The Connolly Cup Winners

 Canisius Crusaders | Running Back | Class of 2027

Canisius running back Elijah Kimble won the 53rd William R. Connolly Memorial Cup after a junior season that placed him among the most productive rushers in Western New York history.

A Connolly Cup finalist in each of his first three seasons, Kimble became the all-time leading rusher in the Monsignor Martin Athletic Association as a junior. He ranks No. 4 on Western New York’s all-time rushing list and No. 6 on the all-time touchdowns list.

In his award-winning season, Kimble ran for 1,726 yards and 23 touchdowns. His career totals stand at 5,325 rushing yards and 77 touchdowns.

 South Park Sparks | Running Back | Class of 2025

 South Park running back Adam Nunes won the 52nd William R. Connolly Memorial Cup after a senior season that ranked among the most dominant in Western New York history. He is the second Sparks player to win the award and the fourth Buffalo Public Schools honoree in a 10-year span.

Nunes set the New York State Public High School Athletic Association single-game rushing record with 593 yards against Iroquois, adding seven touchdowns in that game. Those seven scores tied for the fourth-most in a game in state history and rank second in the Western New York record book. He led South Park to a 9-2 season and a berth in the Section VI Class B final.

In his award-winning season, Nunes carried 224 times for 2,468 yards and 34 touchdowns, leading Western New York in rushing.

 Bennett Tigers | Wide Receiver | Class of 2024

Bennett Tiger's Ja’Meer Thomas won the 51st William R. Connolly Memorial Cup after a senior season that anchored one of the most successful runs in school history. He became the third Buffalo Public Schools player to win the award.

A two-way playmaker and two-time team captain, Thomas helped Bennett win the 2022 New York State Class AA championship and returned in 2023 as a Buffalo News Player of the Year and Class AA Player of the Year. He played in each of the Tigers’ 11 victories through the Class AA Far West Regional title game.

In his award-winning season, Thomas totaled 1,780 all-purpose yards and 19 touchdowns, with 870 yards rushing, 615 receiving, and 295 on returns. His career totals stand at nearly 4,000 all-purpose yards and 44 touchdowns.

Iroquois Chiefs | Running Back | Class of 2024

Iroquois running back Trevor Barry won the 50th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup after a junior season that made him the first Chiefs player to claim the award. He was also the fourth junior winner in 25 years.

Barry led Iroquois to an 11-1 record, a No. 7 ranking in the state Class B poll, and the program’s second Section VI championship. He set the Western New York single-season rushing touchdown record with 43, breaking the previous mark of 42, and added a receiving touchdown for 44 scores overall. His 274 points rank second in area history.

In his award-winning season, Barry rushed for 2,317 yards and added 209 receiving yards, averaging 210.5 yards and 22.8 points per game. On defense, he recorded 62 tackles, three sacks, two interceptions, and two fumble recoveries.

 Jamestown Red Raiders | Running Back & Defensive Back Class of 2022

Jamestown running back and defensive back Jaylen Butera won the 49th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup after a senior season that placed him among the most decorated players in school history.  Butera became another in Jamestown’s long line of Connolly Cup winners.

He led the Red Raiders to a 12-1 record and a berth in the New York State Class A semifinals. Along the way, Butera set Jamestown’s single-season and career rushing records with 2,337 and 4,270 yards, breaking marks previously held by 2000 Connolly Cup winner Aaron Leeper. His 45 touchdowns rank second in Western New York history behind Leeper’s record of 47. He was also named Buffalo News Player of the Year, a two-time Class A-1 Player of the Year, and MVP of the Section VI championship game.

In his award-winning season, Butera added 90 tackles, five interceptions, and 20 passes defended on the other side of the ball.

The William R. Connolly Memorial Cup was not presented this season due to the Covid Pandemic

 St. Francis Red Raiders | Quarterback | Class of 2021

St. Francis quarterback Jake Ritts won the 48th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup after a junior season that made him a finalist for the second straight year. He joined a short list of Red Raiders to take home the award, following Jerry Martin, Mike Leavelle, Mike Radon, and Zak Kedron.

Ritts led St. Francis to an 8-2 record and a berth in the state Catholic school playoffs. A year after throwing for more than 3,000 yards and 36 touchdowns as a sophomore starter, he set the school record with 485 passing yards in a single game.

In his award-winning season, Ritts threw for 2,431 yards and 28 touchdowns.

 Pioneer Panthers | Running Back | Class of 2019

Pioneer running back Mike Rigerman won the 47th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup, becoming the first Panthers player to receive the award. The senior two-way star capped a career that also included Big 30 Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2017.

Rigerman led Pioneer to its first unbeaten regular season and first league title since 2011, then helped the Panthers reach the Section VI Class B championship game at New Era Field. He set the school’s single-season rushing record and was named first-team All-Western New York.

