A 12-quarter shutout streak that dated back to season opener ended for the Cicero-North Syracuse football team in the first quarter of Friday night’s game against Auburn at Bragman Stadium.
And that’s one of the few things that went wrong for the Northstars, who otherwise wore down the Maroons in this clash of unbeaten Class AA-2 division sides and, with a pair of big plays from sophomore quarterback Conner Hayes in the second half, put away a 27-6 victory.
Much was made going into the game about the battle between a potent Auburn attack that had rolled up 144 points in wins over Central Square, Henninger and Nottingham, and that C-NS defense coming off back-to-back shutouts of Corcoran (27-0) and Liverpool (34-0).
Again, the Northstars were staked to a quick lead thanks to a Hayes touchdown pass in the first quarter, but then the Maroons struck, helped by Hayes throwing an interception that Luke Lukowski returned deep into C-NS territory.
When Nasir Smith found the end zone from five yards out, the Northstars’ defense had surrendered points for the first time since the opening period of the Sept. 1 opener at the Carrier Dome against Henninger, a span of nearly three whole games.
It didn’t take long, though, for C-NS to return to its stingy self. When Auburn marched 16 plays and used more than seven minutes of clock to move to the Northstars’ two-yard line in the second quarter, the drive halted at the 10 when Smith was stopped on fourth-down-and-two.
By then, C-NS had a 13-6 lead, having shook off a second Hayes interception (by Dom DiFabio) to drive again to the Auburn one, from where Kyle Cody plunged in the end zone. Thanks to that crucial stand, the seven-point margin stood at halftime.
All the while, Hayes waited for his chance to shine. During this great C-NS start, the emphasis on defense and a running game anchored by tailback Erik Pride has mostly left Hayes in a smaller role, taking care of the ball but rarely having to make big plays himself.
Sensing this, the Maroons stacked the line of scrimmage – and paid for it in the third quarter when Hayes, from the Auburn 41, found a seam and took off to the longest touchdown run of his career, which made it 20-6.
Again, C-NS made a defensive stop, helped by Tyrese Walker overthrowing an open Dejour Morris from the Northstars’ 36. Then Hayes, from midfield, found Mike Jenkins deep, the TD covering 51 yards with 10:46 left, all but putting the game away.
Now it’s back to the road for C-NS, who sits tied with Baldwinsville atop the AA-2 division, each with 2-0 league marks after the Bees’ dramatic 28-27 win at Liverpool.
The Northstars visit Nottingham next Friday at 6:30 and knows it can’t afford to look ahead to its Oct. 7 showdown with B’ville on the new Field Turf at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium.
