Through every means imaginable, the Skaneateles football team loudly announced on Friday that it is ready to make a Section III Class C championship push.
Mainly, the Lakers relied on a frightening air attack to humble two-time defending sectional champion General Brown, knocking off the Lions 54-31 as a stunned crowd in Dexter looked on.
In the first half alone, quarterback Troy Green threw for 269 yards and ran for two touchdowns. Green finished with 315 yards in the air before leaving the game with leg cramps.
And Green’s departure did not change things one bit. Conor Herr, who started most of the Lakers’ 2010 season under center, added his own 154-yard effort and threw two touchdown passes – this after he had caught a pair of scoring passes from Green.
No doubt, Skaneateles, with a veteran roster and a second year to absorb head coach Tim Green’s system, had an experience edge on GB, who graduated most of its lineup from the team that went to the 2010 state Class C final.
Troy Green exploited this early, going 14 yards to Brandon Barron for one touchdown and watching Koree Reed take a short pass and turn it into an 84-yard sprint to the end zone.
Despite this, Skaneateles only led 14-10 after one period, and GB surgd in front when Josh O’Hearn interecepted a Green pass and returned it 30 yards for six points.
Mad at this, Green used his legs as a weapon on the Lakers’ next drive, beating a blitz by taking off, not stopping until he had a 46-yard TD.
Again, the Lions went in front, 24-20. Again, the Lakers had a quick answer, Green running 10 yards for a second TD and throwing an 11-yard scoring strike to Herr just before the break.
Skaneateles added 20 more points in a decisive third quarter, all after GB had closed within 34-31. Green found Herr a third time, this one from 10 yards out, and after Reed went under center, he hit Reed on a 21-yard TD strike and found Jake Cooney from 41 yards out.
Reed proved the main target throughout the night, catching seven passes for 228 yards, an average of more than 22 yards per completion.
Now the Lakers head into Class C West, where next Friday it has a huge test at Bishop Ludden. Game time is 7 p.m.
A long-time league favorite, the Gaelic Knights were impressive in its opener, too, bashing Institute of Technology Central 46-12, and have its own potent offense, quarterback Matt Rogers able to throw to Antoin Montgomery or hand off to Mike Works.
