Kicking off: Fame is fleeting. Don't think so? Just ask the folks at North Tonawanda.
The Lumberjacks, defending New York Public High School Athletic Association Class AA champions, dropped their 2010 football opener last night to visiting Kenmore West 30-22.
The Blue Devils scored on three plays of at least 46 yards. Marcus Lobdell threw 53 yards to Martin Bailey (nine carries, 123 yards), who also hit paydirt on carries of 46 and 53 yards to snap the Lumberjacks' 13-game winning streak. NT was limited to 152 yards and turned the ball over five times.
The development at NT seems to establish 2008 state champion Orchard Park as the early favorite in Section 6 Class B following a 27-10 victory over Lancaster.
Okaya Anderson rushed for 135 yards and a score and also returned an interception 59 yards for a score late in the fourth quarter. He recorded three of OP's six sacks.
First down: Friendly advice for Zay Richardson: Retire, fella, because it isn't going to ever be any better than it was last night.
Richardson, Albany Academy's all-state running back, rushed five times in the first half of a 67-12 win vs. Broadalbin-Perth. All five resulted in touchdowns, with Richardson picking up 307 yards in the process.
Richardson ran for 1,086 yards in his junior season.
Also toying with perfection was Utica Proctor quarterback Jordan Treen. He was 11-for-12 for 348 yards and three TD passes in addition to running for two short scores to beat Auburn 54-26.
Second down: Monroe-Woodbury football coach Pat D'Aliso chalked up career victory No. 200 in the form of 48-13 triumph against Middletown. He's 178-48 in his 23rd season at Monroe-Woodbury after a 22-10-1 mark at Pulaski from 1977-80.
Junior Ryan Spelman made a successful debut at QB as heir to Dan Scalo, and Andrew Tolosi, who missed all of last season following a car accident and was granted an extra year of eligibility, caught a touchdown pass and returned an interception for another score.
“That's what really coaching is about,” D'Aliso told The Times Herald-Record. “You can look back and look at 200 wins, I don't remember win 100, win 50, or whatever it is. But you remember the relationships you have with the coaches and players. I don't think any coach remembers the wins and the losses as much as they remember the relationships.”
Spelman, replacing last year's Gatorade state player of the year, has 237 passing yards with three touchdowns. He ran for another 72.
Speaking of milestone triumphs, Syracuse CBA coach Joe Casamento notched his 100th in 12 seasons as the Brothers topped Cicero-North Syracuse 15-3.
Third down: There was a celeb in the stands and star material on the field at Aquinas, where the Little Irish beat Buffalo St. Joe's 48-21.
Former Buffalo Bills great Jim Kelly was on hand to watch his nephew, St. Joe's QB Chad Kelly in action. Kelly finished 13-for-23 for 165 yards, a TD and three interceptions, showing some elusiveness and ability to improvise along the way.
Aquinas junior Cory Benedetto threw for 172 yards and a touchdown, senior Chris Bostick had 104 yards receiving and one touchdown, and Mike Messina scored on a 12-yard carry and a 90-yard pick six.
Fourth down: Eleven penalties for 97 yards nearly offset huge statistical advantages in yards and first downs, but Binghamton pulled out a 26-21 victory against visiting Newburgh Free Academy.
