PRZNY Team Previews: St. Francis Red Raiders

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Last Season (10-2)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Not much went wrong for the Red Raiders in 2025. Their only regular season loss came against Catholic Memorial - Massachusetts' Catholic School State Champions. They had an offensive explosion averaging 37 points per game and a clean sweep of the Monsignor Martin League including shutouts against both St. Joe's and Bishop-Timon. St. Francis ended the season winning their 28th league championship (against Canisius) before dropping in the State Finals to Iona Prep.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Prospect</strong><strong></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["501394"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a4cfdb53b82f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Buttles, the reigning WNY Player of the Year, enters his senior season already committed to play at Rutgers. Last season was Trent's first year at St. Francis and he took the area by storm leading the Red Raiders to their 28th League Championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Three X-Factors</strong><strong></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1202404"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a4cfdb53b8de"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Clark, a three year varsity starter, has been a dominant force his whole career. Starting his first two seasons in Lackawanna, he played like a man amongst boys. Then in his junior year, Tyrone showed that he belonged in a league with tougher competition. He accumulated 1,300 yards in a predominantly timeshare role but was a monster in the final three games running for 464 yards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["707562"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a4cfdb53b93f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Dom transferred to St. Francis last season and had an immediate impact on an offense that was seemingly unstoppable. His season was cut short due to injury but prior to that, he averaged over 100 all-purpose yards per game. He is one of the best athletes in WNY and back to being healthy, he should help the Red Raiders get back to the State Finals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1467402"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a4cfdb53b9a1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Mason was the worst kept secret coming into 2025. He had a solid freshman season at Lake Shore but last off-season, it was becoming evident that he was going to have a pivotal role in the St. Francis offense. On a team loaded with top tier talent, the volume wasn't always there but he did end the season 2nd on the team in receptions and yards but was tops with 11 TDs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Breakout Player</strong><strong></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1953118"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a4cfdb53ba1e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">If Amos played for any other school, he would be considered a top prospect. But at St. Francis, where there is top notch talent at every position, Amos got lost in the shuffle. He is an excellent shutdown CB with great range. Andre can lineup against opposing #1 WRs and should get several post-season accolades as a senior.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Names to Know</strong><strong></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Position</span></strong></td><td><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Player</span></strong></td><td><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Class</span></strong></td><td><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">PRZ Rank</span></strong></td></tr><tr><td>LB</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1639430' first='Luke' last='Fleischman']</td><td>2027</td><td>29</td></tr><tr><td>WR</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1649124' first='Aiden' last='Hopwood']</td><td>2027</td><td>54</td></tr><tr><td>DL</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1649130' first='Romello' last='Dunn']</td><td>2027</td><td>78</td></tr><tr><td>DL</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1364035' first='Alexander' last='Bacon']</td><td>2027</td><td>169</td></tr><tr><td>EDGE</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1513375' first='Terrance' last='Ware Jr']</td><td>2027</td><td>287</td></tr><tr><td>DB</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1639440' first='Kaiden' last='Wright']</td><td>2027</td><td>403</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key Losses</strong><strong></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Position</span></strong></td><td><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Player</span></strong></td><td><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Commitment</span></strong></td></tr><tr><td>OL</td><td>Williams Wortkoetter</td><td>Mercyhurst (Wrestling)</td></tr><tr><td>OL</td><td>Tim McCann</td><td>Uncommitted but a Trench Trophy finalist</td></tr><tr><td>WR</td><td>Matthew Zielinski</td><td>Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute</td></tr><tr><td>RB/LB</td><td>Larry Hardy III</td><td>Hilbert College</td></tr><tr><td>ATH</td><td>Tavio Hoose</td><td>Lehigh University (Wrestling)</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2026 Schedule</strong><strong></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2242694,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/07/St.-Francis-2026-Schedule.jpg?w=822" alt="" class="wp-image-2242694" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2026 Outlook</strong><strong></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Current Head Coach:</strong> Jerry Smith (Entering his 39th season)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>All eyes will be on St. Francis' week 1 matchup against Bennett, the perennial powerhouse from Class AA. Then they take on another State Champion team in CBA-Syracuse. As tough as those games are, the contests that will mean the most will be Timon on 9/19, Canisius on 10/3 and a Halloween night matchup at home vs St. Joe's. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>St. Francis has appeared in 7 of the last 8 league championship games - winning 5 of them. Outside of a couple of OL, the Red Raiders did not lose many players from their 2025 championship run so all those juniors are coming into this season with more experience and the knowledge of how to win games. The Red Raiders should make another run at a state championship in what is rumored to be Jerry Smith's final season as Head Coach.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->