SECTION 6 Girl’s Upstate Got Game Jenna Martin Football kicks for soccer W E E K L Y and football teams September 17, 2014 Issue No. 87 57 Pages INSIDE: Niagara Falls starts season with 2 wins QB Kyle Seifert is solid for Iroquois Chiefs Kenmore West The Lumberjacks grad Will Pluff leads Utica ‘D’ PLUS: Great State Records Team Reports NYS Rankings Eight Schedules ALSO: NT quarterback Chris Woodard leads the Sideline Chatter ‘Jacks into a big game with Sweet Home Extra Point Section 6 Standings This Week’s Lineup: Contents SEPTEMBER 17, 2014 The Falls starts 2-0 4 ... WNY Notebook 8 5 ... Players of the Week Niagara Falls used a miracle finish to beat 7 ... League Look-Ins Cheektowaga 22-21 last weekend. The 13 ... 2010 Notebook improbable win improved the Wolverines to 2-0 on the season. If Niagara Falls is 16 ... Team Reports going to contend, they will need a big year 40 ... Standings from Shaolin McCray. 41 ... Leader Board 42 ... Around The State 44 ... Campus News Clarence QB Steps Up 9 47 ... Extra Point Clarence battled hard but fell to St. Joe’s Upstate 30-21 last weekend. If Clarence is going to contend for the AA South Division Football title, they will need a big season from W E E K L Y Publisher QB Scott Pinto, who did not play QB Adair Publishing until he joined the varsity team. Editor-In-Chief Mark E. Adair Business Manager Catherine M. Rutkowski 11 Seifert Solid at Iroquois Statistician Paul Hutzler Iroquois earned a shutout as they beat Photography Hutch Tech 24-0 last weekend. After Jerome Davis, Tim Frank opening the campaign with a heart- The Upstate Football Weekly is published breaking loss at West Seneca East, the every Thursday throughout the high school football season (August-November) by Chiefs are now 1-1 on the year. Adair Publishing. Contents copyright ©2011 by Adair Publishing. All rights reserved. This volume may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without the prior written consent of the publisher. Address editorial and advertising corre- spondence to: Upstate Football Weekly, [email protected] McPhail Leads JFK 15 To advertise in the Upstate Football Weekly or for information regarding ad rates and sizes call (716) 433-8393. JFK fell behind 28-0 at the half and lost to Class B Tonawanda 35-6 last week- end. One of the few seniors on this sea- Football Weekly 86 Park Lane Circle son’s team is SE Shawn McPhail, who Lockport, N.Y. 14094 is also starting at LB. (716) 433-8393 [email protected] Buffalo Bills & NY National Guard Coach of the Week Rich Robbins Honored for Win Canisius coach Rich Robbins was named the a bad result. Jake tried to go another two plays but Buffalo Bills/National Guard Coach of the Week after you could see he was favoring it. He just couldn’t go.” his Crusaders beat Aquinas 34-0 last weekend. Robbins said that his players were actually disap- Aquinas had entered the game ranked 48th in the pointed that Aquinas had lost its star player. USAToday High School rankings. “Our kids wanted to compete against him,” Robbins “I’m very proud of our kids and our coaching staff,” said. “We wanted to compete with the top talent and Robbins said. “We were very well prepared for the Jake is one of the best quarterbacks there is.” game and anything we asked those kids to do they Mitch Thomas rushed for 150 yards on 10 carries did. It was just a great job by our whole team.” for the Crusaders. Aquinas had won the NYS Class AA championship “He played wide receiver last year but we moved in 2013 and many thought the Little Irish were even him to tailback,” Robbins said. “We knew he was a stronger this sea- good running son. back. He was one “Over the last of the best 10 years, Aquinas receivers we have is the best pro- had and he made gram in the state,” the transition pret- Robbins said. “To ty easily.” be able to get a Canisius QB win at home in Jakob Loucks the way that we completed 10 of did is just tremen- 19 passes for 96 dous.” yards and a TD in There was a the win. He also huge crowd in rushed for 111 attendance for a yards and a TD on game that fea- just 8 carries. tured two of the “I think he was most heavily a bit overwhelmed recruited high last year,” school players in Robbins said. “but the nation. he is a night-and- “The bleachers Photo by Buffalo Bills day different play- were full on both Canisius coach Rich Robbins was named the Coach of the Week by the