Sweet Home is heading back to the Carrier Dome
Williams helps Panthers down Whitesboro in Class A football semifinal
Published: November 21, 2009, 12:23 am
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ROCHESTER — Sweet Home is going back to the Dome, despite a new quarterback, a new offensive line, and a career-ending injury to one of its best players.
And it's going back despite five turnovers in the state semifinals.
The Panthers survived — with their defense often stepping up to take the ball right back after they had given it away — as they beat Whitesboro, 36-13, before an estimated 1,000 Friday night at Marina Auto Stadium.
Six different Panthers were involved in the scoring, including senior Jahaan Williams, who had a 28-yard touchdown catch along with two interceptions, the second of which he returned 46 yards to clinch the Sweet Home win.
"It's hard to believe — it was such a momentus achievement to get there once, and to get there twice in back-to-back years, with all the new guys we've got in here playing, I don't know what to say," said 24th-year Sweet Home head coach John Faller. "It's just hard work, a lot of enthusiasm, kids that wanted to repeat and have their own identity."
Section VI went 2 for 2 in Friday's state semifinals as Randolph routed Groton, 61-8, in the Class D game. The section, which set a state record with four state championships last year, has a chance to repeat that feat.
Southwestern plays Chenango Forks in the Class C semifinals today at noon while North Tonawanda meets Baldwinsville in the AA game at 6; both games can be tracked at Prep Talk Live at buffalonews.com.
Sweet Home (12-0) will play in the Class A final next Saturday at 6 p.m. at the Carrier Dome, where it will face Burnt Hills (12-0) in the state championship game for the second straight season. The Section II (Albany area) school beat Cornwall of downstate's Orange County (Section IX), 41-16, Friday night at Kingston's Dietz Stadium. Sweet Home beat Burnt Hills, 35-28, in last year's final.
And despite so many new faces on this year's Panther team — and the offseason injury to two-way standout Deshanaro Morris, who was paralyzed in a car accident — Sweet Home is back.
"It's unbelievable. I don't think anyone expected to do what we're doing in the fashion we're doing it," said senior quarterback Pat McMahon. "To get back to the Carrier Dome, it's unreal."
Coming off a pristine performance in beating Aquinas in the Far West Regionals for the second straight season (33-7 last Friday), Sweet Home had three turnovers in a first half after which it led, 22-7. The Panthers fumbled the second-half kickoff when D.J. Nettles had the ball knocked loose, but Williams came up with an interception two plays later to get the ball back at the Sweet Home 47.
After Williams' interception, a six-play drive ended with Nettles running in for a 4-yard touchdown as Sweet Home took a 29-7 lead with 8:33 left in the third. Whitesboro, the Section III (Syracuse area) champion located a few miles west of Utica, had some life in its sideline after it scored to make it a 29-13 score with 10:48 left in the game and then recovered an onsides kick.
But Williams came through again with an outstanding interception and return. On a pass intended for Chris Gibbs, Williams reached over Gibbs' helmet to snatch the ball away on the left sideline before sprinting the entire way to the end zone to give Sweet Home its 23-point advantage with 9:52 to play.
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