One team is making its first appearance in the state quarterfinals while the other has advanced for the ninth time in program history. Section V champion Brighton, faces Section VI’s Sweet Home in the New York State Class A Far West Regional on Saturday. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at SUNY Brockport. Here’s what you need to know:
SWEET HOME PANTHERS (10-1/5-0 in class play/ No. 11 NYSSWA)
vs.
BRIGHTON BRUINS (11-0 / 10-0 in class play / No. 10 NYSSWA)
How they arrived here: Top-seeded Brighton beat Greece Athena (43-0) and Monroe (21-20) to reach the title game, where the Bruins defeated Canandaigua, 28-7. Sweet Home opened the postseason with a 45-13 victory over Williamsville North. The Panthers then beat Clarence, 41-34 and then McKinley 34-0 to secure the Section VI title.
Players to watch for Brighton: Gavin Parks Sr. RB (251 carries, 1,877 yards, 24 touchdowns, Brighton All-time leader in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns); Wes Sturrup Sr. WR/DB (12 catches, 280 yards, three touchdowns, 28 tackles, three TFL); Noah Wagner Sr. WR/DB (12 carries, 51 yards, one touchdown, eight catches, 115 yards, one touchdown, 37 tackles, two TFL, one interception); Grady Hopkin Sr. QB (44 completions, 734 yards, 8:3 TD/INT ratio, 32 carries, 111 yards, three touchdowns); Kaleb Matthews Sr. LB (62 tackles, five TFL, two sacks, 3x All-League); Matthew Heininger Jr. LB/TE (14 catches, 226 yards, two touchdowns, 85 tackles, 17 TFL, five sacks, three interceptions, one pick-six); Amari Snowden Jr. WR/LB (11 carries, 22 yards, three touchdowns, 44 tackles, three TFL, one sack).
Sweet Home: Rocco Panepinto Sr. QB (115 completions, 2,292 yards, 34 touchdowns, four interceptions, 34 carries, 296 yards); Daquan Stone Sr. RB (133 carries, 784 yards, 15 touchdowns, 12 receptions, 93 yards, two touchdowns); Jaylen Hawkins So. RB/DEF (30 carries, 237 yards, four touchdowns); Niear Patterson Sr. WR (35 receptions, 982 yards, 15 touchdowns, 117 tackles, one interception); Da’Mari Yancey Sr. WR (47 receptions, 746 yards, nine touchdowns); Jordan Payne Jr. (66 tackles, four sacks).
Coaches: Stephen Lian (Brighton), Jeremy Zimmer (Sweet Home)
History 101: This weekend marks Brighton’s debut in regional play. Sweet Home comes in with a 3-5 record in the quarterfinal game.
Section V and Section VI have split the Class A game over the past 10 years with Section V winning the last two matchups (2023 East/WOI defeated Clarence 42-7 and in 2022 Hilton defeated Jamestown 49-34) along with wins in 2019 (Canandaigua over South Park, 24-6), 2016 (Greece Athena over Buffalo Bennett, 41-12) and 2014 (Irondequoit over Sweet Home, 24-21). Sweet Home’s last regional came in 2012 when the Panthers beat Eastridge, 28-21 in overtime.
What’s next: The winner will face either Section IV’s Horseheads or Section III’s Whitesboro in the state semifinals.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on Saturday, November 22nd at SUNY Brockport.
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