One team is making its first state semifinal appearance in program history while the other its second straight final four appearance and seventh since 1996. Brighton faces Section IV champion Whitesboro in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Class A semifinal. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday at Vestal High School. Here’s what you need to know:
WHITESBORO WARRIORS
(12-0 /10-0 in class play/ No. 5 NYSSWA )
vs.
BRIGHTON BRUINS
(12-0 / 11-0 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 Section V title game, where the Bruins defeated Canandaigua, 28-7. The Bruins continued their winning ways to open the state tournament with a 48-14 victory over Sweet Home in the Far West Regional. Whitesboro beat Fowler (54-6), Auburn (31-0), and Corcoran (35-20) to win the Section III title before the Warriors defeated Horseheads (28-21) to open the state tournament.
Players to watch for Brighton: Gavin Parks Sr. RB (272 carries, 2,038 yards, 25 touchdowns, Brighton all-time leader in rushing yards (4,442), rushing touchdowns); Wes Sturrup Sr. WR/DB (13 catches, 336 yards, four touchdowns, 35 tackles, three TFL); Noah Wagner Sr. WR/DB (12 carries, 51 yards, one touchdown, eight catches, 115 yards, one touchdown, 39 tackles, two TFL, two interceptions, one interception returned for touchdown); Grady Hopkin Sr. QB (47 completions, 796 yards, 10:3 TD/INT ratio, 32 carries, 111 yards, three touchdowns); Kaleb Matthews Sr. LB (73 tackles, five TFL, two sacks, three-time All-League); Matthew Heininger Jr. LB/TE (16 catches, 283 yards, three touchdowns, 95 tackles, 17 TFL, five sacks, three interceptions, one pick-six, one pass, 56 yards passing, one passing touchdown); Amari Snowden Jr. WR/LB (11 carries, 22 yards, three touchdowns, 44 tackles, three TFL, one sack).
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM GARY WIGGINS.
Whitesboro: Memphis Ferguson Sr. QB/LB (71 completions, 1,729 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, 114 rushes, 841 rushing yards, 17 rushing touchdowns, 48 tackles, two sacks, 1 fumble recovered for a touchdown, one interception); John Paul DeSantis Sr. TE/LB (86 carries, 694 rushing yards, 10 touchdowns, 12 tackles); Connor McDonald So. RB/DB (51 rushes, 534 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns, 26 receptions, 664 receiving yards, 13 receiving touchdowns, 12 tackles, three interceptions); Jax Hall Sr. WR/DB (19 receptions, 422 receiving yards, six touchdowns, 20.5 tackles, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one fumble recovered for a touchdown, three interceptions, one pick-six); Simon Kichuk Jr. K/RB (64/75 PAT), Ryan Charlebois Sr. TE/LB (80.5 tackles, one forced fumble); Colin Coleman Sr. OL/DL (37.5 tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, one interception)
Whitesboro stats courtesy of HighSchoolSportStats.com.
Coaches: Stephen Lian (Brighton), Curtis Schmidt (Whitesboro)
History 101: This is Brighton’s first appearance in the state semifinals. Section V teams are 1-4 in the Class A semis over the last decade, with the lone win coming courtesy Greece Athena’s 41-21 victory against Whitesboro in 2016. Whitesboro is 2-4 all-time in trips to the state semifinals including last year when the Warriors defeated East/WOI, 43-20.
What’s next: Friday’s winner will face either Somers (I) or Cornwall (IX) in the state finals.
Go Bruins!