CENTRAL NEW YORK – Twice in as many weeks, the West Genesee football team has played games decided by a single point.
But Unlike its Sept. 2 opener at Whitesboro, the Wildcats were successful at New Hartford on Thursday night, largely relying on the passing duo of Vincent Firenze and Dom Burris to edge the Spartans 19-18.
This game also didn’t involve a last-minute two-point stop. Instead, it was WG simply needing a touchdown to go out in front when it got possession in the fourth quarter and New Hartford holding an 18-13 advantage.
Steadily, the Wildcats moved to the Spartans’ 15-yard line where, with 2:39 to play, Firenze found Burris in the end zone for what proved to be the winning points.
Firenze and Burris had connected on a 78-yard scoring pass in the second quarter that put WG on the board after a scoreless opening period.
New Hartford countered with seven-yard TD runs from Alex Colliver and Cole Raux to lead, 12-7, at the break, only to have Firenze and Burris strike again in the third, this time on a 29-yard scoring pass.
Colliver’s 33-yard TD sprint gave the Spartans that late lead which WG erased. For the night, Colliver gained 139 yards on 29 carries, a fact that the Wildcats’ defense will need to address before going to Fayetteville-Manlius, who has outscored its first two opponents (Auburn and Watertown) by a combined 95-0.
The start for Skaneateles proved far rougher as, short-handed and hurting itself with a string of flags, it lost 33-10 to Cazenovia at Hyatt Stadium Friday night.
It was a rough way for Jay Steinhorst to make his head coaching debut for Skaneateles against the Cazenovia side where he had coached for more than three decades, including a state Class B title in 2015.
Without star running back Grayson Brunelle due to injury, Skaneateles was shut down most of the way, turning the ball over twice in the first half and often giving Cazenovia great field position due to 17 penalties.
Led by J.P. Hoak, who ran for 225 yards and threw for 83 yards, Cazenovia built a 21-0 advantage by the midway point of the second quarter. Skaneateles’ lone points came on a third-quarter safety and Patrick Herr TD run in the final period.
Westhill went for 2-0 Friday at Norwich (Section IV) and got it, the Warriors leading big early and then hanging on for a wild 40-34 victory over the Purple Tornado.
Twice in the first quarter, Westhill found the end zone, Elijah Welch on a 13-yard run and Taden Chester on a 54-yard pass as Chester added a pair of extra points.
Big plays followed in the second period as Chester and Collin White both caught 71-yard scoring passes that extended the Warriors’ advantage to 26-7.
White’s second TD, on a 19-yard run, in the third quarter was followed by Welch scoring on a one-yard plunge, which produced a 40-20 advantage – which was needed, since Norwich found the end zone twice in the final period.
Still, Westhill hung on, and will go for 3-0 next Friday at South Jefferson.
Bishop Ludden got its season underway Friday, Jim Ryan making his head coaching debut against Clinton and finding success as the Gaelic Knights defeated Clinton 31-14.
Displaying a more diverse attack than it showed when Kinsey ran the offense a season ago, Ludden had five different players find the end zone, including Tom Cervantes, who scored once and threw a 45-yard TD pass to Taysir Briggs.
With Malik Hines, Evan Cervantes and Eric Phillips also getting touchdowns, the Gaelic Knights gave itself some momentum going into a tough game this Saturday at Cazenovia.
Back on Thursday night, Jordan-Elbridge, still playing in the Independent division, debuted against Oswego, where the Eagles took a 39-6 defeat to the Buccaneers.
J-E’s lone touchdown came in the first quarter, when Tobie Woods threw a TD pass to Jakob Frost after Logan Matthews had scored on a 14-yard run to put Oswego on the board.
Matthews scored twice more to give the Bucs the lead for good, and he added a fourth touchdown in the third quarter. The Eagles are in action again this Friday at Phoenix.
