One squad is making its second regional trip in four years while the other has reached the state quarterfinals for the first time in program history. The scene is set Saturday June 7th as the Class D champs of Section V Fillmore Eagles take on the winners of Section VI Franklinville Panthers in the NYSPHSAA Class D Far West Regional. Here’s the breakdown:
Class D
No. 6 FILLMORE EAGLES (14-7 / Allegany I)
vs.
No. 1 FRANKLINVILLE PANTHERS (13-6 / CCAA III)
Saturday June 7th, Geneva McDonough Park, 12:00 p.m.
How they arrived here: No. 6 Fillmore kicked off its postseason with a 21-2 victory over No. 11 Hammondsport and edged out No. 3 Elba in the quarterfinals 3-1. The Eagles then cruised to a 14-5 victory against No. 2 Keshequa 14-5 in the semifinals to make the title game and walked it off against top-seeded Arkport-Canaseraga in extras 5-4 to earn their spot in the Far West Regional. After a first round bye, No. 1 Franklinville started its playoff run with a 4-2 victory over No. 4 Ellicottville in the semifinals and rolled to a 6-1 victory against No. 2 Brocton in the sectional championship to advance to the regional.
Tempo and trends: Fillmore scores 9.0 runs a game while allowing 4.05 against. Fillmore rolls into the regional on a six-game win streak while scoring 10-plus runs in four of them. The Eagles have outscored opponents 70-21 in that span. Fillmore has allowed more than five runs six times while obtaining seven double-digit victories on the season. To go along with that, the Eagles are 3-1 in games decided by one run this season. Franklinville enters the Far West Regional on a two-game win streak with victories in four of its last five. In those five games, the Panthers outscored opponents 36-26. Franklinville has scored 10-plus runs eight times with seven of those being double-digit victories while being 2-1 in games decided by one run.
Players to watch for Fillmore: Kalen Beardsley Sr.; Jack Boon Sr.; Jared Boon Fr.; Sawyer Brown Jr.; Brayden Hennard Sr.; James Hillman Jr.; Connor McCumiskey So.; Avery Potter Fr.; Damon Potter Sr.; Isaac Wilcox So.
Franklinville: Bretton Blecha; Mason Blecha; Gannon Callahan; Tyrnan Farrington; Nicholas Hillman; Trevin Lane; Brendan MacWilliams; Collin Mooney; Matthew Spittler; Brady Tatlow; Isaac Towne
Coaches: Kaiden Bowers (Fillmore), Reed Mitrowski (Franklinville)
History 101: After falling in the sectional final in 2024, Fillmore took care of business and is back in the Far West Regional for the second time in four years. The Eagles are 1-1 all time in regional appearances as they fell 3-2 to Clymer-Sherman-Panama in 2022 and are looking for their first victory since 2000. For Franklinville, its a clean slate for the program as the Panthers have made history already with their first regional appearance in program history.
What’s at stake: A spot in the Class D state semifinal against either Oriskany (III) or Notre Dame-Elmira (IV).
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