Leading off: As Kevin Witt phrased it in his story, Monroe-Woodbury's four-year domination of the right half of the state in Class AA ended Saturday with a 21-14 loss to No. 2 New Rochelle in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association quarterfinals.
New Rochelle put up 21 second-quarter points and then held on. M-W's last chance ended with a failed Dan Scalo scramble on 4th-and-20 at the New Ro 30.
The Crusaders' Trevor Officer broke a 49-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage, but New Rochelle subsequently drove 17 plays (including two fourth-down conversions) and 80 yards to a TD.
Monroe-Woodbury is 68-5 since 2004 season, with all the losses coming in the state playoffs.
More Class AA: Baldwinsville maintained its late-season momentum with a 49-34 victory against Union-Endicott by rolling up 399 rushing yards and 508 overall. All-state tailback Malik Burks ran 36 times for 217 yards and four touchdowns.
"Baldwinsville can run the ball whenever it wants," U-E coach Shane Hurd told The Post-Standard. "For them, it’s 'outnumber you at the point of attack, we’re bigger than you, and stop No. 1 (Burks).' Most schools aren’t going to be able to do it."
The Bees will take on North Tonawanda, which held on for a 26-24 win against Webster Schroeder. The Lumberjacks lost Aaron Davis and Steve Kijowski to injuries along the way, but senior Tom Sell stepped in to run 10 times for 131 yards and two second-half scores.
Junior Joe Montesanti ran 16 times for 148 yards and caught five passes for 78 yards and a touchdown, also handling kicking duties after Davis had to leave.
Class A: Jordan Frysinger staked Corning East to a 13-0 lead with a 71-yard reception and a 77-yard run, but Whitesboro rallied to a 27-19 victory as Sean Jones caught a touchdown pass from receiver Chris Gibbs and threw one to Mike Sullivan late in the first half to start the comeback.
Sullivan goal-line interception kept East from going up by three scores, and Whitesboro then capped a 15-play, 80-yard drive with Gibbs' halfback option throwback to Jones on a 4th-and-goal snap from the 5.
Class B: Senior QB Jeff Law threw four touchdown passes to highlight Westhill's 41-14 victory over Johnson City.
"I believe I have the best weapons in Section 3 right now and maybe in the state,” Law told The Post-Standard.
Law threw 9 yards to Ross to erase a 7-0 deficit and then connected twice with junior Nathan Nigolian for TDs.
In the other half of the West bracket, Hornell swamped Cheektowaga 48-12 to give Section 5 its only win of the weekend. Senior Austin Dwyer ran for a 35-yard touchdown on his team's second play and went on to pick up 224 yards and three TDs.
Cheektowaga turned the ball over five times.
Class C: Hoosick Falls dropped a 27-point second quarter on Ogdensburg en route to a 51-6 romp that sets up a semifinal against Bronxville. Mike Brewster went 15-for-17 for 192 yards in the first half, and Alex Hansen launched the big second quarter with a 71-yard TD on a screen pass.
Chenango Forks churned out 381 rushing yards and stymied General Brown 27-0 for its fourth shutout in five weeks and seventh this season.
"Speed kills, that's what they say -- and it's so true," winning coach David Hogan told The Press & Sun-Bulletin. "We've got a lot of team speed, a bunch of kids who can score from anywhere on the field.
Jordan Barnett ran for two scores, and Jimmy Miller rushed for 155 yards.
The outcome sets up a highly anticipated semifinal against defending state champion Jamestown Southwestern, which broke to a 21-0 lead and beat Letchworth 28-14 by holding the Indians without a first-half first down.
