Just around the corner
High school football season will kick off Sept. 3
Section VI recently released the high school football schedule for the 2021 fall season.
Opening weekend will take place Friday, Sept. 3 and Saturday, Sept. 4.
Jamestown will be the lone local Class A team and Dunkirk will be in Class B South. Allegany-Limestone, Cassadaga Valley/Falconer, Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton, Fredonia, Gowanda/Pine Valley and Southwestern will play in Class C South with newcomer Salamanca. Clymer/Sherman/Panama will return to Class D with Cattaraugus-Little Valley, Franklinville/Ellicottville, Portville, Randolph and Silver Creek/Forestville.
Frewsburg and Maple Grove are playing 8-man football.
Jamestown will host rival Orchard Park at 7 p.m. on Sept. 3 at Strider Field.
The only other home game locally that night will be JFK at Randolph. Cattaraugus-Little Valley will travel to Allegany-Limestone, Dunkirk will visit Kenmore East and Gowanda/Pine Valley will play at Portville.
There is also a fairly full schedule on Sept. 4.
Clymer/Sherman/Panama will host Cassadaga Valley/Falconer in Clymer at 1:30 p.m. while the remainder of the local games will be evening kickoffs. Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton will host Akron, Fredonia will host Olean and Silver Creek/Forestville will host Cardinal O’Hara. At 1 p.m., Franklinville/Ellicottville will travel to Lackawanna while Southwestern will go on the road to Iroquois for its opener that evening.
In Week 2, Dunkirk will play a Thursday evening game at Lake Shore on Sept. 9. Friday evening games will include Gowanda/Pine Valley’s home opener against Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton, Cassadaga Valley/Falconer hosting Silver Creek/Forestville at Bill Race Field in Falconer and Cattaraugus-Little Valley hosting C/S/P.
Section V’s 8-man season, which also includes Maple Grove and Frewsburg, will kick off Sept. 10 with the Bears hosting Perry and the Red Dragons hosting Red Jacket.
Southwestern will finally play its home opener at Charles A. Lawson Field on Friday, Sept. 17 when it hosts Olean. Franklinville/Ellicottville will also play its home opener that night when it entertains Silver Creek/Forestville.
Cassadaga Valley/Falconer’s first game of the season in Sinclairville will be Saturday, Sept. 18 when the Golden Cougars host Gowanda/Pine Valley at 2 p.m.
On Friday, Oct. 1, there will be a rematch of the spring Section VI Class A championship game at Strider Field when Jamestown hosts South Park. The Red Raiders led the title game 29-22 in overtime during a matchup with the Sparks in May, but Keith Jackson ran for a touchdown and the 2-point conversion on South Park’s first drive of the extra session to give his team the victory.
That same night, Frewsburg will visit Dutch Hollow Road for an 8-man matchup with Maple Grove. The teams both played eight-man in the fall of 2019, but when football moved to the spring this year, the Red Dragons tried to field an 11-man team and the Bears remained at eight-man. It didn’t work out too well for either program, and they hope to get back on track this fall.
Week 8 will be the final week of the regular season, and serve as “Rivalry Week” for many schools.
On Thursday, Oct. 21, Jamestown will visit Amherst, Randolph will travel to Eden and Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton will play at Allegany-Limestone.
On Friday, Oct. 22, Fredonia will visit Dunkirk, Cassadaga Valley/Falconer will play at Southwestern, Salamanca will visit Gowanda/Pine Valley, Portville will travel to Franklinville/Ellicottville and Silver Creek/Forestville will host Clymer/Sherman/Panama. Cattaraugus-Little Valley will also host Bolivar-Richburg. Maple Grove will travel to C.G. Finney/Northstar Christian Academy and Frewsburg will host Red Jacket in 8-man action.
Traditional eight-team playoff brackets will begin the weekend of Oct. 29-30 with semifinals Nov. 5-6. Sectional finals are expected to return to Highmark Stadium the weekend of Nov. 11-14.
