Pickin' Splinters

Rochester's Independent Sports Source

Eastridge holds off East/WOIS

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By PAUL GOTHAM

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Eastridge football scored on its first drive of the season, and the Lancers’ defense secured a win with three fourth-quarter stops.

Peyton Kispert capped an eight-play drive with a four-yard touchdown plunge, and host Eastridge went on to beat East/WOIS, 7-6 Friday night from Erna Frank Field.

Section V’s Class B champion a year ago, Eastridge made the move to Class A and announced its arrival by knocking off an East/WOIS squad that has made four appearances in the Class A finals since 2019 including the 2023 team that advanced to the state semifinals.

“To be honest with you, it wasn’t too big for us,” said second-year head coach Vic Davidson. “We play who’s on our schedule. All respect to those guys (East/WOIS). They’re well-coached. I have a lot of respect for those guys. But for us, it was Week 1, and we just approached it that way.”

Eastridge’s opening drive started at its own 49-yard line. The Lancers kept the ball on the ground for five plays and took advantage of a rushing-the-passer penalty to get inside the 10-yard line where Kispert went off tackle.

“It’s one game at a time,” Davidson said. “We’re in A2 now, so we’re with the big boys. Nothing’s going to come easy week to week. We’re gonna keep playing. We’re going to keep working, and we’re going to be right back at it tomorrow morning at 10 o’clock.”

The Lancers (1-0) were at their best in the fourth quarter when East/WOIS (0-1) took advantage of two fumbles and a blocked punt deep in Eastridge territory.

“Our coaching staff does a really good job with these guys,” Davidson said. “We emphasize running to the ball, flowing to the ball. That’s how we finished last year, and that’s how we want to continue this year.”

With Eastridge leading 7-6 late in the third quarter, East/WOIS recovered a fumble at the Lancers’ 40-yard line. Seven plays later, the Eagles had the ball first and goal at the two-yard line. Two plays later, Eastridge’s Myron Stamps recovered a fumble.

But the Lancers gave the ball back with another fumble that Junayde Dunn-Richardson recovered at the 14-yard line of Eastridge.

The Lancers stopped the Eagles on fourth down with 3:50 remaining in the game.

“At the end of the day, we just kept fighting,” Davidson said. “Had a couple kids cramping up on the offensive line playing both ways. It kinda hindered what we were doing offensively. Some bad snaps and things like that. We got to clean that stuff up.”

East/WOIS forced a three-and-out then blocked the ensuing punt to take possession at the Eastridge 26 with 2:29 left in the game.

Eastridge again stopped the Eagles on downs with their final pass into the end zone falling to the turf.

Jamal DeSouza led the Eastridge defense with seven tackles including one for a loss. Troy Caulkins had five tackles and one interception. Sylas VanScott led the offense with 63 rushing yards.

“We only can take it one game at a time,” Davidson said. “This is Week 1, and then we’re going to Week 2 and prepare for next week. We don’t care who we’re playing. We’re just going to prepare every week like we’re O-and-O.”

Taye Brown scored from 14 yards out for the lone East/WOIS touchdown with 3:11 to go in the third quarter.

After failing to get inside the Eastridge 30-yard line throughout the first half, the Eagles went 71 yards on nine plays, all on the ground, to find the end zone.

“We’re East,” said head coach James Vann. “They got pride. They want to play. They want to win. It hurts when you lose. We like the fact that it hurts. That’s what brought us back, the pride of being East players.”

Penalties limited the Eagles throughout the contest.

“A lot of young mistakes as you could see today,” Vann said. “Guys not knowing where they’re supposed to be. Mistakes that can be fixed.”

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