While Section V hasn’t been as strong as Section VI lately — and hasn’t looked as strong this year — Avon may be the exception to the rule.

Clymer/Sherman/Panama hopes to continue the Buffalo area’s dominance at 5 p.m. Friday at SUNY Brockport’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver Stadium.

The Wolfpack will take on the River Hawks in a New York State Public High School Athletic Association quarterfinal on Bob Boozer Field with a spot in the state final four on the line.

“Everybody is here for a reason at this point. They are undefeated. It looks like they’ve pretty much walked through all of their competition in Section V,” Clymer/Sherman/Panama head coach Ty Harper said Tuesday after the Wolfpack practiced at Southwestern’s Charles A. Lawson Field. “I think we always have to prepare as though it’s going to be a battle. We’ve been fortunate with the way the games have turned out in other years we’ve played Section V teams, but that doesn’t guarantee this is going to be an easy game.”

Clymer/Sherman/Panama wide receiver Bryce Hinsdale is 15 receptions short of the New York state record. P-J photo by Tim Frank

Clymer/Sherman/Panama is coming off a 33-8 defeat of Franklinville/Ellicottville in the Section VI championship game last Thursday at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park.

In that game, the Wolfpack held the Titans to just 193 yards of offense and 81 of those yards came on Franklinville/Ellicottville’s final drive of the game with the outcome already decided.

But Clymer/Sherman/Panama’s offense has not been clicking on all cylinders since a 15-7 Week 7 victory over Wilson. The Wolfpack struggled again in the first half of a sectional semifinal win over Gowanda/Pine Valley. And even last Thursday, Clymer/Sherman/Panama didn’t really get it going offensively until the second quarter.

“We’ve got to be sharper on our opening possession. It took us the entire first quarter to really start rolling last Thursday,” Harper said. “We’re going to look at some of our more high-percentage plays, we’re going to look at things we’ve done especially well over the course of a 10-game season, and look to run some of those things.”

Wolfpack senior quarterback Tate Catanese has completed 125 of 213 passes for 1,759 yards and 24 touchdowns. His three senior classmates: Bryce Hinsdale, Carter Brink and Alex Barmore have been his favorite targets. Hinsdale has 42 catches for 550 yards and four touchdowns; Brink has 37 catches for 686 yards and 13 touchdowns; and Barmore has 32 catches for 394 yards and five touchdowns.

Defensively, senior Collin Ryan leads Clymer/Sherman/Panama with 110 tackles, including 19 for a loss, while senior Dalton Richter has been in on 57 tackles. The Wolfpack has forced 22 turnovers, led by Hinsdale’s six interceptions.

There likely won’t be any surprises what Avon tries to do Friday. On their way to a 12-0 record and the No. 2 ranking in the state according to the New York State Sportswriters Association, the River Hawks have thrown the ball just 91 times for 642 yards while running it 377 times for an astonishing 3,479 yards.

Senior Wesley Farley has rushed 178 times for 1,590 yards and 23 touchdowns, while junior quarterback Kalman Dolgos has rushed 119 times for 1,293 yards and 29 touchdowns.

Defensively, senior Travis Hollada leads Avon with 104 tackles, including five for a loss, and eight sacks, while Farley has been in on 85 tackles and senior Ryan Davis has been in on 74.

“They run the ball really effectively. Their running back and quarterback have put up some really impressive stats,” Harper said. “They get into spread formations and like to run the ball … a lot of pulling linemen. We have to be disciplined with our eyes on defense. Sometimes, they’ll run away from where the pulling linemen are going. They do some good things on offense.”

The River Hawks got through the Section V bracket with a 63-0 quarterfinal victory over Notre Dame-Batavia/Byron-Bergen, a 31-3 semifinal win over Canisteo-Greenwood and a 28-0 shutout of Alexander in last Saturday’s championship game.

“I think at this point in the season, it’s always going to start up front on both sides of the ball,” Harper said. “Being able to control the line of scrimmage on offense and defense will probably be the key to winning any game from this point forward.”

The winner of Friday’s game will advance to the West Semifinal at 3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30 at Vestal High School. Section IV Delaware Academy and Section III Dolgeville will play for the other spot in that game at 5 p.m. this Friday at Cicero-North Syracuse High School.

NOTES: Clymer/Sherman/Panama beat Canisteo-Greenwood 50-16 in last year’s regional, topped Notre Dame-Batavia 47-14 in the 2019 regional and beat Alexander 29-6 in the 2018 regional. … Randolph beat Oakfield-Alabama/Elba 42-26 in the 2022 regional, while Maple Grove topped Clyde-Savannah 61-28 and Alexander 28-0 in the 2017 and 2016 regionals, respectively. … Randolph also won three straight Far West Regionals from 2012-14 on its way to consecutive state championships. … Hinsdale’s 212 career receptions are 15 shy of tying the New York state record.