WHITESBORO —  There were contributions from various players on the Whitesboro football team in closing out a successful regular-season with a dominant victory Thursday.

The Warriors have locked up the No. 2 seed in the Section III Class A playoffs and they’ll learn their next opponent following the rest of the games. 

The Warriors took care of their own business on a chilly Thursday night in a lopsided 41-8 victory over a shorthanded Watertown squad on Senior Night at Chiz Frye Field.

It was the first meeting between the teams since 2017 and Whitesboro continued its dominance in the series. Whitesboro has won every meeting going back to at least 2004, though, the teams didn’t meet in 2008.

Whitesboro improved to 6-2 overall this season. 

Sophomore Memphis Ferguson spent time at quarterback in relief of junior standout Kyle Meier after the team built a 27-0 lead after one quarter. On three consecutive runs, Ferguson scored touchdowns of 14, 34 and six yards. He finished with 66 yards on five carries. 

Ferguson had four total touchdowns this season entering Thursday’s game.

“It was good. I like seeing the perspective from the QB point of view,” said Ferguson, who has previously played the position and has the talent, but is among the team’s running backs with Meier justifiably in the starting QB role. “It is easy to adjust when you have great coaches and people to help you out.”

Meier was relieved after the opening quarter, finishing with 95 yards and a two touchdowns on 6-of-10 passing. He also added 45 yards and a score on three carries. 

He finished the regular-season with an astounding 33 total touchdowns (12 rushing and 21 passing), which is among the best in Section III. Schmidt referred to Meier as a "Division I quarterback" and recruit.

He tossed touchdown passes to juniors Anthony Dorozynski – the pair has formed an impressive connection this season as the receiver has eight scores – and Patrick Wands on back-to-back drives in the first quarter. 

Dorozynski finished with three catches for 70 yards. Wands had two catches for 16 yards.

Whitesboro's second and third units performed well. Senior Frank Trotta led the offense for much of the second half, finishing with about 100 yards on 20 carries. Junior Carmen Centro had the lone interception of the game.

“He’s an all-in kid,” Whitesboro coach Curtis Schmidt. said “He’s one of most passionate kids on our team. Everything he got tonight, he deserved.” 

The visitors had negative yards rushing, gaining most of their yards on an 81-yard touchdown from John Flowers IV to Geremiah Ademola-Sadipe on the last play from scrimmage. 

“It was nice to see all of the hard work come together as a group,” Schmidt said.

There was a subtle reminder in the post-game huddle from the coaches that the high school football season can easily end more quickly than Whitesboro – considered one of the top programs in the Mohawk Valley that is striving for more success – would like it to beginning next week.

There’s a logjam in the standings and Whitesboro (6-1 Class A) had to wait for Friday's results to know its next opponent. Auburn, East Syracuse-Minoa, Carthage and area rival New Hartford are all battling for position in the division entering Friday. Watertown (1-7) has been eliminated from postseason contention as the ninth-place team.

“Our job at the end of the day is to make sure these kids are ready for what they choose to do next in life,” Schmidt said. “It was a speech at the end of the year, where you’re getting close. It is to the point where if you win you go on, if you lose your season is over. We want to make sure the kids are attacking the season like they have been, but also making great decisions.”

It is now a “one-week season” from this point, Schmidt noted. 

“It helps us realize it could (end)," said Ferguson, who is also Schmidt's nephew. "Especially for the seniors. We want to see them go out with a win.”