BY: ASHTON TOWNSEND
BROCKPORT, N.Y. – The last time the Eastridge Lancers won a sectional title was in 2013 in Class A. This time around, led by game MVP running back Christian Beason, the Class B Section V Championship belongs to the Lancers after a 28-14 win over the No. 1 seed Batavia Blue Devils at Bob Boozer Field on the campus of SUNY Brockport.
Beason opened the scoring at the beginning of the second quarter, and after he ran in the two-point conversion as well, the lead was 8-0. The Lancers never let go of that lead for the rest of the game.
“My line just got a great push up front,” Beason said. “I just felt like I couldn’t go down and I had to set the tone. “I had to get us up early and I executed,”
The Lancers team was 0-8 last year which led to a change in leadership. Head coach Victor Davidson, in his first year, now owns the Class B title.
“The kids get out of school at two o’clock and we start practice late cause all our coaches don’t work in the building,” Davidson said. “So, nobody goes home, we go do homework together, we watch film together and we stick together.”
At halftime, the game was still 8-0.
The Lancers forced a turnover on Batavia’s first drive in the second half and started on the Blue Devils 36-yard line. After a loss of 11 yards, Beason and Dwayne Collins each had a carry to set up Steven Masetta who punched in a touchdown from 28 yards away.
The Lancers had a perfect squib kick, which they recovered to set up their next drive on the Blue Devils 22-yard line. Masetta had a gain of nine, but the Lancers on a mistake lost 12 yards. But, the hero from last week’s semi final game against HF-L, Dwayne Collins stepped up and snagged a 25-yard receiving touchdown to grab the 22-0 lead.
“It feels amazing, especially because I didn’t start at all last year,” Collins said. “A lot of people didn’t believe in us at all and now none of this feels real,”
The No.1 seed Blue Devils did not go away. After a 15-play 86-yard drive, Bronx Buchholz punched in a rushing touchdown to make it 6-0 with 10-minutes remaining. The Blue Devils then recovered an onside kick and Justin Smith caught a 28-yard receiving touchdown, and Buchholz converted the two-point try to make it 22-14.
“We got to finish games,” Davidson said. “We got to be more accountable, patient and just stay in the game. So this is going to be a learning lesson for our kids whether is for next week or next year because with a well-coached team like Batavia, you never know,”
After the Lancers turned the ball over, the Blue Devils had another chance to claw its way back. But, Marion Bell for the Lancers had different plans and picked Buchholz off. Beason came out in the wildcat and handed the ball off to Collins and from 13 yards out, Collins sealed the game with a rushing touchdown which was his second total touchdown.
“It feels great to be a part of an offense this good,” Beason said. “I’m just glad I was able to do my part and to be able to for us to get the win and seal the deal with my brothers,”
The Lancers (6-4) move on to face the Section VI champion, either Health Sciences/BASC or South Park in the Class B Far West Regional.
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