A FRIDAY UPSET SETS THE STAGE
Hilton waited until Week 8 for its finest defensive performance.
In a crucial game heading into the playoffs, they gave up just one touchdown against one of Section V’s top teams. Coach Rich Lipani’s Cadets (6-2) lost their previous two games and barely won in Week 5.
UPrep (7-1) entered LeBeau Field on Friday undefeated with a slate of blowouts.
A reigning Section V champion, Hilton hoped to enter the postseason on a high note. And thanks to star performances from Robert Lowry, Luke Lockhart and the front line, the Cadets’ 24-7 win earned them Class AA’s No. 3 seed.
“Undefeated team — We had to beat them. We had to prove something tonight,” junior offensive tackle and defensive end Kyle Serow said.
Hilton’s defense
The play of the game was Lowry’s 67yard pick-six.
Hilton appeared to play Cover 3 zone as the senior dropped back to cover the deep third. As one of the area’s fastest players, Lowry recovered to jump a curl route, bolting up the sideline and cutting inside around the 30 to turn the pick into a 7-0 lead 92 seconds in.
Hilton’s defensive backfield with Lowry, Lockhart, Colton Thorp and Brady Quill combined for three interceptions against their toughest task yet. UPrep coach Isiah Young’s Griffins have dynamic receivers in Juelz “Juju” Russell and Tyrell “Rex” Simmons. Thorp and Quill lined up high and wide, practically out of formation, to double team
Simmons and prevent downfield receptions. Simmons and Russell combined for 69 yards.
“We just had to key in to JuJu and Rex, and it felt great,” Lowry said with a smirk.
Lockhart’s two interceptions came when covering Simmons. His first pick was an overthrow on the second possession of the contest. In the third quarter, Serow’s fingertips deflected a pass at the line that Lockhart caught in the end zone.
“We knew they had really good receivers all across the field on both sides,” Lockhart said. “We just knew if we could take away their best receiver .... it would turn out better for us. That’s what we did tonight and we locked him down.”
How healthy is UPrep?
UPrep struggled with Isaiah Moonschein sidelined.
The Griffins’ running game was ineffective without a healthy Moonschein lead blocking for CJ Robinson and Tavion Byrd, one of Section V’s fastest quarterbacks. Moonschein has speed, strength and a radar for tracking the most dangerous defender. Robinson and Byrd combined for 88 rushing yards without him in Week 8.
At defensive end, Moonschein sheds blocks with force and finesse, and utilizes an array of swim and spin moves. Kamari Miller made a fourth-and-goal stop in Friday’s first quarter, but his defense eventually succumbed to Moonschein’s absence, watching Lowry engineer grueling drives for a 209-yard performance on 36 carries.
Hilton’s offensive line was reliable despite much shuffling with center Anthony Letta’s injury. Hunter Tracy seamlessly moved from tackle to center. Matthew Lemmon shifted from guard to tackle. Serow and Giovanni Mattioli remained at tackle and guard, respectively. Jake McMahon filled interior linemen roles on offense and defense.
Braydon Pike made key plays as Hilton’s lead tight end. He also plays opposite Serow on defense. Tracy helped free up linebackers Mason Nolan, John DiBattisto and Drew O’Buck to keep UPrep’s high-powered offense stagnant.
“We knew they were going to be great, but we just had to be better than them,” Serow said.
Section V’s No. 1 seeds
Class A was expected to have some tight postseason races. Previously separated into A1 and A2, 15 teams played for eight spots as the classification converged in 2023.
Both Victor and East are 8-0 in Class A, but the Blue Devils won the top seed with an edge in sectional points.
Gates Chili (5-3) used a come-frombehind win to stay in the playoff race, but lost a coin flip to Churchville-Chili for the No. 8 spot.
Monroe beat Geneva by forfeit to finish the season 7-0 and grant coach Terrell Cunningham’s Red Jackets the No. 1 seed in Class B. The Red Jackets open the postseason Saturday, but most Section V quarterfinals games are slated for Friday night.
Class AA: McQuaid (8-0).
Class A: Victor (8-0).
Class B: Monroe (7-0).
Class C: LeRoy (8-0).
Class D: York/Pavilion (7-1).
8-Man: Pembroke (8-0).