A huge clash ahead in Class A, touching tribute at Aquinas: Notes from football playoffs

After guiding East High into another semifinal Friday, Perrion Williams empathized with Webster Schroeder.

Williams knows what it's like to lose a playoff game. In fact, his East/World of Inquiry School Eagles have fallen to Canandaigua in three of the previous four postseasons, including last year's 28-6 drubbing under torrential downpours.

There wasn't much of an East postgame celebration. Everything Williams, DeAndre Leonard, Anthony Diaz and Zymier Jackson told reporters related to the team. They didn't praise specific teammates nor did they speak down on anyone. The Eagles had a business-like approach to their postgame scrums.

East High improved to 9-0 after winning Friday's Section V Class A quarterfinal. But the Eagles would tell you they're 0-0, especially when Canandaigua awaits in the semifinals. The anticipated contest is one round earlier than normal. Williams said his team isn't ready to lose.

"We're motivated man," Williams said after a 28-14 Class A quarterfinal win. "We know exactly what it feels like to be Schroeder right now, crying and hurt because their season is over. We're not going to let that happen."

East High's 3-for-1

Jackson accounted for three touchdowns on one possession.

It was during a crucial red zone appearance with the game tied at 14. Williams and Junayde Dunn-Richardson got loose on crossing routes, but flags brought both touchdowns back.

Two plays later, Jackson used his legs to score on fourth down. He rushed into an open field without a spy in sight. No one touched Jackson until the 3-yard line, where the quarterback trucked a Schroeder defender on his 19-yard touchdown run to lead 21-14.

"I was just keeping my guys together. Not letting them get mad at themselves," Jackson said. "They kept me together too. and we all worked as a team and got it done as a team."

Schroeder's Noah Wittmer and Anthony DeRosa were the focus of East's offensive line. An East sophomore was responsible for blocking Wittmer with rare double teams. Jackson had clean pockets on his touchdown throws to Kelvin Sheppard and Anthony Diaz.

The first of Diaz's two touchdowns was officially a carry. Jackson's screen pass skipped off the grass into Diaz's hands. Officials never blew a whistle and Diaz scored on the lateral from 74 yards out.

"Good heads up play by him, knowing it was a lateral, picking it up and going," said East High's Steve Flagler, who co-coaches the Eagles with James Vann. "Everyone else kind of fell asleep when that happened, but he's a veteran leader and he's going to play to the whistle. He didn't hear a whistle so he kept going."

Aquinas honors teammate's mother

Aquinas' football team wore "JA" decals to memorialize Jasmine Adams, who died at 33 and was the mother of freshman receiver Thomas Levans III.

It was a touching tribute for Adams, who may have been a victim of domestic violence. Levans III, a freshman, almost scored a touchdown and set up a score on the other end of a Trent Buttles pass in the Irish's 24-10 Class AA quarterfinal win over Pittsford.

"Tonight my brothers helped me get the Win for my mother," Levans III said on X.com Friday night.

Pittsford coach retires

Keith Molinich retired from his head coaching post at Pittsford. He announced the news on social media Tuesday afternoon.

Molinich just finished his 17th season as Pittsford's head coach and 28th season overall within the program. This year's Panthers finished 4-5 after a Section V Class A quarterfinals loss to Aquinas. In 2022, Molinich's hindered Pittsford Panthers upset unbeaten UPrep in a gritty 6-0 semifinal victory to advance to the Class AA final.

"It was been an honor serving the Pittsford community as head football coach. To my sons and their teammates, I feel truly blessed to have coached you. Thank you to my wife Erin for being our rock and strength!," Molinich wrote on Instagram.

"I have officially retired my position as head coach and look forward to the continued success of the Pittsford football program!"

Section V notes

UPrep running back CJ Robinson's 306-yard performance came on just 14 carries. On a video posted on X.com, Robinson trucked a defender on his way into the end zone, but Alex LaBoy's crackdown on the middle linebacker and Dezmere Favor pulling into the open gap sprung one of Robinson's three touchdowns.

When's the last time you've seen a team like Monroe? Coach Terrell Cunningham's defense recorded its fifth shutout and still hasn't allowed a single point since the one touchdown the Red Jackets allowed in their opener. Their 78 points in the Class B quarterfinals was their second 70-point game of the season.

McQuaid and Canandaigua will face tough semifinals on their route to five straight Section V titles. The Knights will play rival Aquinas as Canandaigua visits East.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Section V football playoffs 2023: News and notes from first round