By SPENCER BATES
BRADFORD, PA — A year after just their first Big 30 Charities Classic win since 2015, New York’s team for the 2025 affair is eager to show out as they seek to defend their title.
Last year, the Empire State was led to a 39-18 victory by Portville head coach Josh Brooks. For this year, the Big 30 committee went with another local coach to lead New York into battle, with Salamanca’s Chad Bartoszek accepting the call.
Bartoszek is coming off a historic year with the Warriors, leading them to a 13-1 season in which they scored less than 25 points in a game just once. The lone loss came in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Final to Schuylerville.
“It’s an honor, I’ve always took it as an honor to be asked,” Bartoszek said. “It’s an extra layer of duty that we have on top of our normal summer schedule, but it is one of my favorite events of the year. To me, it’s a tradition. The Big 30 is a charity event, but it’s also football, which I love, it’s family, it’s coming together. So on top of the excitement I get from it, I’m just trying to project some of that onto these kids so they get to enjoy it.”
The respect for the tradition and his love for football were big factors in him accepting the invitation to coach in the Classic. But also playing a big role in his decision-making process was the fact that he knew there were a number of players that hold a special place in his heart set to take the field for Team New York.
Of course, the presence of Maddox Isaac, Cory Holleran, Zach Trietley and other soon-to-be former Warriors led him to say yes when the Big 30 committee came calling, but so too did his connections to Franklinville/Ellicottville, where he used to coach, and its players that are ready to leave high school athletics behind.
“It’s bringing back memories, for sure,” Bartoszek said. “That was a big part of doing it this year, knowing that we’d have some (Salamanca) guys. But there’s a lot more to it. I gave the example of Bretton Blecha here, who was 10 years old when I was at F/E kicking punts to him as he was the ball boy and now he’s here as a player. … It’s pretty cool. So, on top of the specialness, it’s meeting new kids, knowing their programs, and just finding different ways to connect.”
New York quarterback Maddox Isaac (Salamanca) sends a ball downfield while New York head coach Chad Bartoszek (Salamanca) looks on. (Spencer Bates)
But the moment is not just special for the coaching staff, but for the players too as, for some, it is their final time to shine on the high school stage before moving on to the college scene, and for others, it is the last time they will ever put the pads on.
“It means a lot, it comes with a lot of pride,” Salamanca’s Isaac said. “I’ve had a lot of friends that played in this game, had a lot of family, a lot of people that don’t play the game anymore.”
Getting the opportunity to compete alongside his fellow graduated Warriors, especially after the memorable run to the state final that they had, adds to the gravity of the moment for Isaac as well.
“Being a small town kid, you would have never really thought that you’d make a run like that, and then it happening means a lot,” Isaac said. “Just being able to be with these guys brings back all the memories, all the fun that we had that year, it’s good to be around them.”
Bartoszek is set to get the best of both worlds in terms of coaching his former disciples, a sentiment not lost on him. He acknowledged how special it is to see these players from different programs, who may be more used to seeing one another in a negative light, come together on one roster with a common goal in mind: victory, in the name of their state.
“The kids you played with in this game, they go from your enemies to your friends,” Bartoszek said. “You are now one team, and you create friendships and they do last forever. I still have buddies that I played with. Everyone remembers the story of the game they played, or the big year that PA won, or New York won.”
Isaac sees just how special of an opportunity it is as well. And after getting a good look at his ranks, he’s liking what he’s seeing in terms of talent.
“It’s really interesting actually having a common enemy now, and seeing what kind of chemistry we can have, seeing how good New York (football) actually is,” Isaac said.
“I’m liking (our chances), it’s looking good. We got some good skill here. I know us Salamanca boys, we’re going to do the best we can, but we also got a ton of other dogs from other places.”
Team New York runs a drill during practice. (Spencer Bates)
According to Bartoszek, the excitement level is ever-present within his team. And now, with just a few days until they take to the field, he and his New York squad are looking to defend their title the only way they know how.
“We’re fired up,” Bartoszek said. “They’re all good, football-savvy kids, so they’re going to be ready. We’re hoping to put on a little bit of a show. Fast and physical on defense and explosive and fun on offense.”
The 2025 Big 30 Charities Classic will begin at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 2 at Bradford High School’s Parkway Field.
