A single play symbolized the season-long frustration the Cicero-North Syracuse football team has dealt with.
The Northstars, still in search of its first win in 2012, were visiting West Genesee last Friday night, and were driving towards a possible touchdown in the first quarter of a scoreless game.
Then quarterback Avery Yarn threw to the end zone – only to see Naesean Howard intercept the pass, and then pick up blocks on a 102-yard dash to the other end zone.
Just like that, C-NS’s best-laid plans blew up, and more mistakes that followed doomed the Northstars in a 39-13 defeat to the defending Class AA champion Wildcats.
Twice in that opening period, WG turned turnovers into points, as a Garrett Waldron interception went back 44 yards for another TD later in that opening period. Corey Dunlap also had a pair of picks to thwart C-NS drives.
Trailing 21-0 going into the second quarter, the Northstars needed to settle down. It did so, at least for the rest of the half, as it finally finished off a drive with Joe Bianchi’s one-yard TD run.
That, along with solid defense, helped C-NS pull within 21-6 at halftime. But it would not get closer as Howard, on the offensive end, scored on a pair of eight-yard runs and Dan Ginestro hit Brett Colvin on an 11-yard TD pass.
C-NS would get one more score, Yarn going deep to find Mitchell Dunay for a 75-yard scoring pass, the team’s longest TD of the season, in the fourth quarter. The Northstars return to Bragman Stadium Friday, closing out its regular season against Central Square. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
