BALDWINSVILLE – Two weeks and two lopsided defeats by a combined 95-13 margin threatened to derail the Baldwinsville football team before it even hit the end of September.
But the Bees had gone through a worse start in 2023 (0-4) and still made it to the Section III Class AA semifinals, so it was accustomed to having to turn things around.
Hosting Rome Free Academy last Friday at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium B’ville brought its offense back to life with Brady Garcia putting together one of the best single-game performances in the Bees program’s long history during a 49-24 victory over the Black Knights.’
At first, the Bees’ ground game struck, Garcia scoring on a 24-yard run, but after RFA took a 7-6 lead the Bees struck again from midfield when Luke Primrose hit Chris Zellar on a 45-yard touchdown pass late in the first quarter.
They continued to trade blows early in the second period, B’ville getting a third score on Garcia’s 16-yard run, but it didn’t start to get away until Primrose hit Garcia on a 25-yard scoring pass just before halftime.
Leading 25-14 at the break, B’ville continued to drive right through RFA’s defense, Garcia notching a fourth TD on a 25-yard dash and then scoring a fifth time from midfield with a 49-yard run.
Garcia completed his memorable evening with his sixth TD on a 35-yard run in the fourth quarter. As if all this wasn’t enough, Garcia also added a pair of two-point conversions.
It added up to 285 yards on the ground for Brady Garcia on just 21 carries, while his brother, Dylan Garcia, paced the Bees with six tackles, Maxie Capers adding five tackles and Gracon Rafkis earning a pair of interceptions.
B’ville will take its 2-2 overall record to Fayetteville-Manlius next Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
