Kicking off: Daryian Riley's 3-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter put No. 2
St. Anthony's ahead for good in a 28-20 victory over NO. 25 Iona Prep yesterday in CHSFL action between NYSSWA-ranked teams.
Bryan Rhodes scored on a 15-yard fumble return to make the score 21-14 with 11 minutes to go. Brian Sherlock had 14 carries for 80 yards and the Friars's final touchdown. QB Charlie Raffa was 8-for-8 for 93 yards and one touchdown.
"In any football game there are four or five big plays," Iona Prep coach Vic Quirolo told The Journal News. "They were the ones who made those plays today."
First down: There may be safety in numbers, but there are numbers in safeties, too. Two points, to be exact. And that was the margin for No. 4 Cazenovia in a 16-14 win against No. 9 Marcellus in the Section 3 Class B semifinals.
After Marcellus tied the game with 6:14 left on a 45-yard pass from Kyle Hastings to Chaz Hayes, Cazenovia senior QB Jeff Hopsicker drove the Lakers 10 plays only to be picked off at the 2 by Hayes with 1:55 to go.
Marcellus' Hastings handed the ball to tailback Ricky Alfreds on consecutive plays. On the second one, linebacker Nick Petrovich and defensive end Liam Ryan crashed through the Marcellus line and took down the running back in the end zone with 1:31 to play.
The win advances the Lakers to the Carrier Dome for a sectional title game next Sunday vs. Oneida, which edged Vernon-Verona-Sherrill 28-27 in overtime.
Second down: Sweet Home keeps rolling, but the Panthers may have hit the sort of bump in the road that could send them to the scrap heap.
Sweet Home, the two-time NYSPHSAA Class A champion, beat Buffalo McKinley 31-6 in the Section 6 semifinals as junior QB Jordan Johnson ran 21 times for 95 yards and a crucial touchdown on the final play of the first half. Senior running back Ralph Neasman tacked on 25 carries for 121 yards and two TDs.
It advanced the Panthers to a highly anticipated final at Ralph Wilson Stadium vs. No. 4 Williamsville South. They'll be playing minus senior Tim Oaks and junior Rashaad Rogers, ejected late in the game after a skirmish along the McKinley sideline.
Halftime: It wasn't pretty, but No. 4 New Rochelle beat No. 14 Yorktown 21-16 in the Section 1 Class AA semifinals.
"It's become such a monster," coach Lou DiRienzo said of expectations on his team, which has won 26 straight games against Section 1 opponents and 45 of its last 46. New Ro is 77-10 overall since 2003.
"In other words, this team is working really, really hard and we're going to play for a section championship, but it's almost as if we're expected to be there, so if you don't get there it's such a disappointment," he told The Journal News. "I should be elated right now and instead it's more of a relief. And, I know Mahopac is good, so how much do you even enjoy this?"
Shaquille Evans returned an interception 30 yards for a 7-0 New Rochelle lead in the first half. With the score 7-6 just before halftime, running back Jovon Ceneus ripped off a 98-yard run for a touchdown on his only carry of the day. Three plays later, Bubby Manns pulled a stip-and-recovery job to score on a fumble return with 1:10 left in the half.
Third down: Jack Fletcher carried 30 times for 171 yards as No. 9 Delhi executed drives of 13, 14 and 15 plays and beat No. 15 Candor in Section 4 Class D action.
"I was just following my blockers," Fletcher told The Press & Sun-Bulletin. "They were blocking down the field and holding their blocks for a long time, so I could read the hole and then I just went for it as fast as I could."
Collin Ellis finished a 14-play, 6:07 drive with a 14-yard run for a 20-7 lead early in the fourth quarter to give the winners breathing room.
Fourth down: Defending Section 2 Class C champ Hoosick Falls, ranked fourth in the state, rolled past No. 17 Fonda-Fultonville 46-13 to set up a rematch with No. 7
