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2009 High School Football Season

New York State Championship Class C

11/28 - Southwestern defeated Bronxville 40-14:  PHOTOS

Here’s the plot (the “Boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy wins girl back” formula for instant entertainment success):  Team starts hot, team struggles through bad breaks and adversity, team prevails in the end.  You've seen it a hundred times (think Remember the Titans). There’s a reason this formula works in movies.

It’s because it sells.

The Southwestern Trojans, the #1 seed in Class C High School football for over a year, wrote the script for their second straight state championship, and this one had the perfect ending to a pretty darned good story.  The story had all the requisite elements; intrigue, a good plot, worthy protagonists, villains (hint, they were wearing stripes and are NOT big fans of instant replay), and a dénouement to die for.  It had an ensemble, all star cast with stand-out performances, a few twists and turns, and a climax ending that went according to script.  No surprises here, a Disney movie of a football game (though less so if you’re from Bronxville).

Fueled by huge plays on both sides of the ball, the Southwestern Trojans kept their fans in suspense, letting the drama build until into the 4^th quarter, when they stepped on the gas pedal and pulled away from the Bronxville Broncos for a 40-14 win. Plenty of fingernails got plenty of chewing on Saturday afternoon in the Syracuse Carrier Dome.

 Zack Sopak garnered game MVP awards for the game, throwing for 220 yards and 4 touchdowns.  Will Sleggs turned in an astounding all around performance with 4 catches for 153 yards (including a 65-yarder that flopped the field when Sopak hit him in stride with his heels in his own end zone, and a 47 yarder dropped down the chimney that was partially tipped), 11 tackles and a timely interception with Bronxville driving for the tying score…as key a set of football plays as you are likely to see in a game this big.  Ryan Buzzetto had 16 tackles of slippery Bronco backs, Jake Currie had two sacks, Johnny Mistretta picked up every loose defender in the SW backfield, and a hundred more individual efforts and plays to re-live and remember for a lifetime.

So let the comparisons begin, because as sports fans that’s what we do. Forget for a minute the intra-scholastic debate about whether these are the best teams in the history of their respective schools. Surely, the Randolph faithful woke up Sunday morning believing their team might just find a way to beat the Southwestern Trojans, and Southwestern fans are wondering what would keep these Trojans from winning every game they play against ANY team, school size be damned.  These are surely two of the best teams to play in their NYSPHSAA classes ever.

Randolph’s two championships in four years is a monumental achievement, accomplished with two distinct rosters.  Southwestern pulled off a back-to-back classic (piling up 29 wins in a row in the process) that has the pundits cracking open the record books, and they did it with mostly the same cast of athletes.  So, which is more impressive?  It’s a fun and meaningless exercise that takes nothing away from winning a state title….the stuff of county-centric water-cooler debates.  But the point that cannot and should not be overlooked is that these are our debates, western, New York…they belong to us.  It’s a privileged place we occupy and we owe it to these two schools which have provided us these two fantastic football programs. 

A nice place to be, isn’t it?

New York State Championship Class D

11/28 - Randolph defeated Moriah 41-0:  PHOTOS Knowing your team is much better than your opponent, even before the opening kickoff, can be a double-edged sword for a coaching staff; especially when you're playing for the New York State Class D Championship. 

Pat Slater, Brent Brown, Nate Armella, Gerald Carlson and Kevin Hind had the better team going into their championship game Saturday afternoon in the Carrier Dome in Syracuse against the Moriah Vikings. That didn't make their coaching job any easier. Keeping their charges focused and ready to execute became the major challenge as they prepped for the biggest game of the year for the Randolph Cardinals.  If they could do that, they would win easily (no pressure there, huh?).  If they let the Cardinals team go into the Carrier Dome with overconfidence and lack of focus, they could have been on the wrong end of a major upset. 

No worries, thanks to the leadership of veteran players like Matt Hettenbaugh, Ryan Beach, Brandon Durnell, Matt Lundsten and Tyler Mendell (Mendell returning from what looked like a season ending knee injury last week led that group).  The Cardinals were focused and determined, hit hard and often and won the "ship".

Moriah gave it a good shot early, fueled by adrenaline and hope, but Randolph played harder and never let up and late in the second quarter when Randolph went up by three touchdowns Moriah appeared to give up.  After a costly turn-over in the second quarter by the Vikings, Cardinals senior quarterback Mike Maycock hit Eric Bruder with a 15 yard touchdown pass to put Randolph up 27-0 at the half.  The writing on the wall was large, and easy to read...bold white and red letters that spelled out a state championship for the Class D powerhouse Cardinals. Moriah cheered briefly after a bone crunching hit put on Hettenbaugh after a long run, but to the Vikings dismay, Hettenbaugh popped right up and headed back to the huddle.  Randolph had no interest in giving up even small victories in this game.

