Leading off today: Some of the contests turned out every bit as competitive as expected, but a Week 5 schedule loaded with head-to-head matchups between state-ranked teams saw its share of lopsided outcomes that figure to send a jolt through the next set of New York State Sportswriters Association ratings.
The blowouts included:
• Class AA: Top-ranked Freeport overwhelmed No. 18 Oceanside 42-0 after producing 21 points off of just seven offensive snaps in the opening quarter.
Jayvian Allen took the second snap of the game wide left and rolled 55 yards for a touchdown. After Oceanside went three-and-out, Ausani Allen capped a 42-yard drive with a 12-yard TD run. The Sailors' next possession ended in a Makhai Jinks interception after which QB Terrance Edmond raced 45 yards for another score.
• Class A: Running back Fombo Azah rambled for 186 yards and three TDs on 23 carries as No. 6 Carthage inflicted a 51-8 beating on No. 4 Indian River. Quarterback Nick Cavellier ran for 97 yards and a touchdown and Jalen Jones ran for 54 yards and two scores.
Indian River entered averaging 57 points a game, but Carthage surrendered just 216 yards of total offense. The Comets forced eight fumbles, recovering three.
• Class C: Konar Witkowski ran for one TD and passed for two more, and Hunter White ran for two more scores as No. 12 Cato-Meridian rolled past No. 2 Skaneateles 40-0, handing the two-time defending Section 3 champions their first regular-season loss since 2016.
Witkowski's touchdown passes went to Marcus Ramacus, covering 30 and 58 yards.
The Blue Devils intercepted a pair of passes and held the Lakers to 63 rushing yards.
Also in Class C, No. 10 Canastota sailed past No. 19 Clinton 53-6 on the strength of four Drew Marshall touchdown passes plus one on the ground.
Liverpool rallies: Fifteenth-ranked Liverpool rallied from two touchdowns down and edged No. 25 Syracuse Corcoran 22-21 in Class AA. The Warriors capitalized on a pair of Corcoran fumbles and running back Malachi Upshur scored twice.
Running out of the Wildcat formation with direct snaps to Upshur, Liverpool scored on consecutive second-half possessions after Corcoran fumbled on its own 25-yard line and then turned it over again on the ensuing kickoff.
Corcoran lost quarterback T.J. Harness to an injury in the game.
• Shaker, rated eighth in Class AA, scored a 21-7 win over Class A No. 23 Ballston Spa. A 60-yard drive capped by Jake Nelson's 19-yard run TD run gave Shaker a 14-7 lead.
Cornwall survives without Semo: Cornwall nearly lost its grip on the co-No. 1 spot in Class A, but backup QB Louie Francese helped navigate a battle that featured seven lead changes and the Dragons edged Pine Bush 38-35.
Cornwall sealed the win when sophomore lineman Orlando Carthens recovered a Pine Bush fumble on a pitch at near midfield with 43 seconds left.
Francese (8 of 12 for 82 yards), moving over from his position as a wide receiver, rushed for two TDs and threw for one in relief of sophomore Aiden Semo (7 of 9, 118 yards), who was sidelined by a shoulder injury in the second quarter.
More Class A: Running back Xavier Leigh scored on an 82-yard jaunt on a direct snap out of the shotgun on the first play from scrimmage to start No. 16 Troy on its way to a 34-20 win over No. 20 Averill Park.
Leigh finished with 23 attempts for 317 yards and four touchdowns, including a pair in the fourth quarter as the Flying Horses pulled away with 22 straight points. The Troy defense forced five turnovers.
Averill Park answered Leigh's opening score with Joe Milanese's 79-yard kickoff return for a score and owned a 20-12 advantage following Anthony Childrose's short run on the opening possession of the second half. Troy answered by driving 80 yards to tie.
