BUFFALO, N.Y. — No grind, no shine — four words that Stevenson McDuffie has preached to his state championship-bound Bennett Tigers team.

"You know, we believe that if you do the small things right, the big things will take care of themselves,” said McDuffie, the Tigers head coach.

"You’ve got to just stay humble with that, really,” said Rashard Perry, senior. “We don't really talk about our personal stats and stuff like that. It's either our team or nobody, really."

After the defending Section VI Class AA champions were forced to forfeit six games due to a transfer paperwork issue, players were concerned about their opportunity to return to the biggest game.

"I don't think it was a doubt that we could get back here,” said McDuffie. “I just remember walking into that meeting and telling our kids that we had our games taken away because of a clerical error, and all they wanted to know was, 'coach, are we done for the season?' So when we found out that we weren't done for the season, I think, once again, a great weight was lifted off their shoulders,” said McDuffie.

Undefeated since that decision, the Tigers are ready to avenge their final loss last season.

"The mentality is, you know, we want to get better,” McDuffie said. “We want to represent not only Bennett High School, but the city of Buffalo, and Section VI, and the people of Western New York. And we're proud and we feel privileged to be there."

If the Tigers are indeed to capture the 2022 state title, not only would it be the first in Bennett's program history but they'd become only the second Buffalo city school to do so.

"It would mean everything to players, to coaches and everybody who's been in the program since freshman year until senior year,” said Jason Gwan, senior. “And it means a lot for the city, too. Because the area that we practice in, we're in not a very good neighborhood to practice, so we don't practice with all the facilities or with all the stuff all the other places have. So it would mean a lot."

"In a sport like football, you have to embrace the pressure,” said McDuffie. “You have to be ready for big-time situations and big-time football games. And you know what, I think all of the pressure is actually kind of off of us now. Because I think the pressure part came with the season and the grind, getting back there. So now since we’re actually back, I think they kind of know what to expect and they're preparing harder so they can give it their best shot."