ROCHESTER — Southwestern, coming off its toughest game of the last calendar year, had to play Saturday afternoon without two of its two-way starters.

So the Trojans went out and took a 21-0 lead in the first half of its Far West Regional

game with Letchworth, outgaining the Indians, 268-20, and gaining 15 first downs to

Letchworth's zero.

One half later, senior quarterback Zack Sopak and Southwestern completed a 28-14 victory

before an estimated 1,500 at downtown Rochester's Marina Auto Stadium to send the defending

Class C state champions back to the state final four.

Southwestern, which extended its state-longest win streak to 27, will return to Marina Auto

Park Saturday at noon for the state semifinals against Section IV (Binghamton area) champion

Chenango Forks (11-0).

"This win is big, because we had two two-way starters out and we had people step up today,"

said Sopak, "and we're going to need that the next couple of weeks."

Sopak was the game's offensive MVP after completing 11 of 13 passes for 120 yards, one

interception and one touchdown while he ran for 71 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. Senior

Levi Bursch ran for 112 yards on 16 carries while classmate John Mistretta ran for 111 yards

on 14 rushes.

Southwestern dominated much of the game despite playing without injured seniors Tanner

Delahoy, a receiver/linebacker, and lineman Trevor Schutte.

"Having two two-way starters out is kind of like having four guys out," said Bursch, who

also had three catches for 46 yards.

Coach Jay Sirianni credited junior lineman Jesse Breyerton, senior receiver/defensive back

Tanner Bush and sophomore receiver Jake Swan for helping fill the voids left by the injuries

— and he also pointed to the the quarterback leading the way.

After a scoreless first quarter, Mistretta ran in from 5 yards out 30 seconds into the

second. Bursch added a 4-yard run 4:27 later.

Southwestern showed its state championship pedigree in the last two minutes of the quarter.

Sopak led the Trojans on a six-play, 73-yard drive in 1:39 which ended with his 22-yard pass

to sophomore Jake Swan with 39 seconds left before halftime.

Letchworth cut the lead to 21-7 on its first possession of the third quarter, but

Southwestern responded with another state championship-type drive. The Trojans went 84 yards

in 12 plays over 7:38, scoring 1:57 into the fourth quarter on a 6-yard run by Sopak.

"They just took it right down and boom-boom-boom-boom-boom, smashmouth, right in our face,"

said Letchworth coach Tim McMullen. "And that's the sign of a champion."