Fittingly both the offense and defense were similarly impressive in this victory.  The offense was led by Mike Maycock who scored a rushing touchdown and threw for another, Hettenbaugh ran for one touchdown and gained 111 yards, Alan Lockwood ran for a touchdown and racked up 92 yards, Travis Terry and Matt Lundsten also added a touchdown each for the Cardinal offense.  On defense, the story was the same, Hettenbaugh led the team with 10 tackles, and the Cardinal defense held the Vikings to 125 yards of total offense.

NYSPHSAA awards presented to players included Tyler Durnell-Sportsmanship Award, Matt Hettenbaugh-Most Valuble Defensive Back, Ben Fluent-Most Valuable Offensive Lineman, Alan Lockwood-Most Valuable Offensive Back and Mike Maycock-Most Valuable Player.

New York State Semi-Finals Class C

11/21 - Southwestern defeated Chenango Forks 21-0: 

Wow…

I mean if you’re a Chenango Forks High School football player or fan you have to be  saying “Wow” to yourself about now.  You ran into a real train wreck last Saturday afternoon.  You brought your vaunted football team to the game, the one that amassed 3,300 plus yards on the ground during the season while going undefeated at 11-0.  You brought in your winning tradition (102-8 since 2001 with two state championships).  You brought in your coaches and your players and your fans.  And now you’re probably wondering what exactly happened in the Class C Far West Championships at Marine Field in Rochester. 

What exactly happened was you played the Southwestern Trojans.

If the Gowanda and Cleveland Hills games were foregone conclusions, the Eden game a wake-up call, and Letchworth a business trip, then this 21-0 blanking of Chenango Forks was a statement for the Trojans.  It said, “With due respect, get out of our way.  We’re playing football here.”  Southwestern held the Forks (nice nickname) to 121 total yards, and made two impressive goal-line stands (becoming the signature of this playoff run) to secure a second straight trip to the state championship game, Saturday, November 28^th against Bronxville High from Section I. 

Bronxville will want to make sure they bring the run and pass to the game.  Chenango, with a potent rushing attack, but little else in their offensive arsenal, brought a dull knife to a gun-fight.  Their backs, startlingly successful during the regular season with four players rushing for over 600 yards, spent the day running into defenders where holes were supposed to be, between the tackles.  The Chenango defense was stout, and Southwestern was never able to make this one a laugher, but against that Trojan defense and this coaching staff, one dimension won’t cut it.  The numbers help tell the story: Will Sleggs, 11 tackles and a sack (and defensive game MVP honors), 7 tackles and a sack by Corey Carlson, recovered fumble by Jasen Carlson, three forced turn-overs, and those timely goal-line-stands.

In fairness to Chenango Forks, the Trojans probably won this game before it started; when the gene pool in the Busti township built this set of young men -who would end up with last names like Bezutti, Carlson(‘s), Sopak, Bursch, Sleggs- and conspire with fate to introduce them to a young coach with an agile football mind and dedicated staff, and place them all in the Southwestern school district at the same time...a random confluence of events that puts them on the border of rarified territory...back-to-back state championships in arguably the most challenging team sport in high school.  This space asked a few weeks back if it’s the player or the coach that makes a champion…the conclusion then, as it is today (and as it will be in twenty, forty, one hundred years from now when future minds look back at this Southwestern High School football team) is, it helps if you bring both.

Offensively, Levi Bursch and Zack Sopak led the way.  Sopak threw for 113 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Bursch caught both touchdowns.  Sopak ran for another 91 yards and the final touchdown. 

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

New York State Semi-Finals Class D

11/20 - Randolph defeated Groton 61-8:  Tyler Mendell is the middle linebacker and tight end for the Randolph Cardinals.  He saw his team take a 6-0 lead over the Groton Indians before leaving the game on a stretcher with a leg injury early in the game.  Tyler did not make it back to Mariana Auto Stadium until after Randolph had handed the #1 ranked D team in New York State a 61-8 loss.  A lot of people "in the know" in high school football like to say that Randolph "really doesn't have any super-stars".  Well that is not true!  Randolph has a super-star and that super-star wears #20.  After leading at half-time 28-0, all of the Randolph players came back out onto the field wearing the number 20 on each and every player's helmet to show support for their injured leader Tyler Mendell.  Since each player wore #20 in this game for the second half, #20 truly is the Randolph Superstar, at least in this game............continued    PICS

