Southwestern Trojans - Varsity

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11/21 - Southwestern defeated Chenango Forks 21-0:  Defense, defense, defense, a swarming, stout, hard-nosed, dominant, stingy, or whatever definition you want to put in front of it.  Defense was on display Satuday at Marina Auto Stadium in Rochester, NY.  The Trojan defense held Chenango Forks to 120 total yards on the day, forced 3 turnovers and had two turnover on downs inside their own 20 yard line.   The front five led the Trojan defense that includes:  Jake Currie, Corey Carlson, Jasen Carlson, Pat Langworthy and David Tapia.  Corey Carlson and Tapia led the team in tackles with 7 each.  Offensively, Levi Bursch and Zack Sopak led the way.  Sopak threw for 113 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Bursch caught both touchdowns.  Sopak ran for 91 yards and the final touchdown. 

The Trojans will now take on Bronxville next Saturday at 3pm in Syracuse at the Carrier Dome for the Class C New York State Championship.

11/14 - Southwestern defeated Letchworth 28-14:  To say this effort was business-like is to say the sky is blue (somewhere above our southwestern New York cloud cover anyway).  The Southwestern Trojan football team brought their professionalism, their work-ethic, and their aura of invincibility to Rochester’s Marina Auto Stadium to dispense with the Letchworth Indians in a Far West Regional romp on Saturday.  The final score was 28-14, and even though Letchworth put up a reasonable fight in the second half, the game wasn’t all that close. 

Pre-game had a flat and calm feel that is usually followed by a storm of competitive high school football at this stage of state-championship play.  This storm never came.  Forgive the Trojans for wiping any thunder-heads from the sky, like a steady southwest Santa-anna breeze.  They went about their business, efficient and methodical, and while the game seemed void of emotion typical of playoff football to many -from fans to officials to sideline personnel- it felt just about right for Coach Jay Sirianni and the Trojans.  Southwestern might come across as nonchalant or even cocky, but you mistake their calmness for complacency, their lack of emotion for lack of effort, or their subdued body language for lack of confidence at your own peril.  Letchworth is the newest believer in Class C New York State football.  The favorites dispatched the underdog Indians with a 21-0 lead in the first half outgaining the Indians, 268-20, making 15 first downs to Letchworth's zero.

They say that after a time teams take on the personality of their coach; a fitting description for the Trojans.  Coach Jay Sirianni is no stranger to big games in his 7th season at Southwestern. He started his coaching career as an assistant at Maple Grove under current coach Curt Fischer helping the Red Dragons win the New York State championship in 1998.  As a player Sirianni, a Southwestern Alum himself, was quarterback for Mount Union College in Ohio where he was a part of a Division III National Championship team in 1996.  He knows his way around championship football games, and now, so does the 2009 version of his Southwestern Trojans. 

And they act the part.

Southwestern got it done without Trevor Schutte and Tanner Delahoy (out with injuries) and a beat up John Mistretta (groin) and Zack Sopak (ankles).  Levi Bursch led the way on the ground for Southwestern gaining 112 yards.  Sopak was the game's offensive MVP completing 11 of 13 passes for 120 yards, one interception and one touchdown while running for 71 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.

The Trojans take on 11-0 Chenango Forks next Saturday back at Marina Auto Stadium at noon.   PICS

11/7 - Southwestern defeated Eden 21-8:  A classic sports water-cooler debate questions whether the best teams are a product of the system or the players.  Was it Bill Walsh or Joe Montana?  Phil Jackson or Michael Jordan?  Norman Dale or Jimmy Chitwood? It’s a question that has no answer, filled with circular logic.  It’s safe to say that while they’re winning championships, the best teams probably don’t care.

Count the Southwestern Trojan football squad in the latter group. Anchored with a stout defense and a timely running game as the Trojans survived the Eden Raiders 21-8 in the Section VI championship game at The Ralph Saturday afternoon.  Staked with a fourth quarter goal-line stand in the and an improbable 99 yard game-sealing drive built on the power running of John Mistretta and Zach Sopak, the Trojans captured their second straight Section VI crown.

But not without three and a half quarters of chewed fingernails on the Trojan sidelines, and a sea of furrowed brows amongst the SW fans, all at the hands of the scrappy Raiders.

Sopak scored the Trojans first two touchdowns, the first on an 8 yard run and the second on a 25 yard jaunt.  Sopak finished the day with 124 yards on 20 carries.  Through the air, Sopak went 9 for 18  for 184 yards.  Ryan Buzzetto and Corey Carlson led the Trojan defense with 9 tackles each.  The Trojans will now take on Letchworth for the Far West Regional Championship in Rochester.