er this year. He sides,” Robbins Buffalo Bills and the National Guard after his Crusaders shut out made quick deci- said. “Our stu- Aquinas 34-0 last weekend. sions all day long. dents were out in He’s been playing force. Aquinas travels well but I noticed a lot of other really well.” jackets and jerseys from other programs from around Michael Tarbutt set a new Canisius record when he WNY. It was defenitely a game that a lot of people kicked a 52-yard FG. The 52-yarder also ties a Msgr. were interested to see.” Martin record and is the 8th longest FG in the NYS. Canisius’ top recruit, tight end TJ Wheatley, had a “It’s nice to have a weapon at kicker like that,” solid day. He caught 2 passes for 32 yards and made Robbins said. “He is a Division I-A prospect and I will 7 tackles on defense. continue to give him chances to kick like that.” But Aquinas’ top player didn’t fare so well. Robbins played high school football in Pittsburgh at Quarterback Jake Zembiec, one of the top five high North Allegany High School, where he was named an school QBs in the nation, was injured on the game’s all-state player at defensive tackle. first play from scrimmage. He played college football at Alfred University under He was sacked on the Little Irish first snap and suf- Jim Moretti and was an All-Conference DT. fered a broken wrist. He now teaches Economics and is the Assistant “Our outside linebacker got a clean shot,” Robbins Athletic Director in addition to coaching football at said. “It was a good clean hit and unfortunately it had Canisius. 4 Ron Schul Leads HB FB QB WR OT OG C OG OT TE DE DT DT DE Orchard Park Defense CB LB LB Orchard Park took a 21-12 lead after a wild first quarter LB and beat Kenmore West 35-18 last weekend. SS “We came out very strong,” Orchard Park coach Gene FS Tundo said. “We threw the ball well and we ran well. They were in a different defense than we expected. They commit- For the promotion of amateur football in WNY! ted to stopping the run but we were able to pass to counter- act against that.” 2013-2014 Activities Kenmore West scored with :01 left in the first quarter to pull within 14-12 but Terius Wheatley returned the ensuing The WNY Amateur Football Alliance kickoff 89 yards for sponsors the following programs: a TD to give the Quakers a 9-point Senior College Night lead. A College Recruiter Night in December “This is a good which gives High School Seniors the group of guys that opportunity to meet with many of the compete with each college recruiters from throughout the other,” Tundo said. North-East. “Our second-line players are as good Junior Combine as the first string A Junior Class Combine in May which players. There is a gives High School Juniors an opportuni- ty to demonstrate their abilities to healthy competition College recruiters while participating in between our kids football skill drills. because they all want to play. At Youth Coaching Academy every position our A Coaching Academy in March to train starter has guy volunteer youth Coaches the proper behind them that technique to teach the game of football could play.” to young players. The Quakers Photo by Dan Nesselbush defense has been Scholar-Athlete Award Dinner outstanding this Orchard Park junior Ron Schul. A Scholar-Athlete Awards Banquet in season. December to Honor High School and If the Quakers College Students for their accomplish- are going to make it back to Ralph Wilson Stadium for the ments both on the football field and in Class AA title game, they will need a big year from junior the classroom. linebacker Ron Schul. “He started as a sophomore on the lacrosse team and High School All-Star Game he was as good as anybody who played against him,” The Alliance will support amateur Tundo said. “In the state championship game, he won the football activities such as the Annual majority of the faceoffs. We lost the game but if it wasn’t for Lions/Ad Pro Sports High School Ron, we wouldn’t have even been in the game.” Football All-Star Classic. Schul is among the Quakers leading tacklers. He made 11 tackles in the win over Kenmore West and also recorded a pair of QB sacks. “He’s quick,” Tundo said. “He has good strength and great intuition. Sometimes he gets to where the ball is going before the ball gets there.” Schul has an academic average in the high 80s and will WNY Amateur Football Alliance probably play college lacrosse.