Among the eight squads to qualify for the 2026 Class C football sectional field, half of them enter postseason play at 6-2 overall with Schuylerville topping the entries at 7-1.
Schuylerville is being led this season by first-year head coach Nick Richard, who previously served as an assistant under John Bowen. He is looking to maintain the program's potent run of recent playoff success for the area's defending champion.
Here is a closer look at the season to date and what to look forward to in the 2026 Class C sectionals, which kick off Friday with quarterfinal games.
Quarterfinal matchups
- West No. 4 Johnstown (6-2) at East No. 1 Schuylerville (7-1), Friday, 7 p.m.
- East No. 3 Voorheesville (5-3) at West No. 2 Cobleskill-Richondville (6-2), Friday, 7 p.m.
- East No. 4 Mechanicville (3-5) at West No. 1 Fonda-Fultonville (6-2), Friday, 7 p.m.
- West No. 3 Hudson (5-3) at East No. 2 Hoosick Falls/Tamarac (6-2), Friday, 7 p.m.
Things to know
How close was the West Division playoff race? Fonda-Fultonville ended up claiming the No. 1 seed following back-to-back wins against Cobleskill-Richmondville (28-27) and Hudson (38-7) to finish first. Had the Valley Hawks lost to Hudson, they would have been the No. 4 seed. … Schuylerville enters sectional play seeking a third straight championship. The Black Horses claimed the 2024 state title and advanced to the state semifinals last year. This year, Schuylerville, ranked No. 4, only lost to Class B North Division champion Glens Falls 34-26. In five East Division contests, the Black Horses outscored their foes 267-48. … First-year coach Matt Fiato, who previously served as defensive coordinator at Voorheesville, guided the Blackbirds to a successful campaign back in Class C after finishing up at 4-6 overall and outside the Class D playoff field in 2025.
Player to watch
In three seasons playing running back at Schuylerville, junior star Ernie DaCosta has established himself as one of the best to ever play the position in school history. He is approaching 3,000 career rushing yards with this postseason and his senior campaign still to come. DaCosta enters play Friday night with 79 carries for 1,014 yards and 19 touchdowns. He also has six receptions for 177 yards and five touchdowns to go along with 237 yards and two touchdowns on punt returns.
How did James Allen do?
From my preseason picks, I ended up selecting seven out of the eight playoff teams correctly. In the East Division, I had Schuylerville finishing first and Hoosick Falls/Tamarac coming in second, and that is how things worked out. Mechanicville was also picked to make the field. In the fourth-place spot, I had three teams tied and I had Granville/Whitehall getting in via a tiebreaker, but Voorheesville actually finished third to qualify. In the West Division, Fonda-Fultonville, Cobleskill-Richmondville, Hudson and Johnstown all made it into sectionals, as predicted.
Prediction time
I could easily make a compelling argument for four or five teams winning three playoff games to claim this championship. Fonda-Fultonville has running back Sam Huckans back at full strength. Cobleskill-Richmondville's impressive resume includes a pair of one-point losses against Fonda-Fultonville and Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk, the No. 2 Class B South Division seed. But Schuylerville enters the playoffs with a 77-11 record since 2019 and last missed reaching the Super Bowl in 2018. The Black Horses are seeking a third consecutive sectional title and have been able to keep their stars fresh. Schuylerville is my selection to repeat.
Subscribe
There’s more to Albany with the Times Union. Subscribe today for just 25¢.This article originally published at Breaking down the 2026 Section 2 Class C football playoffs.