Maine-Endwell, Chenango Forks, Tioga brace for New York state football semifinal tests

Kevin Stevens, Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin
·4 min read

Three Section 4 teams will seek passage to New York football championship games this weekend at Cicero-North Syracuse High School — one of them chasing a state-record 13th title-game berth.

Spectators are advised to prepare for cold, snow showers and uncomfortable wind in northern Onondaga County, and to tend to ticketing responsibilities in advance.

Admission price is $10. Per the NYSPHSAA, tickets must be presented on a mobile device. Screenshots & printed tickets will not be accepted. For information go to nysphsaa.org.

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Class B

Matchup: Maine-Endwell (10-1) vs. Western New York Maritime (10-2), 3 p.m. Saturday.

State rankings: Maine-Endwell No. 1; WNY Maritime No. 2.

Quarterfinals: Maine-Endwell 48, Homer 22; WNY Maritime 26, Batavia 24.

To the winner: Final against Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk (10-2) or Pleasantville (11-0), noon Dec. 4 in Carrier Dome.

State playoff records: M-E 18-3; WNY Maritime 2-1.

Aidan McHugh from Maine-Endwell escapes the grasp of the Homer defense during the state quarterfinals.
Aidan McHugh from Maine-Endwell escapes the grasp of the Homer defense during the state quarterfinals.

Etc.: Maine-Endwell has been reinserted as the New York State Sports Writers Association’s top-ranked team after falling from that perch with a loss to Union-Endicott in Week 4 … Maine-Endwell’s semifinal berth is the program’s first since 2015, and that was the Spartans’ fifth in succession … The next opponent to hold M-E short of 35 points will be the first since Week 6 … Last weekend’s 48 points against Homer represented the Spartans’ second-highest total of 2021 … WNY Maritime has won 10 in a row since opening with losses by 16-0 and 59-0 … The charter school, located at South Park Avenue in Buffalo, has won back-to-back Section 6 Class B championships.

Maine-Endwell's path to semis: Five-touchdown second quarter powers Maine-Endwell

Class C

Matchup: Chenango Forks (10-1) vs. East Rochester/Gananda (12-0), noon Saturday.

State rankings: Forks No. 2; East Rochester/Gananda No. 3.

Quarterfinals: Forks 41, Skaneateles 28; East Rochester/Gananda 26, Medina 24.

To the winner: Final against Schuylerville (12-0) or Dobbs Ferry (11-0), 6 p.m. Dec. 3 in Carrier Dome.

State playoff records: Forks 34-12; East Rochester/Gananda 1-1.

Etc.: Chenango Forks is in pursuit of the program’s seventh state championship and state-record 13th state-final appearance … This marks a state-record 16th final four for the Devils … Senior Dubbs Haqq rushed 25 times for 230 yards and five touchdowns in the quarterfinal … Of the final four berth, Haqq said: “It feels good, especially considering we lost to Maine-Endwell the first week. It feels good that we’ve worked our butts off and it’s paying off. But we’re not done.” …

Skaneateles' Nathan Shattuck and Grayson Brunelle try to tackle Chenango Forks' Grady Stark during the Class C state quarterfinals.
Skaneateles' Nathan Shattuck and Grayson Brunelle try to tackle Chenango Forks' Grady Stark during the Class C state quarterfinals.

East Rochester/Gananda running back Chaunsey Gilbert had 100 yards on 16 carries in the quarterfinal … Medina was ranked atop Class C until the quarterfinal loss … ER/G last appeared in state playoffs in 2012 and absorbed a 35-7 quarterfinal loss from Alden … The Bombers have won their last two by a combined eight points … Since a season-opening loss to Maine-Endwell, two opponents (Highland Falls O’Neill and Skaneateles) have stayed within 20 of Chenango Forks.

Forks' path to the semis: Chenango Forks takes care of Skaneateles in Class C state quarterfinal

Class D

Matchup: Tioga Central (10-0) vs. Oakfield-Alabama/Elba (12-0), 3 p.m. Friday.

State rankings: Tioga No. 1; Oakfield/Alabama-Elba No. 2.

Quarterfinals: Tioga 50, Dolgeville 12; Oakfield-Alabama/Elba 28, Randolph 22.

To the winner: Final against Moriah (10-0) or Greenwich (11-0), noon Dec. 3 in Carrier Dome.

State playoff records: Tioga 11-7; Oakfield/Alabama-Elba 1-0 (Oakfield/Alabama was 3-2).

Gavin Godfrey from Tioga escapes the grasp of Jon Costanza from Dolgeville in the state quarterfinals.
Gavin Godfrey from Tioga escapes the grasp of Jon Costanza from Dolgeville in the state quarterfinals.

Etc.: Tioga is 10-0 for the second consecutive (full) season. … Since conclusion of the 2018 season, the Tigers have gone 26-2. … Tioga is preparing for its ninth state semifinal from 2011 to the present. ... The last semifinal win came in 2015, when the Tigers completed a 12-1 season with a state championship. … Tigers senior Emmett Woods is coming off a 322-yard, four-touchdown effort in the quarterfinal. … Oakfield-Alabama/Elba has outscored opponents by 546-139, with seven games scoring 50 or more. … Last two weekends, the team’s scoring output is down to 26 and 28, respectively.

Tioga's path to semis: Tioga Central batters Dolgeville defense in Class D state quarterfinal victory

Follow Kevin Stevens on Twitter @PSBKevin. You can also reach him at kstevens@gannett.com. To get unlimited access to the latest news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: NY high school football playoffs: M-E, Forks, Tioga aim for finals