Randolph now heads to the Carrier Dome in Syracuse next Saturday as they will take on Moriah for the New York State Class D Championship at high noon.  The Cardinals scored 9 touchdowns in their rout of Groton Friday night.  They had 601 yards of total offense on the night.  Of those 601 yards, 601 were via the rushing attack.  Yes, you heard correctly, Randolph did not gain a yard through the air.  In fact, Randolph did not have one passing attempt and that is nothing new, the last pass attempt came against Portville in the second round of the playoffs, four weeks ago!  Matt Hettenbaugh had 228 yards and scored two touchdowns while Alan Lockwood gained 220 yards and scored 4 touchdowns.  Lockwood was also named the MVP on offense for the game by the NYSPHSAA.  The Cardinals defense held Groton to 191 total yards and most of those coming on long passes when the game was already out of reach.

Far West Regional Championships Class C

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

Far West Regional Championships Class D

11/13 - Randolph defeated Dundee 14-6:  "They got this one kid.....I don't know if we can stop him, he's GOOD."  said defensive coordinator Brent Brown before the game in a telephone interview.  That kid was Steven Webb and after watching him in person Friday night at Marina Auto Stadium in Rochester, I agree he is good and extremely quick.  On Dundee's first possession, Randolph stopped him twice and then in the blink of an eye...Webb was jetting down the field for a 49 yard gain.  I was definitely thinking, this is going to be a long night for Randolph.  But once the opening series for both teams had come and gone, the Cardinals settled in and shut the explosive Webb down.  In the process of shutting Webb down, the Cardinal offense did what they do... run the football.  Matt Hettenbaugh scored two touchdowns in the first half.  Hettenbaugh finished with 92 rushing yards for the night.  The Cardinal defense was led by Brandon Durnell with 9 tackles and two sacks.    Big Ben Fluent also had a fine game on defense recording 5 tackles and 2 sacks.  Hettenbaugh was named "Outstanding Offensive Player" for the game.  Randolph will take on Groton next Friday at Marina Auto Stadium at 5pm.    VIEW RANDOLPH - DUNDEE PHOTO GALLERY

Section VI Championships

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?

Is it Jay Sirianni or the Southwestern Trojans?

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.  And it's safe to say a relieved Southwestern Trojan football team won't be spending time around a water cooler asking impossible sports questions.

Anchored by a stout defense and a timely running game the Trojans survived the Eden Raiders 21-8 in the Section VI championship game at The Ralph last Saturday afternoon.  Featuring a fourth quarter goal-line stand 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 enduring three and a half quarters of fingernail-chewing drama, and a sea of furrowed brows and confused looks from SW fans used to the Trojans making things look easy.  The scrappy Raiders brought a serious run-attack founded on power, misdirection and great QB ball-handling, and had the game tied 8-8 at the half. 

Southwestern was methodical to open the second half and took 7 minutes to re-take the lead, the final punch coming on a 25 yard Tebow-draw by Sopak.  A missed extra point made it 14-8, but who cared, the rout was finally on.  Relieved Trojan fans sat back in their seats and waited, more patiently now, for the promised familiar flood gates to open, visions of heady statistics and trophy-ceremonies dancing in their heads.

Eden was having none of it.  They marched, almost literally, back down the field, all upstart and attitude, and after the dust settled they stared at a 4th and goal from the 1 yard line.  The down and distance felt like a no-brainer.  Southwestern had failed to stop the Raiders from gaining at least 3 yards on nearly every carry of the half.  What was left to see was if Eden would kick the extra point or go for two after they scored.  Would the favorite Trojans be down one or two?

And then it was Southwestern's turn to have none of it.  A soon-to-be famous goal line stand, a business-like 99 yard drive later, and order was restored. 

Sopak scored the touchdowns that gave the Trojans their leads.  He rushed for 124 yards on 20 carries, and was 9 for 18  for 184 yards through the air.  John Mistretta scored the clincher with a series of solid 4th quarter runs reminiscent of a bowling ball thrown down Southwestern Drive.  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.

So it is left for others to ask the question; is it Coach Jay Sirianni's system that built this quality high school football team, or is it the athletic pedigree of Carlson, Sopak, Burch, and Mistretta?  And the answer is the same as it always has been...helps if you bring both.

