WEST SENECA, N.Y. — Five Western New York high school football teams have kept their seasons alive and are advancing to the next level of play.
Canisius took home the Monsignor Martin Championship Saturday for the first time since 2020, defeating the St. Joseph's Marauders 32-22 at the Robert J. Stransky Memorial Complex on Saturday.
Eli Kimble set the tone early for the Crusaders and would run for four touchdowns and more than 200 yards on the day, helping put up Canisius 26-6 after three quarters.
St. Joe's put up a late fight with a pair of touchdowns but Canisius would take it. 32-22 was the final score.
Canisius will host the state Catholic school title game against Iona Prep next Saturday, November 30.
In public high school action, the Health Sciences Falcons took on the Eastridge Lancers out of Rochester in the Class B Far West Regionals.
The Falcons came in as heavy favorites and proved why early on. Running back Kavon Pitts would kick off the scoring with a 40-yard TD run. The team would convert for two and then go up 14-0 off another Pitts TD run.
Health Sciences got the shutout win 32-0 and will play Maine-Endwell in the West Semifinal game at Vestal High School next Saturday at 3:00 p.m.
Top-ranked CSP or Clymer/Sherman/Panama defeated Avon in the Class D Far West Regional 48-14 this weekend.
They along with the other four victorious WNY squads will head to Vestal next weekend. CSP plays in the Class D Semifinal at 3 p.m. on Friday.
Pembroke's 8-man football squad also advanced to the West Semifinals and will play on Friday, November 29 at noon.
Salamanca is the final WNY team advancing after beating East Rochester/Gananda in the Class C Far West Regional game out in Pittsford.
The Salamanca Warriors would take the early lead in this game going up 16-0 thanks to solid running by Xavier Peters and Cory Holleran.
The Warriors would go up 22-0 in the 2nd quarter but East Rochester wouldn't go away easy, scoring off a 50-yard carry from Cadearrell Sneed. Then Bombers quarterback Ben Newman would connect late in the first half for a touchdown to Ray Allen.
The early lead for the Section VI champions would be too much for East Rochester to overcome however, Salamanca would win it 42-20. They will play Chenango Forks on Saturday, November 30 at noon also at Vestal High School.
Sweet Home would fall to Brighton in their Class A Far West Regional matchup 48-14 on Friday.
Lancaster HS coming off a big win at Highmark Stadium over Jamestown also had its season end in the quarterfinals of NYSPHSAA championship play. They lost a tight battle with Aquinas 21-19.