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Live Blog: Batavia vs. Skaneateles, State Championship semifinal

By Howard B. Owens

TO LISTEN TO THIS GAME, Tune in to WBTA.

Batavia received the kickoff. First play from scrimmage, Ray Leach gained about 30 yards. On the six play of the drive, with Leach carrying the ball on all six plays, Leach scores from the 15. Extra point is good, 7-0 Batavia.

Skaneateles second play from scrimmage is a 15-yard pass by Patrick Hackler for a first down. On the fourth play, Hackler breaks free on a keeper from the 45, carrying it to the Blue Devils' 25. Areh Boni scores on a handoff from Hackler from the 25 after a couple of incomplete passes. Extra point is good; 7-7.

Leach gets the ball on the first play of the drive for a five-yard gain. Leach gets the first down on the next play. Next play, Leach breaks through the line and carries the ball to the Lakers' 11-yard line. Leach again, for six yards. Puts the ball just short of the four-yard line. The Lakes manage to hold Leach to just a one-yard gain making it third and two. Leach scores from the two. Extra point is good; 14-7.

Lakers start next series on the 36. Hackler connects on the first play for 50 yards to Nick Wamp. Hackler on a keeper gains four yards. Hackler tries for the corner of the end zone and misses. Pitch to Areh Boni, held to a short gain. Skaneateles loses 10 yards on a holding penalty. On a fourth-down play from the 34, Hackler has to scramble and fails to reach the first-down marker. Batavia takes over on downs.

From the 28, Leach gains six yards on the first play. Leach stopped for a loss. Ball on the 32. Ethan Biscaro on a keeper. He reaches the 34 bringing up fourth and three. Batavia punts. Wamp receives the punt on the 30 but a flag on the play. The penalty is against Skaneateles. 

The Lakers series starts at their 19-yard line. A two-yard run by Boni. 

End of the first quarter, Batavia 14, Skaneateles 7.

The second quarter begins with Skaneateles on its own 22-yard line, second down. Hackler completes a 10-yard pass followed by a screen pass for a one-yard gain. Boni gains more than 20 yards on a run, putting the ball on the Blue Devils' 46. Taiyo Iburi-Bethel breaks up a long pass, bringing up second and 10. Boni rushes for three yards. Third and seven. Hackler scrambles pursued to the sideline where he dumps it off to Nathan Mulligan for a first down. Ball on the 32. Handoff to Nick Wamp stopped after a five-yard gain. Boni gains three, third and two. Keeper, Hackler for the first down. Ball on the Blue Devils' first down. Heckler on a keeper. Blue Devils close up a big hole quickly and stop him at the 12-yard line. Hackler overthrows William McGlynn. Offsides on the Blue Devils. First down for Skaneateles on the seven-yard line. Boni with the carry, gains two. Hackler on the keeper. Extra point is good; 14-14.

Short kickoff snagged in the air by Zack Anderson, who steps out of bounds at the 42. Leach dragged down from behind after a two-yard gain. Flag on the play. Holding on Batavia. It will be first and 20 from the 32. Biscaro attempts a 30-yard pass, dropped by the receiver. Leach breaks three tackles, gains 70 yards before he's tripped up on the one-yard line. First and goal. Leach scores. Extra point is good. 21-14, Batavia.

Nick Wamp takes the kickoff and is stopped by Leach with a hard-hit at the 34-yard line. Screen pass to Wamp, who picks his way through the defense for a 30-yard gain. Hackler's long pass skips into the arms of his receiver for an incomplete. Wamp rushes for six yards, bringing up third and four. Hackler on a keeper to the 22-yard line for a first down. Hackler tries to connect with McGlynn in the end zone, ball knocked away by Iburi-Bethel. Hackler carries on an option for a first down, first-and-10 at 10-yard line. Hackler's to Wamp on the six is complete. Hackler on the keeper, breaks through the line and scores. Extra point is good; 21-21.

Batavia starts its series on the 39-yard line. Skaneateles calls a timeout. Ray Leach gains 10 on the first play. Leach gains five. Leach gains four. Leach gains five, first down, ball on the Lakers' 41. Leach with another first down. Ball on the 24. Leach just short on his next carry of the first-down marker. Leach tiptoes through the line, finds a small hole, gains four and gets the first down. First and goal on the nine. Leach carries, carrying defenders to the one-yard line. Leach scores. Extra point is good; 28-21.

And the half ends with Batavia up 28-21. The Blue Devils will kick off to start the second half.

Skaneateles starts the half at the 49. First play, Hackler goes long and is picked off by Batavia's Andrew Francis. 

