Greenwich football readying for return to state semifinals

GREENWICH, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Greenwich head football coach Brandon Linnett knows how rare opportunities like the one his team faces Friday are. This is only the third time in 25 years he's been with the program that they've reached the state semifinals.

"You don't get these every day; that's for sure," said Linnett. "And their (the team's) hard work is the reason we're here."

That hard work has earned the Witches an opportunity to potentially play in the JMA Wireless Dome. Standing between them and a trip to Syracuse is Section IX's Burke Catholic. The two sides will square off in the NYSPHSAA Class D semifinals Friday at Middletown High School.

Burke Catholic is ranked third in the state for Class D and boasts a 9-1 record - a formidable opponent that Linnett says matches up athletically with Greenwich.

But Linnett's guys have a drive that gives him confidence in any game they play in.

"They don't quit; they got a motor that just keeps runnin'," said Linnett. "They feed off each other. They genuinely like each other; they wanna hang out together. And they're not ready to be done playing football."

Outside of a lone setback in Week 7 against Warrensburg/Lake George/Bolton, the Witches have been a machine. They're 10-1 on the season, and are outscoring opponents by nearly 50 points per game in the contests they've won.

Linnett's message to his team this week has been to rely on each other and the connection they have, which has garnered them so much success.

"Lean on the process and the hard work they've been doing together. And when it gets tough out there, stick together."

The last time Greenwich reached the state semis was in 2021. That team lost a meeting with Section VII's Moriah.

A number of seniors on this year's team were with that 2021 squad as freshmen. They remember that defeat all too well, and would like nothing more than to avenge it.

"It was a tough feeling to be so close, and fall just short," said senior running back/defensive end Jack Saunders. "It's definitely like a full-circle moment...we're just trying to get over the hump this time. We've had the same core group of guys since we were in youth [football]. So, it'd be an awesome feeling to represent our town, and get it done."

"I feel like we all have unfinished business," added senior linebacker/wide receiver Joe Skiff. "We want to bring it home. That team showed us the focus and what we need to do. We have the opportunity to execute it and go win a state championship."

Kickoff Friday from Middletown is set for 3:00 p.m.