Nine undefeated seasons are on the line as sectional champs meet in football playoffs

The six Section V football champions have lowered their new trophies from above their heads.

How many of these teams are ready to keep playing football?

Next, for the McQuaid Knights, East High/World of Inquiry Eagles, Monroe Red Jackets, LeRoy Oatkan Knights and Canisteo-Greenwood Chargers are state quarterfinal games against the Section VI champions.

The Pembroke Dragons have earned another matchup in the 8-man state tournament against the Section III champion.

It looks as if most of the Section V champions have a steep climb to make if they want to play on.

Far West state regionals

Class AA: McQuaid (11-0) vs. Buffalo Bennett (10-0)

Saturday, 7 p.m. at Williamsville South High

Bennett has stopped McQuaid during the state quarterfinals each of the last two seasons, 26-14 in 2021 and 20-14 last season, before going on to win the state championship. The Tigers dominated the Class AA teams in the Buffalo area.

Junior quarterback Sherrard Bennard III has 13 touchdown passes and 1,349 yards among his 118 attempts overall. Bennett's ground game has produced 37 touchdowns. Ja'Meer Thomas, a senior listed as 5 feet-10 inches tall and 175 pounds, has scored 19 touchdowns. Also listed as a receiver and athlete, Thomas is Bennett's leading rusher (867) and receiver (29 catches, 615 yards). E'Ryan Lawrence, a junior with 16 touchdowns, and junior Noah McDuffie also can get to the end zone. Led by senior Nathan Earl, McQuaid's defensive line was strong last week.

Game after game, the McQuaid Knights figure out how to win, either with game plans before kickoff or adjustments during rallies. The Knights rode their running game to 45 unanswered points during a runaway win over University Prep. John Harding, who scored four rushing touchdowns against UPrep, was the player the Bennett defense zeroed in on last season. Does that mean the counter this time around involves quarterback Will DiMarco, Harding and Eion Meyer, a senior running back who scored two touchdowns last week?

Class A: East High/World of Inquiry (11-0) vs. Clarence (11-0)

Friday, 8 p.m. at Williamsville South High

This is a new area in high school football for the East/WOI Eagles, a Section V champion for the first time since 2005. The Eagles have made it this far with an offense that can strike with a variety of players and a defense that attacks with speed. Senior quarterback Zymier Jackson is the key on offense, of course. He is the team's leading rusher, has 24 touchdowns passes with 2,611 yards and turned the ball over just three times, including one fumble.

"That is an important stat to me," Eagles co-coach Steve Flagler said.

Ervin Wiggins (12), Anthony Diaz (four), Perrion Williams (three) and D'Andre Leonard (three) are among 10 Eagles with a touchdown reception. The timing of Jackson's runs have led to most of his team-high eight rushing touchdowns, and Anthony Hampton has seven.

The Clarence Red Devils can give a high school defense a lot to think about with an ability to line up and produce not only in a double-wing formation that teams can struggle to quickly prepare for, but also a more pass-friendly spread formation. David Van Horn (12 touchdowns) and Jeff Long (nine) are effective hammers in the team's running game. Both juniors have more than 600 rushing yards. Cory Cummins (a senior, eight touchdowns) and junior Patrick Wind (four) have more than 675 receiving yards, and are among six Red Devils with a touchdown catch, including senior Cole Brinkerhoff (five).

“(East High/WOI defensive players have) been great," Flagler said. "The last few weeks especially, teams try to bully us. We’ve given up yards, but when we need to get stops, we get stops."

Class B: Monroe (10-0) vs. Buffalo Health Sciences merged (10-1)

Saturday, 3:30 p.m. at Williamsville South High

Monroe is almost certainly facing its most formidable opponent of the season in the first appearance in a state quarterfinal in team history. Red Jackets coach Terrell Cunningham describes the Falcons as "very scrappy" with "very good athletes." While Health Sciences also has run away from most of its opponents, the Red Jackets have shut out eight, and last week's 26-0 win in the Section V final was Monroe's most competitive game. There has been no keeping pace in a back-and-forth game, and no rallies needed.

Unless there is an injury or Health Sciences plans a major fake out, the Monroe defense should expect to see plenty of 5-9, 160-pound senior running back Antwan Ceasar (1,582 yards, 17 touchdowns). "Very shifty," Cunningham said. The rushing yards and rushing touchdowns of 150-pound sophomore Kavon Pitts (724 yards, 59 carries, 7 touchdowns) are also sizeable. Senior quarterback Shamere Banks does have 19 touchdown passes compared to three interceptions in 125 attempts. Most of the touchdown throws are spread out among senior Montrice Webster (six), sophomore Brandon Carroll (five) and junior Izell James (four).

Call Monroe senior quarterback Khaya Moses a touchdown pass machine. He has 34. Tahjmir Mullins just reached 600 rushing yards, and has seven touchdowns, but the Red Jackets offense thrives in the air. The throws for touchdowns go to sophomore Messiah Hampton (13), senior Amari Colon (nine) and senior Landan McKnight (eight). Speed is a big part of a Monroe defense that has at least 62 sacks. Robert Arnold (20 sacks), Dashon Constantine (16) and Jahcure Maxam (13) are the biggest threats.

