Smith: Kaysinger finish line in sight

Since the Kaysinger Conference basketball tournament took Monday night off because of the weather, now seems to be a good time to examine the races for the boys and girls regular-season championships.

The Sacred Heart Gremlins have all but sewed up the boys  championship.

The Gremlins are 6-0 in league play with only one game remaining. They will play Northwest on Feb. 19 at Hughesville.

Northwest is 0-5 in league play and has been beaten by at least nine points in each of its conference games.

The Gremlins should cruise in this one.

Barring an upset in the Sacred Heart-Northwest game, Cole Camp will finish as runner-up after going 6-1.

Stover (5-2) has secured third place, and Smithton (4-3) will finish fourth.

Fifth place will be decided on Feb. 25 when Lincoln hosts Green Ridge. Both teams are 2-4.

With two conference games remaining, Northwest could finish 2-5 and in a sixth-place tie if they upset Sacred Heart. However,  the more likely scenario  is the matchup between La Monte and Northwest on Feb. 23 will decide who finishes seventh and eighth.

The race for the girls  championship is pretty cut and dry.

Both Northwest and Sacred Heart are unbeaten in league play. The two teams will meet Feb. 19 in Hughesville with the winner all but securing the championship.

If Sacred Heart wins, it would be the conference champion.

If Northwest wins, it would need to beat La Monte on Feb. 23 to win the conference outright — something in which it shouldn’t have trouble doing.

The loser of the Northwest-Sacred Heart game will finish no worse than second.

Smithton (5-2) has locked up third place, and Cole Camp (4-3) will finish fourth. La Monte (2-4) has secured fifth place.

Green Ridge (1-5)  and Lincoln (1-5) will meet Feb. 25 at Lincoln with the winner taking sixth and the loser sharing seventh with Stover (1-6).