Photo by Jerry Trass/Olean Times Herald
Veteran coaches reflect on the state of the game
By SAM WILSON
Every year seems to bring a new challenge to football coaching staffs throughout the Big 30.
Numbers, generally, are down. Not at every school, but at enough of them to force changes: some have opted for cooperative agreements (commonly referred to as “mergers”) with nearby schools to boost numbers, while others have shifted to the eight-man form of the game.
This year’s biggest Big 30 change came on the Pennsylvania side, with St. Marys and Elk County Catholic beginning a co-op team. Last year, it was Portville and Cuba-Rushford joining together on the New York side, as Franklinville and Ellicottville did now a decade ago.
Asked about the state of the game, Portville/C-R coach Josh Brooks didn’t sugarcoat it. But he’s hopeful that his district’s move to bring in students from Cuba and Hinsdale will keep the sport healthy in Portville, starting with the ability to field three levels of teams (varsity, junior varsity and modified).
“It’s declining, you know, it’s unfortunate,” he admitted. “I do hope to see maybe some rule changes in the future, maybe when it comes to special teams. We’ll see how that goes in the NFL and the new kickoff and things like that. But numbers are declining, and it’s a problem that’s out in front of us, and that’s why we want to get ahead of this.
“Our numbers are still okay at Portville. Could we have fielded
a Portville-only team? Sure, but you would be putting those ninth and 10th graders on the varsity field, putting those seventh graders against ninth graders at the mod level, like that’s just not safe. So it comes down to a safety issue. I’m really glad this worked out. Cuba has been great to work with. It’s meshed really well, but the status of football is certainly declining, and we want to make sure it continues here at Portville.”
Brooks emphasized safety as key to the sport’s long-term future.
“I think safety is the No. 1 precaution, and I think local coaches do a really nice job,” he said. “It’s a contact sport, there’s going to be injuries, and that makes people nervous, and it should. Freak things can happen, but as long as we’re teaching kids the correct way to do things, I think we’re giving them the best chance to succeed.”
Allegany-Limestone, Bolivar-Richburg and Wellsville will again play in the Section 5 8-Man league. The Wolverines had another highly competitive year in the smaller version of the sport, appearing in the Section 5 8 Man championship game and finishing 6-3, with two of those losses to eventual state champion Pembroke. And A-L’s first eight-man year was competitive as well, going 4-4 with a double-overtime loss in the Section 6 final to Frewsburg.
For Olean coach Phil Vecchio, returning to a three-level varsity, JV and modified format brings him some hope. The Huskies have dealt
with numbers issues in recent years, but are nearly through a dry spell of football participation by graduating classes.
But Vecchio acknowledged the game is simply different these days.
“I think everyone would agree it’s not like it was, right?” he said. “There are glimpses of what it was in the past. You have, I would say, your six to eight to 10 kids that are kind of old-school, you know what I mean? But I guess I see too much of when the going gets tough, people take the easy way out. I don’t know if we glorify the past, probably, a little bit too much. But I guess I see a lot of the kids that were just happy to be part of a team, that believed in the team concept, that even if they weren’t a starter they knew it was their role to make the starter better. It seems like there’s few of those guys.”
There are still some excellent teams on the field to point to in the Big 30. Brooks’ Portville/C-R team went 6-3 overall, losing to the eventual sectional champions from Salamanca. Coach Chad Bartoszek’s Warriors made history with the first Salamanca Section 6 championship since 2001 and went on to the state semifinals. Pioneer’s been a force in Class B, making back to back sectional finals. In Pennsylvania, coming off a District 9 Class A title in 2022, Port Allegany made a return to the district final but could not defend its crown.
Nine different Big 30 teams finished the 2023 season at .500 or better: A-L, B-R, Cameron County,
Coudersport, F/E, Otto-Eldred, Pioneer, Port Allegany, Portville/C-R and Salamanca.
In terms of football participation, no coach in the Big 30 may have a stronger setup than its longest tenured one. Jim Duprey, entering his 23rd year at the helm for Pioneer, estimated the Panthers have just under 60 modified, 40 JV and 35 varsity players.
“Just fantastic,” he called the numbers, “right where you want things to be.”
Duprey credited the youth programs, excellent facilities at the school, community support and the success that young students see from Pioneer’s varsity teams.
“In our district, I think it’s fantastic, and it starts with our little league programs and you know, the fact that we’re able to have success up here, and the facilities and the support that we get from the community,” he said.
But he knows not every school is that fortunate, which can lead to some lopsided games on Friday nights: the “haves and the havenots.”
“When I look at the state of football around Western New York, it’s a little bit different, because I see a real separation between the haves and the have-nots,” Duprey said. “And you’re starting to see more of these games that are turning into, um, slaughters. And it’s really unfortunate. It used to be there was everybody, but now it’s not quite as much, and you’re seeing that with fewer JV teams. So that’s an issue.”
Tatlow, Benton, Rees & Bodamer fill Big 30 coaching vacancies
By SPENCER BATES
This year there will be four new faces joining the ranks of Big 30 football coaches, some familiar, some brand new.
The four new play-callers are split, two on each side, of the New York-Pennsylvania border. In NY, Justin Tatlow has taken up the position with the Franklinville/Ellicottville Titans and long-time journeyman coach Mark Benton has been tasked with the rebuilding of the Cattaraugus-Little Valley Timberwolves. In Pennsylvania, Matt Bodamer has been given the duty of reviving the Kane program and Eric Rees will attempt to do the same in Smethport.
CLV and Kane both went the entirety of its last season without a tally in the win column while Smethport finished the year with two wins to their name. On the opposite end of the spectrum, F/E finished the year with just two losses and went its first seven weeks unbeaten. The reason for the change at the helm of the Titans, according to Franklinville Athletic Director Allan Dunlap, was simply out of a desire to change up the personnel
and Tatlow “emerged as the best fit for the role due to his knowledge of the game and his extensive involvement in the youth sports programs in Franklinville.”
So while on paper, Tatlow’s job as a first-year coach may seem like it has a quicker path to success, with the numbers and amount of talent the program lost to graduation last season, it will be just as much of a task piecing it all together. However, as the offseason has progressed, Tatlow has grown evermore confident in his
team. The key to it all: keeping some commonalities from last season.
“We’ve had a good turnout for our mini-camps and our off-season work,” Tatlow said. “I really like the direction that we’re heading. … We’re going to keep a lot of the terminology the same. We’re going to keep some of the concepts the same. Obviously, we’re going to see what we can do to try to put our athletes in the best position to be successful.”
Meanwhile, Benton at CLV is taking quite a different approach. With the Timberwolves having been on the losing end of things for quite some time, he is taking it upon himself to completely reshape the way the program operates.
“It’s a big turnaround,” Benton said. “It’s the biggest challenge I have faced in 26 years of coaching high school football. There’s no doubt about it. … There are very positive things that we put in place so far, and we’re going to continue to do it.”
As for the new coaches on the Pennsylvania side, both have followed similar paths in life. Both Rees and Bodamer played football and graduated from Port Allegany, both ended up moving to North Carolina later in life and both wound up re-
turning to their old stomping grounds prior to last season before accepting the coaching positions with the Big 30 schools.
During the 15 years he spent in NC, Rees picked up coaching football, “cutting his teeth” working his way up to a head coaching position. He spent time as a JV coach, a coordinator on
Justin Tatlow
Mark Benton
ALLEGANY-LIMESTONE GATORS
COACH PLAYERS TO WATCH SCHEDULE
QUICK HITS
9/6 – 7 p.m. – Red Jacket 9/13 – Bye
9/20 – 7 p.m. – at Frewsburg 9/27 – Bye
10/4 – 7 p.m. – Wellsville
10/11 – 7 p.m. – at Holley
10/18 – 7 p.m. – Pembroke
10/26 – 12 p.m. – at Red Jacket
11/1 – 7 p.m. – Bolivar-Richburg
Grove (3rd year, 9-9)
For the last two years, it was the “Michael Frederick and Kevin Edwards-Hardy Show.” Indeed, in that time, the duo accounted for 70 percent of Allegany-Limestone’s offense, with the former graduating as the school’s all-time leading passer and No. 2 rusher and the latter ranking No. 6 in rushing and No. 5 in receiving. Now without that one-two punch, the Gators clearly have two big holes to fill, but they also have a couple of key factors in their favor. Entering Year 2 in the 8-man ranks, A-L is much more familiar with that style and their opponents. It also believes it will be more balanced, with more overall options at the skilled positions, and therefore harder to defend. Among those coach Marcus Grove (with two .500 seasons under his belt) will look to step up to fill that production: Mat Burnett, a third-year varsity RB; Zane Gleason, a senior who became the starter when Edwards-Hardy went down with an injury last fall; Gavin Straub, a solid athlete in his second year with the football program and Dylan Schultz, the Gators’ leading receiver in 2023.
2023 IN REVIEW
In its first year at the 8-man level, A-L produced a solid season, winning its first four games en route to a 4-4 campaign and coming in within losses of four and two points of being 6-2. The Gators, one of two Sec. 6 teams in the league, dropped a 50-48 double OT heartbreaker to Frewsburg in the de facto sectional title game and will look to win that game in a pre-ordained rematch in ‘24.
Zane Gleason Gavin Straub Mathew Burnett
Marcus
coaching vacancies
both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball before he got his break as a head coach. A position he held for a couple years before family ties ended up bringing him and his family back home to Northwestern PA. He secured a job at Smethport as a teacher and spent the year observing the football program, all the while stewing in his desire to return to coaching.
“There’s one thing to say about coaches: they coach,” Rees said. “If it wouldn’t have been this job. I would’ve been coaching somewhere, maybe not the head coach, but somewhere. After taking one year off, I was either never, ever going to coach again, or I was getting back into it.”
What has helped Rees in his first offseason with the Smethport program has been his own playing history. Thinking back to his high school days, he remembered the Smethport
teams of old, the ones that never took a play off and were going to make sure you didn’t leave unscathed. That passion, dedication and strength is what he is aiming to bring back this season.
“My goal, 100%, is to bring (Smethport) back to a level of prominence in the area,” Rees said. “Growing up, I knew that when we had Smethport on the schedule, that was a big week for us. First and foremost, I knew walking out of that game that I was going to be hurting in some way, shape or form. They were just a tough, gritty, “punch-you-in-the-mouth’ kind of team, and I didn’t see that in their games last year. The goal is to bring that back and to get the success and talent in the community that the kids are craving.”
In terms of the Kane program, Bodamer is also seeking a resurrection.
Bodamer is on the younger end of the coaching spectrum, being just 29 years old. He spent just five years in NC working in engineering before returning to PA and discovering his deep passion for teaching.
Bodamer’s father and former coach has joined him on the Kane coaching staff for this season as he sets off on his first varsity head-coaching endeavor. Originally, he accepted the job to join the Kane coaching staff as an assistant, but with the resignation of the former head coach having come this past spring, Bodamer slid into the unoccupied spot.
According to him, the first step in righting the ship, won’t be to step-in and attempt to make the team fit a specific mold. Instead, the focus is shaping the team around the players
and talent they have along with a shift in mental focus.
“You have to mold your offense around your players,” Bodamer said. “In our area, we don’t have a lot to choose from. But I do feel fortunate, I’m coming into a program that didn’t do all that well last year, but we have some dudes on our team, so I’m fortunate.
“There’s been a lot of positive changes. In our first practice, I said ‘last year was last year, this year, I can promise you, it will be different,’ and honestly, we haven’t spoken about (last season) since. It’s been very positive. Our motto is just relentless effort and positive attitude. We have a lot of seniors, a really good group of seniors that want to win.”
