Developments in Section V football and a standout athlete narrows his college choice

Marquel Slaughter and James Johnson
·4 min read

Greetings Section V sports fans,

We can feel it in the air. The fall football season is fast approaching. And you know what that means. Our annual tour around area football teams has begun with articles that feature what you need to know for each squad. We will continue that tour over the next week with stories publishing every weekday. We hope you are following along.

Meanwhile, here are a few other things moving around Section V you may be interested in:

Track star announces top 5 schools

East Rochester's Manuel Sepulveda competes in the triple jump during the 2022 NYSPHSAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Syracuse on Friday, June 10, 2022.
East Rochester's Manuel Sepulveda competes in the triple jump during the 2022 NYSPHSAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Syracuse on Friday, June 10, 2022.

Manny Sepulveda has narrowed down his college choices.

The East Rochester/Gananda multi-sport star is currently preparing for his senior season of football. But the triple jump state champion appears to be headed the track and field route after announcing his top five schools August 15 on Twitter.

All five schools are Division I programs: State University at Buffalo, Rutgers, Baylor, Monmouth and Holy Cross.

Sepulveda is a three-time All-Greater Rochester track and field first teamer and broke nine team and league records in the spring. He was also an AGR small school first team selection in football after leading the Bombers to a Section V Class C title in the 2021 fall season.

8-man football update

Red Jacket's 8-man football team, as the squad runs on to the field during pre-game for a matchup against Pembroke in 2021.
Red Jacket's 8-man football team, as the squad runs on to the field during pre-game for a matchup against Pembroke in 2021.

Hold on, for anyone who wants the upcoming Section V Football 8-man game schedule.

There is a decent chance the number of 8-man teams in the sections grows to eight. There is a team on the fence on whether to play 11-man or 8-man football in 2022.

Frewsburg, who was the No. 1 seed in last season's Section V 8-man Football Tournament, has committed to Section VI 11-man football.

So, who may be joining the 8-man teams?

"(School district officials) don’t want their name to come out because they are afraid kids won’t show up (to official preseason practices).”

Week 1 of the Section V Football regular season is Sept. 2-3.

The first Section V 8-man Football season was 2018. There have been 15 teams which have been in the 8-man group at one point during the five seasons, including this fall.

“It’s a good way to help salvage the program, if you don‘t have the numbers (for 11-man)," Marchand said. "You go back up (when the team is ready).”

Section V Baseball Hall of Fame

Brian Dupra, pitcher for Greece Athena, was the All-Greater Rochester Player of the Year for baseball in 2007.
Brian Dupra, pitcher for Greece Athena, was the All-Greater Rochester Player of the Year for baseball in 2007.

The newest members of the Section V Baseball Hall of Fame, who were inducted in a ceremony at Frontier Field, the location of all biography plaques:

  • Pat Atwell (Andover High): A four-time Allegany County league all-star, Most Valuable Player as a junior in 1978, had a .485 batting average and a 17-9 pitching record.

  • Jim Billitier (contributor): An umpire in the sport for almost 60 years, including the first Class A state tournament final. Edison graduate also was Section V rules interpreter for more than 40 years. This is the fourth hall of fame he has been welcomed into.

  • Billy Bowe (Canandaigua): Teams he coached won three Section V championships and 240 games from 1990-2004. Coach of the 2006 sectional champion at McQuaid.

  • Matt Dryer (McQuaid): A 1997 USA TODAY High School All-American as a high school junior. Two-time all-state team member played for 2001 national college champion team at University of Miami and was drafted by two Major League Baseball teams. Founder of Diamond Pro Baseball academy in East Rochester.

  • Brian Dupra (Greece Athena): The 2007 state Gatorade Player of the Year his senior season, when he had a 9-1 record, 0.29 earned run average, 93 strikeouts with 8 walks in 65 innings. Pitched at Notre Dame, then in the Washington Nationals pro baseball organization.

  • John Hayes (Lyndonville): Tigers won four Section V championships with the six-time class Section V Coach of the Year. Four more of the teams he coached also reached sectional finals. His record as a varsity coach, from 1968-2001, is 269-192.

  • Dennis Miles (Section V): New York State Baseball Hall of Famer coached varsity baseball for more than 40 years. Section V record-holder for sectional championships won by team (13), wins (749) and sectional final appearances (20).

MSLAUGHTER1@Gannett.com

JAMESJ@Gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Developments in Section V football and a standout athlete narrows his college choice