GALLERY: A 35-7 defeat sends Hornell the finals at St. John Fisher on November 14
From Drew Golden, Follow The Golden Lens on Facebook
The Hornell Red Raiders closed out their sectional home field advantage in memorable fashion Friday night, defeating East Rochester-Gananda 35-7 in the Section V Class C semifinals at Maple City Park. The victory sends the No. 1 seed Raiders to the Class C championship for the first time since 2017. They will face LeRoy/Caledonia-Mumford on Saturday, November 14, at noon at St. John Fisher University.
It was the final home game for Hornell’s seniors. Before kickoff, the group walked the field with Coach Izzy Mehr, reflecting on memories of a place long regarded as a field of dreams for the program. See the slide show below:
The Raiders responded with a physical performance on both sides of the ball, finishing with 369 total yards of offense—including 311 on the ground—while holding East Rochester-Gananda to 133 total yards (63 rushing). Matt Karr carried 16 times for 143 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore Tyrone Buchanan added 18 carries for 127 yards and a score. The offensive line of Owen Hyer, Ryan Didio, Quentin Evingham, Anthony Winant and Elliott Bale controlled the trenches and opened consistent running lanes. John Flaitz continued his reliable production when called upon.
Defensively, James Smith stood out with two interceptions along with strong tackling in an inspired effort. The starting defense has not allowed a point on the home turf this season. East Rochester-Gananda had proven a difficult postseason opponent in recent years, beating Hornell 44-30 on Nov. 9, 2024, and eliminating the Raiders 34-0 last season.
Friday’s result reversed that trend. “Last night was the last time our seniors would play a game on that field,” Mehr said. “These young men have matured into amazing individuals both on and off the field. Prior to last night’s game we took a walk around the field, taking in all the memories. It brought back many memories of my own. The most important thing was to finish off the right way to do justice to that field, which has been a field of dreams to so many who have played football here at Hornell, and we were able to do that last night, winning 35-7 over a very good East Rochester team.
We wanted to see toughness and physicality added to our repertoire as we have been climbing week to week to get better. We were able to play physical on both sides in the trenches on the offensive and defensive lines. Much credit to our big guys up front on both sides who really brought out another level of physicality last night. We were able to put together 369 total yards of offense.”
“Last night was special for this community and the football alumni. After the game we were able to take a little pause as coaches and reflect and see how this journey has been going. It’s not been easy since we started, but the work that our coaching staff puts in day in and day out and the passion with which they teach these young men over the years is showing now. It takes time to bring about change. These young men as sophomores were taking their lumps and bruises. Those were tough times as a football program, but we all persevered, and I’m grateful to the coaches and to these young men across the board who believed in the process. We are excited to be in the championship game week. This is a result of a combination of believing in the process, adhering to the standards, being accountable, bringing about work ethic and understanding and embracing what Hornell football is. Understanding how special it is, and I think these young men have done all that. It’s taken some time, but they understand.”
“For me, it was very special to see my three coaches after the game—Coach Mastin, Coach Buisch and Coach Libordi they were all smiles and that meant a lot to me. The bonus was many of my teammates came into town to be with us in the locker room during pregame and join us on the sideline, 36 years ago it was un in the locker room. I’m grateful to those guys for the bonds that we have maintained, and that would not have been possible if it were not for Hornell Football. That is something we have instilled in these young men—that this is something special. The brotherhood of Hornell Football is special.
The success you see. It’s not just X’s and O’s but it’s reinvigorating a sense of ownership of this football program. That has been a vital part of success. We’re going to begin working as a staff to prepare for next week. As always our goal is to be 1-0, nothing more, nothing less, and we will put in the time and effort to prepare. Grateful to the community for the love and support and all the alumni does not go unnoticed. We’ll get back to work, and we hope to see you all next Saturday the 14th at noon at St. John Fisher.”
Hornell faces LeRoy/Caledonia-Mumford in the Section V Class C championship on Saturday, November 14, at noon at St. John Fisher University.