10/30 - Southwestern defeated Cleveland Hill 49-6:  The Southwester Trojans are headed back to Ralph Wilson Stadium to play for the Section VI Class C Championship next Saturday against the winner of Cassadaga Valley and Eden.  And whoever ends up playing Southwestern probably should take note.  This is not the same team that took the field in September or even in the beginning of October.  Senior quarterback Zack Sopak threw for three touchdowns and ran for another.  Nick Austin caught two of Sopak's touchdwon passes.  Austin finished the night with 139 yards receiving while Will Sleggs and Levi Bursch combined for 99 additional yards receiving.  The entire Southwestern defense, led by Ryan Buzzetto played well, shutting down the high powered Cleveland Hill offense that scored 44 points last week.  The defense scored two touchdowns, one on an interception return and another on a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown.

10/23 - Southwestern defeated Gowanda 41-0:  It was business as usual for the Southwestern Trojans at Charles A. Lawson Field at Southwestern Friday night in the pouring rain.  Senior running back Levi Bursch carried the load on the ground for the Trojans rushing 13 times for 124 yards with two touchdowns.  John Mistretta tacked on 113 yards and two more touchdowns.  Zack Sopak scored one touchdown on the ground while backup quarterback Jimmy Rauh added the final score for the high powered rushing attack of the Trojans.  On the defensive side of the ball, Will Sleggs and Ryan Buzzetto combined for 13 tackles.  Now the Trojans will play Cleveland Hill Friday night at Southwestern 7:30pm.

10/16 - Southwestern defeated Falconer 37-0:  The "Age Old" rivalry is getting to be VERY OLD to the Falconer Golden Falcons.  It has been over 12 years since the Golden Falcons have won the rivalry game and this year nothing changed.  Southwestern scored on their first posession of the game and that was all they needed as they cruised through the game leading 30-0 before scoring once more in the second half.  Levi Bursch led the Trojan rushing attack gaining 152 yards on just five carries with a touchdown.  Junior running back John Mistretta added 75 yards and two touchdowns.  Senior quarterback Zack Sopak threw a touchdown in the victory and tied a SW school record for career completions at 158.  Corey Carlson led the Trojan defense by recording 9 tackles while Ryan Buzzetto added eight.  Southwestern is waiting to see who they will host in the Section 6 playoffs next week.

10/9 - Southwestern defeated Fredonia 24-6:  The Southwestern Trojans captured their 2nd straight Section 6 Class C South championship with the victory over the Fredonia Hillbillies.  Zack Sopak led the Trojan rushing attack by gaining 94 yards and scoring two touchdowns.  Levi Bursch added the other touchdowns for the Trojans.  The defense was the real story for the Trojans as they held Fredonia to 66 total yards on the night.

10/3 - Southwestern defeated Cassadaga 31-13:  Levi Bursch lit it up on offense for the Southwestern Trojans by rushing for two 50+ yard touchdowns and caught a 56 yard touchdown pass from Zack Sopak.  Sopak finished with a pair of touchdowns.  The other one was a 73 yard pass to Nick Austin.  Sopak finished with 173 yards passing.  Bursch finished the day with 118 yards on the ground.  The Trojan defense was led by Corey Carlson and Will Sleggs who each recorded 10 tackles.  Southwestern hosts Fredonia next Friday night.

9/25 - Southwestern defeated Lackawana 49-8:  There is no debate who the number one small school in Western New York after Southwestern manhandled the #2 ranked Lackawana Steelers.  John Mistretta led the way for the Trojans on the ground scoring three touchdowns.  Levi Bursch added two rushing touchdowns.  Zack Sopak had 102 yards rushing on eight carries.  Tanner Delahoy and Will Sleggs led the defense with 9 tackles each.

9/19 - Southwestern defeated St. Mary's 31-14: Southwestern continues to roll this season as they traveled to Lancaster to take on St. Mary's.  The Trojans were led offensively by senior quarterback Zack Sopak rushed for one TD while throwing for another.  Levi Bursch also had a good game offensively by gaining 123 yards receiving and scoring a touchdown.  Defensively it was Ryan Buzzetto leading the way with 10 tackles and a fumble recovery.  Next week the Trojans will host the Lackawana Steelers.

9/12 - Southwestern defeated Salamanca 41-0:  The Southwestern Trojans continue to dominate their opponents.  This week it was the Salamanca Warriors who they handled with ease.  The Trojans were led by senior quarterback Zack Sopak who threw for 3 touchdowns and ran for another.  Levi Bursch ran for 53 yards and had 104 yards receiving.  John Mistretta rushed for 89 yards and scored a touchdown.

9/4 - Southwestern defeated Allegany 33-6:  The Southwestern Trojans continued where they left off last November as the reigning Class C New York State Champions.  Zack Sopak led the way completing 13 of 14 passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns.  Levi Bursch and Will Sleggs each caught one of the Sopak TD passes.  Leading the way on the receiving ends for the Trojans were Sleggs who had 5 receptions for 62 yards, Nick Austin had 3 catches for 70 yards and Levi Bursch who had 4 catches for 47 yards.  John Mistretta led the rushing attack with 82 yards.  The Trojan Defense was led by Sleggs with 5 tackles, a sack and an interception.  The Trojans travel to Salamanca next Saturday night to take on the Salmanca Warriors.