By BOB CHAVEZ
CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. — It did not go unnoticed that the latest installment of football between Canandaigua Academy and East High/World of Inquiry was played in acceptable weather conditions.
Especially after games in recent seasons between these teams were played in driving rain or bone-chilling winter weather.
But even with Friday’s fair weather, there was a storm brewing. And it didn’t clear until East High scored the winning TD with 11 seconds remaining for a 31-27 win at CA.
“It just shows that we never give up,” East quarterback Zymier Jackson said, moments after his 9-yard pass to Ervin Wiggins erased a Canandaigua lead that was established with 2:03 remaining. “This is big.”
Turns out, this game was big for both teams. Big because both proved to themselves that they have plenty of resolve.
Consider CA’s lesson. Canandaigua (2-2) opened the game with Jack Tanoory’s 85-yard kick return for a TD. That fired up the capacity Homecoming crowd and put the Eagles on notice.
They responded on both sides of the ball. East (4-0) forced Canandaigua to punt on its next six offensive possessions because it had trouble establishing much of anything on offense. Meanwhile, East was building a 21-7 lead to take into halftime.
Perrion Lee Williams caught a 49-yard TD on the drive after Tanoory’s return and Anthony Hampton ’s 4-yard run made it a 14-7 game early in the second quarter. Then, with 8:43 left in the second quarter, Wiggins scored on a 31-yard play and the momentum clearly belonged to East.
East takes 14-7 lead early Q2.
This catxh by Wiggins sets up a 4-yard run by Anthony Hampton.
@PickinSplinters pic.twitter.com/squR65ehVc
— Bob Chavez (@chavez_flx) September 22, 2023
And when East opened the second half with a 37-yard field goal for a 24-7 lead, it was a quiet Homecoming crowd in Canandaigua.
But then it came together for Canandaigua. Riding the strength of Trey Comella’s running, CA scored its first offensive TD with 39 seconds left in the third quarter. That cut the East lead to 24-13 and then the Braves forced East to turn the ball over on downs.
Comella TD!
Trey Comella scores CA’s 1st offensive TD of the game with 39 seconds left in Q1.
East lead is 24-13 after the 2-point try fails. @PickinSplinters pic.twitter.com/CHo7Bv5cZS
— Bob Chavez (@chavez_flx) September 23, 2023
Canandaigua then drove for another TD, this one a 3-yard keeper from quarterback Drew Williamee. Both 2-point tries after these TDs failed, so the East lead was 24-19 with 5:46 left. That meant CA needed a defensive stop and a TD if it had any hope of winning, and that scenario unfolded when Mason Depew recovered an East fumble at the East 39 with 5:39 left.
CA drove to the East 13 and on 3rd and 11, Williamee took the snap, rolled to his right and looked back to the left to loft his pass. Tanoory got under his defender and pulled in the pass to give CA a 27-24 lead after Dom Gullace reeled in the pass for a 2-point conversion.
TD!
Drew Williamee on the keeper with 5:46 left in game.
Try for 2 fails & East lead over CA is 24-19. pic.twitter.com/eQOANZssvI
— Bob Chavez (@chavez_flx) September 23, 2023
The ensuing kickoff put the Eagles at their own 37 with the final minutes staring them in the face. Jackson went to work and led the drive, aided by a big personal foul call against Canandaigua that put East deep into CA territory.
But the CA defense held and forced East into a 4th and 15 situation with 29 seconds remaining. The Eagles converted with a 16-yard pass on the play and with 11 seconds left from the CA 9, Jackson hit Wiggins with the winner.
“We lost our rhythm and (CA) did a nice job pinning their ears back and forcing us into some 3rd and longs and 4th and longs,” East co-coach Steve Flagler said. “They could have quit, but they came up big.”
For CA coach Jeff Welch, the lack of confidence on defense is what hurt his team the most early. But once Canandaigua found its footing, the shift in momentum was obvious.
“In the second half, the boys up front played tough,” he said. “But this is special. We kept battling and they gave us a chance to win the game. When you battle like that, it’s special.”
Jackson finished with 301 yards passing, completing 18 of 28 passes, and Wiggins caught 7 passes for 84 yards and a pair of TDs. For Canandaigua, Comella rushed for 178 yards on 24 carries.
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