Eric Rees
Matt Bodamer
BOLIVAR-RICHBURG WOLVERINES
COACH PLAYERS TO WATCH SCHEDULE
9/6 – 7 p.m. – Holley
9/14 – 12 p.m. – Trumansburg
9/20 – 7 p.m. – Wellsville
9/28 – 1 p.m. – at Holley
10/4 – 7 p.m. – Pembroke
10/12 – 12 p.m. – at Red Jacket
10/25 – 7 p.m. – Frewsburg
11/1 – 7 p.m. – at Allegany-Limestone
year, 44-34)
QUICK HITS
Bolivar-Richburg enters Year 3 of its eight-man era looking to build on the success of teams of the past, but will need to fill some key starting spots across its roster. Running back/linebacker Tavyn MacDonell, also a state podium-reaching wrestler, looks to take on a big leadership role for the Wolverines, along with two classmates who are also returning starters, wide receiver/ defensive backs Maddox Davison and Charlie Militello. Junior Kingston Loucks, meanwhile, is a returning defenisve starter and looks to take over as the first-strong quarterback. The Wolverines will look to build some momentum as they open the season with three straight home games. They play eight games over nine weeks, inclduing two against Holley.
2023 IN REVIEW
B-R’s 2023 season, its second in eight-man football, proved to be a highly successful one. The Wolverines went 6-3 overall, winning their first two games over Frewsburg and Wellsville. B-R’s season hit a snag in Weeks 3 and 4, falling to Pembroke and Caledonia-Mumford/Byron-Bergen, but it got back on track with a three-game win streak to close the regular season beating Red Jacket, Holley and C.G. Finney/Northstar. B-R earned a spot in the Section 5 championship, avenging its loss to Cal-Mum/B-B, 40-15. But it fell in the final to Pembroke, the eventual state eight-man champion, 70-30. B-R’s Caden Allen earned the Section 5 8-Man Defensive Player of the Year.
Golf Club
Katie Sisson-Barkley
468 Main St., Bolivar, NY 585-928-9815
Tavyn MacDonell Maddox Davison Kingston Loucks
Steve Smith (10th
Big 30 part of several playoff thrillers 2023 POSTSEASON REVIEW
By J.P. BUTLER
Ten months later, it only seems more inconceivable.
Last October, the Portville/ Cuba-Rushford football team was hoping to merely knock off higher-seeded Newfane in a Section 6 Class C quarterfinal. What it did was help engineer perhaps the wildest Big 30 playoff contest in recent memory. As succinctly as possible:
The Panthers rallied from a 27-12 third-quarter deficit to take a late 34-27 lead, had a potential game-winning two-point conversion nullified by a penalty, then surrendered the game-tying score with 20 seconds remaining in regulation. In OT, after both teams went touchdown-blocked extra point on their first drive, Newfane collected a touchdown with a made extra point, but Portville again matched that TD before Ethan Coleman plunged in with a two-point
halftime deficit to top Medina, 36-23, at Highmark Stadium for the sectional title. Coach Chad Bartoszek’s team, however, saved its most dramatic moment for (close to) last, beating LeRoy in the Far West Regional, 21-13, on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Maddox Isaac to Payton Bradley with just six seconds left.
The Medina victory gave Salamanca its first sectional championship in 22 years. The Warriors also became the first team on the New York side of the Big 30 border not named Randolph to reach the state semifinals since Bolivar-Richburg in 2007.
conversion to give the Panthers a 4847 victory.
It was, Portville coach Josh Brooks acknowledged afterward, “the craziest game that I’ve ever been part of (as a coach).” But, interestingly, it was just one of several contests that made last year’s local postseason football scene so compelling.
Collectively, that stretch might not be viewed as hugely successful. Eight of 18 traditional (11-man) Big 30 teams made the playoffs and only one
(Salamanca) brought home a sectional or district championship. Those games that were played, however -- and some of the accomplishments achieved along the way -- packed a pretty good wallop.
And the underscore to that statement began in Salamanca.
THE WARRIORS
first thwarted a comeback attempt by league rival Portville to claim a Class C semifinal, 35-24, before rallying from a 16-14
“It’s not just about winning, and that’s one of the messages,” Bartoszek, whose team later fell to Waverly (42-0) in the WNY Class C Final Four, said at the time. “What happened this year was real and it’s going to take a couple of weeks (for it to sink in). We’ll never forget this run. What these kids did for this community, for Salamanca football, for the Salamanca Warrior community, for our youth, for their parents. It’s historic and it means a lot.”
Jerry Trass/Olean Times Herald Salamanca football players celebrate during a Class C Far West Regional victory over Le Roy in Williamsville last fall. The Warriors won their first sectional title since 2001 last year and advanced to the state semifinal.
QUICK HITS
BRADFORD OWLS
COACH PLAYERS TO WATCH SCHEDULE
8/23 - 7 p.m. - Brookville
8/30 - 7 p.m. - at Moniteau
9/6 - 7 p.m. - at DuBois
9/13 - 7 p.m. - St. Marys
9/20 - 7 p.m. - at Central Clarion
9/27 - 7 p.m. - Punxsutawney
10/4 - 7 p.m. - at Smethport
10 /11 - 7 p.m. - Karns City
10/18 - 7 p.m. - Coudersport
10/25 - 7 p.m. - at Kane
Jeff Puglio (15th year, 48-88)
Bradford was looking for anything positive going into the 2023 season, entering with a 29-game losing streak. While a 4-6 record may seem modest, it marked a major step in the right direction for the Owls. Talan Reese returns at quarterback, and the 6-3, 185-pound senior, is looking to build upon a season that saw him throw for 2,000 yards. Reese has received a number of college offers, including from Mercyhurst, which is transitioning to Divsion I. Jake Abers returns to anchor the offensive line, which also includes returning starters Blake Callahan, Evan Whitmore and Jon Jasper. Reese lost several of his top targets to graduation, but does return Logan Kohler at receiver. The Owls will once again compete in District 9’s Region 1, which includes defending District 9 Class 2A champion Central Clarion, as well as Brookville, Punxsutawney, DuBois, Karns City, St. Marys and Moniteau
2023 IN REVIEW
Once the Owls snapped their long losing streak, they turned a corner. They scored at least 30 points in three of their four wins, including 40 in a Week 6 win over Moniteau. The other wins came against Coudersport, Otto-Eldred and Kane. They also lost a one-possession game against St. Marys. Whitmore led the team defensively with 61 tackles.
Talan Reese Jake Abers Logan Kohler
2023 POSTSEASON REVIEW
So went the dramatic stranglehold on the area last October.
And while many of those moments favored the local team, Franklinville/Ellicottville found itself on the wrong end of a similarly stunning spectacle.
THE TITANS, who’d long seemed destined to meet Clymer/Sherman/ Panama in the Section 6 Class D title game, were on the verge of doing just that, leading Wilson 20-7 with six minutes remaining in a semifinal. But then, somehow, the metaphorical wheels fell off.
Wilson scored a touchdown, recovered an onside kick, scored another touchdown and converted the two-point conversion -- all in a span of four plays -- to turn that 20-7 deficit into a 21-20 advantage. F/E,
still with over four minutes showing, managed to drive to the Wilson 35, but with no timeouts left, threw fourstraight incompletions, including a dropped pass in the end zone, to fall short.
The Titans still forged another solid season, finishing 7-2 while earning one of the class’ top two seeds. But they failed to reach the Class D championship game for just the second time in the previous 10 years and missed their rematch opportunity with C/S/P, which ultimately advanced to the state semifinals.
Still, there was a lot of good -- and a lot of excitement -- in that run.
PIONEER, ONE
of Western New
York’s top-ranked teams all year, blew past almost everybody, including Iroquois (23-0) and South Park
CATTARAUGUS-LITTLE VALLEY TIMBERWOLVES
Derek Gumtow/Olean Times Herald Pioneer’s Karter Giboo (24) gets his feet down for a touchdown catch against Health Sciences in the Section 6 Class B championship last November at Highmark Stadium.
(42-22) in the quarter- and semifinals, respectively, to reach a second-straight Section 6 championship game at Highmark Stadium … and make for two local teams playing in a sectional final.
That’s no easy task considering the wealth of talent in Class B.
But just as it happened in the regular season (a 26-18 loss to Health Sciences), the Panthers couldn’t quite get past perhaps the lone superior Class B team.
Oh, Pioneer gave itself a chance, taking a 21-20 lead midway through the third quarter. Health Sciences tallied the next three touchdowns, however, to pull away for a 38-27 victory and leave the Panthers a game short of a championship plaque once again.
There was also this:
• Allegany-Limestone lost a thrilling 50-48 double-overtime shootout to Frewsburg in the Section 6 8-man
championship game. Afterward, A-L coach Marcus Grove noted that “the (great) crowd got to see what 8-man football is all about.”
• Coudersport stormed back from a 13-point hole with 4:04 remaining, behind two long touchdown passes from Gavyn Ayers within a 47-second span, to beat Cameron County, 21-20, in a District 9 Class A quarterfinal.
• Port Allegany raced past both Keystone (54-24) and Brockway (29-10) to reach a second-straight District 9 Class A championship game, but ultimately had its repeat bid fall short against Redbank Valley (26-7).
Following is a look at how every Big 30 playoff qualifier fared last fall:
CATTARAUGUS-LITTLE VALLEY TIMBERWOLVES
QUICK HITS
COACH PLAYERS TO WATCH SCHEDULE
9/6 – 7 p.m. – Eden/North Collins
9/13 – 7 p.m. – at Gowanda/Pine Valley
9/21 – 2 p.m. – at O’Hara
9/27 – 7 p.m. – Randolph
10/4 – 7 p.m. – at Wilson
10/12 – 2 p.m. – at St. Mary’s
10/18 – 7 p.m. – Franklinville/Ellicottville
10/25 – 7 p.m. –Clymer/Sherman/Panama
2023 IN REVIEW
Last season ended much like the last for Cattaraugus/Little Valley: winless. Scoring a combined 20 points over the course of their first five games, the offense struggled. And after failing to put numbers on the board consistently, the Timberwolves were put on their back foot and gave up big scores on the other end. Over the course of their first seven games of the season, they conceeded over 40 points in each affair.
Cattaraugus-Little Valley has a new man at the helm. While he is the team’s thrid coach in as many years, Mark Benton has made a name for himself coaching and reviving struggling football programs all over Western New York for the last 25 years. Since he was hired this past spring, he has already implemented several changes in hopes to regain the support of the community and bring in more talent. However, all is not brand new. In terms of leadership, CLV returns their starting quarterback-running back tandem from last season in DJ Szata and Josiah Lenahan. Benton has praised the duo in leading the charge in the first year of his rebuild of the program. After a year in which the Wolves struggled to score on a consistent basis, Benton made it clear that he has not set concrete expectations for his team in terms of wins. Instead, he is more keen to see a compeptitve fighting spirit each time they take the field.
DJ Szata Josiah Lenahan Quinn Janora
Mark Benton (1st year at CLV)
The Best of the Big 30 PLAYERS TO WATCH
THE TH’S LIST OF TOP RETURNING PLAYERS IN 2024
By J.P. BUTLER
It’s become something of a broken record.
Every year, it seems, I start this piece by noting that it’s become increasingly easier to write. And every year, there’s something tangible to point to that has, indeed, made it easier to write.
And so it was when compiling names for this year’s annual “Top Players” feature.
Consider, the area welcomed back not four or five or even eight or nine, but 12 Big 30 All-Stars from a year ago. That almost certainly has to be the highest number in local football history. It also, in another rarity, returns two of the top three major award winners -- Pioneer’s Sam Platt, the Defensive Player of the Year, and Port Allegany’s Carson Neely, the Lineman of the Year.
