectional titles, plus the 2015 state championship, has ended as many changes have taken place throughout the sectional ranks, in all classes.
Cazenovia is now in the C-1 division, one of two eight-team leagues in Class C. They join defending sectional champion Lowville, General Brown, Hannibal, Holland Patent, Jordan-Elbridge, Mount Markham and Southern Hills, the combined team that includes athletes from Tully, LaFayette and Fabius-Pompey.
In fact, it’s the Southern Hills Thunder that serves as the Lakers’ first opponent in the Sept. 11 opener at 7 p.m. Back-to-back home games at Buckley-Volo Field follow as Cazenovia welcomes Mount Markham and Hannibal.
From there, Cazenovia’s lone remaining home test is Oct. 10 against Jordan-Elbridge, bridging trips to Lowville, Holland Patent and General Brown in what could prove a tough back end to the schedule.
The sectional playoffs will start Oct. 30, with semifinals a week later and the title games Nov. 13 and 15 at the Carrier Dome.
Defending sectional Class B champion Solvay also moved into the C ranks. So did Bishop Ludden as they join a C-2 division with Skaneateles, Canastota, Clinton, Little Falls, Westmoreland and Sherburne-Earlville.
Among other things, the move by Cazenovia breaks up its rivalries with B East division foes that includes Chittenango, who remains in that division with Oneida, Vernon-Verona-Sherrill, Camden, Central Valley Academy and New Hartford.
The Bears will open its season Sept. 10 against visiting Homer, with another non-league game Sept. 18 at Cortland before its slate of B East games that starts Sept. 25 at New Hartford. VVS, Camden and CVA all must travel to Chittenango in October.