In his award-winning season, Rigerman rushed for 2,116 yards and 29 touchdowns, averaging 9.1 yards per carry to lead Western New York.

After high school, Rigerman played tight end at the University of Findlay, where he became the program’s all-time leader at the position with 1,807 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns. He was named G-MAC Offensive Player of the Year and a three-time All-American before signing with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2024.

 West Seneca West Indians | Quarterback | Class of 2018

West Seneca West quarterback Matt Myers won the 46th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup after a senior season that produced the biggest year in school history. A Connolly Cup finalist at Bishop Timon in 2016, he is the only honoree to represent two schools.

After transferring back to West Seneca West, Myers led the Indians to a 13-0 record, the program’s first Section VI championship, and its first New York State Class A title with a 14-6 win over Yorktown at the Carrier Dome. He was named MVP of the state final and All-Bee Offensive Player of the Year.

In his award-winning season, Myers completed 153 of 264 passes for 2,407 yards and 24 touchdowns and rushed 137 times for 1,040 yards and 22 scores. He became only the third quarterback in Western New York history to pass for more than 2,000 yards and run for more than 1,000 in the same season.

Myers went on to play quarterback at the University at Buffalo, where he became the first freshman in program history to start a season opener and spent five seasons with the Bulls.

Bennett Tigers | Running Back / Linebacker | Class of 2017

Bennett running back and linebacker Isaiah McDuffie won the 45th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup in his senior season after being named a finalist as a sophomore and junior. He became the first Bennett player to take home the award.

McDuffie led the Tigers to their first Section VI championship, a 28-13 Class A win over Starpoint in the program’s final season. He set school records for career rushing yards (5,529) and career touchdowns and was named Buffalo News Class A Player of the Year.

In his award-winning season, McDuffie rushed for 1,531 yards and 21 touchdowns. On defense he recorded 111 tackles, a sack, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and a 60-yard interception return for a touchdown.

McDuffie went on to play linebacker at Boston College and was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He remains with Green Bay, where he has become a regular starter and special-teams contributor.

 South Park Sparks | Quarterback | Class of 2016

South Park quarterback Tyree Brown won the 44th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup, becoming the first Buffalo Public Schools player to receive the award. He capped a historic season in which the Sparks became the first city school to win a Section VI championship and a New York State title.

Brown led South Park past Maine-Endwell in the state semifinals, then scored the winning points in a 49-46 Class A championship victory over Our Lady of Lourdes. He was named MVP of the state final and Buffalo News Player of the Year. His 30 passing touchdowns and 22 rushing touchdowns both set school records.

In his award-winning season, Brown threw for 2,615 yards and rushed for 1,370 yards with 52 total touchdowns. He became just the fourth quarterback in Western New York history to pass for more than 2,000 yards and run for more than 1,000 in the same season.

Brown continued his career at SUNY Brockport.

Jamestown Red Raiders | Wide Receiver / Linebacker | Class of 2015

Jamestown wide receiver and linebacker Stephen Carlson won the 43rd William R. Connolly Memorial Cup, becoming the fifth Red Raider to earn the award after Berto Amoroso, David Hinson, Aaron Leeper, and Jake Sisson.

Carlson helped Jamestown win the Class AA state championship with a 41-20 victory over Newburgh at the Carrier Dome, the program’s fourth state title. In that game he caught five passes for 90 yards and made 18 tackles. He was named All-WNY first-team wide receiver and Class AA South Defensive Player of the Year.

In his award-winning season, Carlson caught 43 passes for 772 yards and eight touchdowns. On defense he recorded 118 tackles, three sacks, four interceptions, and 19 passes defended.

Carlson went on to play at Princeton, where he finished among the program’s career leaders in receptions and touchdown catches and helped the Tigers to an undefeated Ivy League championship in 2018. He signed with the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent and later continued his NFL career with the Chicago Bears. Carlson was inducted into the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame.

Jamestown Red Raiders | Quarterback | Class of 2014

Jamestown quarterback Jake Sisson won the 42nd William R. Connolly Memorial Cup after a record-setting senior season. He became the fourth Red Raider to earn the award, following Berto Amoroso, David Hinson, and Aaron Leeper.

Sisson led Jamestown to a 10-1 record and its first Section VI title since 2000. He set the Western New York single-game passing record with 508 yards against Kenmore West and broke Chad Kelly’s regional season passing mark. He was named Football Weekly Player of the Year and a first-team all-state selection.

In his award-winning season, Sisson threw for 3,170 yards and 33 touchdowns and rushed for 718 yards and 24 scores.

Sisson went on to play at Edinboro University, where he ranks among the program’s career leaders with 8,313 passing yards and 85 touchdown passes. He later played professionally in Europe, winning a Serbian league title and MVP honors with the Kragujevac Wild Boars.

