STATE CLASS A CHAMPIONS
PANTHER PRIDE
Using weapons all over the field and on both sides of the ball, Sweet Home scorched through the postseason to its first state title
The News is paying tribute to the Section VI's state-record four football champions with color poster pages this week:
How Sweet Home got there:
1. Section VI championship: While the Sweet Home defense contained stellar senior Brandon Murie of Iroquois, Deshanaro Morris ran for five touchdowns and had four tackles and a sack as the Panthers beat the Chiefs, 39-19, to defend its sectional title. “We’ll see how far we can go,” said quarterback Casey Kacz.
2. Far West Regionals: In perhaps the biggest statement game of the postseason by any team, the Panthers dethroned defending state champion and Western New York nemesis Aquinas, 23-6. After Aquinas scored 1:01 into the game, Sweet Home dominated behind Deshanaro Morris (two touchdowns, 104 tough-to-earn yards; 10 tackles) and Casey Kacz (8 for 12, 138 passing yards; 79 rushing yards).
3. State semifinals: On frozen turf in Rochester, the snow kept falling and Sweet Home kept scoring. The Panthers took a 23-0 lead in the opening 13 minutes of a 48-8 clobbering of Corning West. Casey Kacz threw two touchdowns in 20-degree weather, Deshanaro Morris ran for three touchdowns and had 10 tackles and D. J. Nettles scored two touchdowns.
4. State final: After it appeared that the Panthers were off to another blowout with a 28-7 first-half lead, quarterback Casey Kacz led Sweet Home to finishing off its first state title with a 35-28 win over Burnt Hills. Twice the Panthers’ lead was cut to seven: Kacz led a 97-yard scoring drive, then hit clutch third-and fourth-down passes as the Panthers kept the ball for the final 6:26 of their season.
Perfection / Game-by-game to 13-0
Regular season
Sept. 6 West Seneca West, W, 22-15
Sept. 13 at Grand Island, W, 20-18
Sept. 20 Williamsville East, W, 29-14
Sept. 26 at Wmsv. South, W, 43-35
Oct. 4 Starpoint, W, 42-14
Oct. 11 at Kenmore East, W, 31-7
Oct. 18 at Jamestown, W, 28-0
Section VI quarterfinal Oct. 25 vs. Amherst, W, 25-0
Section VI semifinal Nov. 1 vs. West Seneca East, W, 46-0
Section VI championship at Ralph Wilson Stadium Nov. 8 vs. Iroquois, W, 39-19
Far West Regional at UB Stadium Nov. 14 vs. V-Aquinas, W, 23-6
State semifinal at Paetec Park, Rochester Nov. 21 vs. IV-Corning West, W, 48-8
State championship at Carrier Dome, Syracuse Nov. 29 vs. II-Burnt Hills, W, 35-28
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