CBA Edges Liverpool 21-14 for Section III Title
Christian Brothers Academy rallied from a tie late and will face a Section IV champion in the regional round.
Updated on Nov. 15, 2026 in Football
Christian Brothers Academy defeated Liverpool 21-14 on Saturday night to win the Section III Class AA football championship. Gradyn Dixon's 40-yard touchdown pass to Mekhi Mike with just over three minutes remaining broke a 14-14 tie.
Why it matters
The win carries CBA into the regional round, where it will face the Section IV champion, extending a run of dominance in Class AA football. The result also comes after Liverpool and four other public schools dropped to Class AA Tier 2 in the offseason to avoid scheduling CBA during the regular season, a move that did not prevent the two teams from meeting in the final.
CBA's 21-14 win follows a 27-6 Class AA final victory over Liverpool last year and a regular season in which the team lost its first three games before winning its last four. The Section IV opponent for the regional round has not yet been determined.
The players
Christian Brothers Academy
A Syracuse-area Catholic school whose football program won three consecutive Class AA state championships before this season.
Liverpool High School
A public school in the Syracuse area that dropped to Class AA Tier 2 in the offseason to avoid scheduling CBA in the regular season.
Gradyn Dixon
The CBA quarterback who threw the game-winning 40-yard touchdown pass to Mekhi Mike.
Nico Leone
The Liverpool quarterback whose attempt to gain a first down on 4th and short was stopped just short of the line.
The details
CBA led 14-14 with just over three minutes left after Liverpool tied the game on a three-yard touchdown run by tight end Oakley Keegan with 5:20 remaining. Dixon then threw the game-winning 40-yard touchdown into double coverage on 4th and 14, and CBA later stopped Liverpool quarterback Nico Leone just short of the line to gain on fourth down.
Timeline
Last season: CBA beat Liverpool 27-6 in the Class AA final and completed an undefeated season.
Offseason before the 2026 season: Liverpool and four other public schools dropped to Class AA Tier 2.
Saturday, November 14, 2026: CBA defeated Liverpool 21-14 in the Section III final.
November 21, 2026, 6 p.m.: CBA plays the Section IV champion in the regional round at Cicero-North Syracuse High School.
Rivalry Context
The 21-14 result mirrors last year's Class AA final, when CBA beat Liverpool 27-6 en route to an undefeated season and its third straight state title. Liverpool's offseason move to Class AA Tier 2 did not change the pattern of CBA meeting the same opponent in the playoffs.
For fans and fantasy players tracking Section III football, the outcome settles the title and moves CBA into a regional game on November 21 at 6 p.m. at Cicero-North Syracuse High School. The regional opponent, a Section IV champion, is the next determinant of whether the team continues its playoff run.
The takeaway
CBA's win shows that a rough regular-season start does not rule out a deep postseason run, as the team turned a 0-3 opening into a Section III title. Readers following high school football should watch the regional matchup on November 21.
What happens next
CBA will play the Section IV champion in the regional round on November 21, 2026, at 6 p.m. at Cicero-North Syracuse High School.
Further reading
For more on high school playoff football in the region, browse Football coverage on Wisevoter.
