Few coaching staffs, if any, have presided over a greater football revival in the Big 30 area than the staff at Salamanca High School. Coach Chad Bartoszek returned to his alma mater in 2019 to lead the Warriors at a time when Salamanca football was struggling. By 2023, the Warriors had their first Section 6 Class C championship (and Far West Regional) since 2001. Last fall, they repeated in the section and went a step further, making the state championship game for only the second time.

The Salamanca Warriors hit the road to face the Olean Huskies on Friday, September 5, in what promises to be a spirited clash between two longtime Section VI rivals. Salamanca travels with momentum after a sensational 2024 season, while Olean looks to set the tone early in 2025. It’s a rivalry that stretches back decades, with Olean holding the all-time edge at 28–20–2. The Warriors will lean on a new cast of playmakers stepping into bigger roles, but the expectations remain sky-high.

Salamanca saw an emotional 2023 season come to a heartbreaking end in the NYS semifinal. The Warriors were shutout 42-0 by eventual state champion Waverly and with the result came the loss of a number of key pieces to the team. In turn, entering the 2024–25 season, the big question being posed for the Warriors was whether or not they would be able to recreate the success. Spoiler alert: they did, and then some.