1982: Warriors and Salamanca go all out for championship tilt

By PHIL AMELEE

Press Sports Editor

Buses have been chartered, tickets purchased and signs prepared as the community of Salamanca readies for tomorrow's Section VI Football Federation playoffs at Rich Stadium.

Salamanca will he making its first appearance in the fourth year of the championships as the Division VI champs will take on Division V titlist Depew (7-1 overall) at 3:30 p.m. in the third of five championship tilts.

The Warriors grabbed the division title with a perfect 7-0 record and finished at 8-0 overall for the school's fourth unbeaten season. A win tomorrow would give Salamanca its first 9-0 season.

The Warriors were not one of the preseason favorites but quickly made all take notice with a 16-14 battle-in-the-trenches win over highly touted Dunkirk and then disposed of Fredonia the following week by 28-12 to eliminate the toughest teams.

Salamanca then dumped Gowanda by 30-13 and ended the regular season with shutouts by 42-0 over Falconer and 20-0 over Olean.

Salamanca, though, is not the only community target involved in post-season excitement as Little Valley will kick off tomorrow's schedule with an 11 a.m. date against Panama.

Little Valley won its first championship in more than 20 years with a 6-0 mark in Division X (6-2 overall) and takes on defending champion Panama, the Division IX winner at 8-0.

Leading the Panthers is head coach Dick Heidrick with Brad Weitzel and Al Watt as assistants. Those three played football under Whitcher at Salamanca and adding to the Salamanca flavor will be Jamestown head coach Joe Sanfilippo.

Sanfilippo takes his 7-1 Red Raiders, the Division I winners, against Division II champion Clarence (7-1) in the finale set for 8 p.m. The other games have Medina (8-0) taking on Cassadaga Valley (5-3) at 1:15 p.m. while Lewiston-Porter (7-1) goes against Wilhamsville South (7-1) at 5:45 p.m.