While certainly appreciating the camaraderie and bonds formed on long road trips, the Baldwinsville football team also learned some harsh lessons while taking a pair of losses.
Anything thing the Bees needed to work on was exposed on Sept. 1 in its season opener at Section V’s Jamestown, where it was kept quiet most of the way in a 28-6 defeat to the Red Raiders.
Jamestown jumped out to a 14-0 advantage in the first quarter and doubled that margin by the end of the third period.
Only in the final quarter did the Bees break up the shutout, Greg Marinelli finding Nico Wellman with a touchdown reception.
It was just one of seven completions Marinelli made in 16 attempts for 79 yards to go with a team-best 48 yards on the ground.
As a whole, the Red Raiders held the Bees to 156 total yards. Teishwan Wade did come up with an interception on defense as Judson Ferris made 14 tackles, with Dylan Garcia and Gavin Donaldson getting 10 tackles apiece.
A far shorter road trip on Friday had the Bees going south to face Section IV’s Vestal, but once again things turned against B’ville, first on the field, then with the weather which cut the game short early in the fourth quarter when it was trailing 28-7.
The Golden Bears scored first, but the Bees, trailing 6-0, answered with a drive early in the second quarter that led to Caleb Young’s 20-yard touchdown run and a John Widrick extra point.
Quickly, Vestal regained control, putting up 22 unanswered points and seeing its defense keep the Bees from any further trips to the end zone.
Then, with 8:22 to play, lightning in the area caused the teams to go to the locker rooms. When the weather did not improve, the game was called and Vestal had prevailed.
Marinelli completed nine of 15 passes for 88 yards, most of it to Trevor Valenti, who had six catches for 86 yards. Young led the ground attack with 57 yards on 15 carries.
Aaron Clark’s seven tackles paced the B’ville defense. Garcia earned six tackles, including a sack, with Kallen Kennedy adding a sack as Valenti and TelShawn Wade adding four tackles apiece.
The Bees finally get its home opener next Friday at 6:30, meeting Elmira, another Section IV opponent, at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium. The Express also saw its last game against Liverpool halted by weather, though that came in the second quarter, so the game wasn’t official.