The Buffalo Bills and ADPRO Sports are proud to once again partner to recognize some of the best coaches that Western New York has to offer through the 2022 High School Football Coach of the Week Program.
The Bills and ADPRO Sports will be awarding varsity head tackle football coaches with the Coach of the Week Award to highlight not only their team's achievements on the field but also some of the work they are doing off the field in their communities. We will announce winners from the Buffalo and Rochester Regions over the course of 11 weeks, with both region's Coach of the Year being named during the Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots game in January of 2023 at Highmark Stadium.
Each Coach of the Week winner will receive a $1,000 grant from the Buffalo Bills and ADPRO Sports. The respective Coach of the Year winners will also receive an additional $1,000 for their programs. Winners will be selected by a panel of local high school football experts.
Buffalo Region Coach of the Week # 3
Frontier head coach Rich Gray has been named the week three Buffalo Region Coach of the Week after he led Frontier to a thrilling 13-12 win over Niagara Falls, a larger AA school, on Friday.
Frontier trailed 6-0 after the first half and 12-6 in the final quarter, but a late touchdown and a PAT earned the Falcons the Win.
Coach Gray has been coaching at Frontier for 10 seasons and has been Frontier's Athletic Director for 12 years.
Outside of coaching the Falcons, Coach Gray coaches football camps year-round. He runs a camp for 6thgraders, 7th graders, and a youth camp for kids in 3rd grade to 8th grade. Coach Gray also runs a quality JV and Varsity Program with a strength and conditioning program that has changed the culture in the building.
For the past two years, Coach Gray has been involved with the RISE High School Leadership program and an Athletes supporting Athletes program where he encourages his football players to get involved with other sports. He was also instrumental in bringing High School Girls Flag Football to Frontier High School.
Coach Gray always puts safety first. His tackling progression is second to none and he has his team in tip-top condition as he's constantly working with their nutrition and hydration.
Rochester Region Coach of the Week # 3
Webster Schroeder head coach Mike Stumpf has been named the week three Rochester Region Coach of the Week after leading the Warriors to a 35-2 victory over Spencerport on Friday, which extends their undefeated record of 3-0 to start the season.
The Warriors trailed 2-0 before scoring four straight touchdowns to take a 28-2 lead at the half. They scored on the opening possession of the third quarter for a 35-2 lead and dominated Spencerport for the rest of the game.
QB Drew Pagano completed 10 of 15 passes for 280 yards and 4 TDs to lead the offense. He also rushed 3 times for 43 yards and a TD. Torance Washington caught 6 passes for 171 yards and 2 TDs. Nick DiStefano led the defense in tackles.
Coach Stumpf has been with the football program for 20 years and has spent the last five years as head coach. He was a staff member with the Warriors when they won the NYS Championship in 2002, and he was also part of Section 5 Championships in 2002 and 2009. Coach Stumpf is also a business teacher at the school and a Schroeder graduate.
For the last six years, Coach Stumpf organizes the school's Warriors Reads Program in which Schroeder football players go to the district's elementary schools and read to the younger students.
His Warrior teams have been named Scholar Athlete teams all five seasons that he has been the head coach.