By JOHN LIKANJE
Joshua Graham led a balanced offensive attack with a pair of touchdowns as Hilton shut out Fairport, 30-0, in the regular season finale.
The senior fullback scored both touchdowns in a three-drive span near the end of the first half. With the Cadets already holding a 7-0 lead, the Red Raiders attempted to respond on the ensuing drive from their 23-yard line. After starting the possession with a seven-yard run, Graham ripped the ball away from the Red Raiders’ running back and sprinted in the opposite direction for a strip-sack touchdown.
Once the defense forced a three-and-out, Graham and the Cadets ran a two-minute drill which resulted in him scoring his second touchdown. Senior tailback Jason Bedford ignited the drive with scrambles of 14 and four yards, respectively. After Graham snagged a six-yard catch, Dontae Valion put the Cadets in the red zone with a 20-yard reception near the right sideline. Bedford brought them closer to paydirt with an 11-yard run and Graham was able to punch the ball the remaining eight yards himself. This gave the Cadets a commanding 20-0 advantage going into intermission.
Bedford and Valion added touchdowns of their own. Bedford took off for a 30-yard score on the drive before Graham’s strip sack. Valion followed up with a 38-yard catch-and-run in the third quarter. Senior kicker Nathan Battaglia nailed a field goal midway through the final period.
Hilton finishes the regular season with a 5-1 record and a three-game win streak. The Cadets accumulated 34 sectional points with victories over Aquinas, Edison Tech/School Of The Arts, Pittsford and Rush-Henrietta as well. The Cadets’ lone loss was to undefeated Victor in Week 3. Overall, they outscored their opponents, 152-62.
Depending on the results of McQuaid’s and Victor’s respective games, the Cadets could be the top seed in Class AA sectionals this upcoming weekend.
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