HERKIMER – Impressive as the Cazenovia football team’s 4-0 start was, it all served as an extended prelude.
The important stuff starts next Saturday afternoon when undefeated, state Class C no. 2-ranked Skaneateles comes to Buckley-Volo Field for the season’s most anticipated game.
Over the course of its own 4-0 start, Skaneateles has outscored opponents a combined 209-18, and all 18 of those points were surrendered to Southern Hills following three consecutive lopsided shutouts.
Aside from a strong defense, the visiting Lakers bring a multifaceted offense led by quarterback James Musso, who has thrown for 1,048 yards and 13 touchdowns while completing 75 percent of his passes and just one interception.
Six different Skaneateles wide receivers have at least 100 yards, led by Cody Nesbitt, who has 448 yards on just 14 catches. And when it runs, Grayson Brunelle has gained 463 yards and scored nine times.
Of course, Cazenovia, who entered the state Class C rankings last week at no. 18, has rolled through its foes, too, by a combined 174-25, doing so again Friday night when it went to Herkimer and recorded its first shutout of the fall, routing the Magicians 60-0.
Herkimer,a Class D school, was not an original opponent on Cazenovia’s schedule, only added after Westmoreland/Oriskany moved to the Independent division, and the Magicians were 1-2 going into the game.
But Cazenovia wasn’t looking past this game to Skaneateles, as it proved by racing out to a 19-0 first-quarter lead with three successful drives. Peter McCole scored on a 17-yard run and one-yard plunge before J.P. Hoak found A.J. Rothfeld on a 36-yard TD pass.
Jed Olkowski found the end zone for the first time this season on a one-yard run in the second quarter before Hoak’s two-yard TD pass to Andrew Kent made it 33-0, where it stood at halftime.
All this led to a third quarter where Cazenovia scored on offense, defense and special teams.
The special-teams part was Chris Vecchiarelli returning a Herkimer punt 64 yards to the end zone, with the defense chiming in thanks to Taven Reilley’s 46-yard interception return.
Logan Nowak got the other two touchdowns, on a 41-yard pass from Hoak and a 14-yard run, capping a night where Cazenovia earned 335 total yards.
Hoak completed eight of 16 passes for 147 yards, with Rothfeld catching four of those passes for 96 yards. McCole gained 89 yards on the ground on just seven carries.
Defensively, the Magicians were held to 79 total yards, with Rothfeld everywhere as he amassed a season-best 16 tackles. Olkowski earned eight tackles, with Vecchiarelli adding six tackles and a fumble recovery as McCole also picked up a fumble and added an interception.
