SYRACUSE - For four precious minutes, the Weedsport football team looked like it could pull off the upset of the 2009 Section III tournament.
Chet Susslin / The Citizen
Westmoreland senior Will Cotter, left, goes up for a reception with senior teammate David Bowers as Weedsport senior Jesse Schooley tries to break up the play during Friday night's Section III, Class D championship game at the Carrier Dome. Westmoreland won 43-20.
Westmoreland senior Will Cotter, left, goes up for a reception with senior teammate David Bowers as Weedsport senior Jesse Schooley tries to break up the play during Friday night's Section III, Class D championship game at the Carrier Dome. Westmoreland won 43-20.
The Warriors, facing No. 1 state-ranked Westmoreland for the Class D crown Friday night, seemed to have the Bulldogs in unfamiliar territory - behind on the scoreboard.
Westmoreland, who has been beating its opponents by an average of 52 points, fumbled away its first possession. No. 7 Weedsport scored and stunned the Utica-area fans.
For the first two plays of the Bulldogs' (10-0) second possession, the Warriors (9-1) had them stumped. Then, faced with a third-and-11, the Bulldogs turned on a switch that couldn't be tripped.
Westmoreland scored 36 unanswered points in a 43-20 victory to give the Bulldogs their second consecutive Section III title.
“I told you going in it would be a tough match-up for us,” said Warrior coach Greg Michaels. “We couldn't fall behind and we did. They're battle-tested kids. We played as hard as we could right up to the last whistle.”
Westmoreland won the Class C crown last season before dropping down to D this year. The Bulldogs rode the back of 1,000-yard passer Dan Smith, who threw for 186 yards and a touchdown in the loss. Smith connected with 6-foot-6 receiver Jason Colburn for 22 yards on a critical fourth-and-5 late in the first quarter, and dismantled Weedsport in long-yardage situations.
“We stopped them decently on the ground and they threw it up in the air,” Michaels said. “They've got a good quarterback and some receivers that can run. We had some kids who were right there to make the play and they were right there to leap over us and pull the ball away.”
Weedsport stalled on its second drive and Westmoreland running back Justin Becker scored his second touchdown on its ensuing possession. The Warriors looked ready to get back into it, but were stunned by the Bulldogs' onside kick.
“We've done it a couple times to really grab momentum,” said Westmoreland coach Tim Gates. “Kevin (Eisnor) kicked and Ben Rolewicz recovered it - exactly the way it's designed. Sometimes the players make the coaches look pretty good.”
The surprise move resulted in another touchdown for Westmoreland and Weedsport found themselves down 22-7.
The Bulldogs would add another 14 before Brian Quigley broke daylight from eight yards out early in the fourth quarter.
It wasn't as if the Warriors weren't moving the ball effectively. Weedsport only had one bad possession - its second of the first half. After that, they were stopped at the Bulldogs' 11- and 28-yard-lines before turning the ball over on downs.
“If you look at our stats we moved the ball well,” Michaels said. “We threw the ball more than we have in three games, and we had good success throwing. Quigley must have had 100 yards.”
The Warriors also gave the Bulldogs a scare in the fourth. Quigley his last career touchdown scored at the 10:34 mark, and Michaels opted for the onside kick. Austin Ashby recovered, and Weedsport marched down the field again.
Quarterback Abe Jordan, who opened up the field for the first time this season with his arm, found Justin Rose in the end zone to cut the lead to 36-20.
“We made a few better catches and a few better blocks,” Michaels said. “Stuff we did in the first half that we just didn't score (on).”
Weedsport set up for the onside kick again, but this time Westmoreland was ready. It went to the same side, and Becker, who already had three rushing touchdowns, scooped up the ball and headed for the end zone.
“We expected to win, but they're a great team,” said Quigley, who eclipsed the 1,500-yard mark in the title game and was Weedsport's MVP. “We were out-matched. We played our butts off, we just didn't do some things right and it cost us.”
Weedsport was unable to convert on its final drive and Westmoreland ran off the clock. It was only the Bulldogs second possession of the half.
Quigley led all rushers with 126 yards on the ground, while Jordan completed eight of nine passes for 177 yards. Tight end Tucker Beardsley, who only had six receptions coming into Friday's final, had seven for 152 yards. Rose, Austin Ashby and Matt Seager combined for 65 rushing yards.
Despite the loss, Michaels has nothing but good words for the state-bound Bulldogs.
“They've got to be as good as any D school around,” Michaels said. “I'd hate to see a better D school than them.”
