Sunday, Nov. 12, 2017: Section 6 sweeps, Skaneateles hangs on

   Leading off today: Section 6 got wins Saturday from Cleveland Hill, Cheektowaga and Lancaster to complete an unprecedented 5-0 weekend vs. Section 5 representatives in the NYSPHSAA football quarterfinals.

   Aaron Wahler (16 carries, 212 yards) scored two of his three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to close out a 38-20 win for Cleveland Hill over Caledonia-Mumford/Byron-Bergen in the Class C contest.

   Wahler's 59-yard run on a third-and-3 play put Cleveland Hill ahead 22-20, and Javon Thomas followed with a 46-yard run TD run. Wahler capped the rally with a 91-yard run as the two combined for 354 of Cleveland Hill's 414 yards.

   Cheektowaga junior quarterback KeShone Beal threw for two TDs and ran for the other two as the Warriors defeated Hornell 28-6 in Class B. Beal finished with 244 yards passing and led the offense with 76 yards on the ground.

   Beal connected with Jaquan Bush on a 33-yard touchdown pass to cap off the Warriors' opening possession. Lamar Reeves' interception near midfield set the table for a Beal 6-yard run and a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.

   In the Class AA contest, second-ranked Lancaster blanked Aquinas 9-0. Max Giordano, who'd fumbled the ball away deep in Little Irish territory on Lancaster's first possession, gave the Legends all the points they would need with a 13-yard TD reception later in the first quarter.

   Lancaster's starters, who have allowed just six points all season, finished with five sacks.    "This was an old school, smash mouth football game," Lancaster coach Eric Rupp said. "Our defense has played unbelievable all year. Tonight was their shining moment on the big stage and they came through."

   Skaneateles survives: Skaneateles took down defending NYSPHSAA Class C champion Newark Valley 42-41, stopping a 2-point conversion on the final snap at Union-Endicott.

   Top-ranked Newark Valley had been riding a 23-game winning streak.

   Lakers QB Patrick Hackler finished 16-of-25 for 231 yards and five touchdowns, while running for 88 yards on 10 carries. With his five-touchdown game, Hackler set the NYSPHSAA record for passing scores in a season with 46. The previous record of 45 was set by Greg Paulus of Syracuse CBA in 2002.

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   Skaneateles led by 14 points with under seven minutes to play, but the Cardinals cut the lead to 42-35 with 6:23 remaining and scored again with a fraction of a second to play as sophomore Caden Bennett (182 rushing yards) went three yards around the right side on a reverse.

   Playing for the win, Newark Valley called on Hunter Hoffmier for a run over the left side, but be was met by multiple defenders and stopped short. Skaneateles fielded the ensuing kickoff to end the game.

   More Class C: Sophomore quarterback Joe Tortello threw for 224 yards and four TDs on 11-for-15 accuracy as Holy Trinity defeated Ogdensburg 41-14.

   Junior Nolan Priest made three interceptions. The first, with 1:09 left in the first half, set up a 77-yard touchdown pass from Tortello to Nacier Hundley.

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    • Senior running back David Ross carried for 223 yards and scored six touchdowns as No. 3 Burke Catholic crushed Albertus Magnus 62-12. Junior Solomon Hemingway chipped in for 111 yards and a pair of scores on just eight carries.

   CHSFL surprise: Given the way their first meeting went -- a 47-21 victory in which Cardinal Hayes rolled up 541 yards -- there was little reason to suspect Archbishop Stepinac could win the rematch in the CHSFL Class AAA semifinals.

   But the Crusaders, ranked 21st in the state in Class AA held on to the ball, made stops defensively and came away with a 13-12 win Saturday over the No. 10 Cardinals to advance to the championship game for the fourth consecutive season.

   Shawn Harris gave Stepinac the lead for good midway through the third quarter when he bounced outside the left tackle and won a sprint to the pylon from 23 yards out.

   The Crusaders will play St. Anthony's next Saturday at Mitchel Athletic Complex. Stepinac beat the Friars 38-19 during the season, but No. 9 St. Anthony's has come on strong since. St. A's defeated Iona Prep 35-7 in the other semifinal.

   More Class AA: The most interesting development in the Long Island playoffs saw No. 17 Freeport dispatch No. 12 Massapequa 33-6 in a Nassau I semifinal to set up a sectional final vs. Oceanside.

   Quarterback Terrance Edmond rushed for 107 yards and three touchdowns and completed six of 10 passes for another 94 yards. Backs Gregory Pimentel and Aaje Grayson gained 79 yards and 92 yards, respectively.

   Edmond ran for touchdowns of 33 and 10 yards in the first half, giving the Red Devils a 13-6 lead, and Pimentel scored from the 1 to cap and eight-play, 73-yard drive in the third quarter to extend the margin.

    • In other NYSPHSAA quarterfinal action, No. 6 Cicero-North Syracuse beat Elmira 57-14 as Erik Pride ran for three TDs and 241 yards for C-NS. Quarterback Conner Hayes ran for two TDs, including one covering 93 yards.

   More Long Island action: Chris Hogan caught the winning touchdown pass from fellow receiver Ryan Murphy with 1:02 to play as Wantagh upended Roosevelt 25-20 in a Nassau III semifinal.

   Roosevelt began the week ranked 14th and Wantagh 23rd in the NYSSWA Class A ratings.