By JOHN LIKANJE
The 2019 Section V football regular season has come and gone. Now it’s time for history to be made and champions to be crowned. Sectional quarterfinals kick off this weekend with 17 games Friday night and three more Saturday afternoon. The first round features three rematches from last year’s sectionals and 10 that did not qualify a year ago. Here are a few notes for the weekend:
REMEMBER ME?
Three rematches from last year’s sectionals will take place this weekend:
Greece Arcadia at East – These teams have gotten to know each other pretty well recently. The East High Eagles have rallied to defeat the Greece Arcadia Titans in the last two matchups: the 2018 class A sectional quarterfinals and Week 3 of this season. Senior running back Freddie Brock has had Arcadia’s number, scoring the game-winning touchdown in both contests. The UMass-Amherst commit exploded for a combined 292 rushing yards and five touchdowns as well. Kickoff is set for Friday at 6 p.m. at East High School.
Canandaigua at Victor – What a difference a loss made for these squads. Canandaigua fell to Victor on Opening Night and reeled off six consecutive victories. Victor fell to Spencerport in Week 2 and won five straight games. Despite both teams finishing with a 6-1 record, the Blue Devils won home field advantage via coin toss. After being shut out in last year’s regular season matchup, Victor has won back-to-back games in the rivalry and outscored Canandaigua a combined 58-21. Game is set for Friday at 7 p.m. at Corbit Field.
York/Pavilion at Notre Dame-Batavia – Considering how the season has gone for both teams, it will be very surprising if the outcome of last year’s sectional quarterfinal occurs again on Saturday afternoon. As the No. 6 seed in the 2018 class D bracket, York/Pavilion shut out the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 18-0. This year, Notre Dame averages a Section V-high 44.5 points per game and allowed 9.5 for a 7-0 record and the top seed in the field. The Fighting Irish are led by the rushing attack of Gabe Macdonald and Jed Reese. Kickoff is set for Saturday at 1 p.m. at VanDetta Stadium.
NEW FACES
Ten teams qualified for sectionals after absences a year ago: Avon, Bishop Kearney/Rochester Prep, Brighton, Bolivar-Richburg, Caledonia-Mumford/Byron Bergen, Clyde-Savannah, Geneva, LeRoy, Palmyra-Macedon and Spencerport. Brighton (A2), Bolivar-Richburg (D) and Caledonia-Mumford/Byron Bergen (C1) each won the Connors & Ferris Bowl last season. LeRoy is the only undefeated team among the new squads and the No. 1 seed in the class C bracket.
FIVE UNDEFEATED TEAMS STILL STANDING
Attica (No. 11 NYSSWA Class C), Eastridge (No. 8 NYSSWA Class A), LeRoy (No. 6 NYSSWA Class C), McQuaid (No. 8 NYSSWA Class AA) and Notre Dame-Batavia (No. 4 NYSSWA Class D) are the remaining undefeated teams going into sectionals. Eastridge, LeRoy, McQuaid and Notre Dame-Batavia are the top seed in their respective classifications.
Some notable active winning streaks: Aquinas (6), Canandaigua (6), East (6) and Victor (5).
WHEN OPPOSITE FORCES MEET
Here are a few upcoming matchups this weekend featuring top-ranked offenses versus top-ranked defenses:
Brighton at Eastridge – Eastridge averages 35.3 points per game and Brighton allows 17.4. Kickoff is set for Friday at 7 p.m. at Eastridge High School.
Wilson Magnet at Spencerport – Wilson Magnet scores 35.4 points while Spencerport holds their opponents to 17.3 points per game. Game is set for Friday at 7 p.m. at Spencerport High School.
Geneva at Livonia – Livonia averages 35.3 points per game and Geneva allows 21.7. Kickoff is set for Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Livonia High School.
Wayne at Honeoye Falls-Lima – Honeoye Falls-Lima scores 32.2 points per game and Wayne holds their opponents to 21.8. Game is set for Friday at 7 p.m. at Honeoye Falls-Lima High School.
Caledonia-Mumford/Byron Bergen at East Rochester/Gananda – East Rochester/Gananda averages 32.9 points and Caledonia-Mumford/Byron Bergen allows 12.7. Kickoff is set for Friday at 7 p.m. at East Rochester High School.
FULL SECTIONAL SLATE
FRIDAY
6 p.m. – Greece Arcadia at East (No. 21 NYSSWA Class A)
7 p.m. – Brighton at Eastridge (No. 8 NYSSWA Class A)
7 p.m. – Wilson Magnet at Spencerport
7 p.m. – Canandaigua at Victor (No. 23 NYSSWA Class A)
7 p.m. – Monroe at McQuaid (No. 8 NYSSWA Class AA)
7 p.m. – Rush-Henrietta at Aquinas (No. 10 NYSSWA Class AA)
7 p.m. – Fairport at Hilton
7 p.m. – Pittsford at Webster Schroeder
7 p.m. – Palmyra-Macedon at Batavia (No. 16 NYSSWA Class B)
7 p.m. – Wayne at Honeoye Falls-Lima
7 p.m. – Penn Yan at Attica (No. 11 NYSSWA Class C)
7 p.m. – Caledonia-Mumford/Byron Bergen at East Rochester/Gananda
7 p.m. – Clyde-Savannah at Alexander (No. 6 NYSSWA Class D)
7:30 p.m. – Geneva at Livonia
7:30 p.m. – Avon at LeRoy (No. 6 NYSSWA Class C)
7:30 p.m. – Dansville at Letchworth/Warsaw (No. 15 NYSSWA Class C)
7:30 p.m. – Bolivar-Richburg at Canisteo-Greenwood
SATURDAY
1 p.m. – Bishop Kearney/Rochester Prep at UPrep (No. 11 NYSSWA Class B)
1 p.m. – York/Pavilion at Notre Dame Batavia (No. 4 NYSSWA Class D)
1 p.m. – Geneseo/Mount Morris at Red Jacket (No. 7 NYSSWA Class D)
NYSSWA RANKINGS
No. 8 – McQuaid (7-0)
No. 10 – Aquinas (6-1)
No. 8 – Eastridge (7-0)
No. 21 – East (6-1)
No. 23 – Victor (6-1)
No. 11 – UPrep (6-1)
No. 16 – Batavia (5-2)
No. 6 – LeRoy (7-0)
No. 11 – Attica (7-0)
No. 15 – Letchworth/Warsaw (6-1)
CLASS D
No. 4 – Notre Dame Batavia (7-0)
No. 6 – Alexander (6-1)
No. 7 – Red Jacket (5-2)
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