Alden Bulldogs | Running Back | Class of 2013

Alden running back Corey Barczykowski won the 41st William R. Connolly Memorial Cup after a record-setting senior season. He led the Bulldogs to an 11-1 record and the program’s first state semifinal appearance.

Barczykowski set Alden’s single-season rushing record with 2,255 yards on 256 carries, averaging 8.8 yards per attempt. He scored 28 touchdowns. In a Section VI quarterfinal win over Pioneer, he ran 29 times for 283 yards and four scores.

Alden’s season ended in a 49-14 state semifinal loss to Maine-Endwell. 

 St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute Marauders | Quarterback | Class of 2012

St. Joe’s quarterback Chad Kelly won the 40th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup after a two-year run as one of Western New York’s most productive dual-threat quarterbacks. He was a finalist as a junior in 2010 and took the award as a senior.

As a junior, Kelly became the first quarterback in Western New York history to pass for more than 2,000 yards and rush for more than 1,000 in the same season, throwing for 2,159 yards and 24 touchdowns and running for 1,059 yards and 15 scores. He led the Marauders to a Monsignor Martin Association championship at Ralph Wilson Stadium. As a senior he threw for 3,050 yards and 27 touchdowns and rushed for 991 yards and 14 scores.

Kelly went on to play at Clemson, East Mississippi Community College, and Ole Miss, where he threw for 4,042 yards and 31 touchdowns in 2015. He was selected by the Denver Broncos in the 2017 NFL Draft and later became a star in the CFL with the Toronto Argonauts, winning Grey Cup championships and CFL Most Outstanding Player honors.

Williamsville South Billies | Quarterback | Class of 2011

Williamsville South quarterback Joe Licata won the 39th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup after rewriting the Western New York passing record book. He was a finalist as a junior in 2009 and took the award as a senior. He is the second Billie to win the Cup, following Dan Mettica.

Licata led South to a 16-3 record and a sectional title over his final two seasons. As a senior he completed 176 of 276 passes for 2,573 yards and 34 touchdowns. He finished his career as Western New York’s all-time leader with 6,671 passing yards and 87 touchdown passes, and he set the regional single-game mark with 492 yards. He was Buffalo News Player of the Year and New York State Class A Player of the Year.

Licata stayed home at the University at Buffalo and became the Bulls’ career leader in passing yards (9,485) and touchdown passes (76). He started in the 2013 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl and threw a school-record 29 touchdowns in 2014. After a brief NFL stint with the Cincinnati Bengals, he returned to Western New York as a high school head coach, including at his alma mater.

Southwestern Trojans | Quarterback | Class of 2010

Southwestern quarterback Zack Sopak won the 38th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup after leading the Trojans to back-to-back New York State Class C championships. He is the first — and still only — Southwestern player to win the award.

The dual-threat quarterback was championship-game MVP as a Junior and Senior in both title seasons and helped Southwestern run a winning streak that stood at 29 games when he received The Connolly Cup. As a senior he completed 102 of 169 passes for 1,831 yards, 21 touchdowns and six interceptions, and he ran 132 times for 807 yards and four scores. Clutch third-down plays were his specialty.

Sopak remains one of the few Connolly Cup winners from Chautauqua County’s smaller schools. 

The New York State Senate later recognized his achievement with a formal resolution commending him as Western New York’s most outstanding high school football player. The Trojans’ run is also preserved by the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame as one of the county’s landmark high school football achievements.

Lackawanna Steelers | Quarterback / Running Back / Defensive Back | Class of 2009

Lackawanna’s Capone Smith won the 37th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup after a two-way season that made him Buffalo News Player of the Year. He started on offense and defense — at quarterback, running back, receiver, and defensive back — and led the Steelers to a Class B sectional title.

As a senior Smith accounted for 2,036 total yards and 19 touchdowns, averaging 12.5 yards per rushing attempt and completing 58 percent of his passes. On defense he led the team with 105 tackles and tied the school record with six interceptions. In the playoffs he returned the opening kickoff 90 yards against Depew.

Smith was an ECIC Divisional All-Star, All-Western New York selection, and New York State All-Star in 2008. He is one of several Connolly Cup winners from Lackawanna, joining a Steelers tradition that also includes Joe West and Curtis Underwood.

Orchard Park Quakers | Running Back | Class of 2009

Orchard Park running back Jeff Tundo won the 36th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup as a junior — the first Quaker to claim the award and the first junior honored since Sandro DeAngelis of St. Joe’s in 1998. Playing for his father, coach Gene Tundo, he led Orchard Park to a unanimous large-school poll championship and a Class AA state semifinal.

The 5-foot-10, 185-pound back rushed for 2,253 yards and 29 touchdowns without a turnover despite more than 350 touches. His signature game was a 368-yard, five-touchdown performance in a Far West Regional win over Canandaigua, ending a seven-game regional drought for the program. As a senior he ran for 2,002 yards and 33 touchdowns and helped Orchard Park win its first New York State Class AA title, rallying past Monroe-Woodbury 21–17 at the Carrier Dome.

