Sports stories are full of analogies.
Two major sporting events this weekend provide a perfect description of the final week of the Schuylkill League baseball regular season.
Saturday's Kentucky Derby and Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Talladega featured big, tightly-packed groups surging toward the finish line.
In one event, someone pulled away down the stretch and captured the crown.
In the other, a bunch of crashes allowed the eventual winner to take the checkered flag and claim the victory.
So, will one of the teams involved in the Division I and II pennant races pull away down the stretch like California Chrome did in the Kentucky Derby?
Will one of the three teams battling for the two playoff spots in Division II be taken out by a non-contender and crash in the final laps?
Let's break down the two playoff races as we strap ourselves in and pull our chin straps tight for a dramatic ride to the finish line:
Division I
Pottsville and Tamaqua enter tonight's showdown at Steidle Field tied atop the division with 7-1 records, while Pine Grove sits two games back in the loss column at 6-3. Blue Mountain (5-5) and North Schuylkill (5-5) aren't technically eliminated, but would need to win both of their games this week and get lots of help.
Tamaqua has an extremely tough stretch run, with games at Pottsville (today), at North Schuylkill (Tuesday), at Blue Mountain (Wednesday) and with Pine Grove (Thursday). Pottsville finishes with Tamaqua, two against Panther Valley (Wednesday) and at Jim Thorpe (Thursday).
Pine Grove closes with Jim Thorpe (today), at North Schuylkill (Wednesday) and at Tamaqua (Thursday).
The winner of tonight's Tamaqua-Pottsville game is in the driver's seat for one of the playoff spots. How Tamaqua fares in its brutal schedule will ultimately decide things.
Division II
The race for the two playoff spots in Division II could be the most interesting.
Tri-Valley (11-3) and Schuylkill Haven (11-3) sit tied for first place entering today's games, with Minersville (9-4) falling one game back in the loss column after Sunday's defeat to Williams Valley. Marian (8-5) and Nativity (8-5) lurk two games back of the leaders.
Tri-Valley has the easiest road - if there is such a thing - with games at Nativity (today) and with Shenandoah Valley (Tuesday).
Schuylkill Haven travels to Middleport to face Marian today, then closes with Williams Valley on Thursday.
Minersville has three games left: Mahanoy Area (today), Nativity (Tuesday) and at Shenandoah Valley (Thursday).
We'll know a lot more about this race after today's games, with the Tri-Valley-Nativity and Haven-Marian contests being big ones.
Nativity could be the spoiler in this race, as the Hilltoppers have won five straight and close with Tri-Valley, Minersville and Marian (Thursday).
Which four teams will make it to next Monday's semifinals at Stump Stadium? Stay tuned.
Section champs
Congratulations to the Hamburg Hawks, who are the Berks League Section II champions. The Hawks enter today's league finale with Schuylkill Valley at 15-3 overall and 8-1 in league play.
Hamburg is one of three teams to have locked up berths in the eight-team Berks League playoffs, which start Thursday with quarterfinal contests at either Muhlenberg High School and Reading's George Field. Section III champion Oley Valley (14-4, 9-0) and Section I leader Wilson (9-8, 6-3) are the others.
The rest of the field is up for grabs entering today's final round of league play. The top two teams in each section, plus two wild cards based on the District 3 points rating, qualify.
The quarterfinals will be Thursday, with the semifinals slated for Monday, May 12. at FirstEnergy Stadium and the championship set for Wednesday, May 14, at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Trojans in first
Upper Dauphin's huge, 4-2 victory over Line Mountain on Saturday propelled the Trojans into first place in the Tri-Valley League standings.
Upper Dauphin (12-2, 10-1) has a busy week ahead, with games against Greenwood (today), at Halifax (Tuesday), a rematch with Line Mountain (Thursday) and at East Juniata (Saturday). Line Mountain sits at 7-1 in the league standings, with East Juniata at 7-2.
Odds and Ends
My condolences to Schuylkill Haven coach Scott Buffington on the passing of his mother, Joyce, on Thursday.
- Schuylkill League teams have qualified for the District 11 playoffs: Blue Mountain, Pottsville and Tamaqua in Class AAA; North Schuylkill, Pine Grove and Minersville in Class AA; and Marian, Nativity, Schuylkill Haven, Tri-Valley and Williams Valley in Class A.
Only Shenandoah Valley (6-10, 5-9), which needs to win its final four games, is on the bubble. The Devils close with Tri-Valley, Minersville, Mahanoy Area and North Schuylkill.
- I've only received one nomination for the "Best Baseball Beard in the Schuylkill League" contest, which is kind of disappointing. Deadline for entries is Saturday, May 10.
Player of the Week Frank Nietz, Marian
In a span of three days, the senior outfielder collected eight hits, including a double, two triples and a homer, as the Colts won four games to qualify for the District 11 Class A playoffs and keep their slim Division II playoff hopes alive.
Honorable Mention: Stephen Sedesse, Williams Valley; Nick Behm, Schuylkill Haven; Bo Rottet, Tamaqua.
(Boyer is sports editor and covers high school baseball for The Republican-Herald. Follow him on Twitter @pubsportsboss)Power Poll
(Through Sunday's games)
Team Record Pvs
1. Tamaqua 11-3 1
2. Pottsville 8-7 4
3. Schuylkill Haven 14-4 6
4. Tri-Valley 14-4 3
5. Pine Grove 12-4 2
6. North Schuylkill 11-6 7
7. Blue Mountain 11-7 5
8. Hamburg 15-3 8
9. Minersville 11-6 9
10. Upper Dauphin 12-2 10
- Compiled by Leroy Boyer