At the Bills vs. Patriots game on December 20th, Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly handed out awards and congratulated the 2009 Buffalo Bills high school coaches of the week winners. Eric Jantzi, head football coach of the Class AA State Champion North Tonawanda Lumberjacks, and Jay Sirianni, head football coach of the Class "C" State Champion Southwestern Trojans were also announced as the 2009 Bills High School Football Co-Coaches of the Year.
Coach Jantzi and Siranni, along with all the Bills Coaches of the Week winners from the 2009 season, were recognized on the field during pregame ceremonies at the Bills vs. Patriots game.
The Harvard Cup Champion Riverside Frontiers and the Monsignor-Martin Champion Canisius Crusaders were also introduced in the pregame festivities. Riverside, 9-1, won the Harvard Cup for the second consecutive season while Canisius won the Monsignor-Martin championship for the first time in 29 years.
This is the 13th consecutive year of the Buffalo Bills Coach of the Week program. Each week during the 11-week high school football season, a committee appointed by the Buffalo Bills selected a head football coach as Coach of the Week. The honorees received a certificate signed by the Buffalo Bills Interim Head Coach Perry Fewell, Buffalo Bills Chief Operating Officer Russ Brandon and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. They also received a Buffalo Bills Coach of the Week cap and $1,000 donation to their school's football program from the Buffalo Bills Youth Foundation. Recognition of the winning coach was shown on the Buffalo Bills official website (www.buffalobills.com). The Coach of the Year also received an additional $1,500 donation to the school's football program.
2009 Bills HS Football Coach of the Week Winners:
Week 1 - Kraig Kurzanski, Williamsville South Billies
Week 2 - Jason Kolb, Burgard Bulldogs
Week 3 - Chuck Tilley, Eden Raiders
Week 4 - Jay Sirianni, Southwestern Trojans (Bills 2009 HS Football Co-Coach of the Year)
Week 5 - Len Jankiewicz, Lancaster Redskins
Week 6 - Scott Zipp, Cheektowaga Warriors
Week 7 - John Faller, Sweet Home Panthers
Week 8 - Dean Santorio, Grand Island Vikings
Week 9 – Eric Jantzi, North Tonawanda Lumberjacks (Bills 2009 HS Football Co-Coach of the Year)Week 10 - Pat Slater, Randolph Cardinals
Week 11 – Brandon Harris, Canisius Crusaders
