Who: Depew Wildcats (8-2) vs. Geneva Panthers (9-1)
What: Class B Far West Regional.
When: Today, 3.
Where: Sahlen’s Stadium, 460 Oak St., Rochester.
Tickets: $8 for three-game session (Class C game is at noon; AA at 6). Parking in stadium lots is $5.
Television: Time Warner Cable SportsChannel (live).
Buffalo News small school poll: Depew No. 3, behind No. 1 Randolph and No. 2 Cleveland Hill.
New York State Sportswriters Association Class B poll: Geneva No. 7; Depew No. 8.
Depew in the regionals: 0-1. Lost in 2007 to Geneva, 32-14.
Geneva in the regionals: 3-0. First appearance since making three straight trips from 2005 to 2007. Beat Grand Island in 2005 (34-16) and went on to be the Class A state runner-up; beat Lackawanna in 2006 (32-8) on way to Class B state title; beat Depew (32-14) in 2007.
Coaches: Depew, Brian Wilson, second season (15-4); Geneva, Mike Pane, third season (23-4).
Depew key players (and statistics): Jr. QB/DB Dylan Sekuterski, 5-9, 171 (42-77, 919 yards, 8 TDs, 5 INTs; 41-190 rushing, 3 TDs); Sr. QB/DB Anthony Buono (12-18, 208 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 14-170 rushing, 3 TDs); Jr. RB/LB Rodney Turner, 5-8, 182 (126-850, 17 TDs; 51 tackles, 1 sack); Sr. WR/LB Derrick Sekuterski, 6-2, 203 (16-347, 2 TDs; 77 tackles, 3 sacks); Sr. LB/TE Nick Yelich, 6-0, 211 (84 tackles, 3 sacks; 7-110 receiving); Sr. OL/DL Mike Lamb, 6-7, 315; Sr. DL/OL Bryce Leair, 5-9, 180 (53 tackles, 6 sacks).
How they got here: Depew dethroned three-time defending champion and the state’s No. 3 team in Alden, 28-26. Geneva beat Wayne, 31-7, in the Section V final after beating it, 47-39, during the regular season.
Pre-snap read: Geneva’s lone loss came at home to Newark, 20-7, but the Panthers avenged that with a 22-14 semifinal victory. The Panthers have gotten great input from speedy freshman running back Mark Seguski (25-110 in Section V final) while 5-11, 185-pound senior Kyle Cosentino is an effective runner and handful on defense (14 tackles, interception in final). Depew has gotten tremendous input from a long list of players after injuries threatened to derail its season – Dylan Sekuterski has stepped in for Buono at quarterback.
What’s next: The winner will return to Sahlen’s next Saturday at 3 p.m. for the New York State Public High School Athletic Association semifinals and a chance to advance to the championship at 6 p.m. Dec. 1 at Syracuse’s Carrier Dome. The opponent will be determined in today’s 6 p.m. Central Regional between Section III (Syracuse area) champion Cazenovia (10-0, No. 3 in state poll) and Section IV (Binghamton area) champion Maine-Endwell (10-0, No. 1) at Union-Endicott High’s Ty Cobb Stadium.
— Keith McShea
What: Class B Far West Regional.
When: Today, 3.
Where: Sahlen’s Stadium, 460 Oak St., Rochester.
Tickets: $8 for three-game session (Class C game is at noon; AA at 6). Parking in stadium lots is $5.
Television: Time Warner Cable SportsChannel (live).
Buffalo News small school poll: Depew No. 3, behind No. 1 Randolph and No. 2 Cleveland Hill.
New York State Sportswriters Association Class B poll: Geneva No. 7; Depew No. 8.
Depew in the regionals: 0-1. Lost in 2007 to Geneva, 32-14.
Geneva in the regionals: 3-0. First appearance since making three straight trips from 2005 to 2007. Beat Grand Island in 2005 (34-16) and went on to be the Class A state runner-up; beat Lackawanna in 2006 (32-8) on way to Class B state title; beat Depew (32-14) in 2007.
Coaches: Depew, Brian Wilson, second season (15-4); Geneva, Mike Pane, third season (23-4).
Depew key players (and statistics): Jr. QB/DB Dylan Sekuterski, 5-9, 171 (42-77, 919 yards, 8 TDs, 5 INTs; 41-190 rushing, 3 TDs); Sr. QB/DB Anthony Buono (12-18, 208 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 14-170 rushing, 3 TDs); Jr. RB/LB Rodney Turner, 5-8, 182 (126-850, 17 TDs; 51 tackles, 1 sack); Sr. WR/LB Derrick Sekuterski, 6-2, 203 (16-347, 2 TDs; 77 tackles, 3 sacks); Sr. LB/TE Nick Yelich, 6-0, 211 (84 tackles, 3 sacks; 7-110 receiving); Sr. OL/DL Mike Lamb, 6-7, 315; Sr. DL/OL Bryce Leair, 5-9, 180 (53 tackles, 6 sacks).
How they got here: Depew dethroned three-time defending champion and the state’s No. 3 team in Alden, 28-26. Geneva beat Wayne, 31-7, in the Section V final after beating it, 47-39, during the regular season.
Pre-snap read: Geneva’s lone loss came at home to Newark, 20-7, but the Panthers avenged that with a 22-14 semifinal victory. The Panthers have gotten great input from speedy freshman running back Mark Seguski (25-110 in Section V final) while 5-11, 185-pound senior Kyle Cosentino is an effective runner and handful on defense (14 tackles, interception in final). Depew has gotten tremendous input from a long list of players after injuries threatened to derail its season – Dylan Sekuterski has stepped in for Buono at quarterback.
What’s next: The winner will return to Sahlen’s next Saturday at 3 p.m. for the New York State Public High School Athletic Association semifinals and a chance to advance to the championship at 6 p.m. Dec. 1 at Syracuse’s Carrier Dome. The opponent will be determined in today’s 6 p.m. Central Regional between Section III (Syracuse area) champion Cazenovia (10-0, No. 3 in state poll) and Section IV (Binghamton area) champion Maine-Endwell (10-0, No. 1) at Union-Endicott High’s Ty Cobb Stadium.
— Keith McShea