Newfane wins in a thriller over Wilson
- Jamal Harris
- Nov 13, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: Nov 21, 2025
Orchard Park, NY - The Newfane Panthers staved off their crosstown rivals the Wilson Lakemen, in 28-20 all time classic. Panthers quarterback Max Capen’s five yard run put the Panthers ahead with 47 seconds to go in the game.
“Game on the line? Give me the ball, I’m going to get it in for a touchdown,” said Capen.
A failed 4th down conversion with less than 30 seconds remaining, ultimately propelled the Panthers to their first Sectional title in school history.
“This is for future Panthers! You can do this to,” said Newfane Head Coach Chuck Nagel.
The Panthers beat the Lakemen back in late October 46-25; with both teams expecting to meet in the playoffs, they saved their best tricks for the title again.
Early on however it was shaping up much like the previous matchup. Explosive scoring plays from Isaiah Gerstung and Camryn Stover put the Panthers up 14-0. However one handed snag from Brock Lepsch as time expired in the first half kept Wilson in the game.
“I’m not very happy with myself on the offensive side of the ball. Took us a while to get going,” said Wilson Head Coach Bill Atlas.
“I think we had a great defensive gameplan to start, it seemed like every time there was a breakdown it was mostly missed tackles,” said Atlas.
The Lakemen eventually did get it going, scoring twice in the second half on the ground with Nick Lemke and Vic Cusatis. The Lakemen defense tightened the clamps holding the Panthers to just a lone touchdown in the second half until Capen’s go ahead touchdown run.
The Lakeman were able to neutralize Capen’s rushing, only rushing for 40 yards compared to the 223 he rushed for in the drubbing of Wilson back in October. However this time Capen diced the Lakeman through the air with 133 yards and a passing touchdown. In total Capen accounted for more than half of the Panther’s total offense with 173 yards and 3 touchdowns on the day.
The Panthers now travel west next weekend to play in the Far West Regionals
Emily Croisdale/WNYAthletics
What a finish — Capen's go-ahead run with 47 seconds left and that failed 4th down conversion sealed a classic 28-20 Sectional title for Newfane. For anyone who wants to turn old game programs and stat sheets into searchable text, I've had great luck with reliable ocr ai — it reads documents with surprising accuracy.
What a thrilling finish in Orchard Park! That last-minute touchdown run by Max Capen is the stuff of legends, and it's awesome to see Newfane finally break through for their first Sectional title. This comeback story is so good it almost feels like one of those cursed images for Wilson fans—but for the Panthers, it's pure magic. Congrats to the champs!
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What a game — that last drive by Capen with under a minute left was pure clutch, and you could feel the energy even reading about it. The failed 4th down conversion really sealed the deal for Newfane’s first sectional title. By the way, I keep a free planning and optimization tool I like to share: https://transmissionfluid.net/
This vivid recap perfectly captures every thrilling beat of Newfane’s historic 28-20 sectional championship over rival Wilson. It does an excellent job highlighting Max Capen’s clutch late touchdown and how the Lakemen’s tough defense forced him to adapt through the air. The coach and player quotes add authentic emotion to this unforgettable rivalry thriller. I hope you share coverage of Newfane’s upcoming Far West Regional matchup in your next post. Great work documenting this landmark Panthers victory. --image search