Even with back-to-back losses to start 2019, the Baldwinsville football team understood that the important work would commence when Class AA-1 division play got going.
Armed with both the harsh lessons of the previous two weeks and a newfound urgency, the Bees welcomed West Genesee to Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium Friday night and battled its way to a 20-12 victory over the Wildcats.
WG graduated most of its starters from the 2018 team that reached the Section III final. Like B’ville, the Wildcats had lost to Horseheads, but had recovered to defeat Corcoran 28-12 a week later.
A big moment came early, with the Bees pinned on its own one-yard line. Instead of the ground game, Braden McCard threw 32 yards to Pat May, and the momentum shifted as McCard later scored from one yard out.
B’ville’s defense kept the Wildcats quiet until the middle of the second period, when a 40-yard pass from Braeden McNeil to John Benson set up Exavier Brumfield’s one-yard touchdown plunge..
But the Bees blocked the extra point and quickly answered with a drive of its own, McCard ending with a seven-yard scoring toss to Cameron Jessen. The extra point had B’ville in front 14-6, where it stayed at halftime.
Late in the third quarter, WG put together another solid drive that quarterback Braeden McNeil finished by scrambling four yards for a TD. Again, the Bees were able to stop the tying conversion attempt, Pat May tackling Brumfield just before he could dive past the goal line, so it was 14-12.
Controlling the clock, B’ville moved to the Wildcats’ 30-yard line, where Letizia made his biggest run of the night, following perfect blocks as he dashed to the end zone with 5:35 to play. All told, Letizia ran for 152 yards on 24 carries, accounting for a majority of the Bees’ total of 228 yards on the ground as Willie Strong added 57 yards on 12 carries.
Though the Bees missed the two-point attempt, its defense made one more big stop to cap a solid performance in the wake of allowing 72 combined points to Jamestown and Horseheads.
Letizia, aside from his contributions in the ground game and special teams, also had a team-high nine tackles, seven of them solo. Kolby Hahn was close behind with seven tackles as Dan Widrick had five tackles.
B’ville now looks to build upon its 1-0 league mark when it visits Rome Free Academy next Friday at 7 p.m. The Black Knights come off its biggest victory in years, having stunned defending sectional Class AA champion Cicero-North Syracuse 34-27 in its league opener.
