Amherst - Southwestern has the word "faith" stitched into hats and labeled on helmets. On Saturday, they had faith they'd make one more big play than Le Roy, and they did.

Right to the last minute. In a game in which Southwestern benefited from seven Le Roy turnovers, including five in the first half, and got outstanding performances from its top players, the Trojans' first trip to the final four wasn't finalized until senior Eric Mazgaj's sack in the final seconds.

Mazgaj sacked Le Roy quarterback Travis Fenstermaker to force a fumble that was recovered by Southwestern. The blind-side hit dashed a miracle comeback attempt by Le Roy, which had advanced to the Southwestern 22, and gave the Trojans a 38-35 victory in the Class C Far West Regionals Saturday morning.

"I've always dreamed of having a huge play like that in a game, and it finally came true," said Mazgaj. "It couldn't have come at a better time. We're making history for Southwestern."

An estimated 1,000 at the University at Buffalo watched Southwestern's standout juniors come up with huge games. Levi Bursch scored four touchdowns, including the Trojans' first three as they took a 21-0 lead. Quarterback Zack Sopak earned offensive MVP honors by completing all 10 of his passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns despite playing with an injured thumb.

Southwestern (11-0), which lost its only other regional appearance in 2004, will play Section IV champion Elmira Notre Dame (9-2) at noon next Saturday in the state semifinals at Rochester's Paetec Park.

Both of Sopak's touchdowns finished clutch second-half drives that answered scores by Le Roy. Twice the Oatkan Knights cut the lead to eight on passes from Fenstermaker (21 for 37, 283 yards passing, four touchdowns) to Mike Humphrey (14 catches, 136 yards).

Southwestern made its lead 38-20 with 6:49 left on a 28- yard field goal by senior Dan Imfeld (5 for 5 on extra points, six tackles, two fumble recoveries, one interception).

Fourteen-time Section V champion Le Roy (10-1) scored two touchdowns to make it 38-35 with 1:18 left, recovered its second on-sides kick and moved to the Southwestern 22 with 36 seconds left. Then came Mazgaj's sack, with the fumble being recovered by senior lineman Drew Merchant.

"We did everything we could there at the end to make it exciting and give that game away," said Southwestern coach Jay Sirianni. "When it came down to it, we've been talking all week about having faith in one another. If you look at our helmets, we have it on there, it's 'Faith.'

"Sometimes your faith is tested, but faith is what gets you through."

Amherst - LeRoy gave away the football often during its Class C football state quarterfinal.

But the Southwestern Trojans nearly gave back a sure win over LeRoy on Saturday, and their first trip to the state tournament semifinals with it. Southwestern held on to beat the Oatkan Knights 38-35 on Saturday after forcing LeRoy's seventh turnover in wet conditions at SUNY Buffalo.

The Oatkan Knights (10-1) were in position to wipe away a frustrating performance and avoid a disappointing finish to their season when they reached the Southwestern 22 with 36 seconds remaining. Eric Mazgaj instead, clinched the win for Southwestern when he forced LeRoy quarterback Travis Fenstermaker to fumble and the ball was recovered by Trojans lineman Drew Merchant.

"Very frustrating,'' Fenstermaker said. "We had two onside kick (recoveries) after everyone else thought that we were done."

The fact that LeRoy even had a chance to win or tie was somewhat remarkable. Southwestern built a 21-0 lead while the Oatkan Knights turned the ball over five times during the first half, three times inside the Trojans' 20. When Dan Imfeld kicked a 28-yard field goal with 6:49 remaining, Southwestern's lead was 38-20.

"It was a momentum roller-coaster,'' Southwestern quarterback and the game's offensive MVP Zack Sopak said about the final 6:49.

The Trojans clearly had the momentum first. Levi Bursch scored on runs of 19 and two yards, then added a 97-yard interception return to give Southwestern 21 points before LeRoy reached the end zone. The Oatkan Knights finally got there on a 63-yard reception by Andy Alexander with 47 seconds remaining in the half.

Humphrey's second of three touchdown receptions, a 13-yarder, moved LeRoy to within 21-13 of Southwestern. The Trojans countered with a 29-yard scoring reception by Will Sleggs from Sopak. The Oatkan Knights came back with a nice 6-yard touchdown reception by Humphrey, as it became clear Southwestern had issues covering receivers. Southwestern's lead was 28-20.
Humphrey finished with 14 receptions for 136 yards.

"We just had to keep going over the top,'' Fenstermaker said after he completed 21 of 37 passes for 283 yards, including four touchdowns.

The Trojans moved 80 yards to score again, as Bursch picked up his fourth touchdown on a 3-yard pass from Sopak with 11:08 remaining. LeRoy failed to gain a yard on its next possession. The Trojans might have sealed the game with a touchdown, but had to take an Imfeld field goal for an 18-point lead with 6:49 remaining.

Quick strikes and onside kicks after a 1-yard scoring run by Fenstermaker with 2:54 remaining added drama to the finish. LeRoy's final scoring drive was one play, a 42-yard pass play from Fenstermaker to Humphrey with 1:18 remaining.