Wolfpack running back Travis Owens breaks free for a 48-yard touchdown on the second offensive snap of the game against Burke Catholic in the NYSPHSAA Class D football championship at JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse on Friday.
OBSERVER photo by Tim Frank
SYRACUSE – Five years ago, a group of boys stood in the corner of the end zone at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse and watched as some of their brothers celebrated a state championship.
Now, as seniors, Tate Catanese, Bryce Hinsdale, Carter Brink and Alex Barmore are champions themselves.
Catanese threw for four touchdowns through the air and added another on the ground as Clymer/Sherman/Panama beat Burke Catholic 46-7 in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class D championship game Friday afternoon on the campus of Syracuse University.
“We’ve been working at this our entire careers, especially the ‘Core 4’ that we have,” Hinsdale said postgame. ” … This has been our dream since we were 12 years old.”
“We’ve been working toward this forever,” Catanese added. “Since my brother won here in 2018, this has been my goal to get here and win it.”
Alex Barmore of the Wolfpack sacks Burke Catholic quarterback Tim Brogan.
OBSERVER Photo by Tim Frank
The Wolfpack scored on their opening three drives and five of six first-half series to lead 37-0 at halftime.
“We’ve worked so hard in practice. This is insane,” Barmore said. “We knew we had to start strong and fire on everything.”
Senior running back Travis Owens ran for a 48-yard touchdown on Clymer/Sherman/Panama’s second play just 24 seconds into the game.
“The hole opened up and he was gone,” Catanese said. “We punched them in the mouth early, that was our goal.”
“That was the play of the game. That set the momentum to our side and set the tone,” said Hinsdale. “I didn’t even see him. I was running out the block, he went right by me and he scored.”
The Clymer/Sherman/Panama football team poses as the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class D champions after defeating Burke Catholic 46-7 in the title game at JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse on Friday.
OBSERVER Photo by Tim Frank
“You start the game on a two-play drive and your running back is running like a bowling ball,” Clymer/Sherman/Panama head coach Ty Harper said, “and that gives you some confidence as a team.”
After a Burke Catholic punt, Catanese hooked up with Hinsdale for a 44-yard pass play on first down.
“With that 44-yarder, Tate just threw a perfect ball,” Hinsdale said. “I just had to go up and get it.”
Two plays later, Catanese threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Carter Brink to make it 14-0 after Hinsdale’s second of three successful point-after kicks.
“We usually script the first 15 plays and it varies depending on how the game is playing out,” Harper said. “Today, we ran some things that were effective early on that we thought maybe we could go back to.”
A shanked punt ended the Eagles’ ensuing drive and six plays later, Catanese scored on a quarterback sneak to make it 22-0, still in the first quarter. The biggest play of the drive was an 18-yard connection from Catanese to Barmore.
“I’m proud of the offensive line,” Harper said. ” … Those guys, especially for being an all-new starting group with no varsity starts between the five of them coming into the season … they did a great job today.”
The Wolfpack punted on their next drive, but Kameron Einink forced a Burke Catholic fumble that was recovered by Clymer/Sherman/Panama’s Andrew Spiesman with 8:23 remaining in the second quarter.
“I thought all three phases of the game fed each other,” Harper said. “Special teams set us up for success and the defense came out and played really well.”
On the next drive, Catanese hooked up with Hinsdale for a 14-yard gain that made Hinsdale the leading receiver in Section VI history in terms of yardage, passing Jamestown’s Zack Panebianco.
“My brother has made me the player I am today,” Hinsdale said of his older brother, Gerrit, the Wolfpack’s quarterback for their first two state titles. “He’s the reason I have the records and he’s one of the reasons I’m wearing the medal around my neck right now.”
Two plays later, Catanese threw his second touchdown of the game to Brink, this time from 19 yards out for a 30-0 lead after Dalton Richter caught the 2-point conversion from Catanese.
“We were firing on all cylinders,” Catanese said. “We preached all week that nobody could stop us if we played our game.”
The Wolfpack needed just two plays on their next drive to cap their first-half scoring, this time using a little razzle dazzle. Owens took a handoff from Catanese and then pitched to Brink, who flipped the ball back to Catanese. Barmore ran down the right sideline and then won a battle with his defender in the end zone before catching a 30-yard touchdown to make it 37-0 with 3:38 left in the first half.
“Travis got tackled, he still got the pitch off,” Catanese said. “I threw kind of a bad ball to Alex and he still came down with it. It was awesome.”
“We were able to hit that reverse flea flicker at the end of the second quarter. I thought that was big,” Harper said. ” … We did a good job of executing on that play and really kind of putting the foot down on the gas.”
Although Clymer/Sherman/Panama kicked deep to open the third quarter, the Wolfpack’s Tim White recovered the ball along the sideline to set his team up with a short field to open the second half. Three plays later, Catanese threw a 12-yard touchdown to Hinsdale to make it 43-0.
“He said that was the best half of football he’d ever seen,” Hinsdale said of Harper’s halftime message. ” … We came out, got the ball and scored right away. We’re never taking our foot off the gas.”
The big lead allowed for plenty of action from Clymer/Sherman/Panama’s reserves and time for the starters to celebrate the program’s third state title in the past seven years. Hinsdale took a break from celebrating to kick a 29-yard field goal and Catanese even lined up for a punt return.
“Personal accolades are cool, but the most important part to me is being a state champion,” Catanese said. “This was the big goal.”
In the end, the starters went back on the field to take a pair of kneel-downs to end the seniors’ careers.
“It was just a full-circle moment. I remember standing in the end zone in 2019 with four ball boys, and I remember telling them: ‘you guys are going to play here and you are going to win,’” Harper said. “They are all just such special kids. For them to come out here and play the way they did today, that’s a perfect ending.”
NOTES: Catanese went 12 of 16 for 178 yards. Barmore caught four passes for 61 yards, Brink caught four passes for 43 yards and Hinsdale caught three passes for 70 yards. … Owens ran eight times for 104 yards. … Barmore was in on five tackles, including three for a loss, and two-and-a-half sacks. Collin Ryan was in on nine tackles, Jordan Mescall was in on eight and Richter was in on seven. Brink also intercepted a pass.
Clymer/Sherman/Panama 22 15 9 0 – 46
Burke Catholic 0 0 0 7 – 7
C/S/P-Owens 48 run (Hinsdale kick)
C/S/P-Brink 9 pass from Catanese (Hinsdale kick)
C/S/P-Catanese 1 run (Owens run)
C/S/P-Brink 19 pass from Catanese (Richter pass from Catanese)
C/S/P-Barmore 30 pass from Catanese (Hinsdale kick)
C/S/P-Hinsdale 12 pass from Catanese (kick failed)
C/S/P-Hinsdale 29 field goal
BC-Mazzie 2 run (Kleister kick)