Class C: LeRoy (11-0) vs. Salamanca (9-2)

Saturday, noon at Williamsville South High

A state quarterfinal game almost seemed to be a part of the LeRoy Oatkan Knights schedule from the mid 1990s to the 2000s. The team that has won the most Section V championships (16) is back with a running game that walks over opponents and a defense that has allowed seven or fewer points five times. Junior defensive lineman Daniel O'Geen (seven), senior linebacker Drew Strollo (six) and junior defensive lineman Holden Sullivan (four) lead LeRoy in tackles for losses. Strollo (134 yards on 23 carries) and senior Tony Piazza (88, 22 carries) was LeRoy's one-two punch on offense in the sectional final against Attica/Alexander. The order is reversed when it comes to season totals: Piazza (1,267 yards, 7.8 per carry, 19 touchdowns) and Strollo (692, 5.9, 8 touchdowns). Jackson Fix (eight touchdowns) and quarterback Tommy Condidorio (seven) also have helped LeRoy rush for 3,010 yards.

The good times are also back for the Salamanca Warriors. They are sectional champions for the first time since 2001 (LeRoy 2014). Salamanca made it back to this point while playing two quarterbacks in an offense that has balanced production: Jaxson Ross (12 touchdowns, 1 interception, 947 yards) and Maddox Isaac (8 touchdowns, 8 interceptions, 728 yards). Lucus Brown (10 touchdown catches, 20 overall, 507 yards) and Arlen Newark (5 touchdown catches, 25 overall, 435 yards) are the top targets. The leading rushers are Joshua Auman (431 yards, 104 carries, 4 touchdowns) and Isaac (381 yards, 55 carries, 7 touchdowns). Zachary Trietley has five rushing touchdowns and Ross three but are short of 200 yards this season.

Class D: Canisteo-Greenwood (9-2) vs. Clymer/Sherman/Panama (10-0)

Friday, 5 p.m. at Williamsville South High

It was a good thing for the Canisteo-Greenwood Chargers that their defense came up with five turnovers during the Section V Class D final. The Chargers gave the ball away to York/Pavilion five times but won anyway, 6-0. Chances are very slim that Canisteo-Greenwood can get away with anything like that against Clymer/Sherman/Panama. The Wolfpack beat Salamanca, the Section VI Class C champion, 37-6 during the regular season. Clymer/Sherman/Panama's most competitive game is a six-point victory in the team's regular season finale. CSP has scored 35 or more points seven times.

Tate Catanese, a quarterback in his junior year, is the Wolfpack's playmaker, meaning good things happen for CSP when the ball is in his hands. Catanese has 22 touchdowns passes versus five interceptions with 116 completions in 169 attempts for 1,510 yards. Add 10 rushing touchdowns among 523 yards, with an average of 6.3 yards per carry, to Catanese's production. Bryce Poker (8 touchdowns, 703 yards, 127 carries) is the Wolfpack's leading rusher. Most of Catanese's touchdowns passes go to Bryce Hinsdale (nine), Carter Brink (six) and Alex Barmore (five).

The Chargers have won five in a row, three by shutout, including last week in the Section V Class D final. Opponents have scored 18 points during this period. Beau Zeh and Carson Chaffee probably are Canisteo-Greenwood's most productive two-way players (offense and defense), not including linemen.

8-man regional: Pembroke (11-0) vs. Frankfort-Schuyler (9-0)

Saturday, 1 p.m. at Waterville High in Oneida County

The Frankfort-Schuyler Maroon Knights is the latest team to see if it can challenge Pembroke, the top 8-man team in the state last and this season.

Martino Rocco is Frankfort-Schuyler's top player. Rocco (21 touchdown passes, 2 interceptions, 72 completions, 111 attempts. 1,275 yards) is the quarterback of a diverse offense. Lionell Coulthurst (15 rushing touchdowns, 921 yards, 12.6 per carry), Rocco (12 touchdowns, 1,116 yards, 9.6 per carry) and Jerome Bowen (9 touchdowns, 476 yards, 8.1 per carry) are the top ballcarriers. Coulthurst (seven touchdowns) and Bowen (seven) get into the end zone in the team's passing game. The team's top defensive player? Maybe Rocco, who has a team-high 100 tackles, while lineman Sebastian Veloz has 97.

The further the Pembroke Dragons advance in the partial state tournament, the closer senior Tyson Totten (56 rushing touchdowns, 3,209 rushing yards, 17.6 yards per carry) is to a second New York State Sportswriters Association state 8-man player of the year award. Caleb Felski (17 touchdowns, 17.0 yards per carry) also is a 1,000-yards rusher. The Dragons are at 4,866 rushing yards with 81 touchdowns and counting. They have attempted 17 passes the entire season. Totten (five interceptions) also is among Pembroke's top defensive players, but junior Jayden Bridge (16 tackles for losses, five sacks) and sophomore Madden Perry (nine) have done the most damgatge in the backfields.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: These Section V football teams head to Far West Regionals: What to know