It’s one thing to start a season undefeated. It is another to shut out your first three opponents as Cheektowaga has. The Warriors will look to keep both their shutout and winning streaks alive against Pioneer in Friday night’s Spectrum high school Game of the Week.

Cheektowaga entered 2018 fresh off of a Section VI title and an appearance in the state semifinals. That momentum has carried over into the start of this year, as the Warriors have outscored their first three opponents by a 116-0 margin.

“It’s like a pride thing,” said Cheektowaga linebacker Taivaughn Roach. “We just don’t want to be scored on. We don’t want the ball ran down our throat. We just want to show that this is us.”

The Warriors are looking to follow up last year’s section title with another. A win on Friday would go a long way toward achieving that goal, regardless of the number of points in the final score.

“We tell them, you’re going to get scored on, it’s part of it,” said Cheektowaga head coach Mike Fatta. 

For Pioneer, Friday’s matchup will be an opportunity to make a statement on a big stage. The Panthers snuck into last season’s Class B playoffs with the eighth and final seed and want to enter the postseason this year as one of the “top dogs” according to senior wide receiver Dylan Giboo.

Like Cheektowaga, Pioneer enters Friday’s matchup with a 3-0 record. Much of their early season success can be attributed to the legs of their biggest offensive weapon.

“We have one of the best running backs in Western New York with Mike Rigerman,” said Giboo.

Indeed, the senior running back has been impressive rushing for 722 yards and 10 touchdowns in three games. His success has also helped open up the passing game lead by senior quarterback Nick Rinker.

“We run it, we run it, and then all of a sudden we throw it and it opens it wide open,” said Rinker. “It’s nice to have that because eventually you can have wide open guys in the endzone for touchdowns.”

Coverage begins at 7 p.m. Friday live on Spectrum News.