by TYLER HATHAWAY
BROCKPORT, NY – Around this time last year, East/World of Inquiry and Brockport met in the opening round of sectionals. East/World of Inquiry was the number two seed, and playing on their home field against the seventh-seeded Blue Devils. Brockport won a shootout, taking the game 45-42 in overtime.
East/World of Inquiry head coach James Vann said last year’s playoff loss played a major part in how the team prepared this week.
“It obviously played a factor,” said Vann. “We didn’t walk into this week. Being the two (seed) last year, and giving up so many points. Our mindset this week was to try and shut them out.”
The two squads once again met in sectionals, this time in the Class A2 championship game. This year, it would be coach James Vann and his squad who would come out on top, as the Eagles would outscore the Blue Devils 28-0 in the first half on their way to a 34-7 win at SUNY Brockport Friday night.
“It feels good, it feels good,” Vann said after the game. “Especially with this team, this might be the youngest team East has ever had to win a sectional championship. It feels great.”
The win was the second sectional title in three years for East/World of Inquiry, and the sixth for the program since 1977.
“I just want people to know that we got a good program,” said Vann. “We lose guys every year, but it doesn’t matter who’s out there. We just gotta keep it rolling, you know?”
“It feels great,” quarterback Taye Brown said about being a sectional champion. “You know, we won in 2023 but I didn’t really do much. To contribute to a championship this year feels way better.”
Brown was named the game’s most valuable player after scoring four touchdowns, throwing for one and running for three more.
“He’s just a kid who brings the energy,” Vann said about his quarterback. “He could play both sides of the ball if we needed him to. He brings the energy, he’s a captain. He did what he was supposed to do, he did his job.”
“There were a lot of great players tonight, so to get MVP, it means a lot,” said Brown.”
It looked like Brockport was going to strike first, as the Blue Devils recovered their own opening kickoff and moved the ball all the way down to the East/World of Inquiry six-yard line. But the Eagles defense held strong, and kept Brockport out of the endzone.
“We started slowly, lost that kickoff,” said Vann. “But we stayed to the game plan, trusted each other, and everybody just went hard, man.”
The Eagles defense finished the game with two interceptions, three fumble recoveries, and three sacks. The Eagles held their opponents to 13 total points in three sectional games.
“I think the highest points we’ve given up all year is 16,” Vann explained. “We have a pretty good defense, lot of young guys. They all fly around. They’re all ballhawks; they just want to be around the ball.”
The first offensive drive for East/World of Inquiry ended in a punt, but the Eagles would go on to score on their next five drives to seize control of the game.
“We know Brockport was a team who got better throughout the season so to shut them out in the first half, made us more turned up in the second half,” said Brown. “It really did a lot for us.”
Legacy Taylor capped off a brief possession with a six-yard touchdown run after older brother Legend Taylor had an interception that set up the Eagles on the 14-yard line. East/World of Inquiry would put together a five-minute touchdown drive on their next possession after forcing a three and out, ending in a six-yard touchdown run by Brown to make it 14-0.
After forcing another three and out, the Eagles would make it 21-0 after Legacy Taylor caught a pass from Brown and took it 38 yards for a touchdown. After recovering a fumble on the kick return. Brown would run in two yards into the endzone for his third touchdown of the half to make East/World of Inquiry’s lead 28-0.
After halftime, Legend Taylor got his second interception of the game to help the Eagles offense set up at the Brockport 10-yard line. Brown would take it in for his fourth touchdown of the game on the first play of the drive.
Brockport scored with less than four minutes left when running back Ryan Miller punched it in from one yard out.
“God’s been blessing us and treating us well, we gotta be thankful for that,” said Brown.
The Eagles advance to face Class A1 champion Brighton in the Section V Class A Regional Qualifier next weekend.
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