With the ‘Star Wars’ Cup secure thanks to another win over Cicero-North Syracuse, and a showdown with Christian Brothers Academy looming in early October, the Liverpool football team did not look back – or ahead.
Instead, the Warriors ventured to Rome Free Academy Friday night and got another strong all-around effort to breeze to a 45-6 victory over the Black Knights.
Back at Bragman Stadium, C-NS attempted to recover from the 38-7 defeat to Liverpool as it hosted Utica Proctor, and put lots of points on the board – but not quite enough, and fell to the Raiders 42-37.
Liverpool, with its 2-0 start, earned the no. 15 spot in the first state Class AA rankings of the season, and everything it did at venerable RFA Stadium suggested that it might rise higher still in that state poll.
It started with 21 first-quarter points. Jaydakis Scott twice found the end zone, on runs of four and 18 yards, and in between the Warriors’ defense again struck for a touchdown when Daryl Nixon returned an interception 51 yards for six points.
Nixon’s score meant that Liverpool has scored a defensive TD in each of its first three games. Aside from big plays, the Warriors also handle the routine plays, too, as Joe Scro and Jonah Harder led with six tackles apiece and Zack Khatib added five tackles. Merrell Whitehead, Donovan Card and Jordan Caviness had four tackles apiece.
All of this takes pressure off Scott and his fellow skill players. But the senior tailback still tacked on a third TD in the second quarter on a 43-yard dash, while Patrick Delgabbo converted on a 27-yard field goal that helped the Warriors take a 31-6 lead to halftime.
Once again, Scott struck for a big play when he ran 55 yards for a TD early in the third quarter. He scored a fifth time on a five-yard run and then exited, having amassed 197 yards on just 11 carries, with Dietrick Roberson adding 67 yards on five carries and quarterback Rashon Crenshaw contributing 53 yards on seven carries.
The Warriors come back to LHS Stadium next Friday to face Central Square, sporting a 3-0 mark, while C-NS is 1-2 after a wild battle with Utica Proctor, off to its own surprising 2-0 start under first-year head coach Steve Strife.
During the first quarter, the Northstars twice struck for big plays through the air. Connor Hayes threw TD passes of 64 yards (to Erik Pride) and 40 yards (to Keegan Wright), yet the game was tied, 14-14, because Proctor had also scored twice, including an 87-yard run from Jamarious Morgan.
Despite Hayes’ third TD pass, 24 yards to Josh Ramirez, the Raiders grabbed a 28-21 halftime lead as Morgan scored twice more, on a 14-yard run and six-yard pass from Logan Wilcox.
That deficit grew to 35-21 before Pride scored on a 14-yard run in the third quarter. Then, in the final period, Hayes found Wright from the six for his fourth TD pass.
Every time, Proctor had an answer, amassing 537 total yards, and it was Morgan providing the decisive blow when he sprinted 52 yards for his fifth score of the night. All told, Morgan rushed for 187 yards on 23 carries.
