By TJ HATHAWAY
The New York State Sportswriters Association (NYSSWA) announced its 2023 Small School All-State football teams. Throughout the four classifications, Section V touted one Player of the Year with 27 players named to teams and another 21 named as honorable mentions.
Tyson Totten garnered the 2023 NYSSWA 8-Man Player of the Year. As the quarterback for Pembroke, the senior led the Dragons to their second straight 8-Man state championship with a perfect record of 13-0, the best record in program history. Totten finished the season with 4,235 rushing yards and 72 total touchdowns.
Section V produced five players to the 8-Man All-State First Team. Offensive linemen Jayden Bridge and Jayden Mast made the team from Pembroke as a junior and senior respectively. Senior quarterback Micah Harshfield was named to the team from Red Jacket. Holley junior quarterback Dustin Kuyal earned a spot on the first team. Linebacker Caden Allen, a senior from Bolivar-Richburg, rounded out the Section V selections.
Honorable mentions for 8-Man include junior running back Caleb Felski (Pembroke), junior lineman Octavius Martin (Pembroke), senior lineman Jeremy Gabbey (Pembroke), and senior lineman Zachary Mitchell (Bolivar-Richburg).
In Class B, the Section V Champion and state-semifinalist Monroe Red Jackets saw two players named to NYSSWA First Team, being wide receiver Messiah Hampton and defensive lineman Robert Arnold. Hampton scored 21 touchdowns over the course of his sophomore campaign, while the senior Arnold brought down the opposing quarterback 23 times for sacks.
The Class B Second Team featured Monroe senior quarterback Khaya Moses while the Third Team had Honeoye Falls-Lima senior wide receiver Andrew Wanzenried as well as Monroe junior defensive back Styhles McKenzie-Baker. Senior Matt Meacham represented Honeoye Falls-Lima as the kicker on the All-State Fourth Team, with fellow senior and Monroe linebacker Nahzier Wilson joining him. Monroe senior wide receiver Amari Colon-Brown was named to the Class B Fifth Team. Three players from Section V were named to the All-State Sixth Team, being Batavia senior wide receiver Cole Grazioplene, Honeoye-Falls Lima senior offensive lineman Austin Crego, and Monroe senior defensive lineman Dashon Constantine.
Honorable mentions for Class B included junior running back Mekhi Fortes (Batavia), senior running back Kellen Foster (Newark/Marion), senior defensive end Landon McKnight (Monroe), junior linebacker Tajhmir Mullins (Monroe), and senior defensive back Desean Bruce (Geneva).
Four Section V Players highlight the NYSSWA Class C First Team. Linebacker Clayton Bezon and defensive back Trent Woods made the team from Attica/Alexander. Both seniors, Bezon led the Blue Devils in both tackles and sacks with 91 and nine respectively, while Woods made 41 tackles and intercepted a team-high six passes. Linebacker Tony Piazza made the team from Le Roy as a senior, making 53 total tackles, a sack, and intercepting a pass. Junior Cuba-Rushford running back Kaeden Holcomb turned in 1,479 rushing yards alongside 20 touchdowns while playing for Portville (VI) to earn his spot on the first team.
Senior wide receiver Miles Caviness represented East Rochester/Gananda on the Class C second team. His teammate, junior quarterback Ben Newman made the All-State Third Team, as well as senior kicker Joe Parkhurst from Attica/Alexander.
Honorable mentions for Class C included senior running back Drew Strollo (Le Roy), senior running back Landyn Thomas (Attica/Alexander), senior lineman Reed Bouchard (Penn Yan/Dundee), junior lineman Holden Sullivan (Le Roy), and senior linebacker Case Hill (Attica/Alexander).
Section V had three players on the Class D First Team, being senior defensive tackle J.J Reese and senior linebacker Brian Zeh from Canisteo-Greenwood and senior linebacker Christopher Thompson from Avon. Reese (62 tackles, four sacks, one fumble recovery, one interception) and Zeh (116 tackles, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, one interception) led a Canisteo-Greenwood defense that helped clinched a program-first regional appearance. Thompson made 55 total tackles, 11 of which going for a loss, and intercepted three passes.
Clyde-Savannah sophomore running back Zymere Smith as well as York/Pavilion senior defensive back Joe Bauer made the Class D second team.
Honorable mentions for Class D include senior running back Carl Szcech (York-Pavilion), senior lineman Ashton Bezon (Oakfield-Alabama), senior lineman Austin Pangrazio (Oakfield-Alabama), senior lineman Ryan Werner (Canisteo-Greenwood), junior linebacker Wesley Farley (Avon), senior linebacker Bodie Hyde (Oakfield-Alabama), and senior linebacker Brennan Royce (York/Pavilion).
Leave a Reply