High School Football
All games at 7 p.m. unless noted
WEEK 1
Friday, Sept. 3
Niagara Falls vs. McKinley at Riverside Field
North Tonawanda at Clarence
Williamsville North at Williamsville East
Orchard Park at Jamestown
Hamburg at Niagara-Wheatfield
Amherst at Sweet Home
Grand Island at Cheektowaga
Dunkirk at Kenmore East
Lake Shore at West Seneca East
Williamsville South at Frontier
South Park at West Seneca West
East Aurora vs. Burgard at All-High Stadium
Royalton-Hartland at Albion
Lewiston-Porter at Wilson
Bishop Timon at Medina
Salamanca at Springville
JFK at Randolph
Cattaraugus-Little Valley at Allegany-Limestone
Gowanda at Portville
Saturday, Sept. 4
Franklinville/Ellicottville at Lackawanna, 1 p.m.
Cassadaga Valley/Falconer vs. Clymer/Sherman/Panama at Clymer, 1:30 p.m.
Starpoint vs. Hutch Tech at Riverside Field, 2 p.m.
WNY Maritime vs. Bennett at All-High Stadium, 2 p.m.
Depew at Newfane, 2 p.m.
Lancaster at Lockport, 2 p.m.
Kenmore West at Pioneer
Akron at Chautauqua Lake
Olean at Fredonia
Alden at Avon
Maryvale at Cleveland Hill
Southwestern at Iroquois
Eden at Tonawanda
Cardinal O’Hara at Silver Creek/Forestville
WEEK 2
Thursday, Sept. 9
Dunkirk at Lake Shore, 6:30 p.m.
Sweet Home at Niagara-Wheatfield
Kenmore East at North Tonawanda
Burgard at Cheektowaga
Friday, Sept. 10
Hutch Tech at Lancaster
Bennett at Williamsville North
Niagara Falls at Clarence
Grand Island at Orchard Park
McKinley at Starpoint
Jamestown at Williamsville South
West Seneca West at Frontier
Hamburg at Williamsville East
South Park at Amherst
Royalton-Hartland at Lewiston-Porter
Albion at Maryvale
West Seneca East at Olean
Pioneer at East Aurora
Tonawanda at Iroquois
Alden at Akron
St. Mary’s at Eden
Springville at Depew
Chautauqua Lake at Gowanda
Fredonia at Allegany-Limestone
Southwestern at Salamanca
Silver Creek/Forestville vs. Cassadaga Valley/Falconer at Falconer
Franklinville/Ellicottville at Randolph
Clymer/Sherman/Panama at Cattaraugus-Little Valley
Perry at Frewsburg (8-man)
Red Jacket at Maple Grove (8-man)
Saturday, Sept. 11
WNY Maritime at Canisius, 1 p.m.
Lackawanna at JFK, 1:30 p.m.
Lockport at Kenmore West, 2 p.m.
Medina at Newfane, 2 p.m.
Wilson at Cleveland Hill, 2 p.m.
Portville at Bishop Timon, 2 p.m.
WEEK 3
Thursday, Sept. 16
Springville at Alden, 6:30 p.m.
Clarence vs. Bennett at All-High Stadium
Cleveland Hill at Tonawanda
Friday, Sept. 17
East Aurora at Lake Shore, 6:30 p.m.
Orchard Park at Lancaster
Kenmore West at Sweet Home
Williamsville East vs. South Park at All-High Stadium
Niagara-Wheatfield at Niagara Falls
McKinley at Grand Island
Kenmore East at Starpoint
Frontier at Jamestown
West Seneca West at Hamburg
Amherst at Williamsville South
WNY Maritime vs. Burgard at Riverside Field
Iroquois at Dunkirk
Cheektowaga at Lewiston-Porter
Wilson at Albion
Olean at Southwestern
West Seneca East at Pioneer
Newfane at Akron
Bishop Timon at Depew
Fredonia at Chautauqua Lake
Randolph at Geneseo
Clymer/Sherman/Panama at Portville
Silver Creek/Forestville at Franklinville/Ellicottville
Cardinal O’Hara at Cattaraugus-Little Valley
Allegany-Limestone at Salamanca
Frewsburg at Pembroke (8-man)
Saturday, Sept. 18
Medina at Lackawanna, 1 p.m.
