When is a defeat more of a statement than a victory?
That isn’t often the case, but for the football teams of East Syracuse Minoa and Jamesville-DeWitt, different impressions grew out of Friday night’s games.
True, the Spartans rolled past Oswego 51-6, but that was expected since the Buccaneers had not won a game all season and had so few players available the week before that it had to forfeit its game with Carthage
Meanwhile, the Red Rams, hosting undefeated, state Class A no. 8-ranked Indian River, played the Warriors closer than any other local Class A foe this season and earned lots of respect despite taking a 6-0 defeat.
Prior to this week, IR had racked up 306 points in six games, an average of 51 points per week, and had run for an average of 570 yards. The Warriors’ speed and skill offered a direct challenge that J-D met with equal force and toughness.
Only once did IR find its way to the end zone, a second-quarter drive ending with Brandon Smith’s one-yard touchdown plunge. From there, the Rams shut everything down, limiting big plays and forcing turnovers.
Given all of that time to equalize, J-D could not do so. The Warriors’ defense was up to protecting its slim lead, the Rams’ best chance in the fourth quarter snuffed out by an Ethan Gentry interception.
Up at Oswego, ESM did have a brief early scare when Oswego recorded a first-quarter touchdown, but otherwise had its way with the Bucs, taking the lead for good when Dan Garris dashed 21 yards to the end zone and Casey Hinton tacked on the extra point.
A 20-point second quarter followed, scoring drives capped by TD runs of seven and five yards by Ny’Zhier Jefferson and a four-yard run by Dante Coccagnia.
During the third period, Jefferson tacked on two more scores, on runs of six and 12 yards, with Hinton adding a 30-yard field goal and Michael Bryant scoring from five yards out in the final period. Overall, Jefferson ran for 84 yards as Nolan Penoyer gained 94 yards on 10 carries.
ESM, with its fourth straight win, moved to 5-1 in league play (5-2 overall) and sits in second place behind Indian River, who it didn’t have to meet in the regular season. J-D is tied with Whitesboro for third place, each with 4-2 league marks, with Carthage at 4-3.
All of this adds a lot of intrigue to next Friday’s slate. J-D isn’t guaranteed a playoff berth unless it wins at Watertown, while ESM takes its own trip to the north country to face Carthage and IR plays Whitesboro. The results will determine which four teams will remain alive for a sectional title.
Meanwhile, Bishop Grimes is still undefeated in the eight-man football division, routing Pulaski 54-12 to improve its record to 3-0. The Cobras host Cooperstown next Saturday before going to Oriskany on Oct. 28.
