Even a 4-2 record had not secured a Section III Class B playoff berth for the Skaneateles football team, which meant that a lot rode on Friday night’s regular-season finale against Cortland at Hyatt Stadium.
By the time it ended, though, not only were the Lakers in the playoffs thanks to a 34-8 victory over the Purple Tigers, it had, through events elsewhere, moved up into a tie for second place in the Class B West division.
The combination of a Skaneateles win, along with Westhill knocking off previously unbeaten Homer 21-6 and Chittenango’s 32-8 win over Solvay a night earlier, meant that the Lakers, Warriors and Bears shared second place in Class B West at 5-2 behind Homer’s 6-1 mark.
A first-half points tie-breaker would find that Skaneateles finished ahead of Westhill, but behind Chittenango. Thus, the Lakers must pay a visit to Vernon-Verona-Sherrill, who is also 5-2, next Saturday at 2 p.m. in the opening round of the sectional playoffs, with the winner to face Homer or Oneida in the semifinals.
All of this could not have happened, though,,without the Lakers’ own efforts against Cortland, who came into the game at 3-3 and still alive in the playoff chase.
During a scoreless first quarter, Skaneateles saw one drive stall out at the Purple Tigers’ 25-yard line, but once the second period got underway, the Lakers hit full stride.
Aubrey Leverich lit the spark, taking a handoff at his own 20 and rumbling 79 yards to the edge of Cortland’s goal line. Devin Callahan sneaked in one play later, and Tommy Hagen’s extra point gave Skaneateles a 7-0 lead.
Hagen struck again on defense a few minutes later, getting an interception, and though his return for a TD was called back for an illegal block, Skaneateles scored anyway when Callahan found Hagen deep on a 42-yard TD pass. The extra point was missed.
Leverich caused more damage right before halftime, catching Callahan’s screen pass and not stopping until he was in the end zone 32 yards later. This time Hagen’s PAT was good, and the Lakers charged into the break with a 20-0 lead.
Late in the third quarter, that margin grew to 27-0 with Skaneateles mostly sticking to the ground on a long march capped by Callahan’s four-yard TD pass to Ben Delasin.
With 5:18 left, Leverich made it 34-0 with his third score of the night, a one-yard plunge. Only a late James Lane one-yard TD run spoiled the Skaneateles shutout bid.
