For the second consecutive week, the Cicero-North Syracuse football team fell victim to a Syracuse city opponent, even if the pattern was a bit different.
Unlike the week before, when the Northstars squandered a double-digit lead at Corcoran, this time Nottingham put CNS in a big early deficit, forcing a desperate rally that fell just short in a 19-14 defeat at Bragman Stadium.
In reality, the Corcoran loss may have lingered, for CNS spent a long time in this game trying to piece things together. And just like in its season-opening loss to Central Square on Sept. 2, it would have to work from a 19-0 deficit.
Twice in a rain-soaked first half, Nottingham moved the ball down the field, leading to short touchdowns. Marty Clanton got Nottingham on the board with a five-yard run in the opening period, and Jaquan Adams followed it up with an eight-yard TD run in the second quarter.
It got worse in the third period, where the Bulldogs extended its lead on Derrick Gore’s three-yard TD run and Patrick Voorheis’ extra point.
Only now did CNS start to fight back. Later in that third period, it moved to Nottingham’s two-yard line, from where Rashad Ingram dove into the end zone and Steve Messur added the extra point.
The rally continued in the fourth quarter, CNS getting to Nottingham’s nine-yard line before Alec Hulchanski put in the touchdown. That cut the margin to five, but the Northstars were unable to put together a winning drive.
It doesn’t get easier for the Northstars (1-3), who stay at home next Friday to face Christian Brothers Academy, no. 14 in the state Class AA rankings. The Brothers, who are undefeated at 3-0 in the AA-1 division (3-1 overall), outscored Liverpool 49-35 on Friday night.
