So the quest for the Liverpool football team in 2011 to turn around its poor 2010 fortunes will have to wait for another week – at the very least.
Pushed around in every phase of the game, the Warriors fell to St. Francis, a Catholic school just south of Buffalo, 35-14 Saturday night in the Kickoff Classic at the Carrier Dome.
Going in, Liverpool knew that its chief defensive task was containing St. Francis’ star senior tailback, Akeel Lynch, who is heading to Boston College next fall. That also meant conquering a big Red Raiders offensive line, who have four starters weighing 255 or more pounds.
Lynch proved generous on his team’s second play from scrimmage, fumbling the ball as Dustin Springer pounced on it at the Warriors’ 20. Minutes later, though, Lynch picked off an errant Watkins pass and returned it to Liverpool’s 21. Three plays later, Lynch burst up the middle 16 yards for the game’s first touchdown.
Liverpool didn’t help itself, either, by faking a punt at midfield that fell well short of a first down on its next possession. Again with prime field position, St. Francis just gave it to Lynch again, four runs that covered 51 yards, the last 12 into the end zone that made it 14-0.
Trying to start something, the Warriors, in the second quarter, went into St. Francis territory again, but again could not convert, as Lynch passed the 100-yard mark.
But with 4:31 left in the second quarter and St. Francis driving again, linebacker Mike Affinito suffered an injury. It required him to leave the field on a stretcher, causing a 20-minute delay that sent both teams to the locker room for what would normally be their halftime.
When the game resumed, four running plays led to the Red Raiders’ third TD, a one-yard sneak by quarterback Brian Melisz, which made it 21-0, where it stood at the half.
Liverpool got a small break early in the third quarter when a blitz led to a deflected pass that Joe Curcie picked off, giving the Warriors a third chance in St. Francis territory. It moved to the Red Raiders’ 31 but, once again, got stopped.
Worse yet, on fourth down Zavon Watkins, attempting to scramble, took a hard hit near the sideline. He walked off the field, but the hit symbolized the entire evening’s struggles.
Yet another chance arrived when Matt Call recovered Lynch’s second fumble at the St. Francis 44. Now with Justin Capoto at quarterback, the Warriors tried four runs, and fell short of a first down once more.
Lynch hurt the Warriors one more time early in the fourth quarter, scoring on a 17-yard run where he broke two tackles and carried four other defenders just past the goal line. It capped off a night where, on 25 carries, he gained exactly 200 yards.
Only after this did Liverpool get on the board, as Watkins returned and used a 30-yard run to set up a three-yard TD pass to Elijah Johnson, though St. Francis countered with Alex Misterman sprinting 62 yards for his own score.
Liverpool has a short week of preparation before going to Central Square Friday night at 6:30 for the Class AA-1 division opener. The Red Hawks knocked off Cicero-North Syracuse 33-27 to start its season, getting 250 total yards from quarterback Mitchell Jones.
