SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- This weekend teams from across Section III will head to the Carrier Dome, hoping to leave with a Section III Championship banner. To get you ready, we’re previewing all the games, including a pair of contests that will air live on Spectrum News.

Class AA: [1] Utica Proctor (9-0) vs [3] C-NS (6-3) – Saturday at 8:00 p.m. on Spectrum News

Key Players: TaSean Cooper, Proctor RB & J.J. Razmovksi, C-NS QB

How they got here:

Led by running back TaSean Cooper, the Raiders ran through sectionals, beating CBA and then B’Ville in blowout fashion. With that pair of wins, they’re heading to the section title game for the first time in program history.

C-NS had a much more difficult path to the title game. The Northstars, who came into the playoffs as the two-time reigning section champs, took out Henninger in the quarterfinals, then rallied to beat Liverpool in the semis. It was sweet revenge for the Northstars, who fell to the Warriors in week two of the regular season.

Quick Thoughts:  These teams are familiar with each other. In the last week of the regular season, they squared off live on Spectrum News from Bragman Athletic Complex. TaSean Cooper was the player of the game after putting up 128 yards and a score in a 32-0 win. A big key for C-NS will be to stop the run, which means containing Cooper. The senior is a workhorse in the backfield, but if he’s contained, C-NS has a chance. On the other side, Northstars QB J.J. Razmovksi has settled in. In the comeback win over ‘Pool, the sophomore led the charge, and won the game with a 28-yard TD pass to Matt Klamm in the fourth quarter. Another note from that game – the C-NS defense settled in as well, holding Liverpool scoreless the entire second half.

The Dome is also familiar territory for C-NS. The Northstars know what that atmosphere is going to be like on Saturday night. For Utica Proctor, this will be a brand new experience, so it’ll be interesting to see how they handle the pressure.

Class A: [1] Carthage (8-1) vs [3] Auburn (7-2) – Friday at 8:00 p.m. on Spectrum News

Key Players: Fombo Azah, Carthage RB & Troy Churney, Auburn QB

How they got here: Full of upperclassmen, it was clear from day one that Carthage was a team to watch out for this season. A big reason why is their senior running back, Fombo Azah. In just nine games this season, Azah has 30 touchdowns and over 1,700 yards. If he gets into open space, it’s a wrap. Literally, defenders can’t wrap him up. The Comets had no issues in the section semis, walloping Whitesboro by 20 to punch their ticket to the final. The last time the Comets won a section title was back in 2007, which ironically enough was the year after Auburn won their last class crown.

Much like the AA matchup, Auburn has had a more difficult trek to the Dome. On Friday night, the Maroons found themselves down to powerhouse Indian River 27-7 at halftime. Keep in mind, the Warriors blew out the Maroons earlier in the season at Holland Stadium. Auburn was unfazed by the deficit, and rallied with a 24-point fourth quarter to force overtime. It took two extra sessions, but Auburn pulled out the unlikely upset, beating Indian River 61-59.

Quick Thoughts:  The fact that Auburn rallied from being down to one of the best teams in the state was a surprise. It just shows that there’s a reason to play the games. They’re not played on paper. So the fact that Auburn lost to Carthage 49-17 in October means nothing to me now. In the playoffs, it’s a clean slate, and apparently the Maroons know how to learn from past mistakes.

Class B: [1] Oneida (9-0) vs [2] Solvay (9-0) – Saturday at 5:00 p.m.

Key Players: Brock Bagozzi, Solvay QB & Jordan Clark, Oneida Junior QB

How they got here: Solvay has been the Cinderella story this season. The Bearcats haven’t had a winning season since 2007, but under new head coach Dan Salisbury, they have an undefeated record. Their motto this season has been “6.5,” which is the exact distance from their locker room to the front of the Dome. All year they’ve worked to make it back to the section final, and after beating New Hartford in a barn burner Friday, they earned that trip.

Oneida is the one-seed thanks to a coin toss. The Indians had no issues with Homer in the quarterfinals, but almost let a lead slip away in the semis. Oneida punched their ticket to the Dome with a 41-34 win over Marcellus.

Quick Thoughts: Since these teams are in separate divisions, they haven’t seen each other this season. They have played common opponents though, including New Hartford, Cazenovia, and Homer. So I think during the first half of this game there’s going to be a lot of trial and error and figuring each other out. For Oneida, their key will be slowing down the Bearcats offense. Solvay has a ton of speed, and led by Brock Bagozzi, who’s not afraid to sling it, they’re all about the long ball and the big plays. Much like New Hartford, Oneida has a strong defense, so we’ll see how they handle Solvay on Saturday. The last time Oneida won a section title was back in 2008, while it’s been since 2002 for the Bearcats.

Both communities are excited about their teams getting a chance to head to the state tournament, so they’ll travel well. I’m expecting the Loudhouse to be just that on Saturday at 5:00 p.m.

Class C: [1] Cato-Meridian (9-0) vs [2] Lowville (9-0) – Saturday at 2:00 p.m.

Key Players: Ozzy Freeman, C-M QB & Chad Bach, Lowville QB

How they got here: The Cato-Meridian Blue Devils have bulldozed their way through the schedule. A big reason for their success is their defense. C-M has shut out three opponents, including Port Byron, Skaneateles and Herkimer.

Lowville has looked like the team to beat all season. Led by Chad Bach, their offense has looked solid. In the section semifinals, Bach accounted for three touchdowns in a 49-15 win over Canastota.

Quick Thoughts: This game is going to be a classic great offense vs great defense contest. I saw both of these squads on Saturday, and Cato-Meridian’s defense did look stout against the Magicians. I like Lowville a lot just because I love when QB’s aren’t afraid to throw the ball. Bach has quite the arm, so I’m interested to see how C-M attempts to slow him down. Lowville also has a lot of athletes. The Raiders made it all the way to the state finals in basketball last spring, falling to Glens Falls in the title game. They have a lot of kids that are hungry to get back into states for football.

Class D: [3] Waterville (7-2) vs [4] Frankfort-Schuyler (7-2) – Saturday at 9:00 a.m.

Key Players: Tyler Rosati, F-S QB & Darren Johnson, Waterville RB

How they got here: This is the only class that a one-seed is not in the final this season. Last season, Waterville had a 1-7 record. This year, the Indians have done a 180. The Indians have won five straight games, including a thrilling 7-6 upset win over Beaver River in the semifinals.

As for F-S, they’ve been eager for revenge after getting stunned in the first round of sectionals last year. The Maroon Knights cruised over Onondaga and Dolgeville to punch their ticket to the Dome.

Quick Thoughts: These teams have already run into each other this season. On October 18^th, the Indians used a big third quarter to take down F-S by a 20-0 score. In that game, Waterville’s Tristan Graham led the way with a pair of touchdowns in the victory. This could easily be the most exciting game of the weekend, since the two teams do seem very evenly matched. The pair kick off at 9AM on Saturday.