Kicking off: Canisius quarterback
Travis Eman threw three touchdown passes and ran for another as the Crusaders rallied past Erie (Pa.) Cathedral Prep 30-20 yesterday in a home high school football game.
Eman carried 13 times for 154 yards, including an 80-yard TD run. He was 8-for-14 for 151 yards through the air with two TD throws going to Theo Russell (five catches, 89 yards). Junior Mercer Timmis ran 23 times for 143 yards.
Erie Prep had been on a nine-game winning streak against New York teams since losing to St. Francis in 2002 and dropped the Ramblers, a traditional Western Pennsylvania power, to 2-2 for the season. Erie Prep beat Canisius 55-20 a year ago.
A Damion Terry 2-yard TD throw to Mike Amendola put Erie Prep ahead 20-19 with 9:32 left. Eman then drove Canisius to a TD on sophomore Denzel Benton's 17-yard catch. The conversion throw to Russell made it 27-20 with 5:18 left.
"I don't think the kid gets enough credit," Canisius coach Brandon Harris said of Eman. "He's a great player, he's a true dual-threat quarterback ... and he throws a rocket. He's playing great football, and every time we needed a play he made one for us."
First down: The mighty have fallen in Nassau and Suffolk counties. It started Friday as Smithtown West defeated Section 11 Division II champ North Babylon 12-0 on two defensive TDs. North Babylon is ranked ninth in Class AA by the New York State Sportswriters Association.
Yesterday, Carey defeated defending Nassau Division II champ Garden City -- ranked fifth in Class A -- by a 26-14 final to snap the Trojans' 14-game winning streak. Carey turned loose its wildcat formation as Juliano Bove scored on a 23-yard run and then John Daddino plowed in from 5 yards for a 14-0 advantage.
"That is just hard fundamental football," Carey quarterback Kyle Zahradka told Newsday. "The O-line played excellent today. They were wrestling some big kids today and they were able to hold their own out there."
Farmingdale quarterback Sal Tuttle was unstoppable in a 42-39 triumph over Freeport, the 2009 Section 8 Division I champ rated 15th in Class AA by the NYSSWA. His scramble and throw to Pat Starke in the back of the end zone with :35 to go was the decider.
Tuttle finished the afternoon with 17 carries for 170 yards and also went 12-for-17 for 213 yards and three scores through the air.
"He demonstrated his presence on that last play," Farmingdale coach Buddy Krumenacker told Newsday. "Guys like that seem to know where they are at all times. They seem to operate in a little bubble where they know, 'I'm safe.'"
Freeport had taken lead on Evan Lapice's 86-yard kickoff return for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter and then Edwin Sandoval's 29-yard field goal with 6:07 to play. Lapice's dash followed on the heels of Brian Prendergast's 80-yard punt return for a Farmingdale TD.
Tuttle's winning drive covering 89 yards in 11 plays beginning with 2:52 to go. He was 5-for-6 for 54 yards on the drive and carried three times for another 26.
Class A No. 21 Lawrence, from Section 8 Division III, was the fourth reigning L.I. champ to tumble in less than 24 hours, dropping a 35-7 verdict to Hewlett. Sam Martorella ran for first-half TDs on 18 and 20 yards, then threw an 82-yard TD pass to Michael Gray.
Second down: The 49th renewal of one of the state's great rivalries was a one-sided affair as host Aquinas routed McQuaid 49-10 in Rochester.
Though Mike Messina was his usual self at tailback with 14 carries for 122 yards and two TDs, the Little Irish -- ranked second in Class A -- threw a curve at the Knights in the form of fullback Tim Young. The senior saw plenty of early duty, carrying nine times for 64 yards and two scores as Aquinas broke to a 21-0 lead in the second quarter.
"It's a big rush getting into the end zone," Young told the Democrat and Chronicle. "A lot of fullbacks don't get a lot of carries, but here at Aquinas they use the fullback a good amount. I appreciate every carry I get."
The Little Irish -- who play at Class AA No. 13 Canisius on Oct. 9 -- rolled up 310 yards on 64 rushes, resorting to a vanilla look over the final 18 minutes with the game well in hand.
Third down: We have a new candidate for the most furious comeback of the season following South Jefferson's 43-35 triumph against Holland Patent.
All-state running back A.J. Chartrand's TD runs of 25 and 33 yards and Zach Zimmerman's two TD catches started a 31-point fourth quarter. QB Tom Gordinier closed it out with a 15-yard TD run late in the game.
Chartrand finished with 30 rushes for 238 yards.
Fourth down: Short-handed Harrison, ranked seventh in Class A, kept its composure and beat Eastchester 23-6 to improve to 3-0. The Huskies were minus two injured starters and two others sitting out for disciplinary reasons.
"The players that played can now be in the rotation with the guys coming back," senior Tanner Knox told The Journal News after carrying 15 times for 130 yards and a TD. "It's just going to make our team better, and add more depth."
Harrison senior Steve Ricciardi returned the second-half kickoff 95 yards for a score.
