Union-Endicott’s Ty Cobb Stadium will be the site of five state football semifinals this weekend, including Section 4’s Class A champion competing on its home turf.
U-E, Maine-Endwell and Tioga Central remain in the chase for championships, the latter two seeking to make it two in a row.
Friday’s action will begin with an eight-per-side matchup pitting Groton (11-0) against Pembroke (11-1) in a game that will conclude the season for both. Kickoff is scheduled for noon.
Last time state semifinals were contested at U-E, Tioga fell by 54-19 to Clymer/Sherman/Panama and Susquehanna Valley slipped past Cleveland Hill, 21-20, on the way to its first of back-to-back state championships.
Aside from competition involving Section 4 champions, Saturday’s other semifinals:
- Class C: 3-General Brown (10-1) vs. 6-Lackawanna, noon.
- Class AA: 3-Cicero-North Syracuse (11-1) vs. 6-Buffalo Bennett (5-6), 6 p.m.
Class A
Matchup: Union-Endicott (10-1) vs. Hilton (11-1), 6 p.m. Friday.
State rankings: U-E No. 6; Hilton No. 7.
Last time out: U-E def. West Genesee, 42-7; Hilton def. Jamestown, 49-34.
State playoff appearances: U-E 16; Hilton two.
State playoff record: U-E 4-15; Hilton 1-1.
To the winner: 2-Niskayuna or 1-Somers, 3 p.m. Dec. 3 in JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse.
Etc.: Hilton comes in on an 11-game win streak … The Cadets’ Jeff Broadnax rushed 34 times for 256 yards and scored three touchdowns against Jamestown … Jamestown committed four turnovers.
Class B
Matchup: Maine-Endwell (11-0) vs. Batavia (12-0), 3 p.m. Saturday.
State rankings: M-E No. 1; Batavia No. 5.
Last time out: M-E def. Homer, 53-8; Batavia def. Iroquois, 20-8.
State playoff appearances: M-E 10; Batavia six.
State playoff record: M-E 21-3; Batavia 3-5.
To the winner: 2-Ravena/Coeymans/Selkirk or 1-Pleasantville, noon Dec. 4 in JMA Wireless Dome.
Etc.: Batavia shut down an Iroquois squad that entered Monday’s quarterfinal averaging 45 points per game and featuring running back Trevor Berry, who scored his 43rd touchdown of the season.
Class B football: Maine-Endwell settles in, puts 53-8 quarterfinal hurting on Homer
Class D
Matchup: Tioga (12-0) vs. Randolph (11-0), 3 p.m. Friday.
State rankings: Tioga No. 1; Randolph No. 2.
Last time out: Tioga def. Dolgeville, 42-6; Randolph def. Oakfield-Alabama/Elba, 42-26.
State playoff appearances: Tioga 10; Randolph nine.
State playoff record: Tioga 14-7; Randolph 16-3.
To the winner: 7-Moriah or 2-Cambridge/Salem, noon Dec. 3 in JMA Wireless Dome.
Etc.: Tioga defenders must find a way to harness running back Xander Hind, who rushed 48 times for 281 yards and five touchdowns in the quarterfinal win. Randolph passed three times in that game.
