McQuaid caps frantic comeback with lateral in OT: Section V's top games from Saturday

Monroe quarterback Khaya Moses put on one of the most prolific passing performances in New York state history during Saturday's 48-0 win at Wayne.

Moses threw seven touchdown passes to improve coach Terrell Cunningham's Red Jackets to 6-0. Moses' mark is a new Monroe record, and is the second-most touchdowns thrown in a single game in New York State Public High School Athletic Association and Section V history.

A Monroe senior, Moses joined Aquinas' Tyler Szalkowski, Penn Yan's Will Rogers and Newark's Shawn Mizzo for second place in the section's record book. Geneva quarterback Shane Sweeney's eight touchdown passes in 2012 remains the Section V record. Across the state, only four other players have ever thrown eight touchdowns in a game, and at least 20 have thrown for seven.

Center Nahum Perry-Huggins' linemen kept pockets clean for Moses to complete 11 of 22 passes for 175 yards. Sophomore Messiah Hampton, a Division I prospect, had the highlight, leaping over a defender to reel in a 40-yard touchdown reception for a 40-0 halftime lead. Hampton caught three touchdowns. Amari Colon and Landon McKnight each caught two touchdowns.

"Honestly, I give credit to them and the line for making my job easier. I just got to give them the ball in space and let them work," Moses said.

Section V's top performances Saturday: Monroe QB throws 7 TD passes, second most in state history

Monroe linebacker Nazhier Wilson's defense recorded a fifth straight shutout. The Red Jackets caused five turnovers to gift Moses' offense short fields. They stopped a Wayne (4-2) red zone possession late in the fourth to preserve the clean sheet. Monroe is outscoring opponents by an astounding 324-6 margin. The lone touchdown was during a 54-6 win at Honeoye Falls-Lima to open the season Sept. 8.

"In my opinion we have the best set of skills in New York state," Cunningham said. "Our guys have high IQs, and are high level Division I, FBS, FCS football players. The struggle we have many times is making sure everyone has a chance to eat. We have so many guys who can make plays from anywhere on the field.

"We have arguably the most highly recruited receiver out of Section V in I don't know how long, and he's only a sophomore. ... We simply harp to Khaya, 'Just get those guys the football and let them guys make you look great.'"

McQuaid 32, Brighton 31 (OT)

The Knights (7-0) escaped on quarterback Will DiMarco's game-winning two-point conversion. Running back John Harding was stuffed behind the line of scrimmage. However, before forward progress was called, Harding tossed a lateral to DiMarco, who raced to the pylon and barely crossed the goal line to win the game.

Coach Bobby Bates' Knights overcame a 10-point deficit with 2:09 remaining in regulation. DiMarco engineered a 58-yard touchdown drive in 34 seconds. Harding split out wide and toe-tapped an 18-yard touchdown reception inside the right pylon to help tie Brighton (4-3) at 24 with 62 seconds left in the fourth.

In overtime, Tyler Martinovich's 25-yard pass to Matthew Heininger gave coach Steve Lian's Bruins a 31-24 lead before Harding's six-yard rushing touchdown set up the winning two-point conversion.

Rush-Henrietta 33, Edison Tech 25

The Royal Comets won their first game of the season behind Jihad Perry's 145-yard, three-touchdown performance. Rush-Henrietta coach Joe Montesano's Comets improved to 1-6. Anthony Johnson threw for 302 yards and three touchdowns for Edison Tech (0-7).

Lyons/Sodus 26, Haverling 21

The Rams (4-3) trailed by 14 points late in the third before scoring the game's next 19 points. Devyn Williams scored a two-yard quarterback sneak to take the lead with 2:13 remaining.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Section V football: Top games from Saturday Oct. 14 2023