WESTERN NEW YORK'S MOST PRESTIGIOUS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL AWARD - EST. 1972
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Know of a varsity high school football athlete who plays in Section VI or the Monsignor Martin conferences and deserves to be recognized? Let us know.
* Please submit any weekly performance stats no later than noon on the Sunday following the game.
Aiden Banks (WR/Lancaster) Banks had a superlative outing against Health Sciences. In this triple overtime
contest, he had eight catches for 154 yards and two touchdowns. He also made a highlight catch for a two-point
conversion that forced overtime.
Acari Brown (WR-DB/Bennett) Helping Bennett to their first win of the season Brown contributed with a
dominating performance. He finished the game with 12 solo tackles and a tackle for loss of yardage. He also
caught two passes and returned two punts.
Jordan Delaney (WR-DB/West Seneca East) The Trojans remain undefeated in part thanks to Delaney’s two
receiving touchdowns including one that covered 56 yards. He also had two interceptions.
Carter Dersarkissian (S-WR-RB/Barker Roy-Hart) Leading the Bulls to a second consecutive win
Dersarkissian ran for three touchdowns and 147 yards on 15 carries. Defensively he forced a fumble, recovered
a fumble and broke up two passes.
Jaylen Hawkins (RB/Sweet Home) Leading the Panthers to their first win of the young season Hawkins
carried the ball 31 times. He ran for 234 yards and scored all four of his team’s touchdowns.
Julian Jackson-Rodriguez (WR-DB/St. Mary’s of Lancaster) He was a big part of the Lancers exciting win.
He caught four passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns. Including a highlight catch and run for the winning
score on the game’s final play. Earlier he recovered a fumble, broke up a pass and made three tackles.
Ian Kindermann (WR-DB/Chautauqua Lake-Westfield-Brocton) Making the most of his opportunities
Kindermann scored two touchdowns on just three pass receptions. He intercepted two passes.
Quentin Littleton (MLB/Canisius) Playing the top-ranked team in West Virginia, Littleton had an outstanding
defensive game with an incredible 17 tackles, a forced fumble and recovered a fumble.
Grant Michalski (RB-DB/Springville) Michalski made plays all over the field to help the Griffins stay
unbeaten. He ran for one touchdown. He caught two TD passes and a two-point conversion. He had a 65-yard
punt return for another score. He added six tackles. He did this while only playing the first half of the game.
Terrance Shuford (RB-LB/Health Sciences) In the Falcons triple overtime thriller Shuford was imposing on
both sides of the ball. He had 25 carries for 271 yards and three touchdowns including the game winner in the
third overtime period. He made 14 tackles and two sacks with a forced fumble and one tackle for loss of yards.
Jordan Thomas-Smith (WR-DB/Dunkirk) The freshman had quite a game for the Marauders. He scored three
touchdowns and also caused two turnovers.
Jacob Toomey (QB/Williamsville North) Toomey helped guide the Spartans to a win in this Class A-1 contest
by completing 10 of 11 passes for 163 yards and four touchdowns. He intercepted a pass and made four tackles.
Arnette Williams (WR-DB/Health Sciences) Williams was instrumental in this early season thriller. He had
three receptions for 105 yards and a touchdown. He also had two interceptions and made four tackles.
Preston Woodworth (QB/OC Rivals) Woodworth led the Rivals to an important B-1 divisional win.
Completing 23 of his 34 passes for 299 yards he threw three touchdowns. One of those touchdowns came on the
last play of the first half. His third came with two seconds remaining in the game for the winning score. He also
completed two 2-point conversions.
Ayden Wronski (RB-LB/Fredonia) Leading the Hillbillies back into the win column Wronski scored a
touchdown while carrying the ball 21 times and running for 162 yards. He also chipped in with 8 tackles – one
of which was behind the line of scrimmage.
Please join us for the Annual Awards Banquet where The Connolly Cup Committee will present the winner of the William R. Connolly Cup and recognize the top ten Finalist.
Date: Tuesday, December 8, 2026
Time: Doors open at 6:00pm
Location: Ilio DiPaolo's Restaurant
Address: 3785 South Park Ave, Blasdell, NY 14219
Since 1972, the Connolly Cup Committee has recognized Western New York’s top high school football players. Over more than five decades, the William R. Connolly Memorial Cup has become one of the region’s most respected honors in the sport.
The game has changed. The standard has not. Each week of the season, the Committee honors the area’s standout players. At year’s end, the ten most outstanding athletes are invited to our awards banquet, where the Connolly Cup is presented to the Most Outstanding High School Football Player in Western New York.
The award is well known. The man behind the name is less so.
William R. “Bill” Connolly devoted his life to service. He volunteered with the Boy Scouts of America and the American Red Cross, officiated youth and high school football, and supported families in need through his work with the United Way. When health issues ended his days as an official, he continued to serve as a volunteer trainer for the Riverside High School football team and the Riverside Athletic Club in the JFK Touch Football League.
That commitment traveled with him. During family summers in Canada, he organized a softball league for local boys. When his daughter Molly wanted to play, he started a junior co-ed league so younger children could join. In 1971, the ball field near the Connolly summer home was dedicated in his honor. Improvements in 2008 renewed that tribute.
The award itself grew out of a football argument among friends. In 1971, Auburn quarterback Pat Sullivan won the Heisman Trophy over Cornell’s Ed Marinaro, a favorite among many fans. Members of the Riverside Athletic Club—passionate students of the game—debated the result and resolved to create a local honor for exceptional high school talent in Western New York.
After Bill’s untimely passing, the club named that award for him. Today, the William R. Connolly Memorial Cup continues that purpose: celebrating excellence on the field and carrying forward a legacy of service to young people and the community.
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