Five games into its newfound Class C existence, the Cazenovia football team is displaying the same kind of total domination Class B foes had to get used to in recent years.
The Lakers’ third shutout in four weeks made Senior Day at Buckley-Volo Field a memorable one, as it pounded away at Mount Markham and earned a 42-0 win over the Mustangs.
A year ago, this matchup would have gained a lot of attention. Mount Markham went through the 2007 regular season unbeaten, eventually winning nine in a row and going to the Section III Class C final before blowing a big early lead to Bishop Ludden, the eventual state champs.
Then came massive departures due to graduation, including that of record-setting running back Luke Phillips. Cazenovia dealt with the same thing, but its title had come in Class B, and the new starters have adjusted well, a contrast to the Mustangs’ 0-4 mark.
Not overlooking any detail or any overmatched opponent, the Lakers wasted little time pulling clear from the Mustangs.
Early in the first quarter, from his own 38-yard line, quarterback Carter Franz went deep – and found Sean Dougherty, a 62-yard touchdown connection that quickly got the Lakers on the board.
That margin grew to 14-0 later in the first quarter when Zack Golden scored from 10 yards out. Cazenovia cooled off for the rest of the first half, but its rapidly improving defense, intent on a second straight shutout to follow up a 31-0 conquest of Canastota, kept the Mustangs from getting anywhere near the end zone.
Cazenovia’s real getaway came in the third quarter, with 21 unanswered points in the gathering mud. Golden, who had 92 yards on just six carries, went 18 yards for one score, while Chad Dorrance stepped in and scored twice, on runs of 10 and 12 yards.
Franz, running behind a line that included Tyler Lawrence, Corey Marshall, Joe Bono, Cody Foster and Devon Howard, finished off the scoring in the fourth quarter with a four-yard TD run. Kicker Chris Rogers made all six of the extra points he attempted.
In its quest for six in a row, Cazenovia goes to Clinton Saturday for a 1 p.m. kickoff. A win would likely set up a Class C South division championship clash on Oct. 18 between the Lakers and Westmoreland, who also sit at 5-0 and host Mount Markham this weekend.
Other local action saw Vernon-Verona-Sherrill lose to Oneonta 33-14, in advance of this Saturday’s clash with unbeaten archrival Oneida. Canasota fell to 0-5 with a 36-16 loss to Greene (Section IV) and will draw Sherburne-Earlville this Friday.
