THE APEX TIMES
Buffalo Bills’ high school Coaches of the Week: Salamanca’s Chad Bartoszek and Hornell’s Dr. Ismail Mehr named
The Bills and Visa highlighted two Western New York tackle football leaders, rewarding each coach’s program with $1,000 after their teams’ Week 7 performances.
The Buffalo Bills, in partnership with Visa, announced their 2026 Week Five High School Tackle Football Coaches of the Week for Western New York. The recipients were Buffalo Region Coach of the Week Chad Bartoszek (Salamanca) and Rochester Region Coach of the Week Dr. Ismail Mehr (Hornell).
Bartoszek’s Salamanca Warriors were recognized after the week ending Sunday, October 18. Salamanca won 36-22 over Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove, tying the game at 22-22 at the end of the third quarter before scoring 14 unanswered points in the fourth.
In that win, the Bills’ release credited junior quarterback Ethan Baxter-Drain with three touchdown passes in his first varsity start. The team also highlighted junior Remy Follman’s 92 receiving yards and three touchdowns, plus a late defensive score after junior Taydence Stevens returned an interception for a touchdown.
The announcement also tied Bartoszek’s recognition to his longer run in the program, including his 2019 move into the head coaching and athletic director roles at Salamanca and the Warriors’ postseason momentum in recent seasons.
Mehr’s Hornell Red Raiders were recognized after a 19-13 win over previously undefeated Alexander/Pembroke in the same week. Hornell improved to 6-1, with the release noting a rushing touchdown by sophomore quarterback Tyrone Buchanan with under five minutes left in the fourth.
The Bills’ release attributed Hornell’s offensive production to senior running back Matt Karr, who rushed 12 times for 147 yards and a touchdown, and it emphasized Mehr’s broader connection to the sport locally, including his return to Hornell after medical training and his decade-plus coaching role that followed.
As part of the program, each winning coach’s school will receive $1,000 from the Bills and Visa. The Bills also stated that each region’s Coach of the Year will receive an additional $1,000 and be celebrated on the field at Highmark Stadium before the Bills vs. Jets game in January.
Why It Matters
- The program spotlights local coaching leadership and community involvement across Western New York at a time when high school football teams are building momentum late in the regular season.
- By connecting the weekly awards to a January Bills game-day celebration, the Bills are extending attention from the community level to a larger NFL gameday audience.
- Both honorees are tied to the success stories of their respective programs, including late-game execution in Salamanca’s win and key offensive production in Hornell’s upset.
Key Facts
- The Buffalo Bills and Visa named Chad Bartoszek (Salamanca) and Dr. Ismail Mehr (Hornell) as Coaches of the Week for 2026 Week Five High School Tackle Football.
- Salamanca was recognized after a 36-22 win over Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove, with the game tied 22-22 entering the fourth quarter before Salamanca scored 14 unanswered points.
- Hornell was recognized after a 19-13 win over previously undefeated Alexander/Pembroke, improving the Red Raiders to 6-1.
- Each winning coach’s program receives $1,000 from the Bills and Visa.
- Coach of the Year winners for each region will receive an additional $1,000 and be celebrated at Highmark Stadium before the Bills vs. Jets game in January.