Albion gridders to host Dunkirk Friday

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Quarterback Kyle Smith and his Albion teammates will host Dunkirk Friday in the semifinals of the Chuck Funke Memorial Class B Consolation Bowl.

Both teams will be looking to rebound from “Rivalry Weekend” losses when Albion hosts Dunkirk at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the semifinals of the Section VI Chuck Funke Memorial Class B Consolation Bowl.

Albion is looking to bounce back from a 46-30 loss to rival Medina and Dunkirk likewise is looking to rebound from a wild 50-48 four overtime loss to archival Fredonia.

The Purple Eagles and Mauraders both bring identical 4-3 regular season records into the contest.

“Dunkirk is a very good football team that in any other year makes the sectionals,” said Albion Coach Gary Parisi. “They run the ball very well and play tough on defense.”

The victor will face the winner of the other semifinal between Olean (4-3) and Alden (3-4) in the B Bowl title contest on October 30 at Pioneer at 7:30 p.m.

Quarterback Kyle Smith, who recently earned WGRZ’s Class B Player of the Week honors for his performance in Albion’s win over Lew-Port, leads the Purple Eagles offense. He has passed for 10 touchdowns, including six to Trey Hart, three to Des Blackmon and one to Austin Loyd, and also run for four scores.

Hart has scored a total of nine touchdowns, Manny Thompson six and Blackmon five.

The meeting will only be the second ever on the gridiron between Albion and Dunkirk. The Mauraders won the earlier encounter by a narrow 20-19 margin in 2010.

In one interdivisional game on Friday, Barker/Roy-Hart will host Tonawanda at 6 p.m. at Middleport.