Additionally, Salamanca returns several standouts from a team that reached the New York State Class C Final Four last fall. The same could also be said of Pioneer and Port Allegany, which played in a sectional and district final, respectively, and return a combined five Big 30 All-Stars. And the cupboard certainly isn’t bare at traditionally successful programs such as Franklinville/Ellicottville, Portville/Cuba-Rushford and Bolivar-Richburg.
No, given the returning star pow-
er, it wasn’t particularly difficult to find a starting point and identify the Top 15 local players (plus honorable mentions) entering the 2024 season.
Following is the 12th iteration of that list, presented, as usual in a basketball-style first-, second- and thirdteam format.
FIRST TEAM
Sam Platt, senior, TE-DE, Pioneer
Entering his senior year, Platt is already a two-time Big 30 All-Star, the reigning Big 30 and Section 6 Class B1 Defensive Player of the Year and a two-time “First Team” selection on this list.
Quite simply, he’s a force.
As a junior (through October), Platt totaled 36 tackles, eight sacks, five tackles for loss and 23 quarterback pressures while anchoring a Pioneer defense that surrendered an average of just 10.9 points per game through the sectional quarterfinals. He also had 14 receptions for 249 yards and four touchdowns at tight end while edging four others for the Big 30’s top individual defensive award.
Carson Neely, senior, OL-DL, Port Allegany
Like Platt, Neely is a two-time Big 30 All-Star whose resume, with a year remaining, is already extensive.
The 6-foot, 275-pounder edged out a trio of seniors for the Big 30’s Lineman of the Year honor last fall while also earning District 9, Region 2 LOY accolades and making the D-9 All-Star team on both offense and defense.
Neely was the top blocker for a pair of 1,000-yard rushers and added 31 tackles on defense for the Gators. Behind him, Port Allegany went 10-3
and returned to the D-9 Class AA championship (where it fell to Redbank Valley) a year after winning it.
Zach Trietley, senior, FB-LB, Salamanca
A year ago at this time, Trietley wasn’t even a returning letterwinner at Salamanca.
By year’s end, he was among the top linebackers in the area.
Trietley recorded a whopping 120
PAGE 10
tackles, including six for loss, two sacks and two fumble recoveries en route to being named the Section 6 Class C South Defensive Player of the Year and a Big 30 All-Star. He guided a defense that allowed two touchdowns or fewer in
CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
2023 POSTSEASON REVIEW
Allegany-Limestone
• Frewsburg, L, 50-48, 2 OT, Sec. 6 8-man championship Bolivar-Richburg
• Caledonia-Mumford, W, 40-15, Sec. 5 8-man semifinal
• Pembroke, L, 70-30, Sec. 5 8-man championship
Cameron County
• Coudersport, L, 21-20, District 9 Class A quarterfinal
Coudersport
• Cameron County, W, 21-20, District 9 Class A quarterfinal
• Redbank Valley, L, 46-13, District 9 Class A semifinal
Franklinville/Ellicottville
• Wilson, L, 21-20, Sec. 6 Class D semifinal Pioneer
• Iroquois, W, 23-0, Sec. 6 Class B quarterfinal
• South Park, W, 42-22, Sec. 6 Class B semifinal
• Health Sciences, L, 38-27, Sec. 6 Class B championship
Port Allegany
• Keystone, W, 54-24, District 9 Class A quarterfinal
• Brockway, W, 29-10, District 9 Class A semifinal
• Redbank Valley, L, 26-7, District 9 Class A championship Portville/Cuba-Rushford
• Newfane, W, 48-47, 2 OT, Sec. 6 Class C quarterfinal
• Salamanca, L, 35-24, Sec. 6 Class C semifinal
Randolph
• Gowanda/Pine Valley, W, 46-35, Sec. 6 Class D quarterfinal
• Clymer/Sherman/Panama, L, 317, Sec. 6 Class D semifinal Salamanca
• Cleveland Hill, W, 42-20, Sec. 6 Class C quarterfinal
• Portville/Cuba-Rushford, W, 3524, Sec. 6 Class C semifinal
• Medina, W, 36-23, Sec. 6 Class C championship
• LeRoy, W, 21-13, Class C Far West Regional
• Waverly, L, 42-0, NYS Class C semifinals
COUDERSPORT FALCONS
COACH PLAYERS TO WATCH SCHEDULE
8/23 - 7 p.m. - at Otto-Eldred
8/30 - 7 p.m. - at Bucktail
QUICK HITS
9/6 - 7 p.m. at Cameron County
9/13 - 7 p.m. - Sheffield
9/20 - 7 p.m. - at Ridgway
9/27 - 7 p.m. Smethport
10/4 - 7 p.m. - Otto-Eldred
10/18 - 7 p.m. - at Bradford
10/25 - 7 p.m. - at Keystone
Frank Brown (4th year, 18-13) (10th year overall, 42-50)
The Falcons are certainly trending in a positive direction. The back-to-back District 9, Region 3 champions had a thrilling 21-20 comeback win over Cameron County in the District 9 Class 1A quareterfinals before falling to eventual PIAA semifinalist Redbank Valley. Seven starters - Jackson Moss, Danny VanVladriken, John Wright, Ethan Ott, Cal Dunn, Lucas Risser and Hunter Woodard-Furman all return in 2024. Region 3 also includes Otto-Eldred, Bucktail, Cameron County, Sheffield and Smethport. Wright will take over at quarterback after seeing time at the position in 2022 as a sophomore before moving to running back last season. VanVladricken (62 tackles) and Dunn (four sacks) will help anchor a defense that pitched three shutouts a year ago. The Falcons were picked to finish second in the District 9 football preseason coaches poll in Region 3, with Cameron County tabbed as the No. 1 team.
2023 IN REVIEW
The Falcons started the season 1-3 before rattling off six wins in a row to close the regular season. The offense really picked up during the winning streak, scoring at least 43 points in four of those six games. Wright finished second on the team in rushing, while VanVladricken and Moss both had 17 receptions. Ott suffered an injury in September, causing him to miss a lot of time, but enters the 2024 season with over 1,000 career yards on the ground.
John Wright Ethan Ott
Hunter WoodardFurman
PLAYERS TO WATCH
six of eight regular season games and was among the top difference-makers for a Warriors team that won its first sectional title since 2001.
Isaac
Towne,
senior, QB-LB, Franklinville/Ellicottville
In his first year as the starter, Towne became the next in a long line of strong quarterbacks at F/E.
As a junior, after replacing Gian Nuzzo under center, Towne played with the same kind of poise and do-itall ability his predecessors possessed, rushing 73 times for 342 yards and seven touchdowns while completing 16 passes for 457 yards -- good for an average of 28.5 yards -- and another nine scores. Behind Towne and others, the Titans cruised to an 8-1 regular season record and the No. 2 seed
in the Class D playoffs before being upset in the semifinals by Wilson.
Manning Splain, senior, WR-CB, Otto-Eldred
A year after compiling 45 receptions (fifth-best in District 9), 747 yards and 10 TDs as a sophomore, Splain all but matched those figures as a junior, finishing with 43 catches for 726 yards and another 10 scores.
In those ways and more, his last two seasons were essentially images of each other. He was the top target for one of the most potent offenses in the area, helped the Terrors to a winning record (6-3), chipped in on defense (3 interceptions) and was named to both the District 9 Region III and Big 30 All-Star teams at receiver.
FRANKLINVILLE/ELLICOTTVILLE TITANS
SECOND TEAM
Aiden Bliss, junior, RB-LB, Port Allegany
A freshman understudy behind star running backs Blaine Moses and Noah Archer in 2022, Bliss earned a starting role last fall.
And he made the most of it. Only a sophomore, Bliss carried 131 times for a team-leading 1,082 yards, added 13 receptions for 246 yards and racked up 21 total touchdowns while ensuring that Port Allegany’s two-headed rushing attack continued alongside Peyton Stiles.
One of three returning Big 30 AllStars for the Gators, Bliss also had 57 tackles on three picks on defense as Port went 10-3 and finished second in District 9 Region II.
Karter Giboo, senior, TE-LB, Pioneer
Giboo, one of Pioneer’s two returning Big 30 All-Stars, shined as a versatile playmaker for the Panthers last fall.
A starter at both outside and middle linebacker and defensive end, he tied for the team lead in tackles (through October) with 72, including nine for loss, while adding a sack, an interception, four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, four passes defensed and a blocked extra point.
A Section 6 Class B-1 first team allstar at linebacker, he also caught 13 passes for 225 yards and five touchdowns as the Panthers advanced to the sectional championship for the second-straight year.
Cory Holleran, senior, WR-S, Salamanca
This might be all you need to know about the internal perception regarding Holleran: Among the Warriors’ several standouts last year, he was coach Chad Bartoszek’s No. 1 nominee for the Big 30 All-Star team.
One of three Salamanca players to make that team, Holleran registered 68 tackles (through October) and
three interceptions. He was also the player that called the signals for the Warriors’ stout defense.
Behind Holleran, a first team allstar in Section 6 Class C South, Salamanca was the first New York Big 30 team not named Randolph to make the state final four since Bolivar-Richburg in 2007.
Connor Braley, senior, RB-LB, Randolph
Braley had the difficult task of taking the baton from Xander Hind, one of the most accomplished running backs in program history.
And he fared splendidly.
In his first year as the featured back, Braley rushed 165 times for 967 yards and 10 touchdowns and chipped in nine receptions for 56 yards while earning a spot on the Big 30 All-Star team in the backfield. But he was also a complete player, logging 51 tackles and making the Section 6 Class D All-Star team on defense.
Behind him, Randolph (3-7) reached the sectional semifinals.
Gavin Schwab, senior, QB, Pioneer
A star passing quarterback at Pioneer? Believe it.
Schwab had a breakout second year as the starter, completing 57of-97 passes for 1,039 yards and 17 TDs to just one interception (through October) and breaking several single-season and even career school records, including career TD passes and TD passes in a season.
Schwab was the first signal-caller in 20-plus years under Jim Duprey to eclipse 1,000 passing yards in a season. He hit another level late in the year, throwing a handful of touchdowns in a pair of blowout playoff wins. He was named Co-Offensive Player of the Year in Section 6 Class B-1.
FRANKLINVILLE/ELLICOTTVILLE TITANS
COACH PLAYERS TO WATCH SCHEDULE
9/6 – 7 p.m. – Cleveland Hill, at Ellicottville
QUICK HITS
9/14 – 2 p.m. – at WNY Maritime Charter
9/20 – 7 p.m. – at Wilson
9/27 – 7 p.m. – Clymer/Sherman/Panama, at Franklinville
10/4 – 7 p.m. – Randolph, at Ellicottville
10/11 – 7 p.m. – Gowanda/Pine Valley, at Franklinville
10/18 – 7 p.m. – at Cattaraugus-Little Valley 10/25 – 7 p.m. – at Roy-Hart-Barker
The Titans are coming into the new season with a relatively clean slate. Franklinville/Ellicottville has a new man at the helm in the form of first-year head coach Justin Tatlow. A figure that’s been in and around the F/E program for a number of years has his first shot as a head coach with a program that lost some significant pieces due to graduation last year. Overall, the Titans graduated 12 seniors last season, most of whom were starters in crucial positions. However, not all is bleak. With just four of the returning starters that will take the field for F/E this fall clocking in at under 6-feet tall, Tatlow will look to his team’s size as an advantage. Another positive is the return of experienced quarterback and 2023 Big 30 All-Star Isaac Towne who will look to be the glue that binds the team this campaign.
