WEEDSPORT - The Weedsport football team showed up 24 minutes late for the homecoming dance.
One week after suffering their first loss in nearly two years, the Warriors warmed up for the second half staring at a 14-6 deficit against the visiting Oriskany Redskins.
But just one play into fourth quarter, the Warriors had turned that one-touchdown deficit into a 28-14 lead and unanimously voted senior fullback Kerry Green the homecoming king.
Green scored five touchdowns, four in the final quarter, to lead Weedsport to a 46-14 victory.
The Warriors (3-1) looked like a different team in the second half, pounding Oriskany's defensive line with Green and Nick Van Wie on a 12-play, 70-yard touchdown drive to open the third quarter.
Green's first touchdown of the game came on a one-yard plunge, his fourth carry of the possession.
"After we scored, I think we had that confidence that said, hey, these guys can't stop us," said Weedsport coach Jason Trousdale.
The drive was initiated by six consecutive Van Wie carries to open the half during which the junior tailback gained 43 of his game-high 162 yards. Van Wie tied the game at 14-14 with a two-point conversion run.
Oriskany's next drive only lasted three plays as tailback Cody Allen fumbled the ball back to Weedsport.
Quarterback Mike Coolbaugh, who didn't start the game because of a bruised knee, threw his third interception of the night three plays later, but the Warriors defense held strong on the next series, forcing Oriskany to punt near midfield.
Two plays later, Van Wie gave Weedsport its first lead of the game at 20-14 with a 55-yard touchdown run.
Weedsport's defense opened the game looking shell-shocked from last week's 20-0 loss to Watertown IHC. The Warriors allowed Oriskany to march down the field on an 11-play, 65-yard drive that took six minutes. But that was by far the longest drive of the game for the Redskins.
Green took over the game in the fourth quarter.
A second-down carry from the Oriskany 39 showed Green's tenacity and agility. He took a hand-off up the middle from Coolbaugh and looked like he was about to be stopped for a nice eight-yard gain, but he shook off a shoestring tackle and outraced the Oriskany defense into the end zone to make it 26-14.
"They didn't get hats to the ball and I was able to break one tackle and just run it in," Green said.
Weedsport defensive end Tony Tabone recovered another Allen fumble on the first play after the kickoff, which set up Green's third touchdown of the game, a 17-yard run around the left side.
Green then got his hands on the ball three times in the next four minutes. He intercepted a pass by Oriskany quarterback Matt Sreca on the next play and a few moments later to cap a four-play drive the put the Warriors ahead 40-14. Green then ended the game's scoring with a 28-yard interception return for his fifth touchdown of the night.
"He just has tremendous work ethic. He'll never give up on a play," Trousdale said.
The importance of the victory was not lost on the Warriors.
"We needed this win. Two losses in a row would have done us in pretty good," Green said
But just one play into fourth quarter, the Warriors had turned that one-touchdown deficit into a 28-14 lead and unanimously voted senior fullback Kerry Green the homecoming king.
Green scored five touchdowns, four in the final quarter, to lead Weedsport to a 46-14 victory.
The Warriors (3-1) looked like a different team in the second half, pounding Oriskany's defensive line with Green and Nick Van Wie on a 12-play, 70-yard touchdown drive to open the third quarter.
Green's first touchdown of the game came on a one-yard plunge, his fourth carry of the possession.
"After we scored, I think we had that confidence that said, hey, these guys can't stop us," said Weedsport coach Jason Trousdale.
The drive was initiated by six consecutive Van Wie carries to open the half during which the junior tailback gained 43 of his game-high 162 yards. Van Wie tied the game at 14-14 with a two-point conversion run.
Oriskany's next drive only lasted three plays as tailback Cody Allen fumbled the ball back to Weedsport.
Quarterback Mike Coolbaugh, who didn't start the game because of a bruised knee, threw his third interception of the night three plays later, but the Warriors defense held strong on the next series, forcing Oriskany to punt near midfield.
Two plays later, Van Wie gave Weedsport its first lead of the game at 20-14 with a 55-yard touchdown run.
Weedsport's defense opened the game looking shell-shocked from last week's 20-0 loss to Watertown IHC. The Warriors allowed Oriskany to march down the field on an 11-play, 65-yard drive that took six minutes. But that was by far the longest drive of the game for the Redskins.
Green took over the game in the fourth quarter.
A second-down carry from the Oriskany 39 showed Green's tenacity and agility. He took a hand-off up the middle from Coolbaugh and looked like he was about to be stopped for a nice eight-yard gain, but he shook off a shoestring tackle and outraced the Oriskany defense into the end zone to make it 26-14.
"They didn't get hats to the ball and I was able to break one tackle and just run it in," Green said.
Weedsport defensive end Tony Tabone recovered another Allen fumble on the first play after the kickoff, which set up Green's third touchdown of the game, a 17-yard run around the left side.
Green then got his hands on the ball three times in the next four minutes. He intercepted a pass by Oriskany quarterback Matt Sreca on the next play and a few moments later to cap a four-play drive the put the Warriors ahead 40-14. Green then ended the game's scoring with a 28-yard interception return for his fifth touchdown of the night.
"He just has tremendous work ethic. He'll never give up on a play," Trousdale said.
The importance of the victory was not lost on the Warriors.
"We needed this win. Two losses in a row would have done us in pretty good," Green said
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