The man responsible for getting those playmakers the ball was Tate Catanese.

The junior quarterback did it as well and as efficiently as any signal-caller in Western New York.

Catanese was named the Class D league Player of the Year after completing 137 of 212 passes for 1,760 yards and 25 touchdowns against just six interceptions. He also ran for 617 yards and 12 touchdowns en route to being a finalist for the Connolly Cup, awarded annually to the best high school football player in Western New York.

For the past two years, Catanese has been the quarterback for junior wide receiver Bryce Hinsdale, who is now the Western New York all-time receptions leader with 170. This season alone, Hinsdale caught 58 passes for 562 yards and 10 touchdowns en route to being named a co-league Offensive Player of the Year.

• 1,760 passing yards • 25 passing TDs • 617 rushing yards • 12 rushing TDs • Class D Player of the Year

Wolfpack junior tight end Alex Barmore caught 25 passes for 430 yards and six touchdowns, while wide receiver Carter Brink, another junior, caught 32 passes for 580 yards and seven touchdowns.

After a solid sophomore season, Catanese burst onto the scene in the Wolfpack’s opening game this fall, going 19 for 24 for 255 yards and five touchdowns in a 38-3 victory over nonleague Southwestern.

He was more productive with his legs during a 21-6 victory over Randolph in Week 2. Catanese ran 14 times for 102 yards and a score.

His efficiency through the air was back on display in Week 3 as he threw just two incompletions, going 16 for 18 for 192 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-13 win over Wilson.

In a 44-21 nonleague victory over Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove during Week 4, Catanese threw for 181 yards and two touchdowns, while again eclipsing the 100-yard mark on the ground with 104 yards and two touchdowns.

He had another big game through the air in Week 6 as Clymer/Sherman/Panama put together an impressive 37-6 win over Salamanca — the eventual Section VI Class C champion. Catanese went 12 of 18 for 167 yards and three touchdowns.

He threw for three touchdowns in Week 7 against Gowanda/Pine Valley and then guided the Wolfpack to a league title in Week 8 as they beat Franklinville/Ellicottville 23-17 in sloppy conditions in Ellicottville.

In the playoffs, Catanese went 13 of 17 for 226 yards and a touchdown against Randolph and then completed 13 of 18 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns to go along with 60 yards on the ground against Wilson as Clymer/Sherman/Panama won the sectional title at Highmark Stadium.

A week later at Williamsville South High School, Catanese sent the Wolfpack back to the first state semifinal since winning a state title in 2019 with a 50-16 victory over Canisteo-Greenwood during which he completed nine passes for 164 yards and three touchdowns.

Although Clymer/Sherman/Panama’s season came to an end against three-time defending state champion Tioga at Cicero-North Syracuse the day after Thanksgiving, Catanese had already done enough by that time to be this year’s OBSERVER/Post-Journal Player of the Year.