Tundo was a two-time New York State Player of the Year and remains among Orchard Park’s all-time leaders in rushing yards, touchdowns, and kickoff returns. After high school he played Division I lacrosse at Ohio State, where he earned the Buckeyes’ Outstanding Freshman Award, then transferred to Stony Brook, making first-team All-America East and finishing with 178 career points. The New York Lizards selected him in the 2013 Major League Lacrosse draft. He and his father were later inducted together into the Section VI Hall of Fame.

Lackawanna Steelers | Running Back | Class of 2007

Lackawanna running back Curtis Underwood Jr. won the 35th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup after leading the Steelers to a Section VI Class B championship. He was the first public-school winner after three straight Monsignor Martin honorees.

As a senior Underwood rushed for 2,114 yards on 244 carries and scored 21 touchdowns, averaging 8.7 yards per carry. As a junior he had already run for 1,344 yards and 14 scores. He was a first-team Class B all-state selection, an All-Western New York pick, and scored twice on kickoff returns during his career.

Underwood signed with North Carolina State and played four seasons for the Wolfpack (2007–11), finishing with 516 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, and two receiving scores. He is one of several Connolly Cup winners from Lackawanna, joining a Steelers line that also includes Ray Braxton, Warren Miles, Joe West, and Capone Smith.

St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute Marauders | Quarterback | Class of 2006

St. Joe’s quarterback Naaman Roosevelt won the 34th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup after a senior season that also made him Buffalo News Player of the Year and Western New York Offensive Player of the Year. Recruited to St. Joseph’s from Buffalo’s East Side as an eighth-grader, he became a dual-threat quarterback, kick returner, and defensive back, and he starred in basketball as well.

In 2005 he threw a Western New York–record 35 touchdown passes and led the Marauders to a 9–1 season and an undefeated Monsignor Martin AA league mark. Maryland, Syracuse, and Boston College recruited him primarily as a defensive back; the University at Buffalo was the only program to offer him on offense. He signed with new Bulls coach Turner Gill as Gill’s first recruit, on the condition that he could compete for the starting quarterback job.

Roosevelt is one of three Connolly Cup winners from St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute, joining Sandro DeAngelis (1998) and Chad Kelly (2011). He was later inducted into the St. Joe’s athletic hall of fame.

At Buffalo he was converted to wide receiver and became the Bulls’ career leader in receptions (268) and receiving yards (3,551). In 2008 he set single-season school marks with 104 catches and 1,402 yards and scored three touchdowns in the MAC Championship Game as Buffalo won its first conference title. An undrafted free agent with the Bills, he played two NFL seasons in his hometown (25 catches, 396 yards, one touchdown) before a five-year CFL career with the Saskatchewan Roughriders (301 catches, 4,134 yards, 20 touchdowns). He was inducted into the UB Athletics Hall of Fame in 2023 and now coaches receivers for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

St. Francis Red Raiders | Running Back / Defensive Back | Class of 2005

St. Francis running back Zak Kedron won the 33rd William R. Connolly Memorial Cup after a senior season that made him the face of the Buffalo News All-Western New York team. The News nicknamed him “Zig-Zag Zak,” writing that his quick cuts carried St. Francis into uncharted territory.

Kedron played running back and defensive back and wore No. 1. A typical night was his 199-yard, two-touchdown game on 23 carries against Youngstown Chaney — scoring on runs of 61 and 19 yards and adding a 20-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Ilio DiPaolo. The Red Raiders piled up 362 rushing yards in that win. For three seasons he insisted on being the last player out of the locker room, a superstition teammates came to expect.

He is one of five Connolly Cup winners from St. Francis, joining Jerry Martin (1973), Mike Leavelle (1979), Mike Radon (2001), and Jake Ritts (2019).

Eden Raiders | Running Back | Class of 2004

Eden running back Keien Williams won the 32nd William R. Connolly Memorial Cup after a record-setting senior season. He is the second Raider to claim the award, following Don McGee, the Cup’s first winner in 1972.

As a senior Williams carried 293 times for 2,363 yards and 37 touchdowns and scored 224 points. He had seven 200-yard rushing games, tying for the eighth-most in New York State history. As a junior he ran 200 times for 1,458 yards. Over three seasons he finished with 5,138 rushing yards and 70 touchdowns. He was a first-team all-state selection, division offensive MVP as a junior and senior, and later played in the 2004 New York–New Jersey Governor’s Bowl. He also won the Division II state 100-meter title and earned all-division track honors all four years.

Williams played at Maine as a true freshman, averaging 5.4 yards per carry as the backup to the program’s all-time leading rusher, then transferred to Temple. A cervical-spine fracture in 2007 preseason practice ended his college career.

