By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Less than 10 minutes remained in Friday’s Section V Football matchup, and the East/World of Inquiry football team had spent nearly the entire game playing catch-up.
After surrendering a 61-yard rush on the first play from scrimmage, the Eagles found themselves in a 7-0 hole less than four minutes into the game.
A pair of false start penalties short-circuited their first drive.
The 14-6 deficit at halftime was more manageable than what could have been.
So with the ball inside the Canandaigua 10 on fourth down and less than nine minutes remaining in the game, the Eagles had nothing but faith in the outcome.
“Our guys always believe that we can do it,” said head coach James Vann. “We never gave up. You can tell by every play. We felt like we had shots and should have been up. We stayed consistent and did what we’re supposed to do. Everybody was about the team.”
Junayde Richardson took the snap out of a shotgun formation, went to his left and then cutback into a hole for a first down, the last yard or two carrying a defender along with him.
One play later, Amir Bush found the end zone to give East/WOIS its first lead of the night at 18-14.
Following a fumble recovery, @GoEastEagles takes advantage of a face mask penalty as part of a 68-yard drive. Amir Bush, off tackle, gives the Eagles their first lead of the night 18-14. 9:06 to go. @SecVFootball pic.twitter.com/ZnCgtDb39M
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) October 17, 2025
“We knew what we had to do,” Richardson said after a 25-14 win. “Once I got that first down, I knew we were good.”
The win was the third straight for the Eagles (5-2-0) who started the season with a 7-6 loss to Eastridge.
“I don’t think that was us,” Vann said of the season opener. “First game jitters, we made a lot of mistakes. Thing is, guys got hurt throughout the season. Guys have stepped up. That’s what it’s been about – next man up. We just believe in the next guy who’s up, ready to go and we’ll rock out with it.”
On Friday night, that translated into holding Canandaigua (4-3-0) without a first down for its first three possessions of the second half and as a result – 19 unanswered points.
“We’re a second-half team,” Bush said. “We come out second half and we’re more focused, more determined.”
Evidence of that was a 73-yard, 7-play drive to open the third quarter. This after a holding penalty negated a 40-yard rush on the first play of the drive.
“The seniors stepped up,” Vann said. “Amir was a dawg all game. He gave every ounce that he had in that game. That’s what we’re about.”
Richardson capped the drive with a 45-yard scamper down the sideline to make it a one-score game at 14-12.
Third down from the 45, Junayde Dunn-Richardson gets to the outside and takes it to the house. Two-point conversion no good. @GoEastEagles cuts e deficit to 2 with 7:54 left in the third. @CAGrayWolves 14-12. pic.twitter.com/hRJxpVU7NG
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) October 17, 2025
Legend Taylor forced a fumble, and the Eagles took possession at their own 32 with less than four minutes remaining in the third. They used nine plays on the ground before Richardson converted on the pivotal fourth-down play.
“We ran ’11 special,'” the senior quarterback said. “I just knew. I had it in my head. If we don’t get this first down, then we aren’t going ahead. That’s what I had in my head. Once I got that first down, I knew we were good.”
Bush capped the scoring with a 22-yard run for the final margin of victory.
Richardson finished with 177 yards on 18 carries. Bush carried the ball 21 times for 139 yards. Taylor had 13 tackles. Rayshaad “Big Cat” Lane accounted for seven tackles, including one for a loss and a one-yard touchdown run to get East/WOI on the scoreboard early in the second quarter. Jamie Anderson had six tackles (2 for a loss) and a sack.
Canandaigua’s Cayden Gullace opened the game with the 61-yard rush. Five plays later, Jack Clark scored his first of two touchdowns on the night.
Sectional pairings will be announced later this weekend.
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