2023 IN REVIEW
The Titan’s 2023 season could not have gotten off to a much better start, consistently putting up big numbers on the scoreboard. Over the course of their first seven games, F/E outscored their opponents 271-77. Undefeated heading into the final week of the regular season the Titans tasted defeat for the first time in a 23-17 result against C/S/P. Unfortunately for F/E, its desires to return, once more, to the Section 6 Final at High mark Stadium were squandered after a heartbreaking 21-20 loss to No.3 seed Wilson in the Class D Semifinal put an abrupt end to the campaign.
Isaac Towne Billy Slavinski Bretton Blecha
Justin Tatlow (1st year)
PLAYERS TO WATCH
THIRD TEAM
Juuso Young, senior, OL-DL, Port Allegany
A central figure on Port Allegany’s dominant offensive line, Young cleared the way for a pair of 1,000-yard rushers while posting 29 tackles, including 5 ½ sacks, on defense. The 6-foot-2, 230-pounder was named to both the District 9 Region II (on offense) and Big 30 (on defense) All-Star teams.
Malakai Zuchal, junior, RB-S, Cameron County
Zucal registered 1,805 all-purpose yards (including 1,040 rushing) and 12 touchdowns while being named a D-9 Region III All-Star at running back.
He earned Big 30 All-Star honors on defense after totaling 78 tackles, five picks and 10 passes defensed for a 6-4 Red Raiders playoff team.
Joe Mest, junior, QB-DB, Olean
Mest made major strides in his second season as Olean’s starting QB, completing 61-of-130 passes for 737 yards with nine touchdowns and six interceptions. He also added 180 yards and another three scores on the ground.
Mest was a second team Section 5 Class B3 all-star for a Huskies team that finished 2-6.
Aidan McAlee, senior, OL-DL, St. Marys
McAlee was St. Marys’ top offensive lineman as a junior, paving the way for the ground game (and a Dutch offense that averaged 257 yards per contest) while allowing just one sack all season.
He made both the District 9 Region I and Big 30 All-Star teams on offense.
Talan Reese, senior, QB, Bradford
Even behind a shaky offensive line at times, Reese was a stud as a junior, throwing for 2,133 yards, completing 62.5% of his passes and owning an 18-4 TD-to-interception ratio. One of the top passing QBs in the area, the 6-foot-3, 185-pound Reese has attracted a number of collegiate offers.
HONORABLE MENTION
Ethan Allen (sr., OL-DL, Franklinville/Ellicottville), Mat Burnett (jr., RB-DB, Allegany-Limestone), Henry Chamberlain (sr., OL-DL, Portville/Cuba-Rushford), Maddox Davison (sr., RBDB, Bolivar-Richburg), Rocco Delhunty (sr., RB-DE, Ridgway/ Johnsonburg), Cal Dunn (sr., OL-DE, Coudersport), Landon Ferren (sr., OL-LB, Cameron County), Noah Gallo (sr., RB-LB, Olean), Brennan Geffers (jr., QB-S, Wellsville), Zane Gleason (sr., RB-LB, Allegany-Limestone), Maddox Isaac (sr., QB-DB, Salamanca), Warrick Kyler (sr., OL-DL, Salamanca), Tavyn MacDonell (sr., RB-DL, Bolivar-Richburg), David Malone (sr., OL-DL, Randolph), Jake Narby (sr., WR-DB, Cameron County), Owen Rounsville (sr., WR-DB, Smethport), Billy Slavinski (sr., RB-DE, Franklinville/Ellicottville), Eli Sleggs (sr., QB-DB, Portville/Cuba-Rushford), Ray’Shene Thomas (sr., WR-CB, Otto-Eldred), Hunter Woodard-Furman (sr., C-DL, Coudersport).
YEAR-BY-YEAR BIG 30 FOOTBALL AWARDS HISTORY
BIG 30 COACH OF THE YEAR
(Alfred Joe Bunnell Memorial Award)
1959: Rock Denning (Bradford High)
1960: Lou DeRubies (Sheffield)
1961: Robert “Dutch” Dunning (Bolivar)
1962: Frank Rackish (Port Allegany)
1963: Jim Donovan (Smethport)
1964: Joe Sanfilippo (Salamanca)
1965: John Ksionzyk (Olean High)
1966: Dick Shipe (St. Marys Public)
1967: Bob Christensen (Port Allegany)
1968: Jim Cleveland (Archbishop Walsh)
1969: Bill McAlee (Elk County Christian)
1970: Bill Wilcox (Allegany)
1971: Joe Sanfilippo (Salamanca)
1972: Ron Mosher (Cuba)
1973: Rod Rishel (Bradford CC)
1974: Bob Dunsmore (Bolivar)
1975: Bob Connell (Portville)
1976: Norm Zwald (Ridgway)
1977: Mike Foster (Olean High)
1978: Earl Brown (Coudersport)
1979: Bob Dunsmore (Bolivar)
1980: Mark Ward (Ellicottville)
1981: Mike Dominick (Ridgway)
1982: George Whitcher (Salamanca)
1983: Mike Taylor (Olean High)
1984: Carl Defilippi (Smethport)
1985: Larry Slanovich (Pioneer)
1986: Bob Haskins (Port Allegany)
1987: Kevin Carter (Johnsonburg)
1988: Fred Grace Jr. (Allegany)
1989: Rod Rohl (Hinsdale)
1990: Carl Defilippi (Smethport)
1991: Calvin Mosher (Cuba-Rushford)
1992: Pat Slater (Randolph)
1993: George Whitcher (Salamanca)
1994: Conrad Danielson (Eisenhower)
1995: Mike Kane (Olean High)
1996: Paul Simcoe (Coudersport)
1997: Gary Swetland (Portville)
1998: Carl Defilippi (Smethport)
1999: Larry Slanovich (Pioneer)
2000: Tim Bergan (Ellicottville)
2001: Rich Morton (Salamanca)
2002: Mike Kane (Olean High)
2003: Kerry Snow (Otto-Eldred)
2004: Steve Ackerman (Bradford High)
2005: Pat Slater (Randolph)
Paul Simcoe (Coudersport)
2006: Tim Miller (Cattaraugus-Little Valley)
2007: Jason Barner (Kane)
Dave Baron (Bolivar-Richburg)
2008: Gary Swetland (Portville) (Alfred Joe Bunnell — Rod Rohl Memorial Award)
2009: Frank Brown (Wellsville)
2010: Pat Slater (Randolph)
2011: Jason Marsh (Salamanca)
2012: Mike Bodamer (Port Allegany)
2013: Gary Swetland (Portville)
2014: Chad Bartoszek (Franklinville/Ellicottville)
2015: Chad Bartoszek (Franklinville/Ellicottville)
Todd Silfies (Kane)
2016: Phil Vecchio (Olean High) Nick LaBella (Otto-Eldred)
2017: Mark Heindl (Ridgway)
2018: Adam Jack (Smethport)
2019: Tom Storey (Coudersport)
2020 (PA): Chris Dworek (St. Marys)
2020 (NY): Jason Marsh (Franklinville/Ellicottville)
2021: Brent Brown (Randolph)
2022: Justin Bienkowski (Port Allegany)
2023: Chad Bartoszek (Salamanca)
BIG 30 PLAYER OF THE YEAR (Gary Sage Memorial Award)
1960: Jim McNeal (Sheffield)
1961: John Monago (Bradford High)
1962: Tim Montgomery (Kane)
1963: Gary Grassi (Bradford CC)
1964: John Bulicz (Sheffield)
1965: Bob Nugent (Salamanca)
1966: Gene Bingman (Portville)
1967: Chuck Crist (Salamanca)
Danny Metzler (Archbishop Walsh)
1968: Joe Monago (Bradford High)
1969: Mike Metzler (Archbishop Walsh)
1970: Jeff Davis (Salamanca)
1971: Tom Mealy (Bradford High)
1972: Marty Sapko (Bradford CC)
1973: Rob Stewart (Elk County Christian)
1974: Steve Housler (Bradford High) Matt Grimone (Cameron County)
1975: Dave Conklin (Hinsdale)
1976: Ken Streich (Ridgway)
1977: Dan Dry (Salamanca)
1978: Barry Bova (Port Allegany)
1979: Jeff Little (Limestone)
1980: Bill Prencipe (Ridgway)
1981: Kevin Wesolowski (Olean High)
1982: Rob Tronetti (Smethport)
1983: Gary Crocco (Ridgway)
1984: Jon Gardner (Portville)
1985: T.J. Reap (Smethport)
1986: Tim Myers (Johnsonburg)
1987: Tim Myers (Johnsonburg)
1988: Alan Kloss (Bradford High)
1989: Todd Tyler (Hinsdale)
1990: T.J. Brol (Salamanca)
1991: Steve Witte (Eisenhower)
1992: Jeff Defilippi (Smethport)
1993: Shane Williamson (Ridgway)
1994: Erich Kutschke (Eisenhower)
1995: Ryan Woodruff (Smethport)
1996: Mark Scott (Eisenhower)
1997: Ike Morrison (Randolph)
1998: Mike Defilippi (Smethport)
1999: John Bickford (Cameron County)
2000: Tim Schwab (Pioneer)
2001: Dustin Ross (Salamanca)
2002: Tyler Smith (Kane)
2003: James Wright (Olean High)
2004: Kirk Konert (Bolivar-Richburg) Brian Nitsche (Portville)
2005: David Babcock (Coudersport)
2006: Matt Crandall (Cattaraugus-Little Valley)
2007: Kameron Konert (Bolivar-Richburg)
2008: Kevin Stevens (Olean High)
2009: Andy Lippert (Cameron County)
2010: Pat Pascarella (Bradford High)
2011: Matt Bodamer (Port Allegany)
2012: Matt Bodamer (Port Allegany)
2013: Chris Doubek (Randolph)
2014: Bryce Morrison (Randolph)
2015: Jake Jones (Cuba-Rushford)
2016: Garrett Boldt (Olean High)
2017: Neil MacDonald (Ridgway)
2018: Mike Rigerman (Pioneer)
2019: Logan Frank (Franklinville/Ellicottville)
2020: (PA): Noah Lent (Smethport)
2020: (NY): Logan Frank (Franklinville/Ellicottville) Jayden Lassiter (Portville)
2021: Xander Hind (Randolph)
2022: Xander Hind (Randolph)
2023: Dalton Giboo (Pioneer)
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR (Lou Foy Memorial Award)
1970: Bill Johnson (Kane)
1971: Mike McGuire (Archbishop Walsh)
1972: Mike King (Portville)
1973: Mike Simon (Cameron County)
1974: John Wild (Allegany)
1975: Tom Sutter (Portville)
1976: Brian Geotschius (Wellsville)
1977: Greg Carney (Olean High)
1978: Randy DaCanal (Elk County Christian)
BIG 30 FOOTBALL AWARDS HISTORY
1979: Sheldon Lindgren (Ridgway)
1980: Jim Slusarick (Cameron County)
1981: Pat Hannon (Olean High)
1982: Gary Crocco (Ridgway)
1983: Marvin Bowen (Pioneer)
1984: Gerry Trietley (Olean High) Scott Burdick (Smethport)
1985: T.J. Reap (Smethport)
1986: Paul Robbins (Port Allegany)
1987: Bruce Tessena (Smethport)
1988: Jim Bennardi (Bradford High)
1989: Arron Whitmore (Salamanca)
1990: Lenny Hungiville (Smethport)
1991: Pat Schuster (Bradford High)
1992: Jason Woodruff (Smethport)
1993: Phil Peterson (Allegany)
1994: Pete D’Apice (Olean High)
1995: Aaron Backhaus (Olean High)
1996: Jim Berlin (Smethport)
1997: Jim Stady (Allegany-Limestone)
1998: Andrew Drouin (Pioneer)
1999: Jason Siafakas (Salamanca)
2000: Joe Pascarella (Bradford High)
2001: Mike Abdo (Olean High)
2002: Shawn Colligan (Bradford High)
2003: Ross Simcoe (Coudersport)
2004: Justin Hager (Salamanca)
2005: Tim McElwain (Randolph)
2006: Nathan Weber (Johnsonburg)
2007: Brandon Yarnes (Portville)
2008: Ross Nicholson (Kane)
2009: Andrew Fragale (Cameron County)
2010: Tony Lock (Pioneer)
