Sunday, Oct. 5, 2014: Stepinac recovers from slow start vs. Iona Prep

   Leading off today: Second-ranked Archbishop Stepinac overcame a sloppy first half Saturday to rally past No. 19 Iona Prep 35-19 in a battle of two of the states top Class AA football teams.

   The Crusaders scored the game's final 28 points, led by quarterbacks Brandon Coleman and Tyquell Fields. Coleman, the starter, finished 9-for-15 for 106 yards and threw a two-point conversion. Fields threw three touchdowns and rushed for another as the Crusaders got in gear after surrendering two onside kicks and making several other gaffes in the first half.

   Coleman and Fields lined up in the same backfield at times for the first time this season.

   "We've been working on that since December and this was the game we wanted to bring it out," Coleman, who played some running back, told The Journal News. "I just think that was something they had to adjust to and maybe they couldn't get the right personnel on the field. I think it worked today."

   The Gaels led 19-7 early in the third quarter before Stepinac took over. Fields scored from 5 yards out after Coleman connected on a 32-yard pass to Damarcus Miller. On their next possession, Crusaders junior Jesse Brown outjumped a defender for a 39-yard catch on Fields' throw to the end zone.

   Aquinas back in the hunt: No. 13 Aquinas, at .500 following losses to No. 1 Canisius and Pennsylvania power Erie Prep, confirmed it's still very much in the Section 5 large-school mix by holding off No. 8 Pittsford 16-14.

   Touchdown runs of 30 yards by Jamir Jones and 65 yards by Terrance Richards plus a safety gave Aquinas a 16-0 lead in the third quarter, but Pittsford responded with two touchdown passes by senior Jack Wallman in the fourth quarter before the Panthers' final possession stalled at the Aquinas 21.

   Aquinas junior Earnest Edwards intercepted two passes and had a 28-yard touchdown reception wiped out just before the half on an illegal procedure penalty.

   Canisius maintains momentum: Senior Mitch Thomas, fresh off a 249-yard night in a win over Jamestown, carried 22 times for another 260 yards as Canisius defeated St, Joseph's 17-0.

   The Canisius defense limited St. Joe's to 10 yards on the ground and 29 overall, making 16 tackles for losses. St. Joe's finished with just four first downs, and QB David Archer was forced out just before halftime with a possible concussion.

   Class A action: Third-ranked Eastridge handed No. 14 Brockport its first loss 26-20 on the strength of quarterback Jay'von Hampton's 21 carries for 180 yards and three TDs, including the game-winner with :58 to play.

   Class D blowout: Second-ranked Red Jacket ran around and through No. 5 Dundee on its was to a 53-6 romp at home.

   Kory Fogarty ran for 213 yards and scored five touchdowns on 29 carries.

   "The linemen in front of me put the scores up," Fogarty told The Daily Messenger. "I don't do anything special. My linemen make it easy for me."

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   His first scoring run was a 90-yarder with 8:03 left in the first quarter.

   Upsets: Bryan Stauch caught a 24-yard touchdown throw from Richard Shevak (8-for-18, 158 yards) with :44 to play, lifting Sullivan West (5-0) to a 20-12 win over No. 12 Millbrook.

   Stauch also made two interceptions, including one with :27 left to end Millbrook's final possession.

   Sullivan West rallied from a 20-12 deficit.

   In Class D, No. 12 Whitehall edged No. 4 Cambridge/Salem 21-19 for its first victory over the Indians since 1989.

   Whitehall was outgained 371-194 but forced six turnovers, including interceptions by Brian McLaughlin and Justin Hoagland in the final 1:42. The Railroaders also made a fourth-down stop at their own 19 with 3:05 left to half a seven-minute, 16-play Cambridge drive.

   "The kids at any point could have put their heads down and said, 'Uh-oh, here comes Cambridge,'" Whitehall coach Justin Culligan told The Post-Star.

   Scoreboard: The Week 5 list of scores from around the state has been posted.

   California blowout: Long Beach (Calif.) Poly, which has supplied numerous players to Division I and the NFL in the past two decades, pulverized Compton 99-9 on Friday.

   After falling behind 6-0, the Jackrabbits scored 35 points in the first quarter and led 63-9 at the half. Three touchdowns in the third quarter made it 84-9, and one of the two fourth-quarter scores was following by a 2-point conversion after the holder bobbled the snap and took off despite coaches yelling for him to pull up short of the end zone.

   "We ran the ball the whole second half," said Poly coach Antonio Pierce, the former NFL linebacker.

   Asked if Poly ran the score up on his team, Compton coach Elijah Asante was dismissive.

   "No, not at all," he said. "They ran the ball and we couldn't stop them. They didn't do anything wrong. This just shows how far we have to go as a program."