Leading off today: Chuck Funke, aptly described by The Buffalo News as the face of Section 6 football for 26 years, died Wednesday evening after a brief battle with stomach cancer. He was 67.

   Funke's last two seasons in charge of Western New York football were memorable. Section 6 schools won an unprecedented four of five New York State Public High School Athletic Association championships each year. Section 6 Executive Director Timm Slade has called for teams to observe a moment of silence before the start of varsity and JV football games this weekend.

   Funke helped the push for the formation of the NYSPHSAA tournament in 1993 and developed the postseason bowl games designed to give non-playoff teams in the section the chance to play two extra games each fall.

   Funke served a variety of roles at Iroquois from 1966-2000, including a 38-27 mark as football coach from 1974-81.

   Funke is survived by his wife of 45 years, Jane.

   Season starts: Ben Capless threw for 175 yards and two TDs last night as Shaker kicked off the Section 2 and statewide football season with a 34-0 victory against Colonie, giving first-year coach Greg Sheeler his first win.

   The Blue Bison rolled up a 434-61 advantage in yardage with their new Wing-T look despite missing returning 1,000-yard rusher Conor Alund (ankle injury).

   Debut tonight: A halftime ceremony at Kingston season-opening football game tonight will acknowledge the completion of improvements at Dietz Memorial Stadium.

   The $1.1 makeover includes a new artificial-turf playing

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field and track for Dietz, which hosts a number of sectional and state playoff games in a variety of sports each year.

   The city and school district co-own the Uptown sports complex.

   Contemplating change: Clinton school district officials are considering exiting the Tri Valley League in order to join the Center State Conference, The Observer-Dispatch reported.

   The change is only in the discussion phase, AD Doug Fiore told the paper.

   Class B Clinton is the second- smallest school in the eight-team Tri Valley League. The much larger Rome Free Academy and Utica Proctor have unsuccessfully petitioned to join the TVL in recent years, and there is a remote possibility they could maneuver their way in down the road.

   “We’re always competing against schools that are much bigger and we’re looking at it in all sports and what’s best for students,” Fiore said. “We’re getting smaller and the competition against the bigger schools is getting tougher and tougher.”

   Fiore said it would be “very premature” for Clinton teams to join the CSC for 2011-12, though it could happen since most leagues do not finalize scheduling until the winter.