By ELIAS VEGA-DIAZ
UPrep’s Gavin White rolled up impressive personal statistics in 2025, but the season fell short of expectations. In 2026, the 6-foot-3 senior and his Griffin teammates will look to put those disappointments behind them.
And for White, he will be contributing to the UPrep offense from a new position.
“The key is just keeping the same momentum I had from last year”, the University of Buffalo commit said during the recent Glory2Glory preseason media day.
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White threw for 1,0001 yards and six touchdowns in 2025. He rushed for 908 yards and another 15 scores a year ago as the UPrep quarterback. This season, he will be making plays from the wide receiver spot as Irondequoit transfer Eric Torres takes over the signal-calling responsibilities.
When asked, White said his focus at receiver for this year is all about “getting open and making sure the quarterback can see me.”
His head coach, Isiah Young likes what he’s seen from his leader.
“He got stronger; he definitely has… It helps him ability-wise, but also durability-wise as well.”
A key stretch from week two of the 2025 season to week seven saw the Griffins go 5-1 with wins over Fairport, eventual champion Penfield, Pittsford, McQuaid, and Aquinas. During that span, UPrep averaged 33.7 points per game and allowed 11.8 points with a plus-68 point differential (202-134), scoring a season high of 46 points against Penfield.
White had his best performance of the season to start the streak in UPrep’s week two matchup against Pittsford. He completed 8-of-10 passes in the contest for 95 yards, and tore up the field with eight rushes for 224 yards and four touchdowns.
“Gavin, he’s a witch,” said Pittsford head coach Steve Marriott. “He’s all over the place, he can run, he can throw the ball, if he’s playing wide receiver or slot, you have to worry about covering him. And I’m sure he can do anything he wants on defense as well.”
UPrep’s 2025 season ended, though, with a 21-20 loss to McQuaid in overtime.
“(The key is) staying together as a team, being bonded, and practice,” he said. “What we do in practice translates into the game.”
“We have four words we’re going by this year,” said Young when asked for the keys to success this season. “Fast, physical, disciplined, and relentless. Disciplined and relentless, to me, I put those last because they’re the emphasis. When you think about naming things, you think about the last thing you say, and that’s why discipline and (being) relentless is crucial… For us, (having) discipline and being relentless in everything we do, on the field and off the field, is very important.”
That message will prove crucial during the 2026 season for the Griffins, as five of their eight season opponents finished last season with a record above .500. UPrep opens the season against Bishop Timon-St. Jude of the Buffalo-Area Monsignor Martin Association before hosting the Liverpool Warriors, who went 9-2 overall and 7-2 in Section III, Class AA.
In week three, the Griffins travel to Rush-Henrietta to face a Royal Comets’ squad that finished a 4-3 last year. Week seven sees UPrep’s biggest challenge, as the Griffins travel to Syracuse to face reigning state Christian Brothers Academy. The Brothers went a perfect 13-0 on the way to the NYS Class AA title.
“I’m just really worried about the first game of the season and getting ready for that,” said White when asked what matchup he has circled on the calendar.
Instead of lining up under center or in the shotgun with all eyes of the defense focused on him, White will now set up on the outside where he can try to slip into seams of the defense.
Young has one word for the effect of moving White off the ball.
“Electric.”
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