By HUNTER O. LYLE
oleanstar@gmail.com
BUFFALO, NY – Through eight regular season games, two postseason contests and finally a Section VI Class C Championship game, the Salamanca football team couldn’t be touched. Walking into Highmark Stadium the Warriors were undefeated and the only thing that changed on their way out was they were also back-to-back champions, beating Portville 40-14.
While it might have seen borderline impossible after the regular season ended, Salamanca has only gotten more dominant in the postseason. In the first round, they smashed No. 7 Cleveland Hills 49-12 before eviscerating Medina 50-7 in the semifinals. Making it to the championship game for the second year in a row, the Warriors faced a familiar opponent in the Panthers, who had given the Warriors the closest contest through eight weeks of the regular season.
“The nerves I have for a game like this, (our guys) alleviate all of them because they continuously show up to play football this year,” said Salamanca head coach Chad Bartoszek. “They have a determination that they are not going to let us fail. Our leaders take over.”
Entering the postseason bracket as the eighth seed, Portville had a tough assignment in the opening round: No. 1 Newfane. However, completing a late-game comeback to upset Newfane, the Panthers gained steam to then take down No. 4 Chautauqua Lake.
The feeling out process for both teams took a couple possessions. Missing their star receiver Aidan DeFazo to an injury sustained in the quarterfinals, Portville searched for gaps as they attempted to strong-arm the run game with Maxx DeYoe. Ultimately unsuccessful against the Warriors’ front line, they were forced off the field after taking four minutes off the clock, but were able to counter with a three-and-out stop on Salamanca’s initial drive.
Retaliating by stunting the Panthers’ second drive of the game in just three snaps, the Warriors locked in. Returning the punt into the redzone, Salamanca would find the endzone just two plays later. Maddox Isaac would call his own number for an 18-yard yard carry for seven points.
Needing to cut the Warriors’ momentum short, the Panthers chunked out yards in small bunches. Tasking DeYoe with the majority of the offensive load, Portville relentlessly gave him the ball as they slowly marched towards the end zone. As their drive bled into the second quarter, Portville handed DeYoe the ball for a two-yard score. However, their attempt at a 2-point conversion were dashed by a swarm of red defenders in the backfield. After all the work it took to get downfield, the Panthers still found themselves behind on the scoreboard.
The Panthers’ defense proved to be sturdy enough to stop the Warriors once again – along with a decisive holding penalty and tackle for loss – and just over a minute after their score, they had the ball once again. After three snaps without a first down, Portville stared down a fourth-and-one from their own 18. Choosing to go for their second big risk of the game, their boldness failed to move the chains, giving Salamanca prime field position. On the next play, Xavier Peters ran the ball in for another seven points.
“We talked to our assistant and asked what they thought. Everyone’s answer was ‘we didn’t come here to lose,’” said Portville head coach Josh Brooks. “If we can’t get a one-yard fourth-and-one, we knew it would be tough to win the game anyway. So, we didn’t execute there at all, we missed two assignments and it didn’t work out. It was a huge change in the game but we needed to find a way to get some momentum and Salamanca took advantage.”
After their gamble, everything seemed to go wrong for the Panthers. Unable to put together a first down in their final two drives in the half, they would watch as the gap on the scoreboard grew once more with a 48-yard run from Issaac and a successful 2-point conversion, putting the Warriors up 19-6
Salamanca would double-down in the second half. Getting the ball on their own 38-yard line, the Warriors would switch to the air, with Issac connecting with Cory Holleran for a 60-yard touchdown pass on their second snap. Then on defense, Holleran would step up again for an interception that put the Warriors just 13 yards away from another score. Peters would clear that distance for his second touchdown of the night immediately after.
Meanwhile, Portville was still searching for answers. Even though they would find steady advances down field, they could never get over the final hump and into the endzone – exemplified by a fourth-and-goal pass from the eleven-yard-line that ended just inches shy of the endzone.
With the game all but decided, Salamanca would tag on one final score with a 29-yard rush from Isaac, his third touchdown of the night. Facing a looming defeat and running clock, Portville would earn a symbolic victory with a score in the final minute. Making it to the goal line, DeYoe charged through the trenches for one-yard and seven points. Three kneels later and the Warriors hoisted the Section VI trophy, defending their throne as the undisputed, undefeated champions.
“The pride in this community and in our district is something special. I’m so glad I can be a representation of Salamanca football and Salamanca athletics,” said Bartoszek. “I’m proud to be here, I’m proud to be out in front of this but really this a reflection of our community.”
For Salamanca, Issac ended with 118 rushing yards on nine carries for three scores, also completing three of his six passes for 73 yards. Peters ended with 70 rushing yards on seven attempts while Holleran tallied 73 receiving yards on seven targets.
Portville’s DeYoe carried the ball 34 times throughout the game, totaling 130 rushing yards and two scores. Eli Sleggs threw the ball 18 times, completing 11 of them for 73 yards.
“Proud is an understatement. Our kids fought hard, we just played a really good football team but we played them in the Section VI championship game,” said Brooks. “Our kids overcame adversity all year. Everyone wrote them off but they kept fighting. We lost to a better football team tonight and that’s okay. You’re going to face that in life and you tip your hat, you move on. Good luck to Salamanca going forward.”
While the Panthers’ season comes to an end, Salamanca will continue on to the Far-West Regional against Section V champions. Their opponent will be decided on Saturday, when Le Roy/Caledonia-Mumford takes on East Rochester/Gananda.
“I’m having trouble processing it right now because I think the day-to-day this year has been with such a high expectation,” said Bartoszek. “I don’t want to say there’s a relief because these guys want more. Last year there was a bit of a ‘whoof we made it.’ This year, these guys just want more.”
