Brick Season?

McQuaid Varsity Football Team Looking to Win First Sectional Title in 40 Years

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Tim Smith

Head football coach Robert Bates pictured addressing his team at practice. The McQuaid Knights, a two seed, will face Aquinas, a one seed,in the sectional finals on November 3rd at SUNY-Brockport.(Photo: Tim Smith/@timsmith8/Staff Photographer)

1978.  That is the last time that a McQuaid varsity football team won a sectional championship. It has been a grueling 40 years, but that is not on the minds of these Knights. These 2018 varsity Knights are talented, athletic, and hungry to bring back a sectional title back to McQuaid.

Even though the Knights haven’t won a sectional title, they have still had competitive teams. Last year the team made it into the third round of sectionals before losing to Pittsford.  After the loss of talented seniors such as AJ Fina, Mike Cairns, and Divine Williams, the team came into the season hungry to prove that they are just as talented and can advance even farther than last year.

This year’s Knights are currently 8-1,  with their only loss coming to their cross-town rival, Aquinas. The Knights have beaten the Section V champion Wilson Wildcats, and won the Rochester City Catholic Association title on Oct. 12 with their win over the high-powered East High Eagles.

The team this year is motivated and hungry to prove themselves. This is what head coach Robert Bates had to say about the team this year’s team.

“Resilient- this team has been in many different situations this year.  No moment has been too big for them,” said head football coach Mr. Robert Bates. “When adversity hits, they find a way to battle.  This team does not want to just win, they want to refuse to lose.”

The Knights have won both of their sectionals games this year. With their first win coming at home against a tough Rush-Henrietta team. Then a bashing of the Hilton Cadets at SUNY-Brockport on Oct. 27. Now the McQuaid Knights will face off against their ultimate rival Aquinas again — this time for a Section V title. The first time these two cross-town rivals met, Aquinas came out with a slim victory over the Knights with a score of 22-19.

This game means everything to the Knights. With a sectional title on the line, and their opponent being a rival such as Aquinas, emotions are set to be high.  

“I’m excited to get a second chance at Aquinas. Every time we play Aquinas the atmosphere of the whole stadium is ecstatic. And since it is the sectional finals, I can’t wait to see what saturday night holds. We have not won a sectional title in 40 years, so come saturday night.  We are going to leave everything on the field. Even though I haven’t been on the team a long time, I know how much this win would means to the seniors on this team,” said special teams specialist Jordan Brongo.

The heart and soul of this team is in its senior leaders. With 23 seniors on this team, it is clear that this group is motivated to leave McQuaid with its first sectional title since 1978.

“If you look at our games thus far, we have been in every type of situation–playing ahead, playing from behind, needing a last minute drive, etc.  These experiences are going to help us down the road,” said Coach Bates. In other words this group has been battle tested.