2011: Tony Lock (Pioneer)
2012: Cody Oldro (Randolph)
2013: Cody Oldro (Randolph)
2014: James Lingenfelter (Kane)
2015: Erik DeLong (Kane)
2016: Joe Kucenski (Elk County Catholic)
2017: Mike Rigerman (Pioneer)
2018: Evan Furlong (Ridgway)
2019: Travis Gleason (Coudersport)
2020 (PA): Cale Ayers (Coudersport)
2020 (NY): Jordan King (Pioneer)
2021: Travis Cooney (Smethport)
2022: Blaine Moses (Port Allegany)
2023: Sam Platt (Pioneer)
UNSUNG LINEMAN OF THE YEAR
(E.B. Fitzpatrick — James Russell Memorial Award)
1980: John Quigley (Olean High)
1981: Joe Washington (Olean High)
1982: Jay Haley (Salamanca)
1983: Bill Buhite (Ridgway)
1984: Don John (Salamanca)
1985: Dana John (Ellicottville)
1986: Ray Haley (Salamanca)
1987: Chris Gillfillan (Salamanca)
1988: Rob Skellen (Ridgway)
1989: Shad McNair (Smethport)
1990: Steve Raiport (Gowanda)
1991: Chris Smith (Cuba-Rushford)
1992: Jeremy John (Salamanca)
1993: Charlie Waldo (Ridgway)
1994: Nathan Work (Coudersport)
1995: Jon Darrin (Portville)
1996: Jim Stady (Allegany-Limestone)
1997: Brock Smith (Bolivar-Richburg)
1998: Steve Durphy (Smethport)
1999: Jarrot Roll (Pioneer)
2000: Zach Brodis (Bradford High)
2001: Mike Fair (Bradford High)
2002: Jim Lee (Olean High)
2003: Jerrid Bradley (Cattaraugus-Little Valley)
2004: Matt Miller (Portville)
2005: Jake Clark (Ellicottville)
2006: Isaac Cary (Coudersport)
2007: Mike Johnston (Bradford High)
2008: Steven Reinhardt (Bradford High)
2009: Jimmy Grove (Bradford High)
2010: Ben Fluent (Randolph)
2011: David Reinhardt (Bradford High)
Mike Prevorse (Pioneer)
2012: Nick Budd (Port Allegany)
2013: Brandon Raymo (Port Allegany)
2014: Mike Bowers (Randolph)
2015: Jake Shrubb (Kane)
2016: Preston Hutchinson (Franklinville/Ellicottville)
Keaton Rounsville (Kane)
2017: Nick Becker (Randolph)
2018: Andrew Bernard (Randolph/Frewsburg)
2019: Greg Simon (Ridgway)
2020 (PA): Adenn Stevens (Smethport)
Garrett Bauer (St. Marys)
2020 (NY): A.J. Addotta (Olean)
2021: Kody Shinners (Salamanca)
2022: Alex Lukaschunis (St. Marys)
2023: Carson Neely (Port Allegany)
BIG 30 SCHOOL SPORTSMANSHIP
(Leon Abbott Memorial Award)
1978: Archbishop Walsh
1979: Kane
1980: Limestone
1981: Cuba
1982: Smethport
1983: Port Allegany
1984: Bolivar
1985: Wellsville
1986: Cattaraugus
1987: Smethport
1988: Hinsdale
1989: Bradford High
1990: Coudersport
1991: Allegany
1992: Allegany
1993: Portville
1994: Sheffield
1995: Olean High, Elk County Christian
1996: Eisenhower
1997: Portville
1998: Salamanca
1999: West Valley
2000: Franklinville
2001: Otto-Eldred Portville
2002: Archbishop Walsh
2003: Otto-Eldred
2004: Bolivar-Richburg
2005: Portville
2006: Wellsville
2007: Bolivar-Richburg
2008: Hinsdale
2009: Portville
2010: Franklinville
2011: Johnsonburg
2012: Allegany-Limestone
2013: Portville
2014: Pioneer
2015: Franklinville/Ellicottville
2016: Otto-Eldred
2017: Portville
2018: Sheffield
2019: Wellsville
2021: Sheffield
2022: Sheffield
2023: Cameron County
OLEAN-BRADFORD GAME MVP
1961: Pat Spehar (Bradford High)
1962: Fred Hemingway (Bradford High)
1963: Mike Kosciol (Olean High)
1964: Don Swarts (Olean High)
1965: Frank Aiello (Olean High)
1966: Craig Lyle (Olean High)
1967: Jim O’Hargan (Bradford High)
1968: Joe Monago (Bradford High)
1969: Brian Hart (Bradford High)
1970: Tom Mealy (Bradford High)
1971: Tom Mealy (Bradford High)
1972: Jim Morris (Bradford High)
1973: Steve Housler (Bradford High)
1974: Steve Housler (Bradford High)
1975: Mark Kline (Olean High)
1976: Don Snyder (Bradford High)
1977: Kevin Forrest (Olean High)
1978: Marty Schena (Olean High)
1979: Jack Carr (Olean High)
1980: Pat Hannon (Olean High)
1981: Kevin Wesolowski (Olean High)
1982: Kenny Wright (Olean High)
1983: Chris Eaton (Olean High)
1984: Curt Palutro (Bradford High)
1985: Joe Blair (Bradford High)
1986: Mike McGee (Bradford High)
1987: Joe Blair (Bradford High)
1988: Jim Bennardi (Bradford High)
1989: Ed Sunafrank (Bradford High)
1990: No game played
1991: Pat Schuster (Bradford High)
1992: Jason Bridge (Bradford High)
1993-95: No game played
1996: Andrew Langdon (Olean High)
1997: Greg Kloss (Bradford High)
1998: Tim Butler (Bradford High)
1999: Kyle Sturm (Bradford High)
2000: Bobby Bell (Olean High)
2001: Elliott George (Bradford High)
2002: Brandon Kiffer (Olean High)
2003: Aaron O’Toole (Bradford High)
2004: Kyle MacFarlane (Bradford High)
(Joe Bizzaro Memorial Award)
2005: Justin George (Olean High)
2006: Ben Walter (Bradford High)
2007: Taylor O’Brien (Bradford High)
2008: Pat Pascarella (Bradford High)
2009: Pat Pascarella (Bradford High)
2010: (Bradford High)
2011: Maleke Fuentes (Olean High)
2012: Matt Yurkewicz (Bradford High)
2013: No game played
2014: Chucky Martin (Olean High)
2015: Dylan Vincent (Olean High)
2016-23: No game played
JOE DECERBO MEMORIAL AWARD
2016: Julio Fuentes (Olean)
2017: Joe Elinski (Ridgway)
2018: Mike Walter (Bradford High)
2021: Jonathan Hinton (Ridgway)
2022: Wimpy Swetland
2023: Dylan Howard (Coudersport)
BIG 30 ATHLETIC FUND
MIKE ABDO 12TH MAN AWARD
NY FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIP
2018: Gabe MacWilliams (Allegany-Limestone)
2019: Rob Steele (Pioneer)
2021: Eion Quigley (Salamanca)
2022: Mike Fultz (Pioneer)
2023: Tyler Babb (Allegany-Limestone)
BIG 30 ATHLETIC FUND
JOE BIZZARO 12TH MAN AWARD PA FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIP
2018: Noah Meyer (Bradford High)
2019: Anthony Gerg (Elk County Catholic)
2021: Chesney Bradybaugh (Kane)
2022: Kaden Price (Port Allegany)
2023: Jesop Farabaugh (Cameron County)
Bernard part of Mercyhurst’s move to FCS, Division I
By SAM WILSON
Almost six years after winning the Big 30 Lineman of the Year award, Randolph graduate Andrew Bernard is getting a shot at Division I football.
Bernard has played at Mercyhurst University since 2019. The Lakers were Division II when he arrived. Now, the 2024 season marks their first in the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) after an athletic program-wide move to Division I.
The move brought Mercyhurst to the Northeast Conference (NEC) after 15 years in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC).
Bernard didn’t play in a game as a freshman in 2019, then his sophomore year became an exhibition season in the spring (2020-21). But he played in two games in 2021, then 11 in 2022, including 10 starts. Last fall, he also played in all 11 games. Now a graduate student, was a captain for Mercyhurst’s Spring Game in April.
Mercyhurst’s season kicks off Thursday, Aug. 29, at Wheeling
University (Div. II) in West Virginia. Its first FCS opponent comes the following week in a trip to Howard in Washington, D.C.
Meanwhile, 2023 Randolph grad Jaiden Huntington played in seven games last year for Lock Haven. The sophomore tight end is back for another season with the Division II Bald Eagles.
Another Division II player, former Franklinville/Ellicottville quarterback Gian Nuzzo, is set for his sophomore year at Saint Anselm (New Hampshire), where he plays wide receiver.
The Class of 2024 saw plenty of Big 30 area graduates head to colleges planning to continue their football careers. Pioneer, a sectional finalist last fall, is believed to have the most 2024 grads playing college football with four, including Big 30 Player of the Year Dalton Giboo at SUNY Cortland. The Panthers’ 2018 Big 30 Player of the Year, Mike Rigerman,
Photo by Mercyhurst Athletics
Mercyhurst graduate student Andrew Bernard (68), from Randolph, is part of the Lakers’ offensive line and was a captain for their Spring Game in April.
Mercyhurst’s Bernard
is done with the college game and hoping to catch on in the pros, playing in training camp and preseason with the Baltimore Ravens.
A pair of quarterbacks who faced off in the Big 30 All-Star Charities Classic in August are now on the same team, with Allegany-Limestone’s Michael Frederick and Cameron County’s Maddox Baughman both playing at Washington & Jefferson.
And while it’s not football, Port Allegany grad Miska Young will put some of the same skills that made him a standout lineman for the Gators to use playing a different sport: rugby. Young is joining the St. Bonaventure men’s rugby team, a program that’s made two National Collegiate Rugby Division I championship games in the last three years, winning one.
Allegany-Limestone: Michael Frederick (Washington & Jefferson, freshman QB)
Bolivar-Richburg: Caden Allen (Alfred University, freshman)
Cameron County: Maddox Baughman (Washington & Jefferson, freshman QB)
Franklinville/Ellicottville: Gian Nuzzo (St. Anselm College, soph., WR)
Pioneer: Dalton Giboo (Cortland, freshman), Jimmy Steppe (Erie CC, freshman), Gabe Kempf (Erie CC, freshman), Luke Matheis (Alfred University, freshman)
Portville/Cuba-Rushford: Dayton Shaw (Erie Community College, freshman)
Randolph: Andrew Bernard (Mercyhurst, graduate student, OL), Jaiden Huntington (Lock Haven, sophomore, TE), Xander Hind (Alfred State, sophomore, RB)
Ridgway: Eric Hoffman (Alfred University, freshman)
Salamanca: Carmine Hoag (Alfred University, freshman), Joshua Auman (Hilbert College, freshman)
Sheffield: Dylan Hardwick (Allegheny College, freshman)
St Marys: Christian Coudriet (Allegheny College, QB), Colton Swanson (Misericordia, junior OL), Eli Rippey (Lycoming, jr., LB), Matthew Davis (Saint Vincent, freshman)
Chevy. More J.D. Power Quality Awards across cars, trucks and SUVs than any other brand new over the last four years.
