By HUNTER O. LYLE
WILLIAMSVILLE, NY – Battling injuries old and new, wind and weather as well as the top seeded team in their bracket, the Olean football team’s season came to an end in the Section VI Class B quarterfinals with a 42-20 loss to Williamsville South.
The Huskies ended the regular season with mixed results. After finding their stride and clinching a playoff spot with three consecutive wins, they then dropped the final two, posting a 4-4 record to earn the eighth seed. Meanwhile, the Billies were only getting hotter and hotter, winning their seven weeks in a row behind quarterback Phillip Gangi’s dynamic arm.
“(Williamsville) is so balanced. They have a thousand-yard wide receiver, their quarterback had 23 touchdowns and no interceptions and their running back is finally healthy after missing a couple games,” said Olean head coach Phil Vecchio. “We probably had a similar gameplan to Iroquois to try to take away their weapon but I guess we weren’t ready for their physicality.”
Facing a strong eastbound gale in the first night of playoff action, the Billies chose to forgo their prolific passing game in favor of gains on the ground. However, giving the ball to Amir Ceasar, they proved to be just as dangerous. Finding yards in bunches, it took less than five minutes for them to make their way into the endzone, with Ceasar getting pushed in for a four-yard score.
The Huskies countered in a mirrored attack. Losing their key receiver Mykel Rivera due to injury in Week 7, the offense largely fell on the shoulders of running back Domonick Hirliman. Although their advance was slow-going, Olean nonetheless clawed and crawled down the gridiron, with Hirliman putting his fingerprints on the ball on seven of their first eight attempts.
“Dom is just a fighter. If you could bottle Dom Hirliman, you’d be a really good football team. He’s just got such a good heart and plays with such passion and energy” said Vecchio. “He’s just a wonderful, special kid tonight and he was tough tonight.”
Ultimately forced into a second-and-11, the Huskies’ first drive dried up on the Billies’ 31-yard line as three consecutive passes missed their mark. Williamsville in turn marched up the field again, covering 78 yards, including gaining 24-yards on a fourth-and-four, as they added another seven points to their side of the scoreboard. Gangi connected with Connor Duggan for the final eight yards into the endzone.
Initiated by a strong kick return from Hunter Silvis, the Huskies found a response in their second drive. Beginning on the Billies’ 40-yard-line, Olean continued to lean on Hirliman as he carried his team closer and closer to the endzone. Converting on both a third-and-11 and two fourth downs during the drive, quarterback Joe Mest would bring the Huskies to the goal line with a four yard scramble before Hirliman put them on the board with a one-yard touchdown.
Unfortunately for the Huskies, however, their one step forward was preceded by two steps backwards.
Williamsville reached the endzone for a third time in just six snaps, with Tommy Collins catching a 21-yard touchdown pass to give the Billies’ a two-score margin once again. Then, kicking off with less than a minute to go in the half, they forced an Olean fumble, snubbing any and all of the Huskies’ new-found momentum going into the intermission.
To make matters worse for Olean, the Billies’ potency failed to dissipate during the break. Instead, their confidence and aggression grew, emboldened to put the finishing touches on the night.
Despite avoiding their first three-and-out of the evening with a 13-yard gain from Hirliman, Olean’s offense was pushed off the field in just three minutes of play. Taking over, Williamsville’s Ceasar bashed his way through traffic, shrugging off defenders as he continued to break through tackles and come away with double-digit yards. Scoring his second touchdown of the game, Caesar increased the margin to 28-7.
“I didn’t think (Ceasar) was at that level of physicality. Our first guy never brought him down I don’t think all night,” said Vecchio. “Him breaking tackles, they’re already multi-dimension, now when you get aggressive towards the run, that opens up the passing game.”
While Olean managed to respond sooner rather than later, with Mest connecting with Dom Myers for a 39-yard reception on the Huskies’ second snap, Williamsville doubled down with two more touchdowns on their next two drives, all but sealing the final outcome.
Facing reserves, the Huskies tagged one more score onto their 2025 resume late in the fourth quarter. After a 36-yard completion to Myers on a fourth-and-25, Olean entered the redzone for the third time of the evening. Mest carried the Huskies over the goal line with a 15-yard touchdown two plays later. However, the effort came in vain. As the final minutes drained off the clock, Olean season came to a close.
Getting the ball 24 times, Hirliman ended with 117 rushing yards and one touchdown. Mest finished with 29 rushing yards while recording 131 passing yards as he completed eight of his 18 attempts downfield, three of which came to Myers for 94 receiving yards and one touchdown.
As the Huskies’ season comes to an end, so do the football careers of their 12 seniors, most of which have been a part of the Red and Gold for four years. After seeing these familiar faces grow and mature, Vecchio took one last moment on the field together to show his appreciation for all the work they put into being Huskies.
“We all told the guys how proud of them we were. We want our guys to be good people, not just good football players and I think we played the game the right way and it started with that group of senior leaders,” said Vecchio. “Joe (Mest) was in the weight room every morning for four years. Finn Caya and Calvin Williams and Mike Ellman and Dom Hirliman and all these guys are just awesome guys. I’d be proud if they were my sons.”
