Marcellus lead Class B, while Cincinnatus hold the No. 1 position in Class D. Their seeding gives the smaller-school classifications two established targets, but neither side can look beyond the opening round.
The report identifies six reigning Section III champions across the tournament:
Five of those six teams are reportedly defending sectional champions, creating a bracket led largely by familiar winners.
Cicero-North Syracuse begin as the Class AAA No. 1 seed after retaining that title last season. New Hartford are top-seeded in Class A, while Frankfort-Schuyler lead Class C after their reported sectional success.
Class AA offers the clearest change at the top. West Genesee were last season’s champions, but East Syracuse Minoa take this year’s No. 1 seed. That places a new leading contender at the head of the classification, even as the reigning champion remains part of the wider title picture.
The tournament covers six classifications, from AAA through D. The semi-finals are scheduled for 27 and 28 October, with the sectional finals set for 1 November at SUNY Cortland.
For the top seeds, the immediate task is simple: navigate the newly published draw before state-title ambitions can return to focus. Marcellus and Cincinnatus have already completed that journey once, but their previous championships offer no protection in a new bracket.
Tuesday’s opening matches will begin testing whether the six No. 1 seeds can turn their positions into places at SUNY Cortland.