East falls into early hole, loses to Whitesboro in state football semifinals

CICERO — The light snowfall that sprinkled the field during East/World of Inquiry's Class A state semifinal symbolized not only the end of autumn, it mirrored the end of the Eagles' remarkable fall season one win short of an unprecedented run by a Rochester City School District football program.

Whitesboro scored touchdowns during its first two offensive series, capped a comeback by East High/World of Inquiry in the first half and won the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class A semifinal 43-20 Friday night at Cicero-North Syracuse High School's Michael J. Bragman Athletic Complex.

East High/World of Inquiry was one of two Section V champions to reach a state final four round behind a record book season by quarterback Zymier Jackson. Kyle Meier, the Ivy League-bound quarterback for the Section III champions from Oneida County, was a 6-foot-3 inch, 225-pound juggernaut of a force who accounted for all six Whitesboro touchdowns.

"Our seniors put in so much work, and they started with us at such a young age. Just proud of them to where they brought this program," East co-coach Steve Flagler said. "Seeing Canandaigua celebrate last year in the sectional finals, getting back to work and taking it to the next level. They set the tone for the program in the future."

What it means

East/WOI co-coaches James Vann and Steve Flagler guided their Eagles to a 12-1 record. They entered the state semifinals unbeaten, and won the program's first Section V title since 2005. East joined Monroe as the first RCSD teams to advance this far since East and Marshall's run in 1996, but the Eagles were one win shy of becoming RCSD's first team to advance to the final. Monroe will play two-time defending Class B champion Maine-Endwell at 3 p.m. Saturday at C-NS.

"It feels good just to have everybody excited about East football," East co-coach James Vann said. "We just love our program. We love the school. We love the community, and we love the support."

Whitesboro coach Curtis Schmidt's Warriors (12-1) will advance to the NYSPHSAA Class A final against Section I's Somers at 3 p.m. on Dec. 2 at Syracuse University's JMA Wireless Dome.

Players of the game

Kyle Meier

The Dartmouth commit was unlike any player East faced all year. Meier is a strong, powerful, patient runner who's faster than he appears on film. He was Whitesboro's entire offense, and the Warriors made no qualms about running him behind Vinny Zajac's offensive line and their four blocking backs. Meier popped an 80-yard rushing touchdown on the first play of the game, and was later tripped up on a 55-yard run. Meier rushed 30 times for 221 yards and five touchdowns, and threw for 59 yards and a touchdown to Anthony Dorozynski.

Ervin Wiggins

When East/WOI needed a touchdown, the Eagles called upon their senior playmaker. Wiggins scored two touchdowns in his final game, but played a huge role in all three of East's scores. He can play any skill position, but assumes the running back in goal line packages. Jackson faked a sweep to Wiggins on fullback Quamere Reynolds' touchdown, then punched one in himself from one-yard out to cut into Whitesboro's lead, 14-12, with four minutes left before halftime. In the fourth, after Wiggins' 38-yard touchdown reception was called back for holding, he burned Rishon Joseph for a 48-yard score. Wiggins rushed for 20 yards and had 58 receiving yards. Wiggins also stood out defensively with Perrion Williams, Anthony Hampton, Clauzel Moore, Deandre Leonard and Jeremiah Tucker.

Zymier Jackson

East/WOI's senior quarterback will end his career after recording one of the most prolific passing seasons in Section V history. Unofficially, Jackson ended the season with 2,985, which placed his total short of the 3,030 yards Aquinas' Jake Zembiec threw for in 2015. Jackson's 27 touchdowns is the section's fifth highest single season total, placing him in a tie in with five other instances mostly recently done by McQuaid's John Mahar in the spring 2021 season. Jackson threw for 182 yards and a touchdown in Friday's NYS semifinal. Anthony Diaz, Kelvin Sheppard, Perrion Williams, Damari Green and Josh Chester were Jackson's targets, but the Warriors' defense pushed him out the pocket often and forced him into errant throws on the run. Jackson also rushed for 20 yards.

Football: Section V scores for 2023 season

Plays of the game

Meier's 80-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage gave the Warriors a lead they'd never relinquish. He used a QB power right up the gut and outran everyone for a 7-0 lead. To end a 14-play, 72-yard drive during the final 3:48 of the first half, Meier's QB sneak as time expired gave Whitesboro a 21-12 halftime lead.

A personal foul penalty helped the Warriors recover a squib kick to open the second half. On the ensuing drive, Meier's 22-yard touchdown pass to Dorozynski on fourth-and-two gave Whitesboro 29-12 edge with 9:39 left in the third. The Warriors scored 29 straight points to take a 43-12 lead late in the fourth.

East/WOI punched it in twice to get within two points of Whitesboro as the Eagles' defense tightened up after Whitesboro's first two touchdown drives. Reynolds scored from three yards out, and Wiggins scored a one-yard touchdown. Jackson's touchdown pass to Wiggins came too little, too late.

Sportsmanship award winners

East/WOI: Senior Ervin Wiggins.

Whitesboro: Senior Matt Brinck.

(Check back for updates to this story)

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: East's season ends with loss to Whitesboro in state football semifinals