HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
OP finishes off Section VI football grand slam
Orchard Park comes from behind to win first state title
SYRACUSE — It's four for four for Section VI football.
Orchard Park became the fourth local team to win a state championship when it overcame a 17-0 halftime deficit to beat Monroe-Woodbury of Section IX (Orange County), 21-17, in the Class AA final at the Carrier Dome today.
Senior quarterback Kyle Hoppy, who earned game MVP honors, scored the game-winning touchdown on an electrifying, 67-yard run with six minutes left in the game. Interceptions by Quaker seniors Brandon Nuessle and David Goltz halted two last-ditch drives by the Crusaders.
"It’s incredible," said OP coach Gene Tundo. "I don’t realize what happened -- especially after that first half. We were in a hole big-time. Our guys showed tremendous poise, tremendous courage, tremendous resolve. Everybody made big plays. Everybody."
Hoppy ran for 131 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries while senior Jeff Tundo ran for 146 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries. Tundo had a 21-yard touchdown run on OP's first drive of the second half while Hoppy's 14-yard run made it 17-14 with 1:49 left in the third quarter.
Go to the Prep Talk blog to review live blogging of the championships today and Saturday.
Sweet Home, Southwestern and Maple Grove all won state championships Saturday to make history for Section VI. Never before had a single section won more than two titles.
"All the coaches and all the players in Western New York should be proud of themselves," said Tundo, "because this is for them, too."
Orchard Park lost in last year's state semifinals to eventual champion West Genesee of Syracuse. Monroe-Woodbury was making its fourth straight trip to the championship game, winning in 2005 before losing the final the last two years.
On Saturday, Sweet Home jumped to a 28-7 lead and came up with some clutch defensive stands and clock-killing drives in the fourth quarter to beat Section II (Albany area) champion Burnt Hills, 35-28.
Southwestern scored three touchdowns in a one-minute, 10-second span in the second quarter as the Trojans routed Section I (Westchester County) champion Croton-Harmon, 35-7, in the Class C title game.
Maple Grove rolled to its first state championship since 1998 with a 55-7 romp over Moriah of Section VII (Northern New York) in the Class D championship.
The News will have comprehensive coverage of the game in Monday's editions.
Check out the high school home page to review additional high school info, including preview stories on the state championships as well as game stories from the teams' playoff runs.
