By Rob Potter
FALLSBURG — March 14, 2003 – The Fallsburg Comets are ready.
The Comets face Section VI Champion Buffalo City Honors (20-4) at 7 p.m. tonight in a New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Class C semifinal at the Glens Falls Civic Center.
Fallsburg (17-5) earned the trip to the Class C final four by defeating East Rockaway 65-47 last Friday night.
Fallsburg Coach Paul Marsden noted that Buffalo City Honors mirrors the Comets in a few ways.
“They are a lot like us,” Marsden said. “They are a quick, athletic team with not a lot of size. They have a great point guard. I would say they’re a lot like Tuckahoe.”
Fallsburg defeated Section I champion Tuckahoe 51-47 on March 4 in a Class C opening round game.
Buffalo City Honors Coach Drake Sarancescone noted that his team is “not that tall.”
“Our biggest player is 6-1,” Sarancescone said.
That player is Erik Roberson, who Sarancecsone noted has been the team’s leading scorer in many games this season.
The coach is ready for the game.
“We’re just going to come out and play hard and try to play good defense,” Sarancescone said. “We’ve been there before, we were in the final four last year.”
(Buffalo City Honors lost the Class C state championship game last season.)
Both Sarancescone and Marsden are in the same position in that they know only a few details about their opponent.
“I don’t know too much about Fallsburg,” Sarancescone said. “But I’m sure they are a very good team to advance this far. They’re well coached and I’m certain they’ll be excited and ready to play.”
Marsden said that the Comets have been practicing hard and are ready for the challenge of playing in the state semifinals.
“We’re very pleased just to reach this level,” he said. “The kids are working hard and we’re going to do our best.”
Although Buffalo City Honors is certainly a formidable opponent, Marsden and the Comets are not intimidated.
“Anything can happen,” Marsden said. “We’re going to play as hard as we can and see what happens.”