What a difference two weeks has made for the Cazenovia football team, and Chittenango has used that same amount of time to also turn its season around.
As a result, when the Lakers and Bears clash next Friday, far more than local bragging rights is at stake.
All Cazenovia did on Friday was go to Oneida and knock the Indians from the unbeaten ranks with its most impressive all-around effort of the season, prevailing 28-12 to move to 5-1 on the season.
As that was going on, Chittenango, with its post-season hopes still uncertain, rallied from a double-digit deficit to knock off Vernon-Verona-Sherrill 13-12 and improve its record to 4-2.
Plenty of intrigue surrounded Cazenovia’s visit to Oneida. Some of it was because the Indians were a perfect 5-0, but another part of it stemmed from the fact that a Lakers alumnus, Jason Fuller, was coaching at Oneida and now trying to beat his alma mater.
It proved a game of quick adjustments. Oneida put together a first-quarter scoring drive, reaching Cazenovia’s 20-yard line before, on fourth down, Lukas Albro threw to Vinny Leibl, who got behind the Lakers’ secondary and found the end zone.
From there, though, the Lakers’ defense did not allow a point until late in the third quarter, constantly thwarting the Indians and holding them to 241 total yards.
Dan Hammond had four solo tackles and assisted on eight others, also earning an interception, with James Pavelchak adding five tackles and a fumble recovery. Three of Shawn Szlamczynski’s four tackles were for losses.
Late in the first quarter, Cazenovia’s offense got going, a drive reaching Oneida’s two-yard line before Drew Johnson scored to tie it, 6-6. It didn’t stay tied for long.
Johnson did most of the work on a second-quarter drive that Ryan Romagnoli finished off with a two-yard TD run, with Johnson throwing a two-point pass to Chad Carges.
Late in the half, the Lakers moved to the Indians’ 15, from where Johnson found Romagnoli in the end zone, Cazenovia’s lead growing to 21-6 at the break.
A second Romagnoli TD from one yard out in the third quarter further extended the Lakers’ advantage. He finished with 127 yards on 19 carries as Johnson got 71 yards on 18 carries.
Though Oneida would get a bit closer on Albro’s nine-yard TD pass to Ty D’Arcangelis after a blocked punt, the Lakers prevented any further intrusion and moved back to the top of the Class B East standings.
VVS had led B East after it won at Cazenovia on Sept. 21. But then it lost to Camden and then could not put away a desperate Chittenango team even when it built a 14-0 lead.
Things were quiet until the second quarter, when the Red Devils went in front on Alex Oliver’s 49-yard TD run. Another big play came less than a minute into the third period when Oliver, from his own 39, took off on a 61-yard dash to the end zone.
From there, though, the Bears’ defense clamped down, and the same Chittenango offense that scored 54 points at Mexico the week before, and was contained early, sprang to life.
Brian Lamaitis led the way, throwing a 20-yard TD pass to Nick Farr late in the third quarter. Then, with his team still down 14-8, Lamaitis put together another scoring drive that he finished from two-yards out with 8:51 left, followed by a go-ahead extra point.
VVS still had time to answer, but Chittenango kept stopping them, earning its most important win of the season.
Oliver ran for 192 yards on 22 carries, yet was contained late as Gabe Haley, Griffin Furco and Alex Whitcomb each recorded interceptions. Keith Spurgeon had a team-best 10 tackles, with Haley adding seven tackles and Francis Cerio five tackles.
