HILTON, N.Y. --- For the 12th consecutive year, the Hilton Cadets, led by 34th year head coach Rich Lipani, were in the Semi-final round of the Section V Football tournament. Eleven straight years the Cadets were defeated in the semi-final round, but on a nice Friday night in November at LeBeau field that all changed.
The Bright Bruins defeated Gates Chili last week, 45-14, to advance to the semi-finals. The Cadets won their eighth consecutive game 27-9 over Webster Thomas last week to also advance. The Cadets were looking to make it nine in a row with a win over the Brighton Bruins. The two teams faced each other earlier in the year with Hilton coming out on top 35-20.
After multiple three and outs from both teams to begin the game, Senior Running Back Jeffery Broadnax kicked off the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run to put the Cadets up 7-0 with 4:10 left in the 1st quarter.
On the ensuing drive by the Bruins, senior Wide Receiver/Linebacker Nicholas McMahon tackled Junior Quarterback Tyler Martinovich on 3rd and 7 to force a Bruins punt. On the very next play, Broadnax ran the ball for a 73-yard touchdown to put the Cadets up 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.
The Bruins started getting some momentum going midway through the 2nd quarter. After three straight runs from Sophomore Running Back Gavin Parks, the Bruins were on the Cadet 1-yard line. On 3rd and goal, Quarterback Tyler Martinovich punched it in for the Bruins making it a 14-7 game. This was the only touchdown the Bruins would score in the game.
The momentum from Brighton would not last long though. The Cadets marched right down the field on the following drive and on 4th and 2 Junior Quarterback Colton Thorp connected with Junior Wide Receiver Luke Lockhart for a 31-yard touchdown putting the Cadets up 21-7, where the score would remain to end the first half.
Neither the Cadets or Bruins were able to put up any points in the 3rd quarter. Then, with 8:23 left in the 4th quarter, Junior Running Back Robert Lowry sealed the victory for the Cadets with a 14-yard touchdown run.
For Hilton, they extended their winning streak to 9 games and advanced to the Section V class A1 finals for the first time in 20 years. The Cadets will take on top seeded Webster Schroder in a rematch of the season opener, where the Warriors won 21-14. The class A1 sectional final is scheduled for next Friday at 5 p.m. at Fairport High School.