QUICK HITS
KANE WOLVES
COACH PLAYERS TO WATCH SCHEDULE
8/23 - 7 p.m. - at Ridgway
8/30 - 7 p.m. - Keystone
9/6 - 7 p.m. - at Otto-Eldred
9/13 - 7 p.m. - at Union/A-C Valley
9/20 - 7 p.m. - Brockway
9/27 - 7 p.m. - Redbank Valley
10/4 - 7 p.m. - at Brookville
10/12 - 1:30 p.m. - at Port Allegany
10/18 - 7 p.m. - Punxsutawney
10/25 - 7 p.m. - Bradford
One of the winningest programs in District 9 this century, the Wolves have fallen on hard times in recent seasons, including going 0-10 in 2023. There is a renewed excitement around the program, however, as Matt Bodamer takes over as head coach. Bodamer was one of the most decorated quarterbacks in District 9 and PIAA history, helping lead Port Allegany to a 13-1 record and berth in the PIAA semifinals in 2012 as a senior. He’ll have an experienced coaching staff around him, including his father, Mike Bodamer, his high school coach. Former Kane coach Todd Silfies is also part of the staff, and both he and the elder Bodamer were District 9 champions as head coaches. The Wolves do bring back a lot of experience in 2024 with 18 returning lettermen, including starting quarterback Kyle Zook. Bodamer also noted that large senior and sophomore classes will be a strength for the Wolves.
2023 IN REVIEW
Not a lot went right for Kane in 2023, but they did come close to victory on several occasions, including against Ridgay, Keystone, Smethport and Bradford. Zook threw for 636 yards and four touchdowns Eric Novosel had 20 receptions. Defenisvely, junior Isaiah Smith will help anchor things. Smith was second on the team in tackles in 2023. In addition, senior Camden Ray returns after notching four tackles for loss in 2023.
Kyle Zook Sam West Isaiah Smith
Matt Bodamer (First year)
Penn State knows the time is now in its quest to finally crack the College Football Playoff
By KERITH GABRIEL
(TNS)
The odds certainly are in Penn State’s favor.
While 10-win seasons have been pretty easy to come by, a spot in the College Football Playoff has not.
Coach James Franklin and the Nittany Lions perennially find themselves in a New Year’s Six bowl game — but on the outside looking in at a run for the national championship.
This season could be different, with impact returners within every unit — and on the sidelines with the addition of new offensive and defensive coordinators. Plus, there is the expansion from a four-team playoff system to an all-new 12team CFP, opening the door for more programs like Penn State that have always been on the cusp. But it does make for what could be a longer sprint to the finish.
“I would say the first thing is the length of the season ... we have always talked about trying to create depth. That was always important playing in a conference like the Big Ten,” Franklin said Saturday at Penn State’s annual media day. “It’s magnified now, right? You have the potential of 17 games ... so how are you going to do that? I think that coupled with some of the rules changes over the last couple years ... [it comes down to] making sure we are doing a really good job of rotating and playing guys for the fourth quarter, for late in the season — and now a playoff run.”
The CFP has been the one thing to elude Franklin, now in his 11th year at the helm.
The preseason coaches poll dropped Monday, with Penn State
in the No. 9 spot as one of six Big Ten teams to crack the list. The Associated Press preseason top 25 should be released next week.
Three conference teams, Ohio State (No. 2), Oregon (No. 3), and Michigan (No. 8), were ranked higher than the Nittany Lions. Two of those programs, the Wolverines and the Ducks, are not on Penn State’s schedule this season because of conference realignment in the Big Ten, with Oregon, alongside former Pac-12 schools USC and UCLA, joining the now 18-team, coast-tocoast conference.
Penn State hosts Ohio State on Nov. 2.
Franklin isn’t looking past an early test as Penn State goes on the road for the season opener against West Virginia on Aug. 31 (noon, Fox 29).
“I have probably more respect for West Virginia than anybody just because I’ve played there so many times and I know what Mountaineer football means to the state of West Virginia,” said Franklin, who also noted he doesn’t expect a letdown from the Mountaineers’ 9-4 finish last season. “I think it’s going to be a great game. I think it’s going to be a great environment, and then on top of that, the way they ended their season, right? They ended up winning nine games and the quarterback [Garrett Greene] ended up playing really well and finished the season on a high note. So they got a ton of confidence coming into this year because of that.”
Carter is a ‘freak’
Defensive end Abdul Carter, the La Salle College High School alumnus who was announced as one of
75 players on the preseason watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Award, was one of four Nittany Lions who cracked College Football’s “Freaks List,” released by The Athletic on Tuesday.
Carter ranks No. 12 on the 101-player list that has been around since 2005, dedicated to highlighting the top players in Division I college football, across both the Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Subdivision. A first-team All-Big Ten selection, the Glenside native has racked up 10 1/2 sacks, leading a Penn State defense lauded as one of the best in the nation.
Defensive lineman Zane Durant, kicker Gabriel Nwosu, and running back Nick Singleton, from Shillington, Pa., join Carter as the other Nittany Lions on the list.
Joe Hermitt/pennlive.com/TNS
Penn State head coach James Franklin looks on during practice on July 31.
The Philadelphia Inquirer
QUICK HITS
OLEAN HUSKIES
COACH PLAYERS TO WATCH SCHEDULE
9/6 – 7 p.m. – Albion
9/12– 7 p.m. – at Springville
9/20 – 7 p.m. – Lewiston-Porter
9/27 – 7 p.m. – at Dunkirk
10/4 – 7 p.m. – Maryvale
10/12 – 2 p.m. – at Lackawanna
10/18 – 7 p.m. – at Depew
10/25 – 7 p.m. – Cheektowaga
(9th year, 36-31)
Quarterback Joe Mest leads the Olean offense, now in his third year at the helm for coach Phil Vecchio despite only being a junior. Austin Miles should be a key receiver for Mest, while Noah Gallo looks to lead the defense at linebacker. Finn Caya, the lone returning starter on the offensive line, will look to anchor Olean up front. Olean returns five offensive starters and seven defensive starters; Mest, Miles, Caine DeGolier and Blake Kinnaird all started both ways in 2023. The Huskies will look to get back on track after a losing season, but play a competitive schedule in Section 6 Class B3. Intent to put last year in the past, coach Phil Vecchio sees Week 1 as a big test for his team as Albion visits Bradner Stadium Thursday night, Sept. 6.
2023 IN REVIEW
Olean stumbled out of the gates in 2023, starting 0-3, but got in the win column in Week 4 by defeating East Aurora/Holland 33-16. But the Huskies didn’t win again until the Week 8 regular season finale, edging out WNY Maritime/Tapestry Charter 21-14. Finishing the year 2-6, Olean fell short of playoff qualification. Linebacker Ryan Isenberg earned a Big 30 All-Star honor. Mest led the Huskies’ offense, throwing for nine touchdowns and running for three more, good for 80% of Olean’s TDs.
I. Pancio
A. Pancio
500 Wayne Street Olean, NY 14760
Phone: (716) 373-5500
Fax: (716) 373-5545
Home: (716) 373-0515
Joe Mest Austin Miles Noah Gallo
Phil Vecchio
How Joe Andreessen, a May tryout player, flipped script to enter Bills’ roster battle
By MATT PARRIO syracuse.com (TNS)
PITTSBURGH — One week ago, a nervous and anxious Joe Andreessen had to ask veteran linebacker Nicholas Morrow where to stand and what to do during the national anthem for his first NFL game.
On Saturday night, Andreessen was in the starting lineup against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium.
No pressure, right?
Buffalo Bills middle linebacker Terrel Bernard got the night off just two days after the team learned that All-Pro linebacker Matt Milano will miss an extended period with a torn biceps muscle. Later that day, Bills coach Sean McDermott told Andreessen he was getting the most significant opportunity of his young NFL career.
“It was kind of nice,” Andreessen said. “They didn’t surprise me with it or anything like that. ... I’m an undrafted guy, and I kind of looked at it as an opportunity, like nothing to lose.”
Andreessen, a University at Buffalo product who went undrafted in
April, made the Bills in May after impressing during a rookie minicamp tryout.
by Wilson, fits in the first quarter. The Bills forced four straight punts to start the game and sacked Wilson three times - two of which came on third down to force a punt.
Bills defensive end Greg Rousseau finished with 2.5 sacks and made life difficult on Steelers right tackle Broderick Jones. After the game, Rousseau said Andreessen didn’t flinch with everybody watching him.
guy out there and there was a lot of room. ... I was just in my zone and he broke contain. I was trying to track the near hip and I didn’t want him to cut back on me and I didn’t press it super hard.”
University at Buffalo
Linebacker Joe Andreessen is competing for a spot with the Bills after finishing his collegiate career at the University at Buffalo.
Three months later, he was responsible for calling and leading the Bills defense against former Super Bowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson. Twelve tackles later - with an entire fan base buzzing about Andreessen - the 24-year-old has firmly placed himself in contention to make the team for real when general manager Brandon Beane selects the final 53 players.
“A lot of people aren’t really expecting me to make the team,” he said. “You know, I’m a rookie tryout guy, so it was just something to take full advantage of, and hopefully I showed it to people out there today.”
Andreessen and the first-team defense gave the Steelers offense, led
“He’s that guy,” Rousseau said. “You couldn’t sense any fear with Joe. He stepped up to the plate, called it with the ones, and it was great seeing him flying around here and making open-field tackles. He was doing his thing.”
One of those open-field tackles came in the second half on a fourthand-2 scramble from dangerous dual-threat quarterback Justin Fields. The Steelers were driving in Buffalo’s territory, and Fields - who finished with 42 yards on the ground - saw an angle and looked to run for the first down.
Andreessen reacted fast and turned a potential drive-extending run into a seven-yard loss, giving the Bills offense the ball back.
“I was telling the guys on the sideline I was super nervous,” Andreessen said. “That’s a very athletic
Milano’s injury changes the complexion of the linebackers’ room. Veteran Deion Jones and third-year linebacker Baylon Spector are in the mix for the depth spots behind Bernard and Williams. But Andreessen is now a serious threat to both after producing so well against NFL starters.
McDermott was impressed.
“When a young guy gets an opportunity and he makes the most of it, it’s just fun to watch, watch a young man like that, especially a local guy,” McDermott said. “I think I met his aunt in the elevator in the hotel and she was excited, was on the phone with Joe’s mom, who had just called in at the time, and you just, you love stories like that, right? So, real happy for Joe.”
Andreessen grew up in Western New York and was a Lancaster High School standout before attending UB. The Bills play their last preseason game against the Carolina Panthers. Andreessen has another chance to leave a lasting impression on coaches and Bills fans.
Photo by
OTTO-ELDRED TERRORS
SCHEDULE
QUICK HITS
8/23 - 7 p.m. - Coudersport
8/30 - 7 p.m. - Sheffield
9/6 - 7 p.m. - Kane
9/13 - 7 p.m. - at Bucktail
9/21 - 7 p.m. - Caneron County
9/28 - 1:30 p.m. - at Sheffield
10/4 - 7 p.m. - at Coundersport
10/11 - 7 p.m. - Smethport
COACH PLAYERS TO WATCH
Troy Cook (7th year, 27-31)
Otto-Eldred certainly won’t lack for firepower in 2024. The Terrors return quarterback Shane Magee, as well as a trio of talented pass catchers in Manning Splain, Shene Thomas and Davey Schenfield. It’s an offense that produced 40 or more points four times in 2023. Magee threw for 1,681 yards and 22 touchdowns, while Splain led the way with 42 recpetions for 764 yards and 11 touchdowns. Hunter App also returns after rushing for 745 yards and 10 touchdowns. Otto-Eldred begins the 2024 season with three consecutive home games before traveling to Renovo to play Bucktail in Week 4. In total, the Terrors have five home games and three away games, owing to the fact that Elk County Catholic (which is in a co-op with St. Marys) is no longer on the schedule. The Terrors have most of their skill guys back, but must replace several starters on the line.
