By PAUL GOTHAM
BRIGHTON, N.Y. — A lake-effect storm dumped more than six feet of snow on parts of the Greater Buffalo area starting last Thursday. Plows and heavy equipment have been in use since then removing snow from roads and walks.
On Monday night, Steve McDuffie’s offensive line cleared the way in the second half as Buffalo Bennett/Olmsted/Middle Early College/East (VI) rallied to claim a second straight NYSPHSAA Class AA Far West Regional championship.
Jayden Lewis and Ja’meer Thomas combined for three touchdowns and more than 300 yards on the ground as the Tigers erased a two-score halftime deficit to defeat host McQuaid, 20-14 on Tom Seymour Field.
“It’s a real big character win for us today,” said McDuffie whose team will face Cicero-North Syracuse (III) in the state semifinals on Saturday. “To be down 14 at the half and come back in the second half, this was a good character win for the kids but it was also a great win for Bennett High School, a great win for Section VI, a great win for the city of Buffalo and a great win for all these kids in our family.”
Lewis scored from two yards out to get Bennett on the board. Two drives later, Thomas found paydirt from 23 yards away to tie the game at 14, and Lewis cut back against the grain to give Bennett its first lead of the game with 6:24 left on the clock.
Lewis finished with 191 yards on 21 carries. Thomas rushed the ball 20 times for 130 yards.
McDuffie pointed to the play of his offensive line creating paths for the Tigers’ backfield.
“Everybody saw today very clearly why Rashard Perry is one of the best recruits in the Northeast,” McDuffie said of his senior guard who is committed to play at Syracuse University. “We let him be our hammer along with (Jason) Gwan. And they were able to plow the road for us.”
First down from the 17, Ja’Meer Thomas finds space along the left side. 2-point conversion is no good. Bennett 14 McQuaid 14 pic.twitter.com/ufTjUBRPVI
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) November 22, 2022
McQuaid took advantage of a short field from the Bennett 27 yard-line, and John Harding scored from four yards out for a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter.
The Jesuit Knights gained possession again in enemy territory and were driving when Aaron Roseboro grabbed his first of two interceptions for the Tigers – this one coming in the end zone to short circuit the McQuaid drive.
McQuaid took possession on its own 20 with 2:33 remaining in the half drove 80 yards in 11 plays. Will DiMarco hit Gavin Brownlie with a 23-yard strike for a 14-0 lead heading into the break. They reached the red zone just one more time for the remainder of the contest after recovering a fumble at the Bennett 35-yard line. A Lewis interception ended that threat.
On second down from the 23, Will DIMarco and finds Gavin Brownlie. PAT is good. @AthleticsMcQ 14-0 heading into halftime. pic.twitter.com/0c6WVAMoMB
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) November 22, 2022
DiMarco opened the game completing 7-of-8 passes – all swing plays – on McQuaid’s first drive of the game. Bennett took away that short pass to the outside in the second half.
“They started buzzing down on it and rolling the backer over to it,” McQuaid head coach Bobby Bates said of the opposing defense. “That was making it tough to get that out. They manned us up a little bit in the second half.
Bennett stopped McQuaid three-and-out on the first drive of the third quarter. The Tigers then drove the 80 yards in eight plays – the biggest of which came from Lewis when a penalty tacked on yards to set up the Tigers in McQuaid territory.
The Jesuit Knights (9-3) picked up one first down on their next possession, but the drive stalled from there. McQuaid had a chance to capitalize after the fumble, but Bennett’s defense made timely plays.
Bennett stops McQuaid three and out to open the third then goes 80 yards in seven plays – all on the ground. Aided by one penalty. Jayden Lewis punches it in from two yards. 2-point conversion is good. McQuaid 14-8. pic.twitter.com/9ZInMAqqQa
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) November 22, 2022
“We sputtered on offense,” Bates added. “We couldn’t get anything going in the second half. It was a tough go of it in the second half for us.
“Right now, I’m frustrated with myself in not making the correct adjustments for our kids. I don’t think I made the right adjustments for our kids.”
Monday’s loss was McQuaid’s second straight to Bennett in the state quarter-final. Last season’s Class AA regional was rescheduled due to a Covid-19 problem with McQuaid.
“We were playing good team defense, and we played good team defense in the second half,” Bates noted. “They started running double-iso at us and they were pulling same side. They were really walling us off on one side. They were doing a god job of it. It was a good adjustment on their part. They’re a well-coached team.”
On offense, McQuaid’s challenge was dealing with the 6-foot-3, 243-pound Perry.
“That was the debate all week,” Bates said. “Do you run at him? Do you run away from him? Do you double him every time? Do you try and trap him? We were trying to double him for the most part, but then you double him and you got the other guys.
“I’m really proud of our kids. We were able to do some things pretty well. I don’t know if we made the correct adjustments.”
Monday’s game was originally scheduled to be played on Saturday at the University of Rochester. Heavy snowfall in Buffalo restricted travel and caused the game to be rescheduled. This came after Bennett (5-6) was forced to forfeit four games during the regular season because of a clerical error. The Tigers had not practiced outside since last Wednesday. McDuffie pointed to that as part of his team’s slow start.
“We were in walk-through mode because of the storm. Our kids go through cycles with their bodies. Right now, since today was a Monday, the first half their bodies were still cycling like it was a Monday.”
And McQuaid was looking to avenge last year’s loss.
“They did a tremendous job,” McDuffie said of McQuaid. “They took away from us what we’ve been very productive with on the edges. They took that away.”
Roseboro made a spectacular leaping grab early in the fourth quarter for his second interception of the night. Bennett took over on its own 40-yard line and went the length of the field for the winning touchdown. The winning drive included a fake punt. The Tigers converted on fourth down twice in the second half.
Bennett converts on fourth down. pic.twitter.com/NpfhOPUfcV
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) November 22, 2022
A 6 p.m. kickoff is scheduled at Union-Endicott High School for Saturday’s semifinal.
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