East/WOI football enters Class B with title hopes and a big challenge

East High/World of Inquiry won't get the chance to defend its Section V Class A championship this fall.

That is because the Eagles are in a new classification.

The move to Class B puts East High/World of Inquiry among the collection of teams at small schools in Section V. But the Eagles won't have an easy path to a third Section V championship in four years.

Monroe, the reigning Class B state champion, appears positioned to contend for both the Section V and state Class B titles again.

Including players who start on both sides of the ball, the Eagles return nine offensive starters and 10 defensive starters.

"Did anyone expect us to win (the Section V Class A2 championship last season)?" East/WOI coach James Vann said. "Probably not, we just had to work within ourselves, work on our own issues to get to where we needed to be.

"Did we believe in ourselves? Of course. We believed in ourselves, believed in what we were doing and came together as a team at the right time. (The players) hold each other accountable, they are big on the next man up. If you're not with us, they are going to find a way to get it done."

This is the fourth varsity season for East/WOI two-way lineman Jamie Anderson, a two-year co-captain. Anderson has an offer to play on scholarship at Wagner College in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) on Staten Island.

Zieyaun Cook-Tyson, another second-year co-captain, is "pound for pound the strongest kid on the team, certainly one of the hardest working," Vann said.

"We're not too flashy," Vann said. "We are just us."

East High/World of Inquiry football at a glance

• Head coach: James Vann, ninth season with East/WOI, 12 seasons overall as a varsity coach.
• Classification: B
• League/division: Rochester City Athletic Conference
• Last season's record: 8-3, Section V Class A2 champions, lost to Brighton in Class A state qualifier.
• Last Section V championship: 2025

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East High/World of Inquiry football schedule for 2026 season

• Friday, Sept. 4: Wilson/Early College, 6 p.m. at Thurgood Marshall Middle School, the former Charlotte campus
• Friday, Sept. 11: vs. Aquinas, 6 p.m. at East High
• Friday, Sept. 18: vs. Monroe, 6 p.m. at East High
• Saturday, Sept. 26: Edison/Padilla at Franklin/School of the Arts/School Without Walls, noon at Edison
• Friday, Oct. 2: vs. Vertus, 6 p.m. at East High
• Friday, Oct. 9: vs. McQuaid, 6 p.m. at East High
• Saturday, Oct. 17: Noon at Buffalo Cardinal O'Hara
• Friday, Oct. 23: 6:30 p.m. at Rush-Henrietta

East High/World of Inquiry's top returning players

OL/DL Jamie Anderson, WR/DB Caiden Boyce, QB/RB/WR Taye Brown Jr., OL/DL Andre Cleveland, LB/FB Zieyaun Cook-Tyson, OL/DL Antonio Dixson, WR/LB Dezmon Jackson, WR/LB Anthony Lucas, TE/LB Michael Paxson, Habeeb Roland-Pimentel, DB/WR/backfield Legacy Taylor, DB/WR/backfield Legend Taylor, WR/DB Darius Weathers

Marquee matchups for East High/World of Inquiry

East/WOI's home game Sept. 11 against Aquinas and Oct. 23 at Rush-Henrietta are interesting non-league matchups for the Eagles.

The date for RCAC football fans to circle is Sept. 18, during Week 3. East High/WOI hosts Monroe, with the winner likely confirmed as the RCAC champion and the best team in the city.

"Last year was the first time I lost to Monroe," Vann said.

East High football: A look back

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: East/WOI football enters Class B with title hopes and a big challenge