In each of the last three games, there was a fear that the Somers football dynasty could have been derailed. On Friday night, the Tuskers showed they might be a better team because of it.
The two-time defending New York State championship overwhelmed Cornwall for a 35-0 victory in the NYSPHSAA Class A Semifinals at Middletown High School, punching their ticket to the state title game for the fourth year in a row.
VIDEO: Somers upends Cornwall in Class A state semis:
No team from Section 1 has ever made four straight state championship appearances until now. Somers also has the chance to match Edgemont (1998-2000) as the lone Section 1 program to ever win three straight championships.
Mason Kelly ran for 91 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries for the Tuskers (13-0). Miguel Iglesias passed for 134 yards on 8 of 12 completions with a touchdown. The senior quarterback also ran for 55 yards and a score.
Cameron Violante, a sophomore, caught a touchdown, and junior star Dean Palazzolo had 6 catches for 89 yards.
Bret Kennedy came up with an interception, and Timmy Monahan led the defense with nine tackles.
Somers will take on Whitesboro in a rematch of last year’s Class A state final, which the Tuskers won, 35-6, last December. They’ll meet on Friday at 6 p.m. at the JMA Dome at Syracuse University.
NYSPHSAA Football Champions by Section:
| Section | CLASS AA | CLASS A | CLASS B | CLASS C | CLASS D | TOTALS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 31 |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 15 |
| 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 16 |
| 4 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 5 | 28 |
| 5 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 25 |
| 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 26 |
| 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Here are the all-time New York State Football Champions, courtesy of Section4Football.com:
| Year | Class AA | Class A | Class B | Class C | Class D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 3-Syracuse CBA | 1-Somers | 1-Rye | 4-Waverly | 4-Tioga |
| 2022 | 6-Bennett | 1-Somers | 4-Maine-Endwell | 9-James I. O’Neill | 4-Tioga |
| 2021 | 1-Carmel | 3-Syracuse CBA | 4-Maine-Endwell | 4-Chenango Forks | 4-Tioga |
| 2020 | no playoffs | no playoffs | no playoffs | no playoffs | no playoffs |
| 2019 | 1-New Rochelle | 9-Cornwall | 4-Chenango Forks | 4-Susquehanna Valley | 6-Clymer/Sherman/Panama |
| 2018 | 5-Aquinas | 9-Cornwall | 2-Glens Falls | 4-Susquehanna Valley | 6-Clymer/Sherman/Panama |
| 2017 | 2-Troy | 6-West Seneca West | 1-Pleasantville | 3-Skaneateles | 2-Cambridge |
| 2016 | 2-Troy | 1-Somers | 2-Glens Falls | 4-Newark Valley | 2-Cambridge |
| 2015 | 5-Aquinas | 6-South Park | 3-Cazenovia | 4-Chenango Forks | 4-Tioga |
| 2014 | 6-Jamestown | 3-Indian River | 4-Maine-Endwell | 4-Chenango Forks | 6-Randolph |
| 2013 | 5-Aquinas | 2-Queensbury | 4-Maine-Endwell | 4-Chenango Forks | 6-Randolph |
| 2012 | 1-New Rochelle | 2-Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake | 4-Maine-Endwell | 2-Hoosick Falls | 6-Randolph |
| 2011 | 6-Orchard Park | 4-Maine-Endwell | 5-Hornell | 1-Dobbs Ferry | 5-Letchworth |
| 2010 | 5-Rush-Henrietta | 5-Aquinas | 5-Hornell | 1-Bronxville | 1-Tuckahoe |
| 2009 | 6-North Tonawanda | 6-Sweet Home | 5-Hornell | 6-Southwestern | 6-Randolph |
| 2008 | 6-Orchard Park | 6-Sweet Home | 1-Rye | 6-Southwestern | 6-Maple Grove |
| 2007 | 3-West Genesee | 5-Aquinas | 1-Rye | 3-Bishop Ludden | 4-Walton |
| 2006 | 3-Auburn | 4-Corning East | 5-Geneva | 1-Dobbs Ferry | 1-Tuckahoe |
| 2005 | 9-Monroe-Woodbury | 2-Amsterdam | 1-Rye | 4-Sidney | 6-Randolph |
| 2004 | 3-Syracuse CBA | 4-Maine-Endwell | 4-Chenango Forks | 1-Dobbs Ferry | 3-Weedsport |
| 2003 | 1-New Rochelle | 1-Nyack | 4-Chenango Forks | 5-Caledonia-Mumford | 3-Onondaga |
| 2002 | 5-Webster Schroeder | 5-Aquinas | 1-Harrison | 3-Onondaga | 1-Dobbs Ferry |
| 2001 | 5-Webster | 5-Aquinas | 7-Peru | 4-Delhi | 3-Onondaga |
| 2000 | 6-Jamestown | 1-Nyack | 9-Rondout Valley | 1-Edgemont | 3-Dolgeville |
| 1999 | 5-Webster | 5-Canandaigua | 1-Harrison | 1-Edgemont | 2-Cambridge |
| 1998 | 2-Troy | 5-Aquinas | 6-Lackawanna | 1-Edgemont | 6-Maple Grove |
| 1997 | 5-Fairport | 4-Vestal | 6-Lackawanna | 1-Dover | 3-West Canada |
| 1996 | 1-Yonkers Roosevelt | 2-Troy | 6-Springville | 2-Watervliet | 1-Valhalla |
| 1995 | Class AA did not exist | 6-Jamestown | 2-Amsterdam | 5-LeRoy | 5-Caledonia-Mumford |
| 1994 | Class AA did not exist | 6-Jamestown | 1-Yorktown | 4-Walton | 5-Caledonia-Mumford |
| 1993 | Class AA did not exist | 1-North Rockland | 1-Yorktown | 5-Caledonia-Mumford | 5-Clyde-Savannah |