2023 IN REVIEW
The Terrors had no problem putting up points and yards in 2023, and with Magee, Splain, Thomas, Schenfield and App all back, that trend should continue. Despite a 6-4 record, Otto-Eldred was left on the outside looking in for the District 9 Class 1A playoff picture, somthing they hope to change in 2024. Three of their four losses in 2023 came to District 9 1A playoffs teamsCoudersport, Cameron County and Port Allegany, with the other coming to Class 4A Bradford.
Shane Magee Manning Splain Hunter App
PIONEER PANTHERS
COACH PLAYERS TO WATCH SCHEDULE
QUICK HITS
9/6 – 7 p.m. – Grand Island
9/13 – 7 p.m. – at East Aurora
9/20 – 7 p.m. – Cheektowaga
9/26 – 7 p.m. – at South Park (All High Stadium)
10/4 – 7 p.m. – Iroquois
10/11 – 7 p.m. – West Seneca West
10/18 – 7:30 p.m. – at Williamsville South
10/24 – 6:30 p.m. – at Lake Shore
Duprey (23rd year, 111-82)
Pioneer’s standards remain high going into 2024, thanks to an experienced and talented group of “skill position” players, including quarterback Gavin Schwab, who passed for 24 touchdowns to just two interceptions as a junior. Also back are Big 30 All-Stars Sam Platt and Karter Giboo, a pair of defensive stars in 2023 who are now seniors. Giboo, along with Isaac Platt, will see time in the backfield next to Schwab in a high-powered attack. Paramount for these Panthers will be the offensive line play, as coach Jim Duprey’s team graduated its starters up front, including All-Stars Luke Matheis and Jimmy Steppe. But Duprey noted, “I feel very confident with the kids we’ve got coming” into the line in 2024.
2023 IN REVIEW
For the second consecutive year, Pioneer’s season ended at Highmark Stadium after the Panthers charged their way to the Section 6 Class B championship game. Pioneer won a league championship in 2023, taking the B1 title. The Panthers went 9-2 overall, including a six-game win streak from Week 5 through their sectional semifinal victory. Pioneer defeated Iroquois 23-0 in the quarterfinals and 42-22 in the semifinals before falling to Health Sciences 38-27 in the sectional final. Pioneer led all schools with five Big 30 All-Stars, including Player of the Year Dalton Giboo (the team’s leading rusher and receiver) and Defensive Player of the Year Sam Platt.
Sam Platt Karter Giboo Gavin Schwab
Jim
PORT ALLEGANY GATORS
SCHEDULE
8/23- 7 p.m. - Keystone
QUICK HITS
8/30 - 7 p.m. - at Smethport
9/7 - 1:30 p.m. - Redbank Valley
9/13 - 7 p.m. - at Brockway
9/20 - 7 p.m. - UACV(Co-op)
9/27 - 7 p.m. - at Ridgway
10/4 - 7 p.m. - at St. Marys
10/11 - 7 p.m. - Kane
10/18 - 7 p.m. - at Brookville
10/25 - 7 p.m. - at Cameron County
COACH PLAYERS TO WATCH
(9th year, 42-40)
The Gators are one of District 9’s top programs. In 2022, they went 12-2, won the District 9 Class 1A title and advanced to the PIAA semifinals. Last season, the Gators went 10-3, advancing to the District 9 Class 1A championship game, falling to Redbank Valley, who went on to reach the PIAA semifinals. They must replace a number of talented players, including all-state lineman Miska Young, as well as one half of their 1,000-yard rushing duo in Peyton Stiles. They do however, return the other half of that duo, single-season rushing king Aiden Bliss, as well as Young’s younger brother Juuso, and all-state wrestlers Carson Neely along both the offensive and defensive lines. Also look for Tristan Kiser to have an increased role on the offensive side of the ball.
2023 IN REVIEW
It was another banner year for the Gators. In their eight wins in the regular season, they allowed only 41 points, including three shutouts. Offensively, they scored 37 or more points in seven of their eight wins in the regular season. Bliss rushed for 1,638 yards and 24 touchdowns, averaging 8.4 yards per carry. Nick Wilfong, who also returns in 2024, provided a steady hand at quarterback, throwing for 997 yards and 13 touchdowns. Bliss also led the team in tackles, while Jarrod Funk intercepted four passes.
Carson Neely Aiden Bliss Juuso Young
Justin Bienkowski
PORTVILLE/CUBA-RUSHFORD PANTHERS
COACH PLAYERS TO WATCH SCHEDULE
9/5 – 7 p.m. – Gowanda
QUICK HITS
9/13 – 7 p.m. – at Salamanca
9/20 – 7 p.m. – Cassadaga Valley/Falconer
9/27 – 7 p.m. – at Eden/North Collins
10/4 – 7 p.m. – Southwestern, at CubaRushford
10/11 – 7 p.m. – Fredonia
10/18 – 7 p.m. – at Silver Creek/Forestville
10/25 – 7 p.m. – at Chautauqua Lake/ Westfield/Brocton
Josh Brooks (7th year, 33-20)
Portville/Cuba-Rushford will be eager to find its next group of leaders after graduating 15 seniors from last year’s team. Senior quarterback Eli Sleggs is a returning starter after stepping in due to injury early on in 2023. He’s expected to lead the new-look offense at P/C-R replaces some of its top playmakers with running backs including Maxx DeYoe, Landen Schappacher, Breckham Hunt and Cole Keesler, and Aidan DeFazio, Brenton Ahrens and Keesler playing end or receiver. Josh Kriger, Kadin Pierce and Henry Chamberlain lead the Panthers up front.
2023 IN REVIEW
The first year of the Portville/Cuba-Rushford football merger went off with plenty of success on the field for coach Brooks and his senior-laden team. The Panthers went 6-2 in the regular season, only losing those two games by a combined four points: 3-0 to Southwestern and 8-7 to Salamanca. After Portville/C-R won a Class C quarterfinal at Newfane, 48-47 in double overtime, the eventual sectional champions from Salamanca again beat the Panthers, 35-24, in the semifinals. The Panthers had three Big 30 All-Stars: seniors Kaedon Holcomb, Ethan Coleman and Hayden Emley. The P/C-R staff went on to coach eight of their players in the Big 30 Charities Classic, leading New York to the victory in August.
Eli Sleggs Henry Chamberlain Maxx DeYoe
All the talk is about the offense, but ‘elite’ defense still needs to carry Steelers
By PAUL ZEISE Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS)
The Steelers revamped their offensive staff and changed their quarterback room in the offseason, then went out and used their first-round pick on an offensive lineman.
The message was clear that the offense needed to improve, and not surprisingly, the offense has dominated the headlines, mostly because of the additions of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. It is true the offense has been rebuilt and the Steelers need Wilson to play at a reasonably high level in order to improve enough to give the Steelers
a chance to contend.
But for all the talk and buzz about the offense, the plan for the Steelers to win has never been more clear: run the ball efficiently, control the clock and allow the “elite” defense to win games.
The key word in that, however, is elite, as the plan won’t work if the Steelers defense doesn’t hold up its end of the bargain. And that’s especially true given how much of the team’s salary cap is devoted to the defense.
Eight of the Steelers’ top 10 highest salary cap hits are on the defense, and the only two offensive players in that group are both guards.
The four highest-paid players
are T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Larry Ogunjobi, and the Steelers front office designed it that way in the post-Ben Roethlisberger era. When the Steelers had Roethlisberger they didn’t need an elite defense to win. But after he retired, the quarterback play has been spotty at best, and that meant they needed to find a way to keep other teams from scoring. But an elite defense is more than just about opponent’s scoring, as the best squads tend to be able to make game-changing plays, sack the quarterback, force turnovers, score touchdowns, etc. The Steelers were sixth in the NFL in points allowed (19.1 points per game) and eighth in
turnovers forced (27). They have one of the most prolific sackers in the league in Watt, and their defense is designed to put pressure on quarterbacks.
The Steelers defense was not elite last season, but it was still among the best units in the NFL. It was a unit that quite often kept the Steelers in games long enough to allow the offense to make a play or two late in order to come from behind and win.
That worked a lot during the regular season
RANDOLPH CARDINALS
COACH PLAYERS TO WATCH SCHEDULE
QUICK HITS
9/6 – 7 p.m. – at Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/ Maple Grove
9/14 – 12:30 p.m. – at Clymer/Sherman/ Panama
9/20 – 7 p.m. – East Aurora/Holland
9/27 – 7 p.m. – at Cattaraugus/Little Valley
10/4 – 7 p.m. – at Franklinville/Ellicottville
10/11 – 7 p.m. – Wilson
10/18 – 7 p.m. – Salamanca
10/25 – 7 p.m. – Gowanda/Pine Valley
Brent Brown (12th year, 73-34)
Randolph return their top running back from last season in Connor Braley, a huge boost for a team that ran the ball a total of 363 times last season while only throwing the ball 13 times. Braley had 165 carries last season and piled up 967 yards from scrimmage and a team-high 10 touchdowns. The Cardinals also return starting quarterback Jaxon Morrison who carried his fair share in the run game as well. On his 30 carries last season, he recorded 127 yards and four touchdowns.
2023 IN REVIEW
After an 11-1, state semifinalist season in 2022, the Cardinals took a considerable step backwards in 2023 after losing a large chunk of their experience on the roster. Randolph finished the year 3-7 but struggled heavily towards the start of the campaign, losing its first three games. Their losing streak was ended momentarily with a 70-0 win over Cattaraugus-Little Valley, but the losses picked back up immediately after the win. Randolph lost its next three games before they were able to figure some things out and pick up their first consecutive wins of the season. The Cards rounded out their regular season with a big 42-26 win over Gowanda/Pine Valley and then proceeded to complete the season sweep of Panthers in a 46-35 Section 6 Class D Quarterfinal win the very next week. However, their season did not extend much further after running into No.1 seed Clymer/Sherman/Panama in the Class D Semifinal, falling to the Wolfpack by a score of 31-7.
Connor Braley Wyatt Weaver Baker Huntington
because the Steelers played a lot of backup quarterbacks and bad offenses, but the unit has not proven it can slam the door in playoff games against the best teams in a long time. They lost to the Bills 31-17 in the first round of the playoffs last season, and a big reason was that they couldn’t stop the Bills at critical points in the game.
In fact, they allowed the Bills to drive 70 yards late to clinch the win, and Josh Allen threw for three touchdown passes in that game. It was the fifth consecutive playoff game in which the Steelers gave up 30-plus points and the fifth time in a row they were almost powerless against the opposing offense.
That’s what needs to change this season if the Steelers are going to break this drought of winning playoff games. The Steelers have not
won a playoff game in seven consecutive seasons, and while there are many reasons for that, the biggest in my mind is that the defense has come up small and has not been elite in the playoffs.
And that brings me back to this year’s defense and why I don’t think that there can anymore excuses as to why they aren’t truly elite. As I wrote, the bulk of the Steelers’ salary cap space is being spent on that side of the ball, and the team’s biggest stars (and highest-paid players) are there, as well.
Beyond that, though, the Steelers have filled a major hole in the middle of their defense at inside linebacker with the additions of Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson. That makes two playmakers in the middle of the defense who, along with Elandon Roberts, should give
the Steelers one of the best group of inside linebackers in the NFL.
