Leading off today: Junior Nick Bramall scored the game's only goals in the opening 14 minutes to propel Newburgh Free Academy to a 2-0 victory over shorthanded Ithaca in the first round of the NYSPHSAA boys soccer tournament this afternoon in Oneonta.

   As was reported earlier today, Ithaca played minus five senior starters ruled ineligible by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association for participating in the Southern Tier Athletic Conference Senior Showcase at Ithaca High over the weekend.

   The Little Red resorted to a tight defensive shell in the hope they might keep the game close enough to win with a counterattack or in a shootout.

   I knew (Ithaca) had some guys missing, so I thought they might do that,” Bramall told The Times Herald-Record. “We just had to be patient and I knew we would get at least one in."

   Newburgh has posted 11 shutouts in row, outscoring opponents 37-0 since a 1-1 tie vs. Martin Luther King of the PSAL on Sept. 26. Newburgh is the first Section 9 team to win a state Class AA game since the classification was introduced in 2004.

   An epic finale: Tennis fans will be talking about Monday's NYSPHSAA girls singles final for a very long time. Yale-bound Jericho senior Blair Seideman scored a 7-6 (9-7), 4-6, 6-3 victory over Ossining freshman Jamie Loeb.

   Neither player was able to break serve in the first set, forcing the tiebreaker.

   Loeb was the third-place finisher a year ago. Her sister Jenna won three state championships by the time she graduated in 2004.

   In doubles, Keio Academy juniors Shiho Sato and Kaho Sato breezed through the field and won the final vs. Brooke Pottish and Lindsay Kantor of Westhampton Beach, 6-1, 6-1, at Eastside Racquet Club in Manlius. The twins placed fourth a year ago.

   Funeral to be held Saturday: The Mount St. Michael football team has moved its CHSFL Class AA semifinal vs. St. Francis Prep to Sunday because funeral services for junior Kyle Rembert will be held Saturday morning, The New York Post reported.

   The 16-year-old running back died of carbon monoxide poisoning over the weekend in his family's Bronx home.

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   The school will hold a memorial for the 16-year-old football and track athlete tomorrow.

   "He was a great kid,” coach Mario Valentini told the paper. "He always had a smile on his face, very pleasant, low-key type of kid. He was just a wonderful young man.

   Apology accepted: Francis Lewis boys soccer coach Roger Sarmuksnis apologized to Martin Luther King coach Martin Jacobson this week for angry wors following Sunday's 1-0 loss in the PSAL boys 'A' championship game.

   The Daily News reported Sarmuksnis labeled MLK as cheaters and said they were undeserving of their 12th league title in 14 years.

   "I got out of control," he told the paper. "I overreacted in the heat of the moment. MLK was deserving of that game. They didn't deserve that from me."

   Jacobson said he accepted the apology and planned to share the news with his players.

   "He was gracious and sincere," Jacobson said.

   MMA book released tomorrow: A book detailing the history of Monsignor Martin Association football makes its debut tomorrow.

   The 379-page, spiral-bound book took veteran NYSSWA historian Paul Hutzler three years to research and write. It covers the league since its inception in 1948.

   Hutzler released a book on MMA boys and girls cross country last year.

   The cost of the football book is $35 or $15 for the compact disc version. Postage is an additional $4.95. To order, send a check or money order to Hutzler at 91 Randy Way, Cheektowaga, N.Y. 14227.