Le Roy (10-0) vs. Jamestown Southwestern (10-0)
10 a.m. Saturday, at University at Buffalo
The Le Roy football team has cruised to big wins for most of the season, and then ran into its biggest challenge of the season in the Section 5 Class C finals last week in Oakfield-Alabama.
This might be an even bigger challenge as Southwestern is traditionally a very strong Class B team that has moved down to Class C this season.
The Oatkan Knights do have experience with Class B schools, beating Batavia 27-13 and Hornell 41-19.
But Southwestern has had a bigger year than either Batavia or Hornell. The Trojans are undefeated, the second-ranked team in the state (Le Roy is No. 1), has a strong defense and an amazing offense.
While we all know about Le Roy's big wins, Southwestern has many of its own, including a 44-2 win over Westfield/Ripley, 28-0 victory over Allegany-Limeston and a 42-6 win over Falconer. Falconer beat Le Roy the last time the Far West Regionals were played in Buffalo in 2006.
Westfield's last victory came in the Section 6 Class C championships with a huge defensive effort, beating Silver Creek 21-0.
The Oatkan Knights will have their hands full with the Trojan offense.
Coach Jay Sirianni is an offensive-minded coach and has the ultimate weapon in quarterback Zack Sopak. Sopak is one of three rushers that are over 600 yards rushing, but also has the ability to throw the ball.
Running backs Levi Bursch and John Mistretta are both at about the same number of yards as the quarterback.
The offense will keep the defense guessing.
“Our line does different things on different plays and they do a great job up front and it just opens holes for our backs,” Sopak told The Buffalo News after winning the sectional title, the second for the program.
2004 is the only other time Southwestern has won a sectional championship, playing Hornell in the Class B Far West Regionals. You can find a complete history of the Far West Regionals in this complete look at the history of the game.
Le Roy's offense has been spectacular all season long and will be battling a very good defense, which has not given up more than 14 points in a game this season.
Linebacker Ryan Buzzetto leads the defense with 83 tackles.
Class C offensive Player of the Year Travis Fenstermaker leads the Le Roy offense with 1,234 passing yards with 20 touchdowns and just three interceptions, with most of those passes going to Mike Humphrey, who has caught 49 balls for 747 yards and 12 scores.
Andrew Alexander will also get plenty of opportunities to run the ball, having picked up 1,466 yards and 14 touchdowns on 188 carries.
Le Roy has 14 sectional championships, and one state title. That lone championship came in 1995.
Good Luck LeRoy I know this
Good Luck LeRoy
I know this is one OA football house that will be listening and cheering for you to win this Saturday.
After that great game between
After that great game between two teams, I would hope a lot of O-A homes are pulling for them. Both squads played at their best and the game was clean and a ton of fun to watch.
You are absolutely right
You are absolutely right Hilly, that and the first OA - Pembroke game were by far the best football games I have ever seen. Leroy is an awesome football program and the fact that our Hornets stayed with them is fantastic. My son and I are going to be listening to WBTA and yelling for the Knights to hand Southwestern their first loss.