BANDITS TO HOLD CHAMPIONSHIP RALLY THIS EVENING
The Buffalo Bandits are celebrating their 2025 National Lacrosse League Championship victory with a rally this evening in Ticketmaster Alumni Plaza outside of KeyBank Center. Beginning at 5:00 p.m., the celebration will include speeches from players and coaches, ending at approximately 6:30 p.m.
FLAG FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN THE BOOK, FAR WEST REGIONALS SATURDAY
All three Section VI Champions have been crowned for the 2025 girls flag football season, after the Class A and B title games were held on Wednesday night at Sweet Home High School. After Pioneer claimed their second consecutive Championship in Class C last weekend, the Clarence Red Devils won their third straight title in Class A, then Orchard Park got their first Championship in program history in Class B earlier this week.
Tomorrow, Highmark Stadium is the host site for the Far West Regionals, where the Champions from Section VI take on the Section V winners for the right to advance to the New York State Semifinals. The Class A Regional starts the day at 11 a.m. with Orchard Park against Penfield, then Clarence aims to repeat as Regional Champs at 1:30 p.m. when they take on Webster Schroeder in Class B. The day wraps up with Pioneer battling with Finney in the Class C Regional at 4 p.m.
Clarence completes the 3-peat as Section VI Champs
The Clarence Red Devils rolled past Williamsville South in the Class B Sectional Championship on Wednesday, defeating the Billies 34-0 to claim the Section VI Class A title.
It's unbelievable. It's a tribute to the athletes that we have at Clarence High School. These girls are just amazing. They bought into everything that we've tried to do. Now we've got some girls that are getting some experience, and we have some three year players, but, our whole linebacking core are first year players, and it's just a tribute to their athleticism and their knowledge and learning how fast they learn the game.Clarence Head Coach Mark Layer
With the win, the Head Coach Mark Layer’s Clarence Red Devils solidify themselves as Western New York’s first dynasty in girls flag football, claiming the Section VI title in each of the three years the sport has been sanctioned.
Clarence HC Mark Layer is eyeing down Clarence’s third straight Sectional Championship pic.twitter.com/I8N3b0JeLf
— Jack Kreuzer 🎙️ (@JackKreuzer) May 28, 2025
It's different because we've been in it now for a while, but they all feel great. And, yeah, we've got some younger players in key positions.Clarence Head Coach Mark Layer
It was an onslaught from the start, with freshman running back Ellie LaDelfa scoring two touchdowns in the first eleven minutes of the game.
Strength, speed, agility, she has moves, she understands how to avoid her flag from being pulled. She just has everything you'd want in a running back…When she has the ball in her hands, I tell her, it's all you, kiddo.Clarence Head Coach Mark Layer
At Sweet Home HS for the Class B Flag Football Sectional Title game@Clar7x7Flag’s Ellie LaDelfa has two TDs already, here’s her second to give the Red Devils a 14-0 lead over Will South
— Jack Kreuzer 🎙️ (@JackKreuzer) May 28, 2025
14:00 left in 1H pic.twitter.com/OT1BbpdKKZ
LaDelfa went on to score all five Clarence scores; two on the receiving end of passes from Liv Bell, along with three rushing touchdowns.
The key to my success was the blocking and really just the confidence that I had in myself. It was really hard to go into this game thinking ‘I gotta try my best,’ but then I really just pushed through and pushed my limit.Clarence freshman Ellie LaDelfa
The Red Devils shut down Will South’s star two-way player Paige Szymanski, who was held off the scoresheet while racking up 120 yards of offense.
We focused on taking away [Syzmanski], and [running back Scarlett Melancon], and that said that was our real focus. We tried to do that the first time a little bit, but we knew a little bit more about them and what their plays were out of what formations. And I just think we were successful in taking away those key players.Clarence Head Coach Mark Layer
Will South marches down the field, but Paige Syzmanski (#27) is unable to haul in this pass on 4th and goal.
— Jack Kreuzer 🎙️ (@JackKreuzer) May 28, 2025
Clarence’s Mackenzie Truman (#4) breaks up the pass in the end zone.
27-0 Clarence
16:00 H2 pic.twitter.com/chAOiQktIl
Clarence advances to the Far West Regional to face Webster Schroeder, looking to get back to the State Final Four, where they fell in the semifinal last season.
