BY STAFF REPORTS

For the third time in eight years, the Southern Tier Athletic Conference will not crown a baseball champion. 

The decision was made Thursday after it was determined that it would too difficult to complete the STAC schedule before sectional play begins.

Poor weather forced most teams to open their seasons more than a week after their scheduled season-openers. Rain on Monday and Tuesday this week virtually eliminated any last hopes of holding the STAC playoffs.

No STAC title games were played in 1996-97. Last year, Chenango Valley defeated Vestal, 2-1, in the STAC final.

That game was played after the Section 4 tournaments, and Vestal only got into the title game after Metro Division champion Union-Endicott and Central Division champion Johnson City declined to play.

The varsity and junior varsity softball playoffs and varsity boys tennis playoffs will be contested.

The softball semifinals and finals will be played on Tuesday at the BAGSAI Complex. In the event of rain, the games would be played Wednesday.

In boys tennis, Owego hosts Horseheads in a semifinal on Monday, and Chenango Valley hosts Vestal in another semifinal on Wednesday. No date has been set yet for the championship match.