One team is looking to snap a 16-year drought and win its program’s seventh sectional championship. The other has won two titles since 2021 and has outscored its opponents 44-2 in this year’s sectional play. Churchville-Chili and Webster Thomas will meet to decide the Class AA championship. Here’s the breakdown:
No. 2 CHURCHVILLE-CHILI SAINTS (19-4/Monroe County Division II)
vs.
No. 4 WEBSTER THOMAS TITANS (17-5/Monroe County Division II)
Friday, Dwyer Stadium, 5 p.m.
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM LAURA ACCIAIO.
How they arrived here: Churchville-Chili started its run with a 12-2 win over No. 15 seed Irondequoit in the second round before dispatching No. 10 Hilton in the quarterfinals with a 3-2 victory. In the semifinals, the Saints got past No. 6 seed Canandaigua with a 5-3 win. Webster Thomas took down No. 13 seed Edison Tech with a 22-1 win in the second round before beating No. 12 seed Gates Chili 16-1 in the quarterfinal round. A 6-0 win over 16th-seeded Penfield in the semifinals put Webster Thomas into the championship.
Tempo and trends: Churchville-Chili scores an average of 7.2 runs per game and allows an average of 2.8 runs per game. The Saints have won nine of their last 10 games. Webster Thomas scores 7.4 runs per game and gives up 2.7 runs per game. The Titans enter the championship with a 13-game winning streak.
Players to watch for Churchville-Chili: Nicolas Arena Sr. 3B/OF/P .316 BA, 15 RBI, 18 R, 3 2B; James Derleth Sr. 1B/P ,433 BA, 16 RBI, 20 R, 5 3B, 5 2B ; Anthony Indiano So. P/3B/OF 2.04 ERA, 48.0 IP, 9-1 record, 49 K, .191 BAA; Lukas Karelus Sr. OF/P .338 BA, 16 RBI, 25 R, 2 3B, 2 2B, 2.95 ERA, 21.1 IP, 3-0 record, 22 K, .244 BAA; Aaron Reina Sr. OF/P .500 BA, 22 RBI, 16 R, 2 3B, 8 2B; Marcus Roney Sr. C .366 BA, 18 RBI, 16 R, 1 3B, 6 2B ; Bobby Rule Jr. So. OF/P 1.24 ERA, 39.2 IP, 5-1 record, 28 K, .207 BAA, Will Sheible Jr. P/C/1B
Players to watch for Webster Thomas: Joey Baller Sr. 1B/P .400 BA, 10 RBI, 21 R, 6 2B; Jacob DiCicco Sr. P/INF 1.37 ERA, 41.0 IP, 6-1 record, 31 K, 1.05 WHIP; Tyler Estelle Jr. SS/P .319 BA, 23 RBI, 22 R, 2 3B, 3 2B; Cameron Guffey Sr. INF/P .278 BA, 10 RBI, 12 R, 1 3B, 1 2B; AJ LaLoggia Sr. 2B .400 BA, 16 RBI, 28 R, 4 3B, 8 2B; Charles Sciortino Sr. OF .351 BA, 12 RBI, 15 R, 1 HR, 3 2B; Max Seaver So. P/OF 1.44 ERA, 53.2 IP, 6-2 record, 52 K, 0.857 WHIP; Connor Smith Sr. P/OF 2.67 ERA, 42.0 IP, 5-1 record, 35 K, 1.21 WHIP; Owen Zimmer Sr. 3B .33 BA, 20 RBI, 9 R, 3 2B
Coaches: Bob Rule (Churchville-Chili), Kevin Neenan (Webster Thomas)
History 101: Churchville-Chili is looking for its seventh sectional title and its first since 2009. Webster Thomas has won a sectional title twice since the 2021 season and with a win would earn the fourth championship in program history. Additionally, the two squads met twice during the regular season, with Churchville-Chili coming out on top both times.
What’s at stake: A spot in the NYS Far West Regional against the Section VI Class AA champion.
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