Ron Moshier: Preview of state football quarterfinals

DOLGEVILLE (10-0) vs. WaLTON (10-0)

 

Who: Section III champion Dolgeville (10-0) is ranked No. 3 in the state; Section IV champion Walton (10-0) is No. 1, and the defending state champions have won 23 straight games.

 

What: Class D state quarterfinal. Where: Cicero-North Syracuse High School.

 

When: Friday, 5 p.m. Tickets: $7. Radio: WBGK FM-99.7.

 

Past: Dolgeville has a 7-4 record (all four losses are to the eventual champion) in five previous appearances in the state tournament. The Blue Devils won the Class D title in 2000 and are 4-1 in quarterfinal games against Section IV champs, including a 16-12, Class C loss to state champ Walton in 1994 that ended Dolgeville’s 41-game winning streak. Walton is also in the state playoffs for the sixth time. The Warriors are 9-3 in state tournament games and are 4-1 against Section III, including last year’s 52-14 win over Onondaga. The Warriors then won 42-0 and 64-6 to claim their second state title.

 

Present: Dolgeville captured its 17th league title in 18 years and claimed a 15th Section III championship with a 21-14 victory over Watertown IHC. Walton has outscored teams 464-34 this season. The Warriors have won a record 13 Section IV titles, including 11 in Class C and two in Class D.

 

Future: Winner plays No. 2 Maple Grove (10-0) or No. 5 Dundee (10-0) in the state semifinals at 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21, at Paetec Stadium in Rochester.

 

NEW HARTFORD (8-2) VS. CORNING WEST (9-1)

 

Who: Section III champion New Hartford (8-2) is ranked No. 14 in the state; Section IV champ Corning West (9-1) is No. 20.

 

What: Class A state quarterfinal. When: Friday, 8 p.m.

 

Where: Cicero-North Syracuse High School.

 

Tickets: $7. Radio: WIBX AM-950.

 

Past: This is New Hartford’s first state playoff appearance. Corning West made it this far in 1999, but lost to Section III champ Chittenango 24-14.

 

Present: New Hartford started 1-2, losing at Carthage 8-7 and at Whitesboro, 22-21 in overtime. The Spartans have won seven straight, earning their first Section III title since 1993 with a 42-35 win over Camden. Corning West avenged a 28-6 early-season loss to Maine-Endwell with a 12-8 victory that gave the Vikings their first section title since 1999.

 

Future: Winner plays state-ranked No. 1 Rochester Aquinas (10-0) or No. 4 Sweet Home (10-0) in a semifinal game at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21, at Paetec Stadium in Rochester.

 

elmira notre dame (10-0) VS. WESTMORELAND (10-0)

 

Who: Section III champion Westmoreland is ranked No. 3 in the state; Section IV champ Elmira Notre Dame is No. 13.

 

What: Class C state quarterfinal. Where: Cicero-North Syracuse High School.

 

When: Saturday, noon. Tickets: $7.

 

Past: Two years ago at the same C-NS field, Westmoreland’s only other trip to the state playoffs began with a most memorable, 35-34 quarterfinal win over defending champion Sidney. The Bulldogs fell behind 20-0, rallied to take a 27-20 lead, then fell behind again before pulling out the victory on Reuben Santiago’s touchdown pass to Teddy Fedor and game-winning two-point conversion toss to Matt Ferdinand with 22 seconds left. Westmoreland then lost to Falconer 20-6 in the semis. Notre Dame is making its first state playoff appearance since ‘98, when the Crusaders beat Lowville 40-3 and LeRoy 16-15, then lost to Edgemont 28-27 in overtime in the Class C final. Cazenovia beat Notre Dame 21-14 in the 1996 quarterfinals.

 

Present: In regular-season finale, Westmoreland claimed Class C South title with a 23-20 win over previously unbeaten and state-ranked No. 3 Cazenovia, then rolled to playoff wins over Cato-Meridian (42-6) and Herkimer (37-0) before ending defending state champ Bishop Ludden’s 21-game winning streak with last week’s 24-19 victory. Elmira Notre Dame lost to Section IV’s Class B champ Waverly (20-8) and Class D runner-up Gorton (34-16) during the regular season, but claimed its first section title since 1998 with last week’s 14-6 win over Greene.

 

Future: Winner plays state-ranked No. 1 LeRoy (10-0) or No. 2 Jamestown Southwestern (10-0) in state semifinals at noon Saturday, Nov. 22, at Paetec Stadium in Rochester.

 

ONEIDA (9-1) vs. Waverly (7-3)

 

Who: Section III champion Oneida (9-1) is ranked No. 7 in the state; Section IV champ Waverly (7-3) is No. 15.

 

What: Class B state quarterfinal. Where: Cicero-North Syracuse High School.

 

When: Saturday, 6 p.m. Tickets: $7. Radio: WMCR FM-106.3.

 

Past: Both Oneida and Waverly have qualified for the state playoffs for the first time.

 

Present: Oneida started 6-0 and was ranked No. 2 in state before a 14-9 nonleague loss to Section IV Norwich, but the Indians rolled to playoff wins over Solvay (46-0), Chittenango (38-12) and Westhill (20-0) to claim their first-ever Section III title. Waverly started the season with losses to Chenango Forks (7-0) and Norwich (20-12). The Wolverines had never won a Section IV playoff game until avenging that season-opening loss to perennial powerhouse Chenango Forks with a 14-13 victory. Last week, they claimed their first section title with a 36-22 win over Windsor.

 

Future: Winner plays state-ranked No. 2 Lackawanna (10-0) or No. 6 Bath (9-1) in a state semifinal at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, at Paetec Stadium in Rochester.