Clymer Pirates | Running Back | Class of 2003

Clymer running back Jehuu Caulcrick won the 31st William R. Connolly Memorial Cup after a senior season that also earned him Buffalo News Player of the Year, Post-Journal Player of the Year, and New York State Class D Player of the Year. He is the only Connolly Cup winner from Clymer and was a finalist three times (1999, 2001, and 2002).

As a senior he rushed for 2,161 yards and 28 touchdowns, then the fifth-best single-season total in Western New York history. As a junior he ran 205 times for 1,670 yards and 33 touchdowns. He finished his career as Western New York’s all-time rushing leader with 6,559 yards and 100-plus touchdowns, and he led Clymer to four straight Section VI Class D titles and four consecutive state Final Four appearances. He was a three-time all-state and All-WNY selection and a SuperPrep All-American, ranked among the nation’s top fullbacks.

Born in Liberia and raised in Findley Lake, Caulcrick played at Michigan State, where he rushed for 2,395 yards and 39 touchdowns, then second in school history. His 21 rushing scores in 2007 set a Spartans single-season record. He appeared in two NFL games with the Buffalo Bills in 2010 and later returned to Chautauqua County as a high school coach. Jehuu was later inducted into the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.

St. Francis Red Raiders | Quarterback | Class of 2002

St. Francis quarterback Mike Radon won the 30th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup after a senior season that also earned him the Don Majkowski Award as Western New York’s top quarterback and a New York State Golden 50 selection. 

The 6-foot-1, 170-pound senior threw for a WNY single-season record 2,408 yards on 163-of-240 passing (67.9 percent) — also WNY records for completions and attempts — with 22 touchdown passes. He added 432 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns and helped the Red Raiders share the Monsignor Martin AA title with Timon/St. Jude. 

Radon is one of five Connolly Cup winners from St. Francis, joining Jerry Martin (1973), Mike Leavelle (1979), Zak Kedron (2004), and Jake Ritts (2019).

He signed with the University at Buffalo and appeared in five games as a freshman, completing five passes for 119 yards and a touchdown. He transferred to Missouri State, started at quarterback, then converted to safety and became a starter. In his first season in the secondary he had 73 tackles, two interceptions, four pass breakups, and two fumble recoveries, including a 48-yard return for a touchdown. In 2006 he added 68 tackles, four interceptions — one returned for a score — two fumble recoveries, and a forced fumble. He was Missouri State Defensive MVP, Coors Player of the Year, a Gateway Conference second-team selection, Academic All-Conference, and winner of the Virgil Cheek Award as the school’s outstanding graduating male student-athlete.

Radon had NFL tryouts with the Bills and Saints, signed a CFL free-agent contract with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2007 — intercepting a pass on his first day of camp — and continued his career in arena football.

Jamestown Red Raiders | Running Back / Defensive Back | Class of 2001

Jamestown running back Aaron Leeper won the 29th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup after a senior season that also earned him Buffalo News Player of the Year, Post-Journal Player of the Year, New York State Class AA Player of the Year, and USA Today New York State Player of the Year. He rushed for a then-WNY record 2,276 yards, scored a then-state record 47 touchdowns, and totaled a then-state record 282 points while leading the Red Raiders to a 13–0 Class AA state championship. He had five four-touchdown games and four five-touchdown games. On defense he added 38 tackles and five interceptions, two returned for touchdowns, and won the Ron Pitts Award as WNY’s top defensive back.

Leeper is one of six Connolly Cup winners from Jamestown, joining Roberto Amoroso (1982), David Hinson (1994), Jake Sisson (2013), Stephen Carlson (2014), and Jaylen Butera (2021). Many of the records he broke had belonged to Hinson.

He signed with the University at Buffalo and was Mid-American Conference Rookie of the Year in 2002 after rushing for 917 yards and 10 touchdowns. Shoulder injuries ended his college career after two seasons (1,439 rushing yards, 12 touchdowns). He later joined the Federal Air Marshal Service and was inducted into the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame in 2025.

Lackawanna Steelers | Running Back | Class of 2000

Lackawanna running back Joe West won the 28th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup after a senior season that made him Western New York’s most outstanding player. He was a Connolly Cup finalist as a junior in 1998 and won the award as a senior in 1999.

West is one of five Connolly Cup winners from Lackawanna, joining Ray Braxton (1986), Warren Miles (1993), Curtis Underwood Jr. (2006), and Capone Smith (2008).

St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute Marauders | Running Back / Linebacker / Kicker | Class of 2000

St. Joe’s running back, linebacker, and kicker Sandro DeAngelis won the 27th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup as a junior in 1998 — the first Marauder to take the award. That season he rushed for 1,821 yards and 22 touchdowns, made five field goals and 37 extra points, averaged 42 yards per punt, and had a school-record 84-yard punt. He was Buffalo News Player of the Year, Western New York Player of the Year, a first-team all-state selection, and a USA Today honorable-mention All-American. As a senior he was limited by an ankle injury but still rushed for 600 yards and nine touchdowns in four games and earned first-team All-WNY honors as a kicker.