W-port 7 0 0 13-20
West. 7 22 7 7-43
First quarter
WP - Quigley 11 run (Rose kick)
WM - Becker 8 run (Eisnor kick)
Second quarter
WM - Becker 11 run (Eisnor kick)
WM - Russell 22 pass from Smith (Colburn pass from Smith)
WM - Colburn 24 pass from Smith (Eisnor kick)
Third quarter
WM - Becker 9 run (Eisnor kick)
Fourth quarter
WP - Quigley 8 run (Rose kick)
WP - Rose 16 pass from Jordan (kick missed)
WM - Becker 49 kickoff return (Eisnor kick)
Bulldogs 43
Warriors 20
Westmoreland, who has been beating its opponents by an average of 52 points, fumbled away its first possession. No. 7 Weedsport scored and stunned the Utica-area fans.
For the first two plays of the Bulldogs' (10-0) second possession, the Warriors (9-1) had them stumped. Then, faced with a third-and-11, the Bulldogs turned on a switch that couldn't be tripped.
Westmoreland scored 36 unanswered points in a 43-20 victory to give the Bulldogs their second consecutive Section III title.
“I told you going in it would be a tough match-up for us,” said Warrior coach Greg Michaels. “We couldn't fall behind and we did. They're battle-tested kids. We played as hard as we could right up to the last whistle.”
Westmoreland won the Class C crown last season before dropping down to D this year. The Bulldogs rode the back of 1,000-yard passer Dan Smith, who threw for 186 yards and a touchdown in the loss. Smith connected with 6-foot-6 receiver Jason Colburn for 22 yards on a critical fourth-and-5 late in the first quarter, and dismantled Weedsport in long-yardage situations.
“We stopped them decently on the ground and they threw it up in the air,” Michaels said. “They've got a good quarterback and some receivers that can run. We had some kids who were right there to make the play and they were right there to leap over us and pull the ball away.”
Weedsport stalled on its second drive and Westmoreland running back Justin Becker scored his second touchdown on its ensuing possession. The Warriors looked ready to get back into it, but were stunned by the Bulldogs' onside kick.
“We've done it a couple times to really grab momentum,” said Westmoreland coach Tim Gates. “Kevin (Eisnor) kicked and Ben Rolewicz recovered it - exactly the way it's designed. Sometimes the players make the coaches look pretty good.”
The surprise move resulted in another touchdown for Westmoreland and Weedsport found themselves down 22-7.
The Bulldogs would add another 14 before Brian Quigley broke daylight from eight yards out early in the fourth quarter.
It wasn't as if the Warriors weren't moving the ball effectively. Weedsport only had one bad possession - its second of the first half. After that, they were stopped at the Bulldogs' 11- and 28-yard-lines before turning the ball over on downs.
“If you look at our stats we moved the ball well,” Michaels said. “We threw the ball more than we have in three games, and we had good success throwing. Quigley must have had 100 yards.”
The Warriors also gave the Bulldogs a scare in the fourth. Quigley his last career touchdown scored at the 10:34 mark, and Michaels opted for the onside kick. Austin Ashby recovered, and Weedsport marched down the field again.
Quarterback Abe Jordan, who opened up the field for the first time this season with his arm, found Justin Rose in the end zone to cut the lead to 36-20.
“We made a few better catches and a few better blocks,” Michaels said. “Stuff we did in the first half that we just didn't score (on).”
Weedsport set up for the onside kick again, but this time Westmoreland was ready. It went to the same side, and Becker, who already had three rushing touchdowns, scooped up the ball and headed for the end zone.
“We expected to win, but they're a great team,” said Quigley, who eclipsed the 1,500-yard mark in the title game and was Weedsport's MVP. “We were out-matched. We played our butts off, we just didn't do some things right and it cost us.”
Weedsport was unable to convert on its final drive and Westmoreland ran off the clock. It was only the Bulldogs second possession of the half.
Quigley led all rushers with 126 yards on the ground, while Jordan completed eight of nine passes for 177 yards. Tight end Tucker Beardsley, who only had six receptions coming into Friday's final, had seven for 152 yards. Rose, Austin Ashby and Matt Seager combined for 65 rushing yards.
Despite the loss, Michaels has nothing but good words for the state-bound Bulldogs.
“They've got to be as good as any D school around,” Michaels said. “I'd hate to see a better D school than them.”
W-port 7 0 0 13-20
West. 7 22 7 7-43
First quarter
WP - Quigley 11 run (Rose kick)
WM - Becker 8 run (Eisnor kick)
Second quarter
WM - Becker 11 run (Eisnor kick)
WM - Russell 22 pass from Smith (Colburn pass from Smith)
WM - Colburn 24 pass from Smith (Eisnor kick)
Third quarter
WM - Becker 9 run (Eisnor kick)
Fourth quarter
WP - Quigley 8 run (Rose kick)
WP - Rose 16 pass from Jordan (kick missed)
WM - Becker 49 kickoff return (Eisnor kick)
Bulldogs 43
Warriors 20
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