Championship Week – area football teams battle for crowns
ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) – It's a huge week for local high school football with plenty of championships on the line.
It all starts Friday night with three Section IV games featuring Elmira-region teams and another huge game in Pennsylvania. And then on Saturday, defending state champs Waverly will potentially face the toughest test of the weekend.
Friday, Elmira looks to go back-to-back and win the Class AAA Championship over Corning in a rematch of last year's final. Corning beat Elmira 24-12 October 18 at home in the regular season. The Hawks will try to avenge last year's title loss as the Express beat Corning then 31-14 for their first Section IV Championship in six years. Kickoff is slated for 6 pm in Corning at Memorial Stadium.
In Class A, Horseheads looks to win their first Section IV title since 1998 when they host Vestal. The Blue Raiders beat Vestal earlier this season 35-20 on the road. 26 years ago, Horseheads also beat Vestal in the Section IV title game 34-6 at Cornell University. Friday's game is also scheduled for 6 pm in Horseheads.
Defending New York State Champions #7 Tioga will have a tough test in Johnson City at 8 pm Friday against #6 Delhi in Johnson City. Delhi handed Tioga a 41-34 loss on October 4th as the Tigers finished the regular season at (7 -3). Tioga is the three-time defending New York State Champions in Class D.
Friday's action will also heat up in Pennsylvania. The unbeaten Troy Trojans play Warrior Run for the PIAA District IV Championship. Kickoff is schedule for 7 pm at Mansfield University. The Trojans just took out seven-time defending Pennsylvania State Champions Southern Columbia in the semis last week 69-28.
Saturday could be the biggest game of the season in Section IV. #1 Waverly will look to takedown #3 Chenango Forks in the Section IV Class C Championship. Kickoff is set for Noon at Johnson City Saturday as the Wolverines look to go on another deep postseason run. The Wolverines won their first-ever New York State Championship in Class C last season.
The Wolverines only loss this year was at Maine-Endwell (10-0) in a thriller 42-41 in overtime on September 28. Forks' lone defeat of the year also came at the hands of Maine-Endwell 21-14 a week after the Waverly game October 4.
A full schedule of the action Friday and Saturday is below, stay with 18 Sports for all of your championship coverage this weekend.
Section IV and DIV Football Championships – Featuring Elmira-region teams