BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Bennett High School football team has a lot to celebrate this weekend.
On Sunday, the Tigers brought home the New York State Class AA Championship title, defeating the Newburgh Goldbacks 42-8.
The game took place at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, which was very special for one player on the team.
"This was a bang to the end of my career for high school and also the start of my career in college. I can't have a better ending than this," Rashard Perry said. Perry played on the same field he will be playing on next year for Syracuse University.
"I love these guys. I love my team. It was four long years," Jyden Lewis said after the game.
The win comes after a year full of adversity for Bennett. The team was forced to forfeit 6 games because of a paperwork mix-up.
They are only the second Buffalo school to ever win the state title.
"I am so happy for these kids and I am so happy for the City of Buffalo. And I am so happy to be representing Section VI football, this is just an unbelievable feeling. And you know what? I got bragging rights for one year!" Bennett head coach Steven McDuffie said after the game.
McDuffie credited the support the team got back home. Leading up to the game they were able to practice at the field house at UB as well as in the Bills' field house.
And after the students kept asking him if they were the best team he ever coached at Bennett, he now has a response.
"Absolutely, 100% you got it," McDuffie said he told the students.