Class C South’s Finest
Kennedy, Whitfield, Lotter Honored With League Awards
The outcome of the Section VI Class C championship game last month at Highmark Stadium wasn’t the way the Hillbillies’ head coach Greg Sherlock wanted the season to end, of course, but that didn’t diminish one of the program’s finest seasons in recent memory and the relationships that he built with his players.
“We spent a lot of time with them,” Sherlock said after his team’s loss to Medina. “We’ve taken the kids all over the country to camps, colleges and invites. … They’ve become part of the family. You hate to see them go. You’re happy and proud of what they’ve become and excited to see what the next chapter in life is going to be. Hopefully, that’s going to include football for some of the kids.”
Several of them had seasons worthy of taking their games to the next level.
In fact, two of them — seniors Nick Whitfield and Matt Lotter — stand atop the Class C South all-star teams. Whitfield has been named the Class C South Player of the Year and Lotter has been selected the Defensive Player of Year.
Whitfield, a quarterback/defensive back, passed for 1,797 yards and 16 touchdowns; rushed for 720 yards and 13 TDs; and made 32 tackles, recorded two sacks and intercepted four passes. Lotter, a linebacker, registered 140 tackles, including three for loss; collected three sacks; intercepted a pass; and forced three fumbles.
Fredonia players joining Whitfield and Lotter on the First Team are: wide receivers senior Simon Davis and junior Ethan Fry; senior offensive linemen Shawn Farnham and sophomore offensive lineman Owen Rush; senior defensive linemen Izzy Martinez; sophomore defensive lineman Sammy Atzrott; senior linebacker Davon McCall.
Southwestern senior Aidan Kennedy was named the Offensive Player of the Year after passing for 1,717 yards and 17 touchdowns, and rushing for 606 yards and 14 TDs.
Trojans joining Kennedy on the First Team are: junior wide receiver Matt Pannes, junior tight end Cameron Lemk, junior offensive lineman Paul Hayes and senior offensive lineman Dontae Hoose.
Gowanda/Pine Valley was awarded the league’s Team Sportmanship Award with the Panthers’ Ben Krajewski the Individual Sportsmanship Award winner. Gowanda/Pine Valley senior defensive backs Maddox Browning and Noah Vogtli were joined by senior linebacker Gavin Phillips on the First Team.
Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove had four players named to the First Team. Junior Dalton Caldwell and junior kicker Brailyn Paladino represented the offense while senior lineman Kyle Keefe and senior defensive back Jackson Gowan represented the defense.
Salamanca also placed four players on the First Team. Junior running back Jesse Stahlman and senior lineman Tre Turner represented the offense while senior lineman Kody Shinners and senior defensive back Cole Hedlund represented the defense.
Allegany-Limestone had five players recognized on the First Team. Junior wide receiver Andrew Giardini and senior offensive lineman Nate Harrington were joined by senior linebacker Matt Giardini, junior linebacker Ahren Faller and junior defensive back Anthony DeCapua.
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
Aidan Kennedy Senior Quarterback Southwestern
Nick Whitfield Senior Quarterback Fredonia
Dalton Caldwell Junior Running Back Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove
Jesse Stahlman Junior Running Back Salamanca
Simon Davis Senior Wide Receiver Fredonia
Ethan Fry Junior Wide Receiver Fredonia
Andrew Giardini Junior Wide Receiver Allegany-Limestone
Matt Pannes Junior Wide Receiver Southwestern
Cameron Lemk Junior Tight End Southwestern
Shawn Farnham Senior Offensive Lineman Fredonia
Nate Harrington Senior Offensive Lineman Allegany-Limestone
Paul Hayes Junior Offensive Lineman Southwestern
Dontae Hoose Senior Offensive Lineman Southwestern
Owen Rush Sophomore Offensive Lineman Fredonia
Tre Turner Senior Offensive Lineman Salamanca
Brailyn Paladino Junior Kicker Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove
DEFENSE
Izzy Martinez Senior Defensive Lineman Fredonia
Sammy Atzrott Sophomore Defensive Lineman Fredonia
Kyle Keefe Senior Defensive Lineman Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove
Kody Shinners Senior Defensive Lineman Salamanca
Matt Lotter Senior Linebacker Fredonia
Davon McCall Senior Linebacker Fredonia
Matt Giardini Senior Linebacker Allegany-Limestone
Ahren Faller Junior Linebacker Allegany-Limestone
Gavin Phillips Senior Linebacker Gowanda/Pine Valley
Anthony DeCapua Junior Defensive Back Allegany-Limestone
Jackson Gowan Senior Defensive Back Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove
Maddox Browning Senior Defensive Back Gowanda/Pine Valley
Noah Vogtli Senior Defensive Back Gowanda/Pine Valley
Cole Hedlund Senior Defensive Back Salamanca
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
Jameson Walsh Sophomore Running Back Southwestern
Noah Abram Senior Running Back Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove
Harlee Conklin Junior Running Back Gowanda/Pine Valley
Kevin Edwards-Hardy Sophomore Running Back Allegany-Limestone
Jason Ni Senior Wide Receiver Southwestern
Noah Geiger Senior Wide Receiver Gowanda/Pine Valley
Mitchell Pike Junior Offensive Lineman Southwestern
Jake Swanson Senior Offensive Lineman Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove
Josh Lea Senior Offensive Lineman Allegany-Limestone
Jack Langdon Senior Offensive Lineman Allegany-Limestone
Mason Maring Freshman Offensive Lineman Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton
Matt Cash Junior Offensive Lineman Fredonia
DEFENSE
Malaki Eckberg Senior Defensive Lineman Southwestern
Garrett Williams Junior Defensive Lineman Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove
Damon Franklin Sophomore Defensive Lineman Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton
Jaxon Tarr Junior Defensive Lineman Salamanca
Alex Paluch Senior Defensive Lineman Fredonia
Karsen DePasquale Senior Linebacker Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove
Brett Meadows Junior Linebacker Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton
Shawn Pierce Senior Linebacker Salamanca
Micah Davis Junior Linebacker Fredonia
Harley Hoag Senior Defensive Back Salamanca
Matt Welsh Junior Defensive Back Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove
HONORABLE MENTION
Allegany-Limestone: Gabe Ramadhan (Jr.)
Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove: Kynan Egan (Sr.), Dakota Giambelluca (Sr.), Jarrett Vincent (Sr.)
Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton: Ryan Laurito (Sr.), Connor Utegg (Sr.)
Gowanda/Pine Valley: Aidan Ackley (Soph.), Quentin Centner (Soph.), Dylan Milne (Jr.)
Fredonia: Simon Price (Soph.), Jameson Quinn (Soph.), Ian Storey (Fresh.), Jadon Whitfield (Sr.), Brandon Wronski (Jr.)
Salamanca: Eion Quigley (Sr.), Zaron Tucker (Jr.)
Southwestern: Will Hoden (Jr.)