Alexander/Pembroke Football Enters Sectionals as Class C’s Team to Beat
Written by Pete Zehler on October 27, 2025
After a dominant 7-0 regular season, the Alexander/Pembroke Defenders have left little doubt about who the favorite is heading into the Class C sectional playoffs. The Defenders lived up to their name all season long, posting four shutouts and winning six of their seven contests by at least 25 points.
Their lone scare came in a 40-27 victory over rival Le Roy/Cal-Mum, a game that showed the Defenders’ resilience as much as their vulnerability. Playing without leading rusher Kingston Woods, Alexander/Pembroke was pushed for the first time all season. The Rivals kept it close through three quarters before a fourth-quarter collapse sealed the outcome. Despite the adversity, the Defenders proved they could win a tough, grind-it-out contest when not everything went their way.
Opening Round Matchup
The Defenders open their postseason at home against No. 8 seed Livonia, another opponent they handled easily in the regular season. In that matchup, Alexander/Pembroke rolled to a 40-0 victory, dominating on both sides of the ball and leading comfortably from start to finish.
Livonia has struggled to find offensive rhythm this season, averaging just 11.5 points per game this season. Given how dominant the Defenders’ defense has been, it would take a beyond-perfect performance from Livonia to keep this game close. If Alexander/Pembroke executes even at a fraction of its potential, an upset should be out of the question.
Key Players
Alexander/Pembroke’s offense has been a model of versatility all year.
- RB Kingston Woods remains the team’s most dangerous playmaker, capable of breaking outside for long runs at any moment.
- RB Ryder Reichert provides a steady, physical complement, excelling between the tackles and moving the chains.
- QB Brody Heckman has grown into a confident passer, especially when given time to set his feet. His top targets—TE Madden Perry and WR Mason Snyder—have become Heckman’s go-to options, with Snyder particularly adept at finding soft spots in coverage.
Defensively, the Defenders’ front line has been the team’s backbone. Jacob Johnson, Madden Perry, Wyatt Summers, Mason Snyder, and Jacob Bailey anchor a group that consistently wins the battle in the trenches, shutting down opposing rushing attacks and forcing quarterbacks into mistakes. Linebacker Sean Pietrzykowski has been exceptional in the second level of the Defenders defense all season as well, forcing multiple fumbles and cleaning up the rare run that gets past the front line.
Special teams have also been a quiet strength. Kicker Austin Humphrey has been reliable all season, with range out to 40 yards—a luxury few high school programs can boast.
The Road Ahead
If Alexander/Pembroke takes care of business against Livonia, they’ll advance to face the winner of Wellsville/Genesee Valley-Belfast vs. Le Roy/Cal-Mum in the semifinals. The Defenders already dominated Wellsville earlier this season, but a rematch with Le Roy/Cal-Mum could be trickier.
Rivals head coach Mike Humphrey devised a smart game plan in their first meeting—rolling quarterback Brady McClurg outside the pocket and targeting the sidelines to neutralize Alexander/Pembroke’s ferocious defensive front. It worked for three quarters before the Defenders pulled away late. If these two meet again, expect another chess match, but the Defenders would remain the favorite.
Looking further ahead, the most likely Class C championship matchup would pit Alexander/Pembroke against the winner of Letchworth/Warsaw/Perry vs. East Rochester/Gananda. The Defenders already handled Letchworth/Warsaw/Perry 34-6 earlier this year, and while the Dawgs boast one of the top defenses in the class, their Power-T offense may struggle to produce points against Alexander/Pembroke’s stout defensive line.
Should East Rochester/Gananda—the defending Class C champions—advance, the Defenders would still feel confident after comfortably defeating them in the regular season 32-0.
Prediction
Alexander/Pembroke enters sectionals not just as the favorite, but as the team with the fewest weaknesses in Class C. Their balanced offense, dominant defense, and reliable special teams make them the most complete unit in the bracket.
Prediction: Alexander/Pembroke defeats Livonia 42-0, advances through the bracket, and captures the Class C Section V Championship.
