Let's get ready to rumble...

Wow.

That's pretty much all that can be said to sum up the race for first place in Oneida County's Gold Division.

With only three days remaining in the regular season, New Hartford, Sherrill and Utica are separated by a mere .028 percentage points for the top spot in the Gold and the No. 2 seed in the County playoffs that are scheduled to kick off on Monday. Sherrill (9-5) and New Hartford (9-5) share a winning percentage of .643 while Utica (10-6), while no games back in the standings, is slightly behind with a .625 winning percentage.

While all three teams have secured a spot in the playoffs (Love currently holds the fourth and final spot at 9-8), the fight for seeding may not be settled until just hours before Sunday night's playoff seeding meeting at Parkhurst Post in Oriskany.

Here's a look at what's left in the season's final weekend for the three teams vying for first:

Utica
Friday: at Clonan, 6 p.m. at Sauquoit H.S.

Sherrill
Friday: vs. Smith, 6 p.m. at Noyes Park
Saturday: at Helmuth-Ingalls, 12 p.m. at Clinton H.S.
Sunday: vs. New Hartford, TBD at Noyes Park (suspended, 4-4 after eight innings)

New Hartford
Friday: at Fort Schuyler, 6 p.m. at DeLutis Field
Saturday: at Clonan, 12 p.m. at Sauquoit H.S.
Sunday: at Sherrill, TBD at Noyes Park (suspended, 4-4 after eight innings)

While Utica is in the best position in terms of needing to play only one more regular season game (should come up big in the conservation of pitching), I can't help but think New Hartford is now in the driver's seat with games left at the Fort Schuyler (3-11) and Clonan (1-13) before it meets up with Sherrill for the all-important season finale. Utica simply does not hold its own fate in its hands after Monday's loss to New Hartford and today's split with Sherrill. While Sherrill can also determine its own destiny, I don't know if they'll be able to get by a Smith (17-0) team that is determined to become the first undefeated team in Oneida County since 1991.

But, as the old saying goes: That's why they play the game. So, we'll just have to wait and see.

I want to know what you guys think. Who will win the race for first in the Gold? Also, who's going to come out on top in next week's Oneida County playoffs and who might we be overlooking heading in? Feel free to drop a line with any other thoughts as well.

Until next time, take it easy legion fans...