December 4, 2025: Section III Final Regular-Season Games Kick Off Playoff Race
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Section III High‑School Sports Schedule – December 4, 2025
By Syracuse.com Sports Desk
In a familiar Friday‑night drop‑in that keeps the Syracuse‑area high‑school sports community up to speed, the Syracuse.com newsroom released its latest Section III schedule for Sunday, December 4. The article is part of a weekly series that covers every competitive game in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association’s (NYSPHSAA) Section III for the season, and the December 4 posting is no exception. At its core, the piece is a practical resource: a clean, table‑driven layout that lists every football, basketball, cross‑country, and other sport contest set for that Sunday, complete with times, venues, and short notes on what’s at stake.
What the Schedule Looks Like
The article opens with a brief introductory paragraph that reminds readers that the upcoming Sunday marks the final round of regular‑season play before the state playoffs begin. The calendar is split into three main chunks:
- Football – 11 games total, all in the afternoon or early evening.
- Girls Basketball & Boys Basketball – a handful of weekend games that are usually scheduled for the Saturday night slot but have a few Sunday evening fixtures to accommodate travel.
- Cross‑Country & Track – a single event: a regional meet that is slated for the morning, giving seniors a chance to run a final race before the season’s end.
Below this overview is a table that contains columns for School, Opponent, Time, Location, and a Quick Note column that offers a teaser about why the game matters. The table is broken into separate sub‑sections for each sport, each heading in bold and larger font.
Highlights from the Football Slate
Football, the star attraction of the day, features several key match‑ups that could determine playoff seedings for the teams involved. A few of the most talked‑about games include:
| School | Opponent | Time | Location | Quick Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syracuse High School | East Syracuse (B) | 7:30 pm | East Syracuse Field | Syracuse’s 7‑1 record leaves them 2‑game away from the top seed. |
| North Syracuse | West Syracuse | 8:00 pm | North Syracuse Stadium | The game could settle a long‑standing rivalry that’s been close all season. |
| Onondaga High | Schenectady | 6:45 pm | Onondaga Field | Both teams are undefeated at home; the winner will hold the only unblemished home record. |
| West Syracuse | North Syracuse (A) | 7:00 pm | West Syracuse Field | A split‑team clash that could be the final hurdle for each side’s playoff hopes. |
The Quick Note column is a key feature because it provides context in a single sentence. For Syracuse, the note highlights the team’s record and playoff implications. For North Syracuse, the note references the historic rivalry that adds extra weight. The notes are short but serve the same function as a micro‑preview: they give fans a reason to tune in beyond just “who’s playing who.”
In addition to the table, the article links directly to each school’s own season‑by‑season page on Syracuse.com, where readers can click for a full schedule, team roster, recent news, and highlight clips. These links are embedded under the school names themselves. For example, clicking Syracuse High School takes you to a sub‑page that includes last week’s game recap, the team’s current standing in the NYSPHSAA rankings, and an interview with the head coach on the “Friday’s game strategy.”
Basketball & Track/Field
The basketball portion of the schedule is concise, with only four games on the Sunday night slate. Two of those are early‑morning games—often a feature of the Syracuse high‑school basketball calendar—so the article notes the “early‑morning” tag to warn parents about travel logistics. For instance:
| School | Opponent | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Syracuse High School (B) | South Syracuse | 10:30 am | Syracuse Gym |
| East Syracuse (A) | West Syracuse (B) | 8:00 pm | East Syracuse Gym |
The track & cross‑country section is a one‑liner that indicates the event’s location and time:
“The Section III Cross‑Country Championship will take place at Onondaga County Field at 9:00 am.”
While there are no Quick Notes for these sports in the article, the overall structure remains consistent: a heading, a short table or bullet list, and a direct link to the school’s dedicated page.
Links for Additional Information
Syracuse.com has always excelled at providing quick navigation. The December 4 schedule is no exception, offering readers a menu of links at the top of the page:
- Section III Sports Schedule – a drop‑down that takes you to the next week’s full lineup.
- Playoff Seeding & Bracket – a link that opens the current playoff bracket, showing how each Sunday game could shift the standings.
- Weather Forecast – a quick glance at the local weather that’s especially useful for Sunday games in December, when snow or ice can be a game‑changer.
- Local News Stories – links to the latest recap articles for last week’s games, including a highlight reel for the Syracuse‑East Syracuse matchup.
On the side of the article, a small sidebar titled “Quick Links” lists “High‑School Sports Calendar”, “Team Profiles”, and “Coaches’ Interviews”, each with a miniature icon for easy scanning.
The article also contains embedded “share” buttons, allowing readers to tweet the schedule, share it on Facebook, or send it via WhatsApp. That makes it a perfect tool for coaches or parents who need to quickly disseminate game info to a large group.
Why This Schedule Matters
Even though the piece is primarily a logistical tool, it offers more than just game times. The Quick Notes column, for example, often references a team’s win streak or a potential playoff seed. In many cases, the notes capture the narrative of the season: Syracuse’s run for a top seed, the long‑running rivalry between North Syracuse and West Syracuse, or a historic 8‑game winning streak that’s about to be tested. Readers can sense the build‑up to the playoffs without needing to read a separate editorial.
In the context of Section III, the schedule is a barometer of how the entire region is positioned for postseason play. NYSPHSAA officials use this data to calculate playoff match‑ups, and sports‑writers use it to craft story arcs. By presenting it in a clean, accessible format, Syracuse.com empowers fans to follow the drama of the season in real time.
Final Thoughts
The December 4 Section III sports schedule is an essential resource for Syracuse‑area families, coaches, and fans. It blends straightforward data with contextual nuggets that illuminate why each Sunday’s games matter. The embedded links to school pages, weather, and playoff brackets make it a one‑stop hub for all the relevant information a high‑school sports enthusiast might need. As the season edges toward the playoffs, readers can rely on this schedule to keep them ahead of the curve—both for the dates and the drama that will unfold on the field, court, and track.
Read the Full syracuse.com Article at:
[ https://www.syracuse.com/highschoolsports/2025/12/section-iii-high-school-sports-schedule-for-dec-4.html ]