One squad aims for its first sectional title since 2018. The other looks to continue its Cinderella season and capture its first title in more than a decade. Aquinas and Rush-Henrietta will clash on Friday to determine the Class AA champion. Here’s the breakdown.
No. 3 AQUINAS LI’L IRISH (8-2 / 7-2 in class play)
vs.
No. 8 RUSH-HENRIETTA ROYAL COMETS (4-6 / 3-6 in class play)
How they arrived here: Aquinas defeated Penfield (35-0) and McQuaid (21-6) to advance to the Section V Class AA title game. Rush-Henrietta toppled Fairport (42-21) and UPrep (13-7) to reach the title game.
Players to watch for Aquinas: Trent Buttles So. QB (77 completions, 1,386 yards, 14:2 TD/INT ratio, 31 carries, 209 yards, one touchdown, 41 tackles, one fumble recovery, four interceptions, one pick-six); Derrion Battle Sr. RB/SS (176 carries, 1,113 yards, 11 touchdowns, 12 catches, 277 yards, three touchdowns); Jeff Logan Jr. RB/LB (44 carries, 424 yards, eight touchdowns); Thomas Levins So. WR/DB (19 catches, 271 yards, four touchdowns); Lucas Leone Sr. LB/OL (92 tackles, nine TFL, two fumble recoveries, All-Time Section V Tackle leader); Noah Collins-Howard So. WR/DB 18 catches, 452 yards, five touchdowns); CJ Flaherty Jr. OL/LB 64 tackles, five TFL, one fumble recovery) Frank Burgess Jr. DL/OL (59 tackles, seven TFL, one fumble recovery, three sacks); Quante Gillians Sr. DE/TE (40 tackles, 10 TFL, 11 sacks).
Rush-Henrietta: Brendan Mangone So. QB/FS (71 carries, 593 yards, nine rushing touchdowns, 104 completions, 1,325 passing yards, 8:3 TD/INT ratio, 19 tackles, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery); Justin Medina So. RB/LB (159 carries, 1,008 rushing yards, 12 touchdowns, 22 catches, 194 yards, 23.5 tackles); Imani Wagstaff So. RB/LB (32 catches, 359 yards, four touchdowns, 19 carries, 92 rushing yards, one touchdown, 39.5 tackles); Jackson Koppers Sr. WR/DB (14 catches, 207 yards, one touchdown, 12 carries, 35 yards, one touchdown, 15 passes, 195 yards, one touchdown, 46 tackles, one fumble recovery, one interception); Ronin Walker Jr. OL/LB (90 tackles, seven TFL, one forced fumble, one interception); Kaleb Condello Sr. OL/DL (53.5 tackles, 10 TFL, 3.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries); Brennan Spencer Jr. OL/DL (43.5 tackles, one forced fumble); Zach Erne Jr. OL/DL (36 tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery).
Coaches: Moe Jackson (Aquinas Institute), Joe Montesano (Rush-Henrietta)
History 101: Aquinas and Rush-Henrietta have met three times in sectional finals since 2012 with the Li’l Irish taking all of those decisions. Then top-seeded Aquinas beat No. 6 R-H, 17-14 in the 2015 Class AA title game. In 2013, No. 1 AQ beat No. 3 R-H, 50-6, and in 2012 Rush-Henrietta came in as the top seed, but No. 4 AQ won 21-13.
Aquinas has 15 sectional titles in program history with six of those championships coming in the largest classification for that season. Rush-Henrietta has won six titles with all but one coming in the largest class of that year. R-H was split into two high schools (Sperry and Roth) until 1987. In 1986, Sperry won the AAA title, and Roth claimed AA.
In 1982, Rush-Henrietta-Sperry under the direction of the late Werner Kleemann defeated Aquinas, led by the late Rich Parrinello, 14-6 in the Class AAA game. R-H erased an early 6-0 deficit to win that title. Center/linebacker Ray Stefano was named Most Valuable Player. Mike DiGennero and Ron Killings scored a touchdown apiece for R-H. AQ quarterback Tony Lott and Tom Loewenguth connected on a 47-yard strike for the lone Li’l Irish score.
Last Meeting: Aquinas defeated Rush-Henrietta 50-24 on October 18. In that game, Trent Buttles hurled three touchdowns and 214 yards in the air. Derrion Battle scampered into the end zone twice.
What’s next: Winner advances to the Class AA Far West Regional against the Section VI champion either Lancaster or Jamestown.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on Friday at SUNY Brockport.
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