Last season was a slight step back for Greece Athena, but there's reason to think the Trojans have emerged past their growing pains.
Athena returns eight starters on offense and nine on defense in 2026, for a group that showed clear improvement from Week 1 to the postseason last year.
Consider that the Trojans lost their opening game to Canandaigua 50-10, but faced that same team to open sectionals and closed the gap to a single touchdown.
Senior tight end/defensive end Colten Waterman and running back/defensive back Travis Portis are two players that plan to play college football and should lead the charge this fall.
Greece Athena football at a glance
- Head coach: Michael Husdan (8th season)
- Classification: Class A-2
- Last season’s record: 2-6 (lost to Canandaigua in Class A-2 quarterfinals)
- Last Section V championship: 2016
Greece Athena football schedule for 2026 season
- Friday, Sept. 4: 6 p.m. vs. Churchville-Chili
- Friday, Sept. 11: 6 p.m. at Gates Chili
- Friday, Sept. 18: 6 p.m. vs. Brighton
- Saturday, Sept. 26: 2 p.m. at Spencerport
- Friday, Oct. 2: 6 p.m. vs. Irondequoit
- Friday, Oct. 9: 7 p.m. at Webster Schroeder
- Friday, Oct. 16: 7 p.m. at Webster Thomas
Greece Athena's returning starters
Senior TE/DE Colten Waterman, senior RB/DB Travis Portis, senior RB/LB Cam'Ron Bell, junior WR/DB Brayden Kadow Smith, sophomore
QB Owen Figler, junior OL/DL Joseph Lovetro, senior OL/DE Edin Jusic, senior RB/LB Mark Rybke, senior OL/DL Chris Bray, sophomore OL/DL Cameron Marcellus
A look back: Greece Athena football
Marquee matchups for Greece Athena
There's no intra-town rivals on the schedule for Athena this year, with Arcadia and Olympia/Odyssey in a different division. There are games to gauge the Trojans' improvement since last year. Athena wrapped up the 2025 regular season with a loss at Gates Chili, but will again take on the Spartans at their place in Week 2.
Justin Ritzel is a sports reporter for the Democrat and Chronicle, with a focus on Section V athletics and high school trends.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Greece Athena football brings back 17 starters from last season
