Frewsburg’s Chase Haglund runs away from an Allegany Limestone defender during the Round 6 8-a-side soccer championship game Saturday at Veterans Memorial Park in Salamanca. Photo by Steve Garvey
Frewsburg’s Trent Lewis leaps over an Allegany Limestone defender during the Round 6 8-a-side soccer championship game Saturday at Veterans Memorial Park in Salamanca. Photo by Steve Garvey
Frewsburg’s Blake Weaver tries to break free of a tackle from an Alleghany-Limestone defender during the Round 6 8-a-side soccer championship game Saturday at Veterans Memorial Park in Salamanca. Photo by Steve Garvey
Frewsburg’s Chase Haglund runs away from an Allegany Limestone defender during the Round 6 8-a-side soccer championship game Saturday at Veterans Memorial Park in Salamanca. Photo by Steve Garvey
SALAMANCA — Frewsburg has carved out a niche in Western New York’s high school football world.
The Bears are the best eight-man team.
Chase Haglund ran 13 times for 232 yards and five touchdowns, leading No. 1 Frewsburg to two points in the Game 6 championship game Saturday afternoon at Veterans Memorial Park. They defeated No. 1 Allegany Limestone 57-22.
“I told the kids their names will be on the plaque forever,” Frewsburg head coach Rob Kolver said. “What they accomplished these past few months will live on in the history of our school and the legacy of our program. It goes beyond statistics and wins and losses, it’s pretty amazing.”
Frewsburg took an early 14-0 lead on Haglund’s 1- and 46-yard touchdown runs. After the Gators’ Vincent LaBella connected with Dylan Schultz for a 70-yard score, Haglund added two more touchdown runs of 19 and 58 yards.
Frewsburg’s Trent Lewis leaps over an Allegany Limestone defender during the Round 6 8-a-side soccer championship game Saturday at Veterans Memorial Park in Salamanca. Photo by Steve Garvey
“Allegany didn’t have an answer for Chase,” Kolver said. “He’s a very dynamic player and the fastest player on the field.”
Caleb Straud caught Labella’s touchdown, but Blake Weaver answered with a 50-yard touchdown run and the Bears led 36-16 at halftime.
“Coach (Marcus) Grove had a really great game plan. They came in and did a lot of line instants and stuff. The first few series got us a little bit interested, but Our guys have never seen it before. Our offensive line has done a great job of adapting and adjusting to what they’re trying to do to us,” Kolver said. “When you have great athletes at the skill positions like Chase, Blake, Mason Eckman, Trent (Lewis), those kids make the linemen better, just like the linemen make them better. I will.”
After halftime, Drake Beckstrom added a 1-yard touchdown, Haglund scored from 72 yards to go, and Weaver scored on a 54-yard run.
“Our line was very good today. Allegany took a big hit. They didn’t sit back. Our players have adapted to it. We prepare for the unexpected. We talk about it all the time,” Kolver said of Grayson Lewis, Branden Francis, Jayden Kolver and Trenton Benson. “Sometimes you can’t practice with a game plan. Our players understand that and are smart and adapt well to it. We ran on the outside in the first half and started moving back inside in the second half. I did.”
Frewsburg’s Blake Weaver tries to break free of a tackle from an Alleghany-Limestone defender during the Round 6 8-a-side soccer championship game Saturday at Veterans Memorial Park in Salamanca. Photo by Steve Garvey
Frewsburg ran for more than 400 yards, led by Haglund and Weaver (11 carries, 131 yards).
Pembroke will play Holly in the Section V championship Friday at Pittsford-Sutherland High School. The district championship will be held in one week. In the regular season, Pembroke defeated Frewsburg 52-22 and the Bears defeated Hawley 42-28.
“We hope that our success in eight-man will give hope to other schools with smaller populations and smaller teams that they won’t necessarily have to look for a merger if there’s nothing available. “We’re working hard,” Kolver said. “We had a few years where we struggled and our players were depressed and demoralized. We’ve used the eight-man as a tool to get back to that. Frewsburg football has survived through the eight-man game, and I would like other schools to do this as well.”
Fre Haglund 1 Run (Haglund’s Run)
Running Fre–Haglund 46 (run failed)
AL–Schultz 70 Pass from LaBella (Harmon Pass from LaBella)
Fre–Haglund 19 run (BWeaver run)
Running Fre–Haglund 58 (run failed)
AL – Stradepass from Labella (Gleason Pass from Labella)
Fre-BWeaver 50 runs (Haglund runs)
Frei Beckström 1 run (BWeaver)
Running Fre–Haglund 72 (run failed)
Fre–BWeaver 54 runs (GWeaver kick)
AL – Schultz 26, pass from LaBella