DeAngelis is one of three Connolly Cup winners from St. Joe’s, joining Naaman Roosevelt (2005) and Chad Kelly (2011).

He kicked at Nebraska from 2000 to 2004, then signed with the Calgary Stampeders. In the CFL he was among the most accurate kickers in league history (298 of 364 field goals, 81.9 percent). He led the CFL in scoring in 2006 (214 points), won the league’s Most Outstanding Special Teams award that year, and helped Calgary win the 2008 Grey Cup — making five field goals, including one from 51 yards, to earn the Dick Suderman Trophy as the game’s Most Outstanding Canadian. He also played for Hamilton, Montreal, Saskatchewan, and Winnipeg.

Niagara Wheatfield Falcons | Defensive End | Class of 1998

Niagara Wheatfield defensive end Frank Pavicich won the 26th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup in 1997 — one of the few linemen ever to take the award, which is most often given to a running back or quarterback. He was later inducted into the Section VI Hall of Fame (Class of 2021) alongside fellow Falcon's greats William Ross and Angela Tylec.

Pavicich is one of two Connolly Cup winners from Niagara Wheatfield, joining quarterback Brian Ross (1978).

Wilson Lakemen | Running Back | Class of 1997

Wilson running back Dave Schmidli won the 25th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup in 1996, becoming the first — and still only — player from Wilson to take the award. He is one of only nine Western New York backs to rush for 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons, doing so from 1994 through 1996.

The Riverside Athletic Club presented the trophy at its annual banquet. Other finalists that year included Lake Shore’s Dennis Martin, Niagara Wheatfield’s Jerry Mahl, and Lackawanna’s Wade Turner.

Schmidli is Wilson’s lone Connolly Cup winner.

Lake Shore Eagles | Running Back | Class of 1997

Lake Shore running back Dennis Martin won the 24th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup in 1995 as a junior — only the second non-senior to take the award, after Lackawanna’s Ray Braxton won it as a sophomore in 1986. He rushed for 1,825 yards and 28 touchdowns, a season total that ranked third in New York State history at the time, and played every game for an Eagles team that finished 11-2 and reached the state Class playoffs. The Riverside Athletic Club presented the trophy at Silfranco’s Restaurant in Orchard Park.

His uncle, Jerry Martin, had won the second Connolly Cup at St. Francis in 1973.

Martin returned as a finalist the following year, when Wilson’s Dave Schmidli won the cup. He remains Lake Shore’s only Connolly Cup winner.

Jamestown Red Raiders | Running Back | Class of 1995

Jamestown running back David Hinson won the 23rd William R. Connolly Memorial Cup in 1994 after a season that produced a state championship and a then-school record 2,260 rushing yards on 290 carries. His 35 touchdowns tied the New York State single-season mark. In the Class A title game at the Carrier Dome, he carried 31 times for 175 yards and three scores as the Red Raiders beat North Rockland 26–20 for Jamestown’s first state football title. He was New York State Class A Co-Player of the Year, first-team All-State, and The Post-Journal Player of the Year.

Hinson is one of six Connolly Cup winners from Jamestown, joining Roberto Amoroso (1982), Aaron Leeper (2000), Jake Sisson (2013), Stephen Carlson (2014), and Jaylen Butera (2021). That spring he also won the state championship in the 400-meter hurdles in a school- and county-record 53.75 seconds.

His remarkable high school career earned him a scholarship to the University at Buffalo where he became a four-year letterwinner before graduating with a degree in business management. An internship with the Buffalo Bills led to a career in NFL scouting with the Bills, Saints, Browns, Jets, and Eagles. He joined the Kansas City Chiefs in 2017, worked as an area scout on Super Bowl championship staffs, and later served as the team’s co-director of college scouting. He was inducted into the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame in 2023.

Lackawanna Steelers | Quarterback | Class of 1994

Lackawanna quarterback Warren Miles won the 22nd William R. Connolly Memorial Cup in 1993. Coach Bill Pukalo said that when the football was in Miles’s hands, “something magical can happen,” and Miles spent that season making it look that way — running and throwing the Steelers into the region’s top conversation and beating Amherst 20–6 in one of the year’s featured games.

Miles is one of five Connolly Cup winners from Lackawanna, joining Ray Braxton (1986), Joe West (1999), Curtis Underwood Jr. (2006), and Capone Smith (2008).

Maryvale Flyers | Quarterback / Running Back | Class of 1993

Maryvale’s Cory Schemm won the 21st William R. Connolly Memorial Cup in 1992 after being a finalist as a junior the year before. He is the only Flyer to take the award.

