The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
New season begins Friday
Oneida earns No. 1 seed in Class B
After seven weeks of football, three Dispatch-area teams are set to enter the Section III postseason, and one will do so as the No. 1 seed.
An undefeated record and Class B East title landed Oneida the No. 1 spot in the Class B bracket, while Cazenovia needed a win in the final game of the regular season to clinch the No. 7 seed.
Canastota will return to postseason this year after missing the playoffs a year ago. The resurgent Raiders drew the No. 3 spot in Class C, falling behind No. 1 Cato-Meridian and No. 2 Lowville.
Class B
Oneida (7-0) fought to an undefeated mark, riding Class B’s top defense and solid running game to a 2019 league title, the program’s first since 2008. Now, head coach Jason Fuller and company - the No. 1 seed in the class after winning a coin-flip tie-break over No. 2 Solvay - will try to emulate their regular season success in postseason play against No. 8
Homer at home on Friday, Oct. 25 at 6:30 p.m.
No. 7 Cazenovia (4-3) and first-year head coach Kyle Martin did not get their first win until Week 3 but went 4-1 down the stretch, claiming a playoff spot in the final week of the regular season via a 27-6 win on the road against Mexico.
The Lakers will attempt to hand No. 2 Solvay its first loss of the year on Friday, Oct. 25 at 6:30 p.m.
Class C
After injuries derailed a playoff push in 2018, No. 3 Canastota (6-1) is back in the Section III playoffs. The Raiders began their 2019 regular season at home with a victory over General Brown, 56-20. Then, Canastota lost its only game of the season in a Week 2 shootout with No. 7 Skaneateles before tearing off five straight victories in dominating fashion to end the regular season. Head coach Tom Congden and his Raiders now have an opportunity to begin a postseason run in similar fashion as Canastota hosts General Brown in the first round of the Class C sectionals on Friday, Oct. 25 at 7:00 p.m.