FINAL
— Jack Kreuzer 🎙️ (@JackKreuzer) May 28, 2025
Clarence 34
Will South 0
The Red Devils 3-peat as Section VI Champions#dynasty pic.twitter.com/1GlolGPyAE
Orchard Park claims their program’s first Sectional Title
Despite slick conditions in the rain at Sweet Home High School, the Orchard Park Quakers adapted to the elements and ran past the Kenmore Devil Dogs 30-6 to claim their first Sectional Championship.
Two the ‘OG’s’ are still with me from year one, and they've been through so many close calls where we're right on the doorstep and just weren't able to get it done. So to walk away as champions today is, I mean, it means everything, and for me, I told them the other day, this means a lot for me, because it means a lot to them, and they mean a lot to me. So the fact that we could put this together as a team, and it really took a full team effort, I mean, it's really special, and I'm glad to be a small part of it.Orchard Park Head Coach Jeffrey Weiss
For Head Coach Jeffrey Weiss, finally getting over the hump to win the Sectional Title stirred up memories of four years ago, when he met with now-senior quarterback Halle Senfield just before the flag football pilot season began in 2022.
It's a really special moment, because she's one of those two girls that I mentioned. She's been with me literally since day one. We went out on the sidewalk at school in the middle of winter four years ago. It's like, all right, this is our first practice. And that's literally all that I had, was a little sidewalk space in the cold and ice. And you know, it's her and five-six-seven other girls. And for someone who was there at that very first practice to see where the sport has come, where our team has come, where this program has come, you know, and for her to be a huge part of it is obviously a big deal.Orchard Park Head Coach Jeffrey Weiss
Senfield was undoubtedly the most valuable player in the Class A Championship game, with two interceptions and three passing touchdowns for the Quakers.
OP takes advantage. Regan Hill with the TD rec
— Jack Kreuzer 🎙️ (@JackKreuzer) May 28, 2025
6-0 OP
20:15 1H pic.twitter.com/S3um3NlrXj
I knew I had to go in with confidence, so I just knew to go out there and play [to] the best of my ability and just get it out quick.Orchard Park senior Halle Senfield
Halle Senfield records her 2nd interception of the game for O.P.
— Jack Kreuzer 🎙️ (@JackKreuzer) May 29, 2025
Quakers are in control, up 24-6 with 5:10 left pic.twitter.com/0E5KmTKJ0Z
OP got revenge for their loss to Kenmore earlier this season, a 13-0 defeat that had the team change their philosophy, and kicked the Quakers’ efforts into high gear.
Our girls came ready. They prepared, they worked hard, and it's a lot of preparation in the moments leading up to this. It wasn't like there was nothing that we did tonight that was the difference. It's all the work that we put in all week long. It's all the work that they put in all season long to prepare themselves for the moment.Orchard Park Head Coach Jeffrey Weiss
Orchard Park advances to the Far West Regional for the first time in program history, with Section V’s Penfield in their way of the State Final Four.
FINAL
— Jack Kreuzer 🎙️ (@JackKreuzer) May 29, 2025
Orchard Park 30
Kenmore 6
The Quakers get revenge for the regular season loss, and for their loss in the semifinal a year ago. pic.twitter.com/UIdyBngryr
BASEBALL, SOFTBALL, LACROSSE SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS THIS WEEKEND
Over the course of the next 48 hours, Section VI Championships will be won in baseball and softball, while boys and girls lacrosse complete their title games tonight.
With semifinals wrapping up last night, the baseball Sectional title games will be held throughout the day tomorrow. The Class AA, A, and B Championships will take place tomorrow at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., and 4 p.m. each at Frontier High School. The Class C and D title games are slated for Saturday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at Diethrick Park in Jamestown.
Softball will see two Champs crowned tonight at Olean Middle School, with the Class C and D title games starting at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. respectively. Tomorrow, Grand Island High School will be the host site for the softball Championship games for Class AA at 1:30 p.m., Class A at 4 p.m., and Class B at 6:30 p.m.
Tonight, the boys Class A and B games will be held at All High Stadium in Buffalo, while the girls Class B and C Championships will take place at Parker Field in Kenmore.
The Scoreboard is presented by Zenner and Ritter Heating and Cooling.
