True, the Canastota football team was already assured of a spot in the Section III Class C playoffs prior to Friday night’s clash with Westmoreland at Schmidt-Borgognoni Field that would determine the C South division regular-season title.
But the Raiders proved something quite important in its 21-0 shutout of the Bulldogs – namely, that it had the all-around ability to handle any opponent in any kind of condition, something that might prove quite handy as the playoffs get underway.
Though both sides had undefeated league marks and state rankings (the Raiders at no. 19, the Bulldogs at no. 11), it was Westmoreland that carried the bigger football reputation based on its recent history, which included a sectional Class D title won in 2009 before it moved back up to the Class C ranks this fall. By contrast, the Raiders have never won a sectional title in the three decades since the current playoff format was instituted.
All of that history didn’t matter on this night, though, as Canastota not only conquered Westmoreland, but also the rain and wind and cold temperatures that produced, by far, the toughest conditions either side had faced this year.
A key turning point came right away. Having lost yardage on its first two plays from scrimmage, the Raiders converted a key third down when Alex Foster threw a 25-yard pass through the win to Kyle Sandford. Once the air threat was established, Canastota went back to the ground, Jeff Merrell and Zack Zupan chewing up the yardage until Zupan, with a one-yard touchdown plunge, gave the hosts a 7-0 lead.
Then the Raiders’ defense made an instant impact, Sam Farfaglia forcing a fumble on Westmoreland’s first play from scrimmage that Travis Conklin recovered at the Bulldogs’ 38. Though stopped short of a first down, the Raiders took advantage of a bad punt snap as Rob Tornatore grabbed the ball and made his way to a first down. Then it was more of Merrell and Zupan on the ground, with Zupan again finishing it off from the one.
It was 14-0 Canastota, and the game wasn’t even eight minutes old. Westmoreland, already in an offensive bind without star quarterback Dan Smith (who had a season-ending arm injury midway through the season), now had to play catch-up, but the Raiders’ defense prevented any sort of drive in the first half.
And even when the Bulldogs put together an impressive march in the third quarter, going from its own 29 to the Raiders’ three, Canastota closed ranks and, on fourth down, made the stop, keeping Westmoreland off the board.
What followed symbolized both the night and the Raiders’ season. Patiently, methodically, Canastota moved the ball 97 yards, all of it runs from its main two backs, Zupan and Merrell. By game’s end, the powerful Zupan had 134 yards on 37 carries and Merrell, in just 15 carries, had 125 yards on the ground. Zupan went the last two yards for the clinching TD with 8:27 left, and Jamie Meade hit on his third straight extra point.
Both in that key stand near the goal line and the rest of the night, the Raiders excelled on the defensive side, earning the shutout as Jim Campanaro produced a team-high 11 tackles, Zupan got 10 tackles and Conklin added eight tackles.
