ROCHESTER — In a clash that has become a high school football postseason tradition in

the Western half of the state, Rochester private school Aquinas was playing in its home

section. It had revenge on its mind, playing an opponent it said it waited all season to play.

And Sweet Home won again.

Behind a momentous multi-tasking performance by senior Pat McMahon — the Panthers'

quarterback, kicker, punter and part-time defensive tackle — and three touchdowns from

senior D.J. Nettles, Sweet Home's win Friday night was even bigger than last year's.

Sweet Home dominated at the start and then came up with big plays to finish off a 33-7

victory in the Class A Far West Regionals at downtown Rochester's Marina Auto Stadium. The

Panthers (11-0) won their 24th straight game to advance to the final four and continue their

defense of their state title.

"With all the articles we were seeing [in which Aquinas stated] "We're ready for Sweet

Home,' "We've been waiting for this all year' — we took that and it motivated us," said

Nettles, who caught two touchdown passes and ran for another. "We just took that and ran with

it."

McMahon completed 18 of 26 passes for 202 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions while

he ran for 93 yards on 12 carries.

"Coming to their section, their town, their fans, I was really impressed with my teammates

and how we reacted," said McMahon, the game's MVP. "I want to do everything to get to the

state championship. I look at my buddy in a wheelchair on the sidelines and I'd do everything

for him."

That buddy is senior Deshanaro Morris, who was paralyzed in a car accident last winter.

Without the two-way standout first-team All-Western New Yorker, and with a new quarterback in

McMahon, an entirely new offensive line and several other new starters, Sweet Home is back in

the same place it was at this time last year.

The Panthers will return to Marina Auto Stadium next Friday at 8 p.m. for the state

semifinals, where it will play the winner of today's Central Regional game between Section III

winner Whitesboro (9-1) and Section IV champion Corning East (8-2); the game is at noon at

Union-Endicott High School.

It was the third straight meeting in regionals between the Panthers and Aquinas (10-1). The

previous winners have won the state championship. Sweet Home won last year's game, 23-6, on

its way to the school's first state title. Aquinas won in 2007, 28-7, on the way to its fourth

title.

Sweet Home established itself from the start of the game, sending Aquinas off the field

with a three-and-out and then going on the first of three long scoring drives that would give

it a 19-0 halftime lead. The Panthers defense held what was a vaunted Little Irish passing

attack in check as senior Manny Magliocco went 7 for 18 with two interceptions.

The Panthers got a key score in the final seconds of the first half when McMahon hit

Nettles for a 3-yard pass on fourth-and-goal. Aquinas made it 19-7 in the third quarter, but a

fumble forced by Coleman led to Nettles' 29-yard touchdown catch from McMahon for a 26-7 Sweet

Home lead.

As he did in the Section VI final last week, McMahon went in at defensive tackle in the

fourth quarter and had one solo sack and combined with Coleman on another.

Said Aquinas coach Chris Battaglia: "It's going to take a heck of a team to beat them."