Top-seeded ER/Gananda and No. 3 Le Roy/Cal-Mum meet for the second time this season. The Section V Class C title will be on the line when the two teams take the field this Saturday at Rush-Henrietta. Here’s what you need to know:
No. 1 seed EAST ROCHESTER/GANANDA BOMBERS (8-1, 8-0 in class play)
vs.
No. 3 seed Le ROY/CALEDONIA-MUMFORD RIVALS (5-4, 4-2 in class play)
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM GARY WIGGINS.
How they arrived here: ER/Gananda snagged the No. 1 seed in the Class C playoffs and earned a bye in a five-team playoff. The Bombers took on No. 5 seed Hornell/Arkport-Canaseraga in the semi-finals and won 45-30. Le Roy/Cal-Mum earned the No. 3 seed and a bye and took on No. 2 seed Letchworth/Warsaw/Perry in the semi-finals and won 28-7.
Players to watch for ER/Gananda: Ben Newman Sr. QB (2,175 passing yards, 64.21 completion percentage, 29 passing touchdowns, one rushing touchdown); Cadearrell Sneed Jr. Sr. RB/S (1,016 rushing yards, 13 rushing touchdowns, 286 receiving yards, two receiving touchdowns); Noah Mather Sr. WR/DB (43 receptions, 904 receiving yards, 13 touchdowns); Justice Allen Jr. WR/DB (31 receptions, 557 receiving yards, 9 receiving touchdowns); Bryce Panzarella Jr. FB/S (76 tackles, 14 TFLs, two sacks, one forced fumble, one intercept, one pass break up); Ray Allen Jr. WR/DB (67 tackles, 16 TFLs, four sacks, one fumble recovery).
Players to watch for Le Roy/Cal-Mum: Brady McClurg So. QB (39-for-82 passing, 628 passing yards, four touchdowns, 40 carries, 170 rushing yards, four rushing touchdowns, 798 total yards); Jack Egeling Sr. RB/LB (152 carries, 1089 rushing yards, 15 rushing touchdowns, 25 total tackles, two tackles for loss); Zach Boop So. RB (80 carries, 360 yards, three touchdowns); Xavier Bowen Sr. WR/DB (13 receptions, 230 receiving yards, three receiving touchdowns, 30 total tackles, one tackle for loss, two interceptions); Peter Clark Sr. TE/DL (13 receptions, 220 receiving yards, one receiving touchdown); Daniel O’Geen Sr. OL/DL (46 total tackles, six sacks, 11 tackles for loss).
Coaches: Tim Rose (ER/Gananda), Mike Humphrey (Le Roy/Cal-Mum)
Last meeting: These teams met on Oct. 25 with Le Roy/Cal-Mum traveling to face ER/Gananda. The Bombers came out with a 42-29 win led by Cadearrell Sneed who rushed for three touchdowns and hauled in a pass for another score. Sneed ended with 213 rushing yards.
History 101: Le Roy and ER/Gananda faced each other three times in sectionals from 2019 to 2023. Le Roy took two of those contests including last year when the Oatkan Knights went on to win the program’s Section V-best 16th title. ER/Gananda is looking for its second title in four years and third overall having won the Class B championship in 2012. East Rochester won the 1978 Class AA championship and back-to-back Class A titles in 1984 and ’85.
Cal-Mum won 15 sectional titles with its last coming in 2017.
During the 14-year stretch from 1991 to 2004, Cal-Mum and Le Roy combined to win every Section V Class C title. Saturday will be the first opportunity as a merged program.
A 12:00 p.m. kickoff is scheduled.
What’s next: The winner of Saturday’s game will advance to face the Section VI champion either Salamanca or Portville in the Far West Regional on Nov. 23.
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