In a game that came down to the final play, the Genesee County Spartans defeated the Ithaca Warriors, 12-6, on Saturday night in Northeastern Football Alliance semipro action at Pembroke Town Park.
Linebacker Marley English and defensive backs Jzon Henderson and Max Rapone stopped Ithaca quarterback Joshua Mims just three yards from the end zone as time ran out to secure the victory for the Spartans, now 4-2, and still alive for a playoff berth in the league’s Western Conference.
The top two teams in each conference will advance to the playoffs. The Lockport Wildcats lead at 7-0, followed by the Spartans at 4-2 and Rochester Chargers at 3-3.
The Spartans are off until Aug. 3 when they will host Rochester for a 5 p.m. contest. Rochester has a home game next Saturday against the unbeaten Wildcats.
“We escaped with a win tonight, but we’ll have to be much better against Rochester and, hopefully, for the playoff game against Lockport,” said Spartans Head Coach Harry Rascoe. “We need to avoid turnovers and capitalize on our opportunities. Tonight’s game should not have been that close.”
Against Ithaca, the Spartans’ points came as a result of a field goal, safety, touchdown and point-after-touchdown kick.
Julia Petry opened the scoring midway through the first quarter by kicking a 22-yard field goal, capping a short drive set up by Marley’s interception at the Ithaca 25.
Neither team scored again until the 3:55 mark of the third quarter when Spartans’ defensive tackle Gunner Rapone and English tackled David Crow, Ithaca’s other QB, in the end zone for a safety, making the score 5-0.
The safety came one play after Genesee County was thwarted on four straight running attempts from the 1-yard line.
The Spartans increased their lead to 11-0 with four minutes left in the fourth quarter when QB Corey Turpin connected with wide receiver Deyonci Farley for a 34-yard TD. Farley caught the ball in the right flat, avoided a defender and sprinted to the end zone. Petry’s extra point kick made it 12-0.
Ithaca struck back quickly, however, when Mims hit Patrick Twum for a 45-yard touchdown. A pass for the two-point conversion fell incomplete, leaving the score at 12-6.
Genesee County ran six plays, taking two minutes off the clock, but turned the ball over on downs with 1:31 to play. Taking over at the Spartans’ 40, Mims completed a couple passes to get the ball to the 8-yard line, stopping the clock with five seconds left.
From there, Mims scrambled before taking off down the middle of the field and running into the trio of Spartans’ defenders who combined for the potential game-saving tackle.
Statistically, Spartans’ running back Jed Reese had a busy night, carrying 22 times for 106 yards. Turpin completed nine of 13 passes for 114 yards, a TD and two interceptions.
Defensively, Henderson and lineman Steve Kowalczyk had interceptions, linebacker Kaden Marucci recovered a fumble and Gunner Rapone recorded a sack.
Rascoe, noting his team’s statistical advantage, credited both lines for “controlling the line of scrimmage” but said he’s looking for his team’s skill position players to dominate going forward.