Batavia on its own 18. Leach stopped at the line of scrimmage on the first play. Delay of game, second and 15 at the 14. Leach sweeps to the near-side and gains seven. Biscaro drops back and then scrambles to the far-side and picks his way along the sideline to the Lakers' 47 for a first down. Leach on the next play carries the ball to the five-yard line. Leach from the five, scores. Extra point is good; 35-21. This is the first two-possession lead for the Blue Devils (this is also the first game all year that Skaneateles, who came in at 11-0, has ever trailed).

Leach has five TDs and more than 300 yards on the ground. He has more than 1,000 yards over three post-season games.

Nate Wellington takes the kickoff down to the eight-yard line of the Blue Devils, first and goal. Nick Wamp carries it to the four-yard line. Hackler sweeps right to the two-yard line, but the play is negated by a holding call. Second and 17. Hackler to Nick Wamp for the touchdown. Extra point good; 35-28.

Ethan Biscaro on the kickoff return, brings it back to the Lakers 45. Leach stopped at the line. Leach for a five-yard gain. False start. Third and 10. Leach held to only four yards on his next carry. Brings up fourth and eight. Batavia will go for it. Biscaro's pass is incomplete. Lakers take over on downs.

Skaneateles takes over on their own 43 and Hackler is stopped for no gain on the first play. Hackler passed to Nate Wellington who is hit immediately by Leach, for a five-yard gain. Hackler's next pass falls incomplete. On fourth and five, Hackler completes a pass in the flat but is two-yards short of the first down. Batavia takes over on downs.

Batavia starts on its own 47. Leach pushes through the line for a seven-yard gain. Leach stopped at the line by penetration from the line, Jimmy Liberatore making the initial hit on Leach. Biscaro tries to sweep to the far sideline and comes up short of the first down but he is face-masked and Skaneateles is assessed a 15-yard penalty.  Ball on the 30. Leach is the ball carrier and gets it to the 15-yard line for a first down. Leach gains seven on next run. Leach takes a direct snap and gets it to the first down. Biscaro on the carry to the two. Second and goal. Leach scores. His sixth touchdown on the night. Extra point is good; 42-28.

Skaneateles starts on their own 47. Leach intercepts a long pass from Hackler on the 10-yard line and brings it back to the 25-yard line. 

First and 10, Batavia at the 25.

End of the third quarter, Batavia 42, Skaneateles, 28. Short gain for Leach. Biscaro, looking to pass, hustles out of bounds for a loss. Batavia will punt.

From the Blue Devils' 39, Hackler with a run for eight yards. Hackler connects with Nick Wamp for a first down inside the 10-yard line. Hackler tries a keeper and is dragged down in the backfield. Hackler to Boni in the flat but Boni stumbles and falls, with nobody between him and the end zone, on the five-yard line. Third down. Hackler up the middle, stopped on the two-yard line by Josh Barber. Hackler with a light toss to William McGlynn for the touchdown. Extra point is good. 42-35, Batavia leads.

Skaneateles tries an onside kick and recovers but the ball doesn't go 10 yards. Batavia's ball on the Lakes' 49. Leach carries for nine and then on next carry takes it to the 32 for a first down. Leach gains seven. Leach brings the ball to the 16. First down. Leach scores. That's his seventh TD. Extra point is blocked; 48-35. 

Lakers' ball on their own 42, first and 10. Hackler takes the ball to the 49, second and three. Hackler stands tall in the pocket and finds Nick Wamp in the flat for a first down. Ball on the 34. Hackler to Wamp, 13-yard gain and a first down. Hackler runs, gains six and he makes it out of bounds. Pass to Wamp in the flat, who gets a good block and scores. Extra point is good; 48-42. The drive took only 54 seconds off the clock.

Skaneateles tries another on-side kick, recovered by Andrew Francis, ball on the Lakers' 47, first and 10. Leach stopped in the backfield. Second and 11. Leach breaks free on a sweep for a 48-yard TD run, his eighth TD. Two-point conversion fails; 54-42, Batavia.

Nate Wellington picks up a squib kick and is tripped up on the Lakers' 38-yard line, first and 10. Hackler pass falls incomplete. Hackler to Nick Wamp, putting the ball on the Blue Devils' 34. Hackler sprints out of bounds to the 18-yard line, first down. Hackler's pass into the corner of the end zone, incomplete. Defended by Andrew Francis. Hackler on a keeper up the middle to the four-yard line, another first down. Hackler on a sweep, scores. Extra point good; 54-49.

Batavia recovers another on-side kick. First and 10 at 50-yard line. 2:19 left in the game. No gain on the first play and the Lakes call a timeout. Leach with the carry for six, bringing up third and four. Leach for the first down. Lakers take a timeout. Leach for two yards. Leach for another three. One minute left with a third down play.

BATAVIA WINS, 54-49.

Howard B. Owens

Not streaming. The state athletic association won't allow WBTA to stream it. WBTA is broadcasting on 1490 AM and 101.1 FM.

Nov 17, 2018, 3:18pm Permalink

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