One team enters undefeated in its first year as a merged program. The other has won seven of its past eight games while allowing less than nine points a game over that stretch. Alexander/Pembroke (No. 9 Class C NYSSWA) and Letchworth/Warsaw/Perry (No. 13 Class C NYSSWA) are the top two seeds in Class C and will play for a Section V championship on Saturday. Here’s the breakdown:
No. 2 seed LETCHWORTH/WARSAW/PERRY DAWGS (8-2/7-2 against Class C)
vs.
No. 1 seed ALEXANDER/PEMBROKE DEFENDERS (9-0/9-0 against Class C)
How they got here: Alexander/Pembroke defeated No. 8 seed Livonia 38-0 in the first round before taking down No. 4 seed Le Roy/Caledonia-Mumford 27-0 in the semifinals to clinch a spot in the title game. Letchworth/Warsaw/Perry beat seventh-seeded Haverling 34-20 in the quarterfinals and No. 3 seed East Rochester/Gananda 14-0 in the semifinal round.
Players to watch for Alexander/Pembroke: Ryder Reichert Jr. RB/LB (886 rushing yards, 12 touchdowns, 23 tackles, two interceptions), Brett Maloney So. RB/DB (357 rushing yards, five touchdowns, 13 tackles, blocked punt), Mason Snyder Sr. WR/DB (12 catches, 271 receiving yards, three touchdowns, 27 tackles, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions, one defensive touchdown), Brody Heckman Sr. QB/DB (234 rushing yards, seven rushing touchdowns, 62% completion rate, 402 passing yards, four rushing touchdowns, 16 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions), Pierce Dinkins Jr. WR/DB (27 tackles, three interceptions, one fumble return, three defensive touchdowns)
Letchworth/Warsaw/Perry: Maddox Kelly Sr. QB (132 passing yards, 455 rushing yards, five rushing touchdowns), Caden Sumerski Sr. (552 rushing yards, six rushing touchdowns), Jake McEntire Jr. (471 rushing yards , four rushing touchdowns), Logan Gath Sr. (305 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns), Aiden Shelley Jr. (221 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns)
Coaches: Tim Sawyer (Alexander/Pembroke), Rick Hoy (Letchworth/Warsaw/Perry)
History 101: The two squads met all the way back in Week 2 of the regular season, with Alexander/Pembroke winning 36-7. Alexander/Pembroke are in their first season as a merged program. Pembroke won three consecutive Section V 8-Man football titles from 2022-2024 and won the NYS 8-Man championship in 2023. Alexander last won a sectional title seven years ago, as the Trojans won a pair of Class D titles in a three-year span, winning in 2016 and 2018. Letchworth has won five sectional titles since 2009, including three in a row from 2009-2011, and back-to-back while merged with Warsaw in 2018 and 2019. Perry merged with Letchworth and Warsaw in 2022.
What’s at stake: A spot in the NYS Class C Far West Regional against the winner of the Section VI Class C championship between Southwestern/Frewsburg and Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton.
Kickoff is set for 12:00 pm this Saturday at Rush-Henrietta High School.
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