BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Week 2 of the high school football season is here, and it features an eye-catching battle between two of the top teams in the City of Buffalo.
Here are four games to watch for this week’s slate. If you’d like to see the full Week 2 schedule, click here.
McKinley at Bennett
7 p.m. Friday
The defending Class AA state champion Tigers take on McKinley in a battle between the two highest-ranked Buffalo Public Schools. Both teams are coming off Week 1 victories, with Bennett downing Lockport 28-6 and the Macks defeating Hamburg 32-22. McKinley’s Nigel McDuffie posted one of the standout performances of Week 1, rushing for 202 yards and two touchdowns while also completing 7-of-11 passes for 81 yards. As for Bennett, junior quarterback Sherrad Bernard III was solid in his first start as well, going 13-of-19 for 211 yards and a touchdown.
Clymer/Sherman/Panama at Randolph
7 p.m. Friday
The Wolfpack look to exact some revenge against Randolph in a rematch of last year’s Class D sectional semifinal. The Cardinals went on to win the 2022 Class D title before falling in the state semifinal, but got off to a rough start this season with a 41-21 road loss to Fredonia. As for CSP, they started strong by defeating Southwestern 38-3 off the back of a stellar showing from quarterback Tate Catanese, who finished 19-of-24 for 255 yards and five touchdowns.
Health Sciences/BASC/GC at West Seneca East
7 p.m. Friday
If you’re a fan of chaotic football, you missed quite the spectacle in the Falcons’ Week 1 and Section VI season-opening victory over Starpoint. After a scoreless first quarter, the two teams combined for 101 points, resulting in a 58-43 Health Sciences victory. Time will tell if the high-scoring action continues when they take on the Trojans, who are also 1-0 after a 34-28 win over Cheektowaga.
Pioneer at South Park
2 p.m. Saturday
The season could not have started much more opposite for Pioneer and South Park, albeit against different calibers of opposition: the Panthers dominated Kenmore East 45-7, while the Sparks fell to Christian Brothers Academy out of Syracuse, 49-8. With that said, the two talented Class B1 squads could well meet again come playoff time, providing a good early-season measuring stick both the Panthers and Sparks.
Adam Gorski is a Buffalo native who joined the News 4 team in 2022. You can find more of his work here.