Khaya Moses sets Section V record but Monroe's perfect season ends in state semifinals

CICERO — Monroe had arguably the best football program in New York State on the ropes.

The Red Jackets' quest to becoming the first Rochester City School District football program to play for a New York State Public High School Athletic Association championship was theirs for the taking. Record-setting quarterback Khaya Moses drove into Maine-Endwell's territory in the final moments with a chance to take the lead.

Section IV power Maine-Endwell proved its prestige, making just enough plays to hold on to a 29-24 win over Monroe in the NYSPHSAA Class B semifinals Saturday at Cicero-North Syracuse High School's Michael J. Bragman Athletic Complex.

Monroe coach Terrell Cunningham's team completed what the set out to do after their last-second loss to Batavia in the 2022 section final. They quickly became the Section V favorite in 2023 behind a generational defense. Monroe overcame their first deficit of the season in the NYS final four, climbing out of a 14-0 hole by scoring 18 straight points as Nahzier Wilson's defense adjusted to M-E's speed.

Maine-Endwell, a high school football team working on winning a third consecutive state championship, used its wishbone running game to hold off Section V champion Monroe. Monroe led 18-14 at halftime, but two touchdown drives and a safety in the second half extended the Spartans' (12-0) winning streak to 34 games.

"All we wanted to do was to have an opportunity to get to this point," Cunningham said. "As a program and as a team, we put in the work and now we know what it takes to get to this level."

What it means

Monroe coach Terrell Cunningham's Red Jackets ended the season 11-1. As for Moses, his three touchdown performance gave him sole possession of the Section V single season passing touchdowns record with 38, and the Red Jackets thrived behind a cluster of Division I prospects.

The recently resurged Monroe program won its first Section V championship since coach John Anderson guided Monroe to a title in 1979. They joined East/World of Inquiry as the first RCSD teams to advance to the state semifinals since East and Marshall in 1996. In 2022, the Red Jackets lost to Batavia in the final seconds of the Section V Class B final, but unleashed a wrath in 2023 by outscoring teams by 472 points through their 11-0 start. They recorded eight shutouts, went over two months without allowing a touchdown, scored 70 points twice, and won game by forfeit.

Maine-Endwell coach Matt Gallagher's Spartans (12-0) will advance to the Class B state championship game for the third straight season. They'll play Westchester County's Section I champion Rye on Sunday, Dec. 3 inside the JMA Wireless Dome at Syracuse University. The Spartans are seeking an eighth NYS championship, which would tie Aquinas for the most state titles during the 30-year-old tournament. Cunningham called Maine-Endwell a "premiere program".

"Sometimes you can do everything right and still not be successful on the scoreboard," Cunningham said. "For me, I've always believed football is a microcosm of life, and I hope my seniors that are going to be graduating are going to be going on to their future endeavors understanding that sometimes you can do everything you're supposed to do and still not come out in the end. But at the end of the day, as long as you continue to work hard and do what you're supposed to do, you'll always be successful."

Top players

Amari Colon

Moses has a "Ring Around the Rosie" receiver corps, but senior Amari Colon was the most "electrifying" player on the field Saturday. He was unguardable in one-on-one coverage, and was shifty on on his rushing attempts. Colon rushed for a first down on fake punt, but the play was called back for illegal motion. Colon accounted for over 208 total yards and three total touchdowns, finishing with 165 yards and two touchdowns receiving while adding a 43 rushing yard, which included a 41-yard touchdown run that made it a 27-24 game with 11:50 left in the fourth.

"We have guys who are fast, we have guys who are quick, but this kid is the most electrifying kid in Section V. We just gave him the platform to show what he can do," Cunningham said.

Colon's 13 receiving touchdowns puts him in a three-way tie for the sixth-highest single season total in Section V history. His teammate, sophomore Messiah Hampton, is one of them. Hampton made plays despite facing being doubled. His two-point conversion that would've have made it a one-point game in the fourth was called incomplete, but his foot clearly came down inbounds. Hampton has received Division I interest since his freshman season. He was awarded the Section V Class B co-Player of the Year earlier this month.

"He's hand down the best receiver at his young age, 15 years old, in New York State. And I stand on that," Cunningham.

Khaya Moses

Monroe's senior signal caller stamped his name as one of Section V's passing kings. His 38 passing touchdowns broke the Section V single season record previously held by Aquinas' Jake Zembiec (2015) and Penn Yan's Will Rogers (2018). The seven touchdowns Moses threw at Wayne on Oct. 14 is the second most ever in an NYS game.

Moses was efficient, completing 15 of 26 passes for 260 yards, connecting with Colon, Hampton, Landon McKnight and Styhles McKenzie-Baker. He threw two interceptions, but he still put the Red Jackets in position to win the game before their final drive stalled at M-E's 41 with 1:29 remaining. Cunningham called Moses "relentless" and was pleased with his development after putting Monroe on the map with consecutive Section V finals.

"Khaya's a resilient young man. He came into our program as a young man who just wanted a chance. He had always been counted out, and people didn't always see the talent and the skill set in which he had. Sometimes he was often overlooked," Cunningham said.

Monroe's defense

Senior middle linebacker Nahzier Wilson's defense played well enough to win the game. Fellow linebackers Robert Arnold and Jermaine Montgomery kept M-E's thorough wishbone offense to 21 points. Arnold — the state's sacks leader — recovered two fumbles. Amaire Thompson thought he recovered a fumble that eventually was called incomplete. Nahum Perry-Huggins, Jahcure Maxam, Dashon Constantine and Arnold have combined for over 50 sacks.

Hampton, McKenzie-Baker, Terrance Nichols and Tahjmir Mullins are turnover machines and will all return to the defensive backfield next fall. M-E only passed four times, but they all contributed to stuffing the run. Wilson and Hampton made a goal line stop down 14-0 in the first.

Jaden Branch

Maine-Endwell's junior running back is a diesel, powerful running back who dictated the game with his dives. He rushed for 94 yards and a touchdown. Vincent Mancini rushed for two scores on misdirection plays. But the stinger was quarterback Austyn Nyschot. His sweeps were timely, fooling the defense on rushes of 29, 20 and 25 yards, and converted a fourth-and-one QB sneak late in the game, finishing with 85 yards on four carries behind Adam DeSantis' offensive line.

"They never wavered," Cunningham said about the Spartans. "They stayed consistent and they did what they do and ultimately they came out on top today."

Top plays

Moses' record-breaking touchdown pass to Colon was a 58 yarder. Monroe trailed 14-12 and faced a fourth-and-nine from their own 42 in the second quarter. Moses took a hard hit but floated a perfect pass to Colon, who burned his defender downfield for the fingertips catch, and broke a tackle around the 20 and an 18-12 lead.

Maine-Endwell's defense won the game with two plays. Tyler Mathews returned an interception for the game's first touchdown. In the fourth, TJ Serkiz forced a safety that not only gave M-E a 29-24 lead, it allowed the offense to drain the clock.

Sportsmanship award winners

Monroe: Nazhier Wilson.

Maine-Endwell: Joseph Maraski.

Monroe's future looks bright with the likes of Hampton, Mullins, McKenzie-Baker, Nichols and Montgomery returning. Cunningham sad players moving up from junior varsity haven't lost a game. Monroe's NYSPHSAA tournament run was unprecedented, but it made them hungry for more.

"I truly intend on being back here next year," Cunningham said.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Monroe's quest for perfection ends against Maine-Endwell in semifinals