Once, the Liverpool football team was 0-2 and wondering if the improvements it showed at the end of the 2017 season were an illusion.
Now, before the calendar even turned to October, the Warriors have locked up the Class AA-1 division regular-season title and a top Section III playoff seed.
A large Homecoming crowd jammed into LHS Stadium Friday night to see Liverpool take on Corcoran and take charge just before halftime, going on to defeat the Cougars 22-8.
Going into the game, Corcoran was the only other AA-1 division side without a defeat, though it had to forfeit two early-season wins over Baldwinsville and West Genesee due to the use of an ineligible player.
And the Cougars gave the Warriors plenty of trouble in the first quarter, scoring first on Niquaz Scott’s four-yard run and a two-point conversion from Jerome Davis.
Even worse, when Corcoran scored, Warriors quarterback Alex Ruston was on the sidelines, getting checked for a concussion. But Ruston returned, and eventually Liverpool would benefit from it.
However, it was special teams that began the turnaround.
Taj Pringle blocked a Cougars punt in the second quarter and, with the short field, the Warriors got a crucial fourth-down conversion from Kaleb Ohlemacher before Ruston hit Joe Valerino on a 10-yard TD pass. Ruston also found Valerino for two points to tie it, 8-8.
Twice late in the half, Corcoran turned it over, Bryce Mills recovering a fumble and Valerino’s interception with a minute left setting up Jacob Vacco’s go-ahead TD on a five-yard run 16 seconds before the break.
It was quite an all-around night for Ohlemacher. Not only was he making clutch catches (four for 64 yards), he was named as Homecoming king during halftime ceremonies.
Yet with the score still 15-8 in the opening minute of the fourth quarter, Ruston, from the Cougars’ eight, went elsewhere, throwing to Noah Silfer in the end zone for the clinching TD.
Overall, Ruston overcame his early scare to complete eight of 13 passes for 103 yards. Vacco ran for a team-high 77 yards on 17 carries as Cade Clouthier had 23 carries for 63 yards.
As a whole, Liverpool’s defense stifled Corcoran for most of the night. Vacco led with six tackles, while Darreon Nixon had four tackles. Mills, Jack Sturtz, Malachi Upshur and Michael Nigro had three tackles apiece.
Liverpool seeks its fourth consecutive victory next Friday at Nottingham. Kickoff is at 6:30.
