Though post-season berths were now out of reach, the Bishop Ludden and Jordan-Elbridge football teams had plenty on the line when they met Friday night in the regular-season finale at John Howes Stadium.
And it was the Gaelic Knights coming out on top, 28-14, mostly due to the play of tailback Mike Works, who notched all four of his team’s touchdowns as Ludden improved its mark to 5-2.
Whoever won this game would take third place in the Class C West division behind Skaneateles and Tully. Also, J-E was trying to notch a winning record for the regular season, something it could not quite pull off in 2010.
Both sides had to contend with rain that fell throughout the game and a gusty wind that only made conditions more tricky. And it was the Eagles getting on the board first, Leland Holmes finding the end zone on a two-yard plunge.
J-E’s conversion attempt missed, though, and when Works capped off Ludden’s first scoring drive with a two-yard touchdown run of his own, Antoine Montgomery did make the extra points, and the Gaelic Knights had a 7-6 lead.
That’s where it would remain the rest of the first half, as each defense made timely stops and forced punts, waiting to see who would take charge.
Points remained elusive for much of the third quarter, too, but Ludden did extend its margin anyway, driving to J-E’s six-yard line before Works pounded in for his second TD. Montgomery converted another PAT, and it was 14-6.
However, it took Ludden’s defense to initiate the critical surge early in the fourth quarter, recording a safety to make it 16-6. After taking the free kick, Ludden again gave it to Works, who sprinted 40 yards to the end zone for his third TD.
Works had one more big play in him, going 50 yards to the end zone and extending the Gaelic Knights’ margin to 28-6. J-E, to its credit, fought to the end, as Mitch Cooper scored on a five-yard run and Logan Smart caught a two-point pass from Cody Lewis.
Cooper and Leland Holmes led J-E with 56 rushing yards apiece. Defensively, Smart had a team-best 15 tackles, while Cooper earned 14 tackles and Frank Bartkowiak contributed 10 tackles.
