NYSPHSAA Football Championships 2024: Teams Clash for State Titles in Syracuse

A weekend of thrilling matchups awaits as New York’s best high school football teams vie for state supremacy

Somers Dean Palazzolo (30) looks for some running room in the Cornwall defense during the Class A NYSPHSAA East semifinal at Middletown High School Nov. 29, 2024. / Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The final week of the 2024 New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) football season has begun, as title games take place this weekend.

Classes AA through D will have their state championship games on Friday and Saturday at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse. 

The 8-man regional championship is at 3 p.m. Saturday at Moravia High School.

Class AA

CBA-Syracuse (Section III) vs. CBA-Albany (Section II), 6 p.m. Saturday

Both teams might have the same Christian Brothers Academy name, but they are in a different location with a different purpose.

CBA-Syracuse captured a thrilling 21-14 victory over Section V’s Aquinas Institute in the state semifinal round over the weekend. The end result was the Brothers recording a go-ahead touchdown after being down 14-13 with two minutes left in regulation.

CBA-Albany’s semifinal matchup went much smoother — a 56-7 final over Section IV’s Corning.

CBA-Syracuse is looking for its second-straight title in its third appearance in school history. CBA-Albany, on the other hand, is hoping to secure its first title in the program’s first-ever state championship game appearance.

Both teams are 13-0, with CBA-Syracuse currently riding a 27-game win streak.

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Class A

Somers (Section I) vs. Whitesboro (Section III), 6 p.m. Friday

The Class A state clash will be a grudge match between the Warriors and Tuskers.

Last season, Somers won 35-6 over Whitesboro in the Class A state title game.

The Tuskers came away with a dominant 35-0 victory over Cornwall Central (Section IX) in the semifinal round this past weekend. The Warriors took care of Brighton (Section V) in the other semifinal contest.

Somers is in the hunt to complete a three-peat after grabbing state crowns the last two seasons. The Tuskers, a three-time state champion, will be making their fifth appearance in the big game.

Whitesboro, who will make its third state championship appearance, is hoping to redeem itself after falling short last season.

Both squads head into the Class A state championship game with a 13-0 record.

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Class B

Port Jervis (Section IX) vs. Maine-Endwell (Section IV), 3 p.m. Saturday

The matchup has a David vs. Goliath vibe to it.

Port Jervis, making its first-ever state championship appearance, takes on perennial state power Maine-Endwell. The Spartans, a 7-time state champion, will appear in their eighth title game on Saturday.

Maine-Endwell captured four-straight state titles between 2011 and 2014, and won two straight in 2021 and 2022.

The Raiders edged Section II’s Glen Falls, 47-41, in the semifinals over the weekend. The Spartans topped Section VI’s Health Sciences Charter, 50-30.

Maine-Endwell heads into Saturday’s game with a 14-0 record. Port Jervis is 11-1 so far this season.

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Class C

Schuylerville (Section II) vs. Salamanca (Section VI), at noon Saturday

The Horses and Warriors took care of business in their respective state semifinal matchups. Now, they’re in line to win the programs’ first-ever state title.

Schuylerville has bad luck in the state final, losing three title games between 2015 and 2021. But a 24-7 win over Section I’s Valhalla, a 1996 state champion, in the semis shows promise for the Horses.

Salamanca reached the state final for the first time since 1999. That title game, however, wasn’t in the Warriors’ favor when they fell 32-20 to Section I’s Edgemont.

The Warriors beat Section IV’s Chenango Forks, a 7-time state champion, in the other semifinal contest.

Salamanca is undefeated at 13-0, while Schuylerville is sporting a 12-1 mark.

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Class D

Clymer Central/Sherman/Panama (Section VI) vs. Burke Catholic (Section IX), 3 p.m. Friday

Clymer Central/Sherman/Panama, a 2-time state champion, is poised to capture its third title.

The Wolfpack pulled off an impressive 43-14 win over Section III’s Dolgeville. CSP is now ready to appear in its fourth state championship game in school history.

Burke Catholic will be new to the experience of a state title game with its first-ever appearance. In the semis, BC defeated Section II’s Greenwich, 25-18, in an overtime thriller.

CSP has a 10-2 record, while Burke Catholic currently stands at 10-1.

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8-Man

Moravia (Section IV) vs. Frankfort-Schuyler (Section III), 3 p.m. Saturday

The Blue Devils and the Maroon Knights faced some adversity before punching their tickets to the regional final.

Moravia beat Section IV rival Trumansburg, 42-40, in the regional semifinals over the weekend. Moravia got its vengeance after they lost to Trumansburg in the Section IV 8-man regional title game.

F-S knocked off Section V’s Pembroke in an 8-man semi final grudge match. The Maroon Knights got the win after the Dragons, the defending 8-man champion, beat them in last season’s semis.

The Maroon Knights have a 12-0 record, and the Blue Devils are 9-2 so far this season.