11/6 - Randolph defeated Maple Grove 21-20:  Congratulations to the Randolph Cardinals, your 2009 Section VI Class D Champions.  In what was turning into a blow out with Randolph leading 21-7 in the fourth quarter and driving down the field, the football gods remembered that this was a Randolph vs. Maple Grove game and this could not happen.  Just like that a "no-contact" fumble, two  methodical drives down the field by Chris Secky and the Red Dragons for a touchdowns and the stage was set for the score to be tied up with just over a minute to go in the game.  All that remained was a simple boot for the extra point.  It then looked as if the football gods put their heads together again and said "Maple Grove got theirs last year, let's let Randolph give it a shot this year."  A shaky snap, the ball went down, the kick was up and it was no good.  Randolph scored all of their touchdowns on the ground while they did not attempt a pass all night.  Quarterback Mike Maycock scored in the first quarter, while Matt Hettenbaugh scored the other two touchdowns for the Cardinals.  Hettenbaugh finished the night with 127 yards on the ground while Mike Maycock and Alan Lockwood combined for an additional 85 yards.  Maple Grove was led by Secky who went 14-25 through the air for 190 yards.  Gage Milliman had 100 of those yards receiving with 6 catches.  Randolph will not travel to Rochester next week to face the winner of the Avon vs. Dundee game.  The game will be at 5pm on Friday.  Check out all of the photos in our photo galleries.

Thank You Chris Secky for a FANTASTIC HS Football Career

Media Day at Ralph Wilson Stadium

MATCHUP - Southwestern vs Eden - 11/7/09 @ 3:00pm:  In what some are calling the battle of the top two "C" teams in the state, this is sure to be a thriller.  It will be the Eden tough Eden defense versus the high powered Southwestern offense.  Eden has held their opponents to 18 points all year while Southwestern has scored 336 points on the year.

LISTEN TO THE PLAYERS & COACHES GIVE

THEIR KEYS TO VICTORY
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MATCHUP - Randolph vs Maple Grove - 11/6/09 @ 6:00pm:  It just wouldn't be quite right to have a Class D playoff game without Randolph going toe-to-toe with Maple Grove.  Early in the year, it was Maple Grove who came back late in the game to win by a point 7-6.  The general consensus around high school football fans was one of two things, either Randolph was that good to be able to hang with the Red Dragons, or Maple Grove lost a lot from the previous year when they rolled through New York State to capture the Class D state title.  A week later, the Red Dragons lost to the Frewsburg Bears, and people were starting to write-off Maple Grove.  While Maple Grove was dropping on everyone's power rankings, Randolph on the other hand was climbing the ladder as they rolled through nearly every team they faced.  Without a doubt, Randolph and Maple Grove are the two top teams in Class D football in Section VI.  So get ready to sit back and enjoy one heck of a football game.

I was amazed at the respect that both teams showed for each other, from the coaches down to the players.  Both teams know that the other team is talented with good coaches.  Whoever plays the best and makes the fewest mistakes will win. 

LISTEN TO THE PLAYERS GIVE THEIR KEYS TO VICTORY
(Please be patient while video loads)

Make sure to check out the Media Day Photo Gallery by clicking HERE.  If you see a picture of yourself that you like, email webmaster@jaszone.com with your name and address and we will get a 5X7 photo printed and emailed to you free of charge.

Make sure to VOTE on what will happen in the Maple Grove vs.  Randolph game on Friday night.

Friday Night "Playoff" Football

10/30 - Maple Grove defeated Silver Creek 30-13:  The Red Dragons of Maple Grove are headed back to Ralph Wilson Stadium for what some high school football fans consider the best rivalry in the area.  Randolph vs Maple Grove!!  The first game of the year, Maple Grove beat Randolph 7-6.   Chris Secky led the Red Dragons offense by throwing for 103 yards and rushing for another 36.  Andrew Wascher led the defense recording 11 tackles while Matt Fox and John Nickerson combined for 18.

10/30 - Randolph defeated Portville 23-13:  A defensive week of preparation was (almost) all for not!  Defensive coach Brent Brown was left scratching his head as he watched the Portville Panthers run what not one play that they had ever run before.  All week watching film of Portville and preparing for their tendencies were not needed as Portville put in a completely different offense than they have ever ran?  And it almost worked as a 23-13 score was much closer than the 41-0 thumping that Randolph handed the Portville Panthers a few weeks ago.   Travis Terry, Matt Hettenbaugh and Alan Lockwood all scored touchdowns for the Cardinals and Nick Milliman kicked a 22 yard field goal.  The Cardinal defense was led by Ben Fluent, Tyler Mendell and Matt Lundsten who combined for 18 tackles.

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.