Two weeks ago, the Corning East and Corning West football teams clashed for civic pride in the Crystal City Classic.

The match-up, won by West 30-20, also determined the Section 4 Division II championship.

That earned the Vikings the top seed and home-field advantage for last weekend's Section 4 Class A semifinals. But second-seeded East also got to play at Corning Memorial Stadium, and both Corning teams advanced -- West, 31-7, over Southside and East, 55-34, over Elmira Free Academy -- setting up Friday night's game at the stadium for the Class A championship and a berth in the state playoffs.

West coach Mike Johnston isn't putting much stock in the Vikings' earlier victory over East.

"Both teams will try to do something different to adjust from the last game," he said. "We keep our kids pretty well grounded. They're all about one game at a time."

In the Oct. 23 Crystal City Classic, DJ Veasey and Brian Guilfoyle combined to rush for 289 yards and four touchdowns. Guilfoyle leads the Vikings with 857 yards and 17 touchdowns rushing this season, followed by Veasey's 652. Fullback Anthony Nybeck, who Johnston said doesn't get enough credit for his contributions, isn't far behind with 515 yards.

Johnston said any one of the three could be the leading rusher in any given game.

"We take what people give us," he said. "The kids in the backfield are so unselfish. They don't care who carries the ball as long as Corning West wins."

East coach Tim Hughes agreed.

"West has a good offensive line, but their running backs are very good blockers, too. They seem to be very unselfish," he said.

The Trojans answer with a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in tailback Jordan Frysinger (134 carries, 1,429 yards, 20 touchdowns) and quarterback Brandon Griffin (146-1,071-11).

Griffin was East's top rusher in the West game with 98 yards and a touchdown, and he also passed for another TD.

"East is explosive and well-coached," Johnston said. "Their defense has come on late in the year, and their line is doing a great job up front blocking."

Though both teams rely on the run, they can pass, too.

West quarterback Dieter Treusdell has gone 21-for-42 passing for 463 yards and six touchdowns. Cedric Hairston has caught 12 balls for 262 yards and three scores.

Of Griffin's 14 completions, eights have gone for touchdowns. Frysinger has caught seven passes for 100 yards and four TDs.

Hughes said East's key problem against the Vikings was its inability to get off West's blocks.

"We did a poor job of reading keys," he said, adding that the fundamentals of blocking, tackling, field position and turnovers will decide the winner. In the previous meeting East turned the ball over twice, and West didn't lose it at all.

This weekend's other sectional finals will be played in the Binghamton area. Hughes is glad Corning Memorial Stadium gets to host another East-West battle.

"It's an advantage for both teams. The winner is the community. There's no need to travel over an hour to see two (local) teams go head-to-head," he said.

Friday's winner will move on the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class A regional playoffs, scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 14 at Union-Endicott.