That has been a sore spot almost since Ryan Shazier got injured, but it should be a strength of this unit. And Wilson is one of the most exciting young players in the NFL, and I do believe he will be an impact player even as a rookie.
Joey Porter Jr. arrived in the second half of last season and looks like he could be the best cornerback they have had in more than a decade. He is a lockdown corner who is capable of taking away half the field on his own, and that is something the Steelers haven’t had in a long time.
Combine that with the Steelers pass rush, and it feels a lot like this could be the most dominant Steelers
defense since the era of the Super Bowl teams from 2004-10 led by guys like James Harrison and Troy Polamalu.
The Steelers need to find a corner to play opposite Porter, but for the most part, there is no glaring hole in the defense and no reason to believe they can’t (finally) live up to the hype and the cost. And if they do that the Steelers could finally get back to the business of winning playoff games regardless of what the offense does or doesn’t do.
It is fun to talk about the offense, but if the Steelers are who they claim they are, the defense will have to be elite and lead them where they want to go.
RANDOLPH CARDINALS
SALAMANCA WARRIORS
QUICK HITS
COACH PLAYERS TO WATCH SCHEDULE
9/6 – 7 p.m. – Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/ Brocton
9/13 – 7 p.m. – Portville
9/20 – 7 p.m. – at Southwestern
9/27 – 7 p.m. – at Fredonia
10/4 – 7 p.m. – Silver Creek/Forestville
10/11 – 7 p.m. – at Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/ Maple Grove
10/18 – 7 p.m. – at Randolph
10/25 – 7 p.m. – Eden/North Collins
Chad Bartoszek (6th year, 31-15, 12th total, 72-31)
Salamanca lost some key pieces to graduation after last season. Quarterback Jaxson Ross, wide receivers Lucus Brown and Carmine Hoag, running back Joshua Auman and lineman Keegan Hardy just to name a few. But on the bright side, the Warriors return a lot of key talent as they prepare to defend their Section 6 Class C and NYSPHSAA Far-West Regional titles. Three-year quarterback Maddox Isaac, wide receiver Cory Holleran, fullback Zach Trietley and lineman Warrick Kyler have been given the nod by last year’s Big 30 football Coach of the Year Chad Bartoszek as leaders for this upcoming season.
2023 IN REVIEW
Last season proved to be one of the most historic years for the Salamanca football program. For the first time in over two decades, the Warriors claimed the Section 6 Class C title, swiped the NYSPHSAA Far-West Regional crown and made the trip to the NYSPHSAA Semifinal where they eventually fell to Section 4 Champions Waverly. But while Salamanca’s season ended on a magical run, it did not start off that way. In their first game of the year, the Warriors fell to Class D’s Franklinville/Ellicottville in a non-league fixture. Salamanca managed to adjust and won their next four games before falling to yet another Class D powerhouse in Clymer/Sherman/Panama — their last loss of the season until the state semifinal.
Maddox Isaac Cory Holleran Zach Trietley
Fran Brown’s arrival lifts expectations in Syracuse for a brighter Orange future
By MARK FRANK Associated Press
SYRACUSE (AP) — Expectations are growing in Syracuse, where Orange football is undergoing a fresh start under Fran Brown, who is already cashing in on his reputation as one of the nation’s top recruiters.
Hired in December to replace Dino Babers, the former Georgia defensive backs coach has persuaded key players to stay put and assembled the program’s highest-rated recruiting class since rankings have been compiled. He also lured a group of high-profile transfers, including former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord and ex-Texas A&M defensive lineman Fadil Diggs.
“I want to make sure that Syracuse gets back to where they belong, where it was,” Brown said. “You’re going back to Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, Floyd Little, Larry Csonka, all those guys that played. I want to get back to those same eras. You had (quarterback) Donavan McNabb, (receiver)
Marvin Harrison, (defensive end) Dwight Freeney, (safety) Donovin Darius. All those guys are important to me.”
The Orange faltered under Babers, who was never able to recreate the success he enjoyed during a 10-3 finish in 2018. He was fired one game short of completing his eighth season, and finished with a 41-55 record, and 20-45 in conference play.
A first-time head coach, Brown has several important, high-impact players who can help the Orange surpass the modest expectations of ACC media members who picked them to finish 12th in the 17-team conference.
The offense has a chance to be dynamic under McCord, a former five-star recruit who threw for 3,170 yards, 24 touchdowns and just six interceptions for the Buckeyes in 2023. His surprising choice of Syracuse gave Brown and the program an immediate shot of adrenaline.
Key returnees include running back LeQuint Allen (1,064 rushing yards and nine touchdowns), a second-team All-ACC pick last season.
SALAMANCA WARRIORS
Another is All-ACC preseason tight end Oronde Gadsden II who returns after a season-ending Lisfranc injury and is expected to be one of McCord’s top receiving targets. And then there’s slot receiver/returner Trebor Pena, who was limited to one game last year due to injury.
They’re joined by highly touted freshman running back Yasin Willis, and transfer wide receivers Jackson Meeks and Zeed Haynes (both from Georgia) and Justus Ross-Simmons (Colorado State).
If the offensive line, bolstered by 6-foot-8, 340-pound transfer Savion Washington (Colorado) does its job, this could be a fun offense to watch.
“Yeah, I think we’ll be dynamic I think at every single position, offensive line, tight end, receiver,” McCord said. “We have a lot of great weapons. I’m excited to get going.”
plethora of weapons, is critical. The line has size on its side, averaging 6-foot-5, 313 pounds.
Staying upright
Ryan Nassib is the last Syracuse quarterback to play in every game (2012). If McCord goes down, the Orange face a drop-off in experience. Unproven returnee Carlos Del Rio-Wilson is joined by transfer Michael Johnson Jr. and freshman Jakhari Williams.
Flag day
Syracuse has been among the nation’s leaders in penalties. The Orange led the nation with 105 penalties in 2022. Last year, only nine teams had more penalties than the 95 committed by Syracuse.
Hot starts, slow finishes
The Orange’s final two seasons under Babers followed a similar pattern. Last year, the Orange opened 4-0 before going 2-7, including a 45-0 loss to South Florida in the Boca Raton Bowl under interim coach Nunzio Campanile. In 2022, Syracuse turned a 6-0 start into a 7-6 finish, ending with a 28-20 loss to Minnesota in the Pinstripe Bowl.
The schedule
The strength of Syracuse’s defense, which shifts to a 4-2-5 scheme under first year-defensive coordinator Elijah Robinson, lies in its linebacking and secondary groups. All-ACC preseason linebacker Marlowe Wax returns after fears he was leaving for the NFL. Also back are safety Justin Barron and defensive backs Alijah Clark, Jayden Bellamy, Devin Grant, Jaeden Gould and Duce Chestnut, who returns to the Orange after a year at LSU.
Other notables include Diggs, freshman lineman KingJoseph Edwards and first-year corner Marcellus Barnes Jr.
Protecting McCord
Dual-threat quarterbacks Eric Dungey and Garrett Shrader have been able to mask inconsistent line play in recent years. Protecting McCord, a traditional pocket passer, and giving him time to get the ball to his
Syracuse opens against Ohio on Aug. 31 and could get off to a fast start playing its first four games at home. The Orange have the easiest schedule among Power Four schools, according to the ESPN Football Power Index, and doesn’t have to face Clemson, Florida State and North Carolina. Pivotal games against NC State, Virginia Tech and the season finale Nov. 30 against Miami at home will determine just how successful Brown’s inaugural season will be.
SMETHPORT HUBBERS
COACH PLAYERS TO WATCH SCHEDULE
QUICK HITS
8/24 – 3 p.m.– Lucas (Ohio)
8/30 - 7 p.m. - Port Allegany
9/6 - 7 p.m. - Sheffield
9/13 - 7 p.m.- at Cameron County
9/20 - 7 p.m. - Bucktail
9/27 - 7 p.m.- at Coudersport
10/4 - 7 p.m. - Bradford
10/11 - 7 p.m. - at Otto-Eldred
10/18 - 7 p.m. - Cameron County
10/25 - 7 p.m. - at Brockway
Eric Rees (First year)
Smethport is looking to turn the tide in 2024 under the direction of first-year head coach Eric Rees. The Hubbers have a combined 3-15 record over the last two season, including 2-7 in 2023. Rees will have head coaching experience on his staff, including longtime coach Mark Morelli, who has been at Cameron County and Ridgway before most recently serving as the head coach at Warren. Jonah Ganoe returns at running back after averaging 5.9 yards per carry in 2023, scoring seven touchdowns, amassing 693 yards and also making 58 stops from his linebacker spot. The Hubbers return six starters - Ganoe, Owen Rounsville, Boe Kirkman, Alex Yeager and Zach Hungiville, as well as two additonal lettrwinners in Rylan Shileds and Clayton Kiser. The Hubbres had a bye week due to the ECC co-op in Week 1, but picked up a home game against Lucas (Ohio), which will make the 256-mile 4-plus hour trip to Smethport on Aug. 24.
2023 IN REVIEW
It was a tough season for the Hubbers, going 2-7, but they did earn a 33-26 win over District 9 semifinalist Coudersport, as well as a 14-6 win over Kane to close the season. Rounsville had 43 tackles, while Kirkman had 42 tackles, seven of which came for loss. The 33 points scored against Coudersport were a season-high.
Zach Hungiville Clayton Kiser
Boe Kirkman
WELLSVILLE LIONS
COACH PLAYERS TO WATCH SCHEDULE
9/6 – 7 p.m. – Pembroke
9/13 – 7 p.m. – Thomas A. Edison
9/20 – 7 p.m. – at Bolivar-Richburg
9/27 – 7 p.m. – Frewsburg
10/4 – 7 p.m. – at Allegany-Limestone
10/18 – 7 p.m. – Holley
10/25 – 7 p.m. – at Pembroke
11/1 – 7 p.m. – Red Jacket
(2nd year, 2-5)
QUICK HITS
Wellsville has plenty of experience to rely on as it looks to take a step forward in coach Tim Keenan’s second year. The Lions will look for success from their returning quarterback, Brennen Geffers, and top receiver, senior Jayvontay Howard, from 2023. Geffers, now a junior, threw for 1,053 yards (nine touchdowns) and ran for 329 more (three touchdowns) last fall. Also bringing starting experience to the huddle are senior Terrence Benz and juniors Derek Coleman, Jack Davis, Trenton Green, Xander Outman and Matt Ritter. Wellsville is set to play an eight-game schedule across nine weeks, starting with two straight home games, including a season-opening challenge from state champion Pembroke.
2023 IN REVIEW
The Lions struggled to find consistency in 2023, their third at the eight-man level and first under new coach Tim Keenan. But they won their season opener, a 28-26 thriller against C.G. Finney/Northstar Christian. Bolivar-Richburg, Allegany-Limestone and Red Jacket handed Wellsville three consecutive losses, however. But the Lions bounced back with a 22-14 victory against Holley. It was the last time Wellsville would win in ‘23, though the Lions’ offense heated up in losses to Pembroke, 71-42, and Caledonia-Mumford/Byron-Bergen, 42-24, derailed in both games on the defensive side, finishing the year 2-5.
Jayvontay Howard Brennen Geffers Derek Coleman
Tim Keenan
LIVES
TRANSFORMING LIVES
Reimagining Orthopaedics TRANSFORMING
Reimagining
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Orthopaedics
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Orthopaedics & Physical Performance offers the region’s most highly trained specialists in bone, joint and muscle health. Offering the area’s only trauma trained surgeon & hand and wrist specialist. Providing consultation, treatment, surgery & rehab - everything you need in one convenient location.
