Football, Rye tops Brighton in NY state football championship
Rye defeated Brighton 28-14 to win the state football Class A championship at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse Dec. 5, 2025.
- Bronxville is playing Chenango Forks at noon.
- Sleepy Hollow is taking on Monroe at 3 p.m.
Bronxville and Sleepy Hollow are next under the bright lights.
The Broncos are chasing their first NYSPHSAA championship since 2010. The Horsemen are looking for a program first. Follow along here and find out as lohud football writer Mike Dougherty posts live updates and insights from the JMA Wireless Dome for both Saturday games.
Coming into the day, Section 1 was 1-1 in Syracuse with Rye dispatching Brighton and winning the program’s fifth state title and Tuckahoe coming up short against Tioga.
Schedule
At JMA Wireless Dome, Syracuse
Saturday, Dec. 6
Class C state championship: Bronxville vs. Chenango Forks, noon
Class B state championship: Sleepy Hollow vs. Monroe, 3 p.m.
Scores
Friday, Dec. 5
Class D state championship: Tioga 43, Tuckahoe 31
Class A state championship: Rye 28, Brighton 14
Live updates
Bronxville will start with the ball and is set up near midfield. This is probably the biggest team, physically, the Broncos have seen all season. Chenango Forks did a nice job swarming to the ball on the first three carries, but on fourth-and-one, Brian Formato bounces left and goes 41 yards for a touchdown. The Bronxville crowd was concerned for a minute there, but the volume level increased when he got to the outside. Thomas Freeman adds the PAT and it’s 7-0 two minutes and four plays into the game.
Brysen Frye is stopped for no gain on third-and-three. The Broncos were at the point of attack with numbers, forcing a Blue Devils punt. Bronxville starts at its 40. Formato stopped for no gain, but on third-and-three he slips between left guard and tackle for 10 more yards. The Broncos are on the 31 and call a time out to avoid a delay of game penalty with 4:14 to go in the first. Desmond Heathwood catches a seven-yard pass from Theo McMurray and it’s first-and-goal from the 7. Bad snap backs up Bronxville. Loss of 15 on that miscue. It’s third-and-goal from the 20. McMurray is sacked. The Broncos go on fourth down. Game changer. McMurray throws a perfect back-shoulder pass to Heathwood for a 21-yard touchdown with 37 seconds to go in the quarter. The extra point is good. Bronxville is holding a 14-0 lead.
Chenango Forks has only run three plays this quarter. Make it four plays. And the Blue Devils would like to have that last one back. Brady Dolan blows up an option play, forcing a fumble on the left sideline. Walker Moore scoops the ball at the 17 and scores. The Broncos have a 21-0 advantage with 27 seconds to go in the first.
The Blue Devils needed a play and got one. Tate Bender on the halfback option pass hits Conner Dunagan for a 64-yard touchdown. The PAT is good. The deficit is 21-7 with 27 seconds to go in the quarter. If you’re keep scoring at home that’s three touchdowns in a span of 25 seconds.
Dolan picks up a squib kick and returns to the 50.
End 1: Bronxville 21, Chenango Forks 7
Bronxville QB throws touchdown pass during first quarter of Class C State Championship game Dec. 6
Bronxville quarterback Theo McMurray throws a touchdown pass to Desmond Heathwood in the first quarter of the Class C state football championship against Chenango Forks on Dec. 6, 2025 at JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse.
Formato with seven straight carries for the Broncos. The senior has spent many games this season watching the second half from the sideline with the rest of the starters. He’s loving this.
Interception. McMurray throws a fourth-down pass into traffic and Dunagan gets the pick in the end zone. Ball is returned to the 30 with 7:42 to go in the half. Bronxville defense needs to get the Blue Devils off the field in order to maintain early momentum.
Chenango Forks has traction now. Dunagan caught a pass for 16 yards. Fry rumbles for 13 yards. It’s first-and-10 at the Broncos 35. Fry’s second effort on fourth-and-one keeps the drive going. Fumble! A bad exchange leaves the ball on the ground and Formato recovers. Bronxville takes over at its 30 with two minutes to go in the quarter.
Well that was a big swing of emotions. McMurray connected with Freeman for 35 yards, then hit Formato for a 30-yard touchdown with 58 seconds to go in the half. The Broncos are up 28-7.
The Blue Devils look to answer before the break. Sam Paske drops back and is taken down hard by Anton Schmidt. It’s a clock-killing sack.
Halftime: Bronxville 28, Chenango Forks 7.
Bronxville kicks off. The Blue Devils get a nice return and set up at their 38-yard line. Chenango Forks ran 17 plays in the opening half. Bronxville ran 28. The Broncos give up a deep ball and pick up a personal foul. Half the distance. The Blue Devils are first-and-goal at the 9. Paske to Bender, who breaks a tackle and get into the end zone. It’s an 11-yard connection. The PAT is no good, however. Chenango Forks gets within 28-13 with 9:12 to go in the quarter.
Freeman runs for a first down. He’s the guy now. Formato came off the field during the first Blue Devils drive of the half. Unclear what the issue was. Formato comes back and runs for three. Bronxville is punting for the first time on fourth-and-four from the Chenango Forks 47. Harrison Ruffo drops the punt into the red zone and the ball skips to the 11 with 4:56 to go in the third.
The Blue Devils gamble and win on fourth-and-one from the Bronxville 19. First down. Chenango Forks is beginning to get the run game rolling. A methodical drive and touchdown here changes everything. Schmidt with another timely sack.
End 3: Chenango Forks 28, Bronxville 13
The concern level is rising. Bronxville is backed up. The Blue Devils call timeout before a third-and-10 play from the Broncos’ 16. Formato breaks up a pass in the end zone. It’s fourth down. Paske goes to the back corner, but Grant Patterson is locked on to the receiver. Incomplete pass. Bronxville takes over at its 16 with 10:24 to go.
Formato looks pretty healthy now. He blew threw a three acre hole untouched for an 84-yard touchdown. Freeman has been cramping up and has to kick the PAT. He guts it out and the Broncos are up 35-13 with 10:12 to play.
The Blue Devils come out throwing. Bronxville has done a much better job of getting pressure on Paske, who’s incomplete on first and second down. Chenago Forks goes on fourth-and-four from the 38. Moore bats down the pass at the line. Flag on the play. It’s a false start by the Blue Devils and the penalty is declined.
Bronxville fans up the noise level, sensing the championship hardware is coming home with the Broncos. Will Malloy with a big catch to keep the drive going. Formato advances the ball inside the 10, takes a direct snap and goes in from the 8 with 7:25 to play. The kick is good and Bronxville is coasting now, 42-13.
Frye breaks off a 33-yards touchdown run with 5:17 to go and it’s 42-19. The Blue Devils recover an onside kick at midfield and will run a little more offense. Dunagan hauls in a 28-yard pass to set up first and goal with 3:49 to go and Paske hits Landon Butenko for an 8-yard TD on the next play. The conversion pass is incomplete. Bronxville is still holding a 42-25 lead.
Charles Atkeson goes up and gets this onside kick and Bronxville has a chance to run off some clock. Formato runs for a first down and now it’s a matter of taking a knee.
Final: Bronxville 42, Chenango Forks 25.
Mike Dougherty covers high school football for The Journal News and lohud.com