The Super Bowl won't be the only championship game held this Sunday, as the NSCHSAA playoffs are also set to kick off this weekend. On Saturday, February 8th at Kellenberg Memorial High School, the league's two semifinal matchups will be held, with the championship showdown taking place the next day.

The JVA Flyers, remarkably dominant all season long, will be making their way to Uniondale after finishing their regular season with a win over the Firebirds on January 31. As part of a tripleheader - one swept by Chaminade's teams - these Flyers overcame a slow start and knocked off Kellenberg, 57-45. 

The Firebirds, slotted fourth in the standings, came into the game hoping to improve on their last result against the Flyers, who dominated Kellenberg over Christmas break, 60-34.

This time around, it was the Firebirds who led 17-14 after eight minutes of action.

Kellenberg looked calm, cool, and collected, as they were unfazed by the Flyers' press. They broke it with ease and ran their offense comfortably, with Ryan Kuntz using his physicality to establish an inside presence early on.

Chaminade battled back however, holding Kellenberg to just nine points in the second quarter. The flustered Firebirds began to make careless turnovers, as the Flyers' press was beginning to find success.

Guards Nicholas Collura, Jake Ellwood, and Liam McNamara were key to putting Chaminade ahead in the game, and a  Nicholas Sweeney "and one" seemed to push the Flyers into another gear. He also would put home a layup on a designed play in the final seconds of the half to put Chaminade in front, 29-23.

The third quarter brought with it a slower pace of play, as the Flyers mustered just seven points in the period's eight minutes. The Firebirds' offense had begun to pick things back up again, but their starters were battling foul trouble. Kellenberg scored the first six points of the quarter, but Chaminade still led, 36-34, as the game headed to the fourth. 

An "and-one" from Kuntz, the star of the day for the Firebirds, quickly got Kellenberg within one. Chaminade's Ellwood responded with an "and-one" of his own, followed by a putback from teammate Jonathan Walsh; this pushed the Flyers' lead to six.

Kellenberg would not go away, though, responding with a layup from Kuntz and a three from Christian Elearzar. 

Then, Ellwood delivered. 

Using a screen from Walsh, the guard from Rockville Centre got to his right hand and floated a high, arching layup over Kellenberg big man Will Auerbach, the ball kissing off the glass before sinking through the net.

The shot essentially sealed the game, as the Firebirds then began fouling, forcing the Flyers to shoot free throws. This was no problem for Chaminade, who finished the job, 57-45, in a game that was closer than the final score might suggest.

The Flyers finished the regular season with a record of 18-3, going 11-1 in conference play. 

On Saturday, these top-seeded Flyers will play Kellenberg once again, this time with a spot in the championship game on the line.

On the other side of the bracket, St. Anthony's and Holy Trinity will square off in the other semifinal.