Sure, it’s just two games into the season, but the Westhill football team has the confidence and flow of someone playing in mid-November, not mid-September.
Through two games, the Warriors have not even allowed a point, having followed up its 37-0 shutout at Phoenix by going to Chittenango just six nights later and blanking the Bears 31-0.
These results make Westhill, once again, the favorite in Class B West as it heads home for its big showdown Friday against Marcellus, thought to be the chief challenger to the Warriors’ throne.
Westhill did not, in any way, get caught looking ahead to league play, bringing its best effort to Chittenango.
And it was 10-0 before the first quarter was done. Tyler Nigolian put Westhill on the board with an 11-yard touchdown run, and even though it couldn’t find the end zone again later in the period, R.J. Chester did nail a 23-yard field goal.
Though the Warriors sputtered on offense in the second quarter, it still took a 17-0 lead to the break thanks to the big-play ability of Dan Ross.
Taking a punt near midfield, Ross turned on the speed and went 52 yards to the other end zone, his third TD of the season.
As Westhill’s defense completely smothered any Chittenango attempt to get going, the Warriors used its running game to control most of the second half.
Nigolian averaged nearly 10 yards per carry, with 130 yards on 14 attempts, including a second TD on a one-yard run in the third quarter.
And when the Bears tried to stop Nigolian, Kevin Wilson gave them something different, going 48 yards for the game’s final touchdown.
Westhill’s fine effort sharply contrasted that of Marcellus, who saw its home opener against Vernon Verona Sherrill turn badly in a 40-23 loss to the Red Devils.
Up 17-13 late in the first half, the Mustangs saw VVS score twice in the last two minutes before halftime, then twice more in the second half to get way.
Still, in quarterback Will Fiacchi, the Mustangs have a proven passer that will fully test the Westhill defense. And even though the Warriors have dominated the recent history of this rivalry, that means little as Class B West play starts – and Westhill pursues a fourth straight league title.