Here they are again, Hamilton’s boys soccer team, not just content with earning a third straight Section III Class D championship. Indeed, each of those times the Emerald Knights have secured a sectional title, it has gone on to play in the state final four – which it will again in 2010. On a sun-splashed Saturday at the Wright National Sports Complex in Oneonta, Hamilton took the measure of Section IV champion South Kortright – and even took a brief deficit – before taking over in the late stages of the Class D regional final and taking out the Rams by a score of 4-1. Not once in the post-season had the Emerald Knights trailed until, in the game’s 14th minute, South Kortright’s Peter Fabejkiewicz pushed a shot past Hamilton goalie Kinnon Nolan-Finkel. Aroused by that rare lapse, Hamilton tied it just a few minutes later when Drew Thompson shot it off the crossbar – and Dan Kraynak swooped in to put home the rebound. So began a showcase for Thompson that spanned the rest of the first half. Off another feed from Thompson, Kraynak notched his second goal to move the Emerald Knights ahead for good and, just a minute before halftime, Thompson’s deft pass set up Sam Owens for a goal that made it 3-1 going into the break. Demoralized by that late tally, South Kortright never got close to threatening Hamilton in the second half. Meanwhile, the Emerald Knights got more insurance when Sam Reilly scored off a feed from Devin Askew. This game took place at the same Wright National venue that, in recent years, hosted the state final four – where Hamilton rallied to beat Chazy for the 2008 state championship and lost to that same Chazy squad in the state semifinals one year ago. Now, though, the state final four shifts to Middletown High School – where Hamilton could face Chazy again. In the state Class D semifinals Saturday morning, Hamilton faces Northstar Christian (Section V) at 8:45 a.m. The winner gets Chazy or Fort Ann on Sunday in the championship game at 10 a.m.