Salamanca reigns supreme in Class C
by: Jonah Bronstein, WIVB
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WIVB) — Salamanca football coach Chad Bartoszek watched senior leaders Avery Brown and Zach Trietley hobble off the field at Highmark Stadium on Thursday night.
“You guys are the picture of Warrior football right now,” Bartoszek beamed.
One battled injury, the other illness, and the Warriors weathered the rain to remain Western New York’s last unbeaten team, repeating as Section VI Class C champions with a 40-12 runaway win against Portville.
“Just a fantastic feeling with this community and group,” said Bartoszek, a Salamanca alumnus who played for University at Buffalo in the early 2000s.
Quarterback Maddox Issac led the way in the galloping victory, rushing for 118 yards and three touchdowns, along with a scoring pass to Cory Holleran that broke open the game in the first minute of the third quarter. Xavier Peters ran for 70 yards and two touchdowns.
Among the many over-the-top plays, Issac’s hurdling homage to Josh Allen on his last TD run was the highlight. “It was just instincts,” Isaac said. “I don’t even know what happened, I blacked out.”
“I don’t get shocked very often, but I was shocked,” Bartoszek said. “That was fantastic. I was yelling go down, and he jumps over them. When you stun the entire crowd, you’ve done something special.”
Salamanca (11-0) scored 26 straight points after 290-pound senior lineman Warrick Kyler made a stop on 4th-and-1 that led to Peters’ 19-yard scoring run on the very next play.
“Absolutely huge,” Bartoszek said. “Kyler decided they weren’t going to get it, and he blew that thing up.”
After breaking a 22-year sectional title drought on the way to the state semifinals last season, the Warriors, ranked No. 2 in the state in Class C, return to the Far West Regional playoff next Friday night at SUNY Brockport.
“Last year there was a bit of a woooo, we made it here,” Bartoszek said. “Now these guys just want more.”
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