Eden at JFK, 1:30 p.m.
Williamsville North vs. Hutch Tech at Riverside Field, 2 p.m.
North Tonawanda at Lockport, 2 p.m.
Gowanda vs. Cassadaga Valley/Falconer at Cassadaga Valley, 2 p.m.
Maryvale at Royalton-Hartland
Maple Grove at Perry (8-man)
WEEK 4
Thursday, Sept. 23
Tonawanda at Wilson
Starpoint at North Tonawanda
Williamsville South vs. South Park at All-High Stadium
Friday, Sept. 24
JFK at Bishop Timon, 6:30 p.m.
Hutch Tech vs. McKinley at Riverside Field
Clarence at Williamsville North
Grand Island at Kenmore East
Jamestown at West Seneca West
Williamsville East at Frontier
Amherst at Hamburg
Albion vs. Burgard at All-High Stadium
Cheektowaga at West Seneca East
WNY Maritime at Royalton-Hartland
Lewiston-Porter at Maryvale
Chautauqua Lake at Southwestern
East Aurora at Olean
Pioneer at Dunkirk
Lake Shore at Iroquois
Akron at Medina
Newfane at Springville
Lackawanna at Eden
Depew at Alden
Gowanda at Fredonia
Allegany-Limestone at Portville
Cattaraugus-Little Valley at Silver Creek/Forestville
Holley at Frewsburg (8-man)
Pembroke at Maple Grove (8-man)
Saturday, Sept. 25
Randolph vs. Clymer/Sherman/Panama at Panama, 12:30 p.m.
Cleveland Hill at St. Mary’s, 1 p.m.
Bennett at Orchard Park, 1 p.m.
Salamanca vs. Cassadaga Valley/Falconer at Cassadaga Valley, 1:30 p.m.
Lancaster at Niagara Falls, 2 p.m.
Sweet Home at Lockport, 2 p.m.
Franklinville at Cardinal O’Hara, 2 p.m.
Niagara-Wheatfield at Kenmore West, 2 p.m.
WEEK 5
Thursday, Sept. 30
Silver Creek/Forestville at Bishop Timon, 6:30 p.m.
Lewiston-Porter at Albion
Southwestern at Gowanda
Fredonia at Salamanca
Friday, Oct. 1
Maryvale at Lake Shore, 6:30 p.m.
Lancaster vs. Bennett at All-High Stadium
Hutch Tech at Orchard Park
McKinley at Kenmore East
Niagara Falls at Williamsville North
Kenmore West at Clarence
Lockport at Niagara-Wheatfield
Starpoint at Grand Island
South Park at Jamestown
Frontier at Amherst
Hamburg at Williamsville South
West Seneca West at Williamsville East
Royalton-Hartland vs. Burgard at Riverside Field
WNY Maritime at Cheektowaga
Cardinal O’Hara at Chautauqua Lake
Dunkirk at Olean
West Seneca East at East Aurora
Pioneer at Iroquois
Eden at Springville
Cassadaga Valley/Falconer at Allegany-Limestone
Cattaraugus-Little Valley at Franklinville/Ellicottville
Portville at Randolph
Frewsburg at Maple Grove (8-man)
Wilson at Akron, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 2
Alden at Lackawanna, 1 p.m.
St. Mary’s vs. Clymer/Sherman/Panama at Sherman, 1:30 p.m.
Depew at JFK, 1:30 p.m.
Tonawanda at Newfane, 2 p.m.
North Tonawanda at Sweet Home, 2 p.m.
Medina at Cleveland Hill, 2 p.m.
WEEK 6
Thursday, Oct. 7
Olean at Lake Shore, 6:30 p.m.
