Still, Langworthy, who is about to begin his 15th season at the helm, called 2021 a “great year.”

“Those kids put a lot of time in,” he said. ” … It was really nice to get back into that type of season with that type of group.”

The Red Raiders not only won the division title and the Section VI Class A championship — six months after losing that latter game in overtime — but they also did so in dominating fashion. Their sectional playoff wins were 54-8 over Lockport, 49-14 over Williamsville South and 41-0 over Frontier, the latter at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. From there, Jamestown knocked off Canandaigua 35-14 in the Far West Regional, setting the stage for the trip to Cicero-North Syracuse High School and the state semifinal matchup with CBA.

“The whole season was special and I thought our players really showed their grit when it mattered in the playoffs,” Langworthy said.

Head Coach: Tom Langworthy Assistant Coaches: Richie Joly, Steve Propheter, Peyton Olson, Cordell O’Brien, Arrick Davis, Tom Franco, John O’Brien

KEY LOSSES: For starters, Jaylen Butera and Ben Anderson were named first-team all-state. And the offensive line — Joey Delgado, Julian McGaughy, Nick Miraglia, Caleb Bane and Drayce Garland — will be remembered as one of the finest in school history. Delgado and McGaughy, in fact, were honorable-mention all-state selections.

The loss of all those players to graduation mean there are some big shoes to fill.

“When you have a player like Jaylen, you don’t compare the next running back to him and you don’t really feel the loss the same way, because he’s a kid that you’re just thankful you had him,” Langworthy said.

Butera became the school’s all-time single-season and career rushing record holder with 2,337 and 4,270 yards respectively, surpassing the marks previously held by Aaron Leeper (Class of 2001). Butera’s 45 touchdowns last season are second to Leeper’s Western New York-record 47. Defensively, Butera was also a force, recording 90 tackles, intercepting five passes and defending 20 more.

Others took notice as the Mercyhurst-bound athlete was named the Class A co-Player of the Year with East Islip quarterback Derek Burrell; and was selected the Connolly Cup winner — presented annually to the outstanding football player in Western New York — The Buffalo News Player of the Year and The Post-Journal Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.

Captains, from the left, are: seniors Trey Drake and Sean O’Brien.

Anderson, a linebacker who set a school record for tackles with 170, “was all over the field for us,” Langworthy said, “and he was probably the second-best running back in our league.”

Combined with the experience of the stout offensive line, Langworthy called it a “perfect storm.”

Also lost to graduation were defensive backs Sincere Green and Kyler Nickerson.

“Those are some big losses,” Langworthy said. “Fast-forward to this year. There are a lot of really good players that were behind those linemen and now they have their chance to shine. I think it’s important that those guys get highlighted as well, because other years they’d be two- or three-year starters and now this is it. This is their senior year. They are ready to take the reins and just continue to try and move us forward.”

KEY RETURNEES: It starts at quarterback.

Members of Jamestown's receiving corps, kneeling from left, are Conner Bush, Micah Watson, Aiden Senear, Tyrese Wofford, Donavan Hubbard, Carson Panebianco, Jack Carlson. Standing are Liam Caswell, Sean OáBrien, Eric Reese, Darius Freeney, Colin Melendez, Michael Boron and Sean Paige.

Senior Trey Drake is entering his fourth season as a starter. The 6-foot-3, 205-pounder does so as one of Western New York’s premier signal-callers after completing 88 of 147 passes for 1,450 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2021.

“We haven’t had a new quarterback since the beginning of the 2019 season, so that’s like a long time ago,” Langworthy said. “In addition to (Drake’s) longevity is the growth physically, mentally and psychologically that got him to have that edge where he has some God-given skills, but he has also worked extremely hard …to get to where he’s at.”

Drake, who has already made a commitment to North Dakota State University, will have a strong group of receivers to throw to, including seniors Sean O’Brien, Darius Freeney, Colin Melendez and Mike Boron, and sophomore Carson Panebianco.

Senior running back Radon Wright, who rushed for 429 yards and four touchdowns last season, will get the bulk of the ball-carrying duties behind a line that features, among others, Brandon Lobb and Aric Bloomquist.

O’Brien, a second-team all-state linebacker last season, will anchor the defense, joined by fellow linebacker Carsen Bane. Melendez, who was an honorable-mention all-state punter, and junior place-kicker Ella Propheter provide solid special teams skills.

Offensive backfield, kneeling from the left, are: Masiah Jones and Isaiah Sanchez. Standing are: Keith Miller, Gavin Pantojas, Radon Wright and Carsen Bane.

Langworthy is also buoyed by the infusion of underclassmen who played on last season’s unbeaten junior varsity team.

OUTLOOK FOR CLASS A1: As defending champions, Langworthy knows the Red Raiders will be getting the opponent’s best efforts.

“Our league is good,” he said. ” … “I think Frontier is going to be a very formidable opponent, Williamsville North has some really good players and Clarence was right there in Class A last year. They can definitely have a good team.”

Jamestown will begin the season with a pair of tough nonleague road games against Lancaster and Orchard Park, which are both Class AA schools.

“We’ll be ready for … Friday,” he said. “Our goal is to be in the tunnel (at Highmark Stadium) for the Class A title game. That’s our goal. That’s the vision. There are going to be all kinds of challenges and things to overcome throughout the season, but we want to be standing in that tunnel on an early Thursday evening in November competing for the sectional title. That’s the mecca of high school football in Western New York.”

Receiver Sean O’Brien

KEY GAME: It’s the first game at Lancaster.

“You put so much time in the offseason to play and compete in the first game,” Langworthy said. ” … Our week-one opponent has the best record of anybody in the last six years. For us to start off the year with them is a blessing — for both teams. This is going to pay dividends the rest of the year.”

SENIORS: Sean Paige, Michael Boron, Trey Drake, Eric Reese, Colin Melendez, Darius Freeney, Radon Wright, Mason McVinney, Sean O’Brien, Brad Bennett, John Torres, Brandon Lobb, Aric Bloomquist, Jayce Vangiesen, Taitum Mabee, Isaias Dingue

JUNIORS: Isaiah Sanchez, Alden Senear, Jack Carlson, Donovan Hubbard, Carsen Bane, Ella Propheter, Tyrese Wofford, Keith Miller, Masiah Jones, Gavin Pantojas, Terrell Reese, Micah Watson, Antonie Rodriguez, Cole Joly, Marco LoBello, Justin Saunders, Julian Tonkin, Hunter Siliano, John Overbeck-Thompson, Aiden Deveraux, Max Digirolamo, Conner Bush, Liam Caswell, Jack Lundberg

SOPHOMORES: Carson Panebianco, Aziyon Wilson-Earll

Receiver Colin Melendez

Receiver Darius Freeney

Line, kneeling from the left, are: Brandon Lobb, Cole Joly and Aiden Deveraux. Standing are John Overbeck-Thompson, Aric Bloomquist and Aziyon Wilson-Earll