Schemm is Maryvale’s lone Connolly Cup winner. Cleveland Hill’s other Connolly Cup quarterback is Trevor Sajdak, who won in 1987.

 Grand Island Vikings | Quarterback | Class of 1992

Grand Island quarterback Bob McDonnell won the 20th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup in 1991, the award’s 20th-anniversary season. He is Grand Island’s only Connolly Cup winner.

He and running back Scott McDonnell were both finalists that year — the first brothers named Connolly Cup finalists in the same season.

Lockport Lions | Running Back | Class of 1991

Lockport running back Randy Smith won the 19th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup in 1990 after a junior-year finalist season in 1989. He rushed for 1,369 yards as a junior and finished his career with 3,425 rushing yards and 280 points. He led the Lions to back-to-back Section VI Class A championships in 1989 and 1990 and was The Buffalo News Player of the Year.

Smith is Lockport’s only Connolly Cup winner.

At Youngstown State under Jim Tressel he moved from tailback to the secondary and helped the Penguins win three national titles in four seasons. He started 55 games, recorded 13 interceptions and 39 pass breakups, and was an All-American defensive back and kick returner. As a freshman he intercepted eight passes, including five in the playoffs. He still holds school marks for interceptions in a game (three vs. Samford), career pass breakups, and kickoff-return average. He was inducted into the Youngstown State Hall of Fame in 2004, Lockport’s Hall of Fame in 2008, and the Section VI Hall of Fame.

Springville Griffins | Running Back | Class of 1990

Springville running back Chris George won the 18th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup in 1989. He is the second Griffin to take the award, following Tony Baker in 1980.

Medina Mustangs | Running Back | Class of 1989

Medina running back Jim Snyder won the 17th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup in 1988. In the Section VI playoffs at Rich Stadium he carried for 170 yards and two touchdowns — a 3-yard score and a 39-yard run with eight minutes left — in a 14–7 win over rival Albion.

Snyder is Medina’s only Connolly Cup winner.

Cleveland Hill Golden Eagles | Quarterback | Class of 1988

Cleveland Hill quarterback Trevor Sajdak won the 16th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup in 1987. He is Cleveland Hill’s only Connolly Cup winner.

Lackawanna Steelers | Running Back | Class of 1987

Lackawanna running back Ray Braxton won the 15th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup in 1986 after being a finalist as a junior in 1985. He was a finalist again as a senior in 1987.

Braxton is the first of five Connolly Cup winners from Lackawanna, followed by Warren Miles (1993), Joe West (1999), Curtis Underwood Jr. (2006), and Capone Smith (2008).

Bishop Timon Tigers | Wide Receiver | Class of 1986

Bishop Timon receiver Tom Sheehan won the 14th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup in 1985. He is Timon’s only Connolly Cup winner and one of the few wide receivers to take the award in the Cup’s first decades, when running backs and quarterbacks dominated the list.

Williamsville South Billies | Running Back | Class of 1985

Williamsville South running back Dan Mettica won the 13th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup in 1984 after being a finalist as a junior in 1983. He is one of two Billies to take the award, joined later by quarterback Joe Licata in 2010.

Lewiston-Porter Lancers | Running Back | Class of 1984

Lewiston-Porter running back Daryl Johnston won the 12th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup in 1983. As a junior he rushed for 440 yards and helped the Lancers win a Section VI Division III–IV title. As a senior he ran for 996 yards and six touchdowns, caught five passes for 58 yards and a score, and added 57 tackles and four interceptions on defense. At 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds he was first-team All-Western New York and all-state. Williamsville South coach Chuck Huber called him “one of the greatest high school backs I’ve ever seen.”

Johnston is the second of two Connolly Cup winners from Lew-Port, following Tom Blinco in 1975. The school later retired his No. 34.

He played four seasons at Syracuse, then was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round in 1989. As “Moose,” the fullback who blocked for Emmitt Smith, he played 151 NFL games and won three Super Bowls. He later became a longtime NFL broadcaster.

Jamestown Red Raiders | Running Back | Class of 1983

Jamestown running back Roberto Amoroso won the 11th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup in 1982. He is the first of six Red Raiders to take the award, followed by David Hinson (1994), Aaron Leeper (2000), Jake Sisson (2013), Stephen Carlson (2014), and Jaylen Butera (2021).

Cardinal O’Hara Hawks | Running Back | Class of 1982

Cardinal O’Hara running back Dane Hightower won the 10th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup in 1981 after being a finalist as a junior in 1980. He is O’Hara’s only Connolly Cup winner.

Springville Griffins | Running Back | Class of 1981

Springville running back Tony Baker won the 9th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup in 1980. He is the first of two Griffins to take the award, followed by Chris George in 1989.

St. Francis Red Raiders | Running Back | Class of 1980

St. Francis running back Mike Leavelle won the 8th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup in 1979 after being a finalist as a junior in 1978. He is the second of four Red Raiders to take the award, following Jerry Martin in 1973 and preceding Mike Radon (2001) and Zak Kedron (2004).