Williamsville South at West Seneca West
Lockport at Grand Island
Pioneer at Royalton-Hartland
WNY Maritime at Maryvale
Portville at Cattaraugus-Little Valley
Friday, Oct. 8
Williamsville at Lancaster
Orchard Park at Clarence
Niagara-Wheatfield at Starpoint
Bennett at Kenmore East
Kenmore West at North Tonawanda
Jamestown at Hamburg
South Park at Frontier
Williamsville East at Amherst
Burgard at Lewiston-Porter
Cheektowaga at Albion
St. Mary’s at Springville
West Seneca East at Iroquois
East Aurora at Dunkirk
Medina at Wilson
Lackawanna at Depew
Chautauqua Lake vs. Cassadaga Valley/Falconer at Falconer
Alden at Eden
Southwestern at Fredonia
Allegany-Limestone at Gowanda
Randolph at Silver Creek/Forestville
Clymer/Sherman/Panama at Franklinville/Ellicottville
Bishop Timon at Salamanca
Frewsburg at South Seneca (8-man)
Maple Grove at Holley (8-man)
Saturday, Oct. 9
Niagara Falls vs. Hutch Tech at Riverside Field, 2 p.m.
Sweet Home vs. McKinley at All-High Stadium, 2 p.m.
Newfane at Cardinal O’Hara, 2 p.m.
JFK at Cleveland Hill, 2 p.m.
Akron at Tonawanda, 7 p.m.
WEEK 7
Thursday, Oct. 14
Wilson at Alden, 6:30 p.m.
Frontier at Williamsville North
Eden at Depew
Hamburg vs. South Park at All-High Stadium
Friday, Oct. 15
Hutch Tech vs. Bennett at All-High Stadium
Lancaster at Clarence
Grand Island at Niagara-Wheatfield
McKinley at North Tonawanda
St. Joe’s at Sweet Home
Williamsville East at Jamestown
Amherst at West Seneca West
Lewiston-Porter at Williamsville South
Royalton-Hartland at Cheektowaga
Maryvale vs. Burgard at Riverside Field
Dunkirk at West Seneca East
Salamanca at Chautauqua Lake
Akron at East Aurora
Iroquois at Olean
Lake Shore at Pioneer
Tonawanda at Medina
Allegany-Limestone at Southwestern
Cassadaga Valley/Falconer at Fredonia
Silver Creek/Forestville at Portville
Cattaraugus-Little Valley at Randolph
Franklinville/Ellicottville at Alexander
C.G. Finney/Northstar Christian Academy at Frewsburg (8-man)
South Seneca at Maple Grove (8-man)
Saturday, Oct. 16
Lackawanna vs. Clymer/Sherman/Panama at Clymer, 1:30 p.m.
Orchard Park at Niagara Falls, 2 p.m.
Starpoint at Kenmore West, 2 p.m.
Albion at WNY Maritime, 2 p.m.
Cleveland Hill at Newfane, 2 p.m.
Gowanda at St. Mary’s, 2 p.m.
Kenmore East at Lockport, 2 p.m.
Springville at JFK, 2 p.m.
WEEK 8
Thursday, Oct. 21
JFK at Alden, 6:30 p.m.
Niagara-Wheatfield vs. McKinley at Riverside Field
Jamestown at Amherst
Randolph at Eden
Chautauqua Lake at Allegany-Limestone
Friday, Oct. 22
Lockport vs. South Park at All-High Stadium
Depew at Lancaster
Williamsville North at Orchard Park
North Tonawanda at Tonawanda
Sweet Home at Grand Island
Burgard at Starpoint
Frontier at Hamburg
West Seneca West at West Seneca East
Williamsville South at Williamsville East
Lake Shore at Royalton-Hartland
Cheektowaga at Maryvale
Albion at Medina
Olean at Pioneer
Fredonia at Dunkirk
Iroquois at East Aurora
Newfane at Wilson
Albion at Medina
Cleveland Hill at Akron
Cassadaga Valley/Falconer at Southwestern
Bolivar-Richburg at Cattaraugus-Little Valley
Salamanca at Gowanda
Portville at Franklinville/Ellicottville
Clymer/Sherman/Panama at Silver Creek/Forestville
Maple Grove at C.G. Finney/Northstar Christian Academy (8-man)
Red Jacket at Frewsburg (8-man)
Saturday, Oct. 23
Springville at Lackawanna, 1 p.m.
Bennett at Niagara Falls
Clarence vs. Hutch Tech at Riverside Field
WNY Maritime at Lewiston-Porter
Kenmore East at Kenmore West