Section V football classifications are set. What to know for 2024

Ready those stadium lights, another Section V football season fast approaches. And like any other, this season will produce new opponents and playoff races in an ever-evolving sport.

One constant: For the second straight year, Section V will offer six classifications. Of those six, five decreased in size from a year ago, as Section V grapples with the increasingly popular option of independent play .

Those independent teams are not eligible for postseason play. Those that remain within classification, though, have their sights set on mid-November when Section V crowns its champions. Beyond that, the region hopes its local talent can end its five-year stretch without a New York state champion (Aquinas was the last in 2018).

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While teams have been hard at work during the summer, official practices cannot begin until Monday, Aug. 19, with full padded practices to follow in the days to come.

Here's how Section V's classifications line up for 2024 (subject to change):

Section V football, Class AA

• Teams (8): Aquinas Institute, Fairport, Hilton, McQuaid (2023 champion) , Penfield, Pittsford, Rush-Henrietta, University Prep (2023 finalist)

Nuts and bolts: McQuaid is the five-time defending Class AA champion , a first in Section V football history. The Knights lost four of five all-state selections from last season, but among the returners is quarterback Will DiMarco . University Prep was McQuaid's top challenger last year and will lean on All-Greater Rochester selection CJ Robinson , a running back and defensive back, among others. The Griffins have finished 9-1 each of the last two seasons after making the jump to AA. Hilton (only two years removed from a state tournament appearance in Class A), Aquinas and Pittsford all finished with a .500 or better record last regular season and will look to upend incumbent champion McQuaid. This classification's lone departure is the merged Edison team, which is opting for independent play.

Section V football, Class A

• Teams (15): Brighton (2023 finalist) , Brockport, Canandaigua , Churchville-Chili, East/World of Inquiry (2023 champion) , Gates Chili, Greece Arcadia, Greece Athena , Irondequoit, Monroe (2023 Class B champion) Spencerport , Victor, Webster Schroeder, Webster Thomas, Wilson

Nuts and bolts: Class A remains Section V's busiest classification and will remain at 15 teams. Long dominated by Canandaigua, which won four straight section titles (including when Class A split into two divisions for 2021 and 2022), supremacy flipped to East/World of Inquiry in 2023 . The Eagles won 12 straight games to open the season, claiming a Section V title in the process, before bowing out to Section III's Whitesboro in the state semifinals. The Eagles must replacing All-Greater Rochester large school player of the year Zymier Jackson (over 3,000 passing yards, 36 total touchdowns in 2023), but Yusef Abdi and Jeremiah Tucker are former all-state selections who presumably return this season. Last year's No. 1 seed, Victor, brings back a healthy contingent of talent including second-team AGR running back Dre Yeomans.

The division welcomes defending Class B champion Monroe, who returns a significant portion of its own talent base. Monroe bounced back from a devastating loss in the 2022 Class B final to win it all in 2023 , the Red Jackets' first Section V title since 1979. The team boasted 12 All-Greater Rochester selections last year, including co-players of the year Robert Arnold and Khaya Moses (both have graduated) and seven other first-teamers. The Red Jackets should again be a force in 2024, led by returners Messiah Hampton , Styhles McKenzie-Baker and Tahjmir Mullins. The team also expects to turn quarterbacking duties over to freshman Terrell Cunnigham, Jr.

Section V football, Class B

• Teams (5) : Batavia, Eastridge, Honeoye Falls-Lima (2023 finalist) , Rochester Prep, Vertus

Nuts and bolts: Class B has, arguably, the most turnover in Section V in comparison to last season. While this classification gains two programs (Eastridge, Wilson) that dropped from A, it lost three others (Dansville/WayCo, Geneva, Wayne) to independent status.

Batavia was the prior standard-bearer after winning consecutive Class B section titles, but couldn't parlay a 6-2 regular season into a three-peat. There should be more continuity this season for the Blue Devils, as coach Alex Veltz enters his second season as program leader. Honeoye Falls-Lima has reached the championship game three of the last four seasons, last winning the title in spring 2021. Despite graduating several key pieces, the Cougars' history suggests another competitive team in 2024.

Section V football, Class C

• Teams (6): Caledonia-Mumford/Le Roy (Le Roy was 2023 champion) , East Rochester/Gananda, Haverling, Hornell, Letchworth/Warsaw/Perry, Livonia

Nuts and bolts: Le Roy, the reigning champion, receives an influx of talent with its merger with Cal-Mum, an 8-man team last season. Still, there are far more subtractions than addition for Class C this season. Attica/Alexander, now split, drops to Class D, while Bishop Kearney/RACS, Lyons/Sodus and Penn Yan/Dundee are passing on sectional play this season in favor of an independent schedule.

While the classification shrinks in size, there remains talent among the incumbent teams. East Rochester/Gananda quarterback Benjamin Newman and Le Roy lineman Holden Sullivan are two returning all-state selections.

Section V football, Class D

• Teams (8): Attica, Alexander, Avon, Canisteo-Greenwood (2023 champion) , Geneseo/Mt. Morris, Notre Dame Batavia, Oakfield-Alabama/Elba, York/Pavilion (2023 finalist)

Nuts and bolts: Class D grows by two teams this fall. Attica and Alexander reached the Class C title game last season as a merged program, but elected to end the partnership after one season.

After trying its hand at 8-man for two seasons, Canisteo-Greenwood returned to the full-sized gridiron in 2023 to great success. The Chargers posted three shutouts down the stretch, including a 6-0 rock fight over York/Pavilion in the Class D section title game. Three AGR selections from that stellar defensive unit have since graduated. Runner-up York/Pavilion similarly lost some of its top talent. Like the defending section champs, Oakfield-Alabama/Elba recently returned to 11-man after trying the condensed 8-man game -- With Avery Watterson , who finished a shade under 1,000 yards last year, back in the fold, can the Aggies improve upon its three-win showing last year?

Section V football, 8-man

• Teams (5): Bolivar-Richburg (2023 finalist) , Holley, Pembroke (2023 champion) , Red Jacket, Wellsville

Nuts and bolts: Section V enters its sixth season with 8-man competition, with two teams exiting from last year's crop. Championships have been earned in series of twos since the league's inception in 2018 (Oakfield-Alabama/Elba 2018-2019, Red Jacket spring 2021-fall 2021, Pembroke 2022-2023), but reigning regional state champion Pembroke hopes to retire that pattern. Doing so could be tough for the Dragons, who lost New York state 8-man player of the year Tyson Totten -- and his 71 touchdowns -- to graduation. Rising senior Caleb Felski , who had over 1,000 yards and 20 touchdowns last season, could earn the bulk of that workload. Holley's Dustin Kuyal is a rising senior who was named first team all-state last season.

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Section V football independents

• Teams (17): Bishop Kearney/RACS, CG Finney/Northstar, Clyde-Savannah, Dansville/Wayland-Cohocton, Edison/SOTA/Franklin/NE/SWW, Geneva, Greece Olympia/Odyssey, Lyons/Sodus, Marcus Whitman-Bloomfield, Midlakes, Mynderse Academy, Newark/Marion, Palmyra-Macedon , Penn Yan/Dundee, South Seneca, Waterloo, Wayne

Nuts and bolts: The list of Section V teams electing to skip postseason play has more than doubled from a year ago. Much of this group will compete in the Wayne-Finger Lakes independent league, where defending champion Palmyra-Macedon hopes to replicate its undefeated season from a year ago. Among the Red Raiders' top challengers could be nearby rival Wayne, which finished above .500 as a Class B competitor in 2023 and returns plenty of experience along its offensive line.

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