Niagara Wheatfield Falcons | Quarterback | Class of 1979

Niagara Wheatfield quarterback Brian Ross won the 7th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup in 1978. He is the first of two Falcons to take the award, followed by defensive end Frank Pavicich in 1997.

Baker-Victory | Running Back | Class of 1978

Baker-Victory running back Frank Rossi Jr. won the 6th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup in 1977. He is Baker-Victory’s only Connolly Cup winner.

Frontier Falcons | Running Back | Class of 1977

Frontier running back Jim Rath won the 5th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup in 1976. He is Frontier’s only Connolly Cup winner.

Lewiston-Porter Lancers | Running Back | Class of 1976

Lewiston-Porter fullback and linebacker Tom Blinco won the 4th William R. Connolly Memorial Cup in 1975. He was also a two-time all-New York wrestler. He is the first of two Lancers to take the award, followed by Daryl Johnston in 1983.

Blinco played at Ohio State for Woody Hayes and Earle Bruce, earning three varsity letters and appearing in the 1977 Orange Bowl, 1978 Sugar Bowl, and 1980 Rose Bowl.

Kenmore East Bulldogs | Quarterback | Class of 1975

Kenmore East quarterback Pat O’Brien won the 3rd William R. Connolly Memorial Cup in 1974. He is Kenmore East’s only Connolly Cup winner.

St. Francis Red Raiders | Linebacker / Running Back | Class of 1974

St. Francis running back and linebacker Jerry Martin won the 2nd William R. Connolly Memorial Cup in 1973. He earned starting time on defense as a sophomore, when his 10 tackles helped the Red Raiders post their first winning season in seven years. As a junior he became a prominent leader, made All-Catholic League first team on defense, and had his best game against St. Mary’s — 14 carries for 109 yards, the game’s only touchdown, and 10 solo tackles, three of them for loss. Coach Ray Karney credited the program’s turnaround primarily to Martin’s play and leadership.

As a senior he earned first-team All-Catholic honors on offense after setting school records on both sides of the ball: 1,039 rushing yards on 137 carries and 14 touchdowns, plus 86 solo tackles, 58 assists, six blocked kicks, and three interceptions. He received his first Riverside Athletic Club Player of the Week nod toward the Connolly Cup on October 19, 1973. Martin also ran track and set multiple school records. 

He is the first of four Red Raiders to take the award. Martin went on to play college football at Syracuse from 1974 - 1977, where he became a starting linebacker as a sophomore and earned Eastern College Athletic Conference honors as a junior and senior.

Eden Raiders | Running Back | Class of 1973

Eden tailback Don Magee won the inaugural William R. Connolly Memorial Cup in 1972, the first player honored after the Riverside Athletic Club spent the season scouting Western New York and naming a weekly top five on the way to a 10-finalist field. He was only the second freshman to start under coach Charlie Pacini, opening as a defensive back on Eden’s 1969 ECIC Division IV champions alongside brothers Tim and Phil. 

As a sophomore he topped 1,000 rushing yards, including 160 on 27 carries in a 22-6 win over John F. Kennedy. As a junior he piled up 1,278 yards overall, closed the Division VIII season with 186 yards on 32 carries plus a 73-yard touchdown catch in a 14-6 win over Pioneer, and was already a basketball regular and all-star catcher drawing looks from major-league scouts.

The 5-foot-11, 180-pound senior set Eden season records of 1,166 rushing yards on 162 carries and 92 points, doing it in seven games after an injury kept him out of a nonleague loss to Royalton-Hartland. He won the Division VIII scoring title with 80 points, was The Buffalo Evening News offensive selection, and earned a unanimous spot on the Division VIII all-star team — his third straight all-star year (1970–72) and one of only two repeat choices in the division. Highlights included 194 yards and two touchdowns in a 20-8 opener over Starpoint and a 215-yard, three-touchdown finale (59, 24 and 9 yards) in a 20-6 win at Pioneer that closed a four-year varsity career. In 1973, Magee was awarded the Athlete of The Year Award and inducted into the Eden Hall of Fame in 1993. He is the first of two Raiders to take the Connolly Cup, followed by Keien Williams in 2003.

Magee played for the Syracuse Orangemen from 1973 to 1976. He earned a starting role at tailback, replacing an injured Mike Bright in his sophomore season.  By his junior year, Magee slated his spot as the top tailback making an early impact in the season by catching the winning touchdown pass to beat Villanova, 24-17. Magee also had one of three touchdowns to upset Joe Paterno's Penn State Nittany Lions, who were ranked 9th in the country at the time. In his senior season, Magee caught an 80-yard touchdown pass from former St. Joe's QB, Billy Hurley, setting the school's record for the longest TD reception.