Tyler Rouse ran through, over and around Auburn, just as he has done against most of Baldwinsville’s football opponents in the last three seasons.
This time, Rouse’s big numbers led the Bees to a 56-12 victory over the Maroons at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium. The senior tailback finished with 351 rushing yards on 30 carries, which puts his total at 1,568 yards for the season to date.
“He’s the best I’ve seen in a long, long time,” Maroons coach Dave Moskov said. “He’s a great kid and he plays with a lot of class too. I really respect the way he plays.”
Respect probably wasn’t the word Moskov had in mind at the 39-second mark. He watched helplessly as Rouse broke through his defensive line for a 37-yard scoring run on the game’s second play from scrimmage.
“(With) wet weather when we came out, the conditions weren’t great,” Bees coach Carl Sanfilippo said. There was no secret that we were going to get the ball to (Rouse).”
Rouse busted loose for a 55-yard run on B’ville’s next possession. Though that drive ended with a fumble, the Bees’ next two drives ended in touchdowns. Both scores were short Rouse runs. B’ville led 21-0 at halftime. Rouse’s halftime statistics were 25 carries for 192 yards.
The Bees doubled their lead in the third quarter. Rouse scored twice, from 58 and 53 yards away, respectively. In between the Rouse romps, the Bees scored through the air. Quarterback Gage Blasi found Shay Sargeant from 27 yards out.
Rouse spent the fourth quarter on the bench. His replacement, Ricky Sparks, put together a nice 12 minutes, going for 104 yards on 12 carries. His highlight was a 55-yard touchdown run that gave the hosts a 49-6 lead. B’ville’s final score came when Jordan Vermette returned a kickoff 55 yards for six points.
Sanfilippo enjoyed a stress-free evening watching his team. He had high praise for them afterwards.
“The kids played well,” he said. “We played better defensively which is what I’m happy about.”
B’ville is 4-1 overall and 2-1 in Class AA-1 division play. The Bees will try and improve on that Friday in a huge game at long-time rival Liverpool.
“Next week is a backyard brawl. There’s no doubt about it,” Sanfilippo said. “The kids look forward to it all year. Both teams will be sky high. That game has a lot at stake.”
He’s not kidding. Liverpool’s wild 56-45 win over Utica Proctor, which took place as B’ville was smothering Auburn, means that the Warriors are alone in first place, and can clinch the outright league title by beating the Bees. On the other hand, a B’ville win could create a three-way tie for first, with Fayetteville-Manlius also in the mix.
