SALAMANCA — The Salamanca football team was strong in 2024, with senior leadership being key to their success. With the Big 30 Senior Classic around the corner, it is one last chance to represent themselves and their school on the field.

“We knew we were graduating an awesome group,” Salamanca coach Chad Bartozek said as he takes the reins of the Big 30 New York squad. “One of the most successful groups we had in Salamanca history. It’s well deserved for sure.”

Without star quarterback Maddox Isaac present, Salamanca still had a large presence in Monday’s practice at Olean Middle School, the first of eight practices that will occur every weekday through July 30. The Warriors’ coaching staff is in charge as well, Bartoszek got the gig after going 13-1 with their only loss in the New York State championship game.

“I came out excited and motivated,” Bartoszek said. “I definitely went in a little anxious about the start. The unknown, not knowing our players and more so not knowing our depth chart.  As a coach you typically know where your guys are at. That can cause a little bit of anxiousness, once we got into it it was just football and I left pretty motivated.”

Bartozek’s list of awards and accomplishments is long. He was the Big 30 Coach of the Year in 2014, 2015, 2023 and 2024. In addition, he was the 2023 WNNY Coach of the Year, 2023 Buffalo Bills Coach of the Year, and League Coach of the Year in 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

This is a unique opportunity for a coach who has experienced a lot of football, and it comes with an extra layer of managing teenagers who haven’t played with one another.

“By the end of the day the kids had loosened up a little bit,” Bartoszek said. “They were quiet early on. The fun part about it, for me, is just knowing their programs so well. We all play each other, we all scout each other. I have seen these kids play for the most part. Having that background on them helps create the relationship and build up some conversation.

Franklinville/Ellicottville is another well-represented team with 10 members. Bartozek is excited about their presence on the offensive side of the ball and has connections with the players after spending six seasons as the F/E head coach.

“Obviously Isaac Towne at quarterback, (Billy) Slavinski at running back, and then you got (Bretton) Blecha over there running receiver,” Bartoszek said. “I was fortunate enough to coach Blecha’s brothers when I was the coach at F/E. I remember him when he was, oh boy, when it was 2017 so he would have been 10 years old. He was our ball boy and he has grown into an awesome young man and he looks like he is going to be a fantastic part of our offense. It’s those connections that make it cool.”

2018 Big 30 New York representative Brock Blecha was there to watch his younger brother.

“It’s really cool playing with a different group of guys from different backgrounds and get to learn about each other,” Blecha said in his lawn chair, looking through the fence separating him from the field.

Of course, Bartoszek still has his Salamanca players to work with. And that is a very good thing for the competitive aspect against Pennsylvania. Isaac is coming back to practice soon, and the other Salamanca players will also be a force.

“Starting with Maddox at quarterback, it’s a big deal,” Bartoszek said. “He knows the offense through and through. We’ve got Cory Holleran, he has been working and started on offense today, he may move over to the defensive side of things where he was Big 30 Player of the Year.”

The other Warriors will be Kruz Coustenis at center, Big 30 Defensive Player of the Year nominee Zach Trietley at mike linebacker, Kyle Lecceardone at safety and Dakota Colts.

“These are guys that have a ton of experience with us,” Bartoszek said. “We are still waiting on Xavier (Peters). He didn’t show up today, but hopefully he joins the team tomorrow.”

The New York squad planned to practice at Bradford’s Parkway Field at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. The site of the Big 30 Senior Classic that takes place on Saturday, Aug. 2.