While the West Genesee football team has climbed up toward elite status in the local Class AA ranks, it still has some steps to take.
Given a chance at gaining a statement victory Friday night at Corcoran, the Wildcats led until the fourth quarter, when its fierce defensive resistance wore down and the Cougars, twice scoring on fourth-down plays, prevailed 12-7.
For most of the evening, WG found ways to keep Corcoran out of the end zone. Three times in the first half, the Cougars drove inside the Wildcats’ 20, and once even got to the one-yard line.
Yet a combination of Corcoran penalties and timely tackles helped WG cling to the 7-0 advantage it gained just past the midway point of the first quarter.
Tyler Cook, shaking off a tipped pass and interception by Cincear Torrence on the game’s first play from scrimmage, took full advantage of a muffed punt by JoJo Williams that the Wildcats recovered near midfield.
WG moved the ball to the Cougars’ 33, where on third down Cook threw deep and, in single coverage, found Ben Rustay in the left side of the end zone.
But that, along with Riley Small’s extra point, would prove the Wildcats’ lone points of the game. Any time it tried to move the ball from there, Corcoran’s defense used its speed and aggression to shut it down.
Meanwhile, the constant need to make tough stops deep in its own territory began to sap WG’s defensive energy at the worst possible time.
Still trailing 7-0, Corcoran drove from midfield to the Wildcats’ 19, but faced fourth down. Rolling right and chased out of the pocket, Dewayne somehow lobbed a pass over a quartet of WG players into the hands of Brandon Denham for the touchdown.
A missed two-point run meant the Wildcats still led 7-6, but a long Young pass to Williams on the last play of the third quarter gave the Cougars a chance to go in front.
It went to fourth-and-four at the 13. Perhaps expecting a pass, the Wildcats lined up wide, but instead Jerome Davis ran left and raced past the goal line for the go-ahead score.
WG got two more possessions, but were stopped on fourth down at the Cougars’ 43 with 5:29 left, and Corcoran used an effective ground game to run out the remaining clock.
Now the Wildcats head back home, where next Friday at 6 p.m. it hosts Baldwinsville, who is off to an 0-2 start, having fallen to Corcoran and Nottingham.
As this was going on, Jordan-Elbridge had its home opener against Lowville, and just like West Genesee and Corcoran, both sides could get to 2-0 with a win.
But it was the Red Raiders getting it as it beat the Eagles 26-20, absorbing J-E’s perfect start as Jeremiah Sparks, who scored five touchdowns in the Eagles’ season-opening victory at Thousand Islands, returned the opening kickoff 82 yards for a TD.
This, along with an 85-yard scoring drive that Sparks finished with a 32-yard dash to the end zone plus Nate Melfi’s 27-yard TD run, had J-E in front 20-18 going into halftime.
All the while, though, Lowville was keeping pace thanks to the Lyndaker brothers. Chase Lyndaker scored from 21 yards out and Issac Lyndaker, who had 130 yards on 21 carries, twice found the end zone on one-yard plunges.
Once Lowville figured out how to contain Sparks, the Eagles couldn’t find anyone else to make a big play, despite quarterback Geoff Lippa going seven-for-11 for 117 yards.
The Red Raiders netted the go-ahead score when Brett Myers broke loose on a 53-yard TD dash and Aidan Macauley added a two-point run.
J-E fell to 1-1, and will go on the road next Friday to face Oswego at 7 p.m.
