by TYLER HATHAWAY
Prior to 2023, Monroe football hadn’t won a sectional title in nearly 45 years. Now, the Red Jackets enter this year’s NYS Class B state semifinals having won two in the past three seasons.
Monroe is undefeated and has won eight games by at least four touchdowns this year. The Red Jackets are outscoring their opponents by more than 400 points this season and have won 28 of their past 32 games dating back to 2023. One of those losses, however, was in the same spot they are now: the state final four.
Owego Free Academy’s (IV) past two seasons ended in the Section IV Class B championship game, just shy of winning a program-first sectional title. This season, the River Hawks got over the hump, winning by three touchdowns against Waverly to win a sectional title. In the state quarterfinals, a last-second field goal gave the River Hawks a 36-34 victory over New Hartford (III) and kept their best season in team history alive.
The two squads will meet Saturday, each trying to earn their program’s first ever state title game appearance. Here’s the breakdown:
MONROE RED JACKETS (10-0/Section V)
vs.
OWEGO FREE ACADEMY RIVER HAWKS (9-3/Section IV)
How they got here: Monroe (No. 1 Class B NYSSWA) won the Section V Class B title game after defeating Honeoye Falls-Lima 40-0. In the Far West Regional, Monroe defeated Lackawanna (VI) 40-14 to reach the state semifinals. Owego Free Academy (No. 5 Class B NYSSWA) avenged two of its three regular season losses in sectionals, defeating Maine-Endwell 19-16 in the semifinals and Waverly 27-7 to win the Section IV Class B championship. A last-second 36-34 win over previously unbeaten New Hartford (III) got the River Hawks to the state final four. Owego Free Academy enters the state semifinals on a five game winning streak.
Points scored: Monroe (45.2 PPG), Owego Free Academy (19.0 PPG)
Points allowed: Monroe (2.5 PPG), Owego Free Academy (11.0 PPG)
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM DENNIS JOYCE.
Players to watch for Monroe: Messiah Hampton Sr. WR (52 catches, 952 yards, 11 receiving touchdowns, 182 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns, 62 tackles, two interceptions, University of Oregon commit), Terrell “Pooty” Cunningham Jr. QB (75.3% completion rate, 2,466 passing yards, 34 passing touchdowns), Luis Falu Sr. WR (22 catches, 501 receiving yards, nine touchdowns); Anthony Omebe Sr. DE/WR (55 tackles, 11 sacks, three fumble recoveries, three catches, 44 yards, one touchdown), Jermaine Montgomery Jr. Sr. RB/LB (346 rushing yards, 8.4 yards per carry, three rushing touchdowns, 87 tackles, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries), Ray Garcia Jr. RB/WR (303 rushing yards, four rushing touchdowns, 26 catches, 528 receiving yards, seven receiving touchdowns)
Owego Free Academy: Dylan Brace RB (1,217 total rushing yards, 343 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns in past two games, game-winning field goal in state quarterfinal), Nolan Card (interception return touchdown in sectional championship, fumble return touchdown in state quarterfinal) Garrett Phelps QB (537 passing yards, 681 rushing yards, 106 rushing yards in state quarterfinal), Atlas Boland WR (14 catches, 178 yards), John Farrell (251 rushing yards, six rushing touchdowns), Stefano Scherrer RB (262 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown)
Coaches: Terrell Cunningham (Monroe), Patton Taylor (Owego Free Academy)
History 101: Monroe has won two sectional titles in three seasons and is looking to reach its first ever state championship game after reaching the Class B Final Four in 2023. This is the furthest Owego Free Academy has ever gone in the postseason. The River Hawks have made the Section IV Class B title game four times since 2021.
What’s at stake: A spot in the NYS Class B championship against the winner of Glens Falls (II) and Sleepy Hollow (I).
Kickoff is set for 3:00 pm this Saturday at Cicero-North Syracuse high school.
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