Early and late, the Baldwinsville football team displayed its resolve against longtime Section VI power Jamestown in Saturday’s Kickoff Classic inside the Dome at Syracuse University.
From a quick touchdown to two separate rallies, the Bees did plenty of work and forced the game to overtime, but were unable to score there and took a 28-21 loss to the Red Raiders.
There were plenty of connections between B’ville head coach Carl Sanfilippo and Jamestown, where his father was a long-time coach and where members of his family attended high school.
It was also a storied program, Jamestown having won state Class AA championships in 2000 and 2014, and while it had fallen off a bit in recent years, the Red Raiders still offered a strong challenge to a B’ville side looking to rebound after a 4-5 campaign last fall.
For the Bees, it was a perfect start as Jamestown fumbled the opening kickoff and, less than 90 seconds into the game, Mike Letizia scored on a 22-yard run.
The Red Raiders pulled even, 7-7, and then in the second quarter went out in front. B’ville countered with a TD of its own, again converting a turnover into points as Wille Strong dashed 40 yards to the end zone, only to miss the two-point conversion and go into halftime trailing 14-13.
After Jamestown extended the margin to 21-13 midway through the third quarter, the Bees put together one of its patented marches, emphasizing the ground game and then having Letizia score from six yards out and then tie the game again with a two-point run.
They went through a scoreless fourth quarter, both sides unable to break the deadlock. It was here that B’ville’s defense played at its best, halting two late Jamestown marches inside its own 10-yard line.
One drive stalled and led to a missed field goal. On the other, Pat May, who finished with nine tackles, got a clutch interception at his own eight with 1:21 left in regulation. It was May’s second interception to go with a fumble recovery.
May’s interception gave the Bees just enough time to mount a frantic drive as it mixed in runs and passes from Braden McCard, getting all the way to the Red Raiders’ 12. Dylan Banks, despite an injury, entered to try a game-winning field goal, but it fell short.
In high school overtime, each team gets a possession at the opponent’s 20-yard line. B’ville won the toss and chose to play defense, but Jamestown netted a touchdown and the Bees could not match it.
Letizia finished with 112 yards on 18 carries, with Strong adding 70 yards on six carries and also contributing six tackles on defense. Jesse Flynn notched 10 tackles, nine of them solo, and Nate Robinson added six tackles. Phil Fiorentino, who recorded a sack, Tyler Southworth and Robert Hamm joined May in getting fumble recoveries.
B’ville now is home at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium for four of its next five games, starting next Friday when it meets Horseheads (Section IV), the Blue Raiders having opened its season by beating West Genesee 35-14.
