At times it’s not pretty, and at times it has caused a fair share of consternation, especially since the defense is proving generous to the opposition.
But the fact remains that (1) the East Syracuse-Minoa football team is 3-1 and in first place in the Class A American division and (2) it still holds dominion over its neighbors from Jamesville-DeWitt.
Finally having its home opener Friday night, ESM needed more big production from its young skill players to fend off J-D’s challenge and earn a 50-28 victory, keeping the Red Rams winless in 2010.
It threatened to be a rout early. Jeff McDuffie launched a big night by notching a 12-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, and Jordan Barton followed with a four-yard scoring run as Tyler Johnson’s two-point pass to Bobby Campese made it 14-0.
J-D began to stir, though, in the second quarter, as multi-purpose quarterback Ahkeen Williams threw a 19-yard TD pass to Taumeras Howard and finished off another scoring drive with a one-yard sneak.
Each time, the Spartans would answer, Johnson scrambling 13 yards for one TD and Barton notching his second score of the night on a four-yard run just before the break. Another two-point conversion, Johnson to Buddy Frigon, made it 28-15 going into halftime.
Williams’ three-yard TD run cut it to 28-22 in the third quarter, but the Rams’ defense simply could not make a stop when it was needed. Barton, who had 83 yards on 12 carries, got his third TD on a seven-yard run, and then McDuffie took over.
Following up on a two-point pass from Johnson, McDuffie, on ESM’s next possession, took a handoff at his own 20-yard line, burst through the line and never got caught, an 80-yard sprint that, with D.J. Squires’ extra point, made it 43-22 going into the fourth quarter. McDuffie finished with 170 yards on just seven carries.
They would have one more exchange, J-D’s Williams earning his third TD on a seven-yard run, Johnson replying with a 10-yard scoring strike to Campese to wrap it up. Johnson threw 17 passes, completing 10 of them for 174 yards.
ESM now faces a showdown for first place in the Class A American division when it hosts Cortland this Friday at 6:30. The Purple Tigers, who started 0-2, have reeled off back-to-back league wins over J-D and Oswego, the latter a 49-14 romp on Friday.
Meanwhile, J-D, still in search of that elusive first win this fall, is back home to face Mexico (2-2), who comes off a smashing 56-21 win over Fulton where Brandon Burnham ran for 319 yards and three touchdowns of 74 yards or longer.
