Prep Talk

I'm live in the Dick Grapes Press Box at the Lumberjacks Sports Complex for a key Class AA North showdown between Lockport and North Tonawanda.

I'll update when I can -- just a warning that the updates will become less frequent the later we get because of tight deadlines on Friday night. Thanks for your patience and just hit refresh for updates. Thanks.

7:01 p.m. I knew Dick Grapes would never retire. :-) NT named the press box after him last year but I heard his familiar voice as I was walking to the stadium. Great to hear it.

Here's the opening kickoff:

7:07 p.m. Lockport is 0 for 1. The Lions started on its 27 and did not gain a first down on its first possession. After a punt, NT took over at the Lockport 44 with 9:28 left in the first quarter.

7:15 p.m. Big stop for Lockport, which held on fourth-and-1 at its own 5 with 5:17 left in the first.

7:19 p.m. A great start to a drive for Lockport -- David Fluellen had a very nice 24-yard run to gain the Lockport 39 -- ends quickly with a fumble after a pass play to the right side. NT takes over at the Lockport 47 with 3:12 left in the first quarter.

7:24 p.m. We are at the END OF THE FIRST QUARTER and there is no score between Lockport and North Tonawanda. NT has second-and-4 at the Lockport 19.

7:28 p.m. A huge play for Lockport, which not only stopped NT on fourth down again (fourth-and-3 at the Lockport 18) but did so with an interception by Luke Rankie, who returned the ball 41 yards to the NT 46.

7:31 p.m. But we're still scoreless after Lockport fumbles the snap on a fourth-and-1 at the NT 26 and the Jacks take over with 8:20 left in the second.

7:38 p.m. We're not scoreless anymore. NT scores on a 4-yard TOUCHDOWN run by senior running back Tom Sell with 4:56 left in the second quarter. He just bulled up the middle on first-and-goal after a very nice up-the-middle run by quarterback Mike Tuzzo that went for 30 yards -- the Lion defense had trouble locating the ball carrier and Tuzzo made some nifty moves. Aaron Davis adds the extra point and North Tonawanda leads Lockport, 7-0.

Here's the video and the fired-up fans:

7:44 p.m. Report from Jamestown: Southwestern has a 7-0 lead over Lackawanna early.

7:45 p.m. NT takes a timeout before a fourth-and-3 at its 48 and 2:06 left in the second quarter.

7:48 p.m. Lockport with a timeout before a third-and-1 at its 30 with 1:18 left before halftime.

7:49 p.m. First down Lockport at its 32 after a Fluellen run, followed by a Lions timeout.

7:52 p.m. A Fluellen run was stuffed on third-and-9 at its 33, but a flag flew afterwards for an unsportsmanlike penalty of some sort on NT. Moved to a first down at its 49, a Fluellen run was stuffed.

7:54 p.m. We are at HALFTIME and North Tonawanda leads Lockport, 7-0. Lockport's last play was a Fluellen run for a few yards.

8:08 p.m. Update from Jamestown: Southwestern 21, Lackawanna 8 with 11 minutes left in the first half.

8:17 p.m. On its first series of the second half, North Tonawanda scores a TOUCHDOWN to take a 14-0 lead. On a well-designed, well-timed play, senior quarterback Mike Tuzzo went play-action and was back to pass with a Lockport defender freed to blitz him, but he had enough time to loft a pretty pass to junior Travis Charsley, who was uncovered and without a defender near him on the right sideline for the 45-yard score. Davis added the extra point; there is 9:26 left in the third quarter.

8:20 p.m. Lockport starts its drive at its 24 and on second-and-10 it has to call a timeout with 8:41 left in the third.

8:25 p.m. Some crazy stuff. Lockport punted, the ball took a funny bounce, which may have hit a NT player, which led to the ball originally being awarded to the Lions. Then the officials conferred and gave the ball to NT. On NT's first play from its 44, Kijowski went up the middle then broke to the left sideline for an apparent touchdown, but two flags flew on the run -- and I'm fairly sure they were for blocks well behind the play.

8:27 p.m. Kijowski goes up the middle with some seriously strong-legged running and scores on an 18-yard TOUCHDOWN run with 6:31 left in the third quarter to give NT a 21-0 lead over Lockport. NT went 56 yards on four plays to score, with Davis adding another extra point despite a penalty on the first kicking attempt.

8:38 p.m. Lockport gets a big break as Rankie intercepts a Tuzzo pass on first down with 4:53 left in the third, but then the Lions have an unsportsmanlike penalty move them back 15 yards on their ensuing possession.

8:41 p.m. A break for Lockport as NT is called for a pass interference penalty on a third-and-21 attempt; fired-up NT fans are riotous over the call. They are riotous almost after every call, actually.

8:43 p.m. Another break for Lockport as NT is rightly called for roughing the passer. First down for Lockport at the NT 44 with 1:25 left in the third and NT up, 2-1.

Report from ace Post-Journal reporter Scott Kindberg in Jamestown: Southwestern 35, Lackawanna 8 at halftime. 

8:47 p.m. At the END OF THE THIRD QUARTER, North Tonawanda leads Lockport, 21-0.

8:59 p.m. Aaron Davis, after a great run to get to the 2-yard-line, goes in to the end zone for a TOUCHDOWN on first-and-goal at the 2 and then adds the extra point for a 28-0 North Tonawanda lead with 5:26 left to play in the game. Not many updates from me in the next few minutes because I've got me a story to write.

9:28 p.m. We have a FINAL SCORE: North Tonawanda 28, Lockport 0. Lot of work for me in a little time. Keep checking back to the blog and buffalonews.com.

* * *

Certainly check out my story (featuring video interviews) on the game, as well as our roundup and scoreboard (both linked off of that story).

See ya during Saturday's action.

---Keith McShea

The last time a Western New York high school football team was on the field, it was the completion of one of the greatest feats in local sports history.

It was Orchard Park's state championship victory in last year's Class AA final, the completion of a thrilling weekend for Section VI at the Carrier Dome as four teams won state titles. 

Tonight, we start all over again.

Orchard Park hosts Lockport, just one of several intriguing matchups on a busy (25 games) Friday night of football. Here's what you thought in a poll on what's the best game of the night.

Stay here through the night as we'll have updates as soon as we get them.

Also, tune your twitter to "bufnewspreptalk" to get instant updates of the scores as soon as they are reported to us.

* * * 

And away we go:

Note to those attending Bishop Timon-St. Jude games this season. They are offsides on their kickoff times.

I rushed to Tifft Farms and Fitzpatrick Field eager to see the first kickoff in the City of Buffalo this year.

I walked through the gate at 6:55 p.m. as I heard whistles and saw action on the field.

"What time did they start?" I asked the ticket taker. 

"7 p.m."  he answered.

I looked back at my phone. Still 6:55 p.m. Hmm.

On the field, Timon went three and out and Cardinal O'Hara scored on its first drive of the season as junior Robert Davis' touchdown run. He had another run that set up the score.

O'Hara had a nice pass play -- which featured some nice hitting by Timon -- early in the drive.

7:18 p.m. We're back in the car and heading to Hamburg for its opening night of refurbished Howe Field.

* * * 

 7:37 p.m. I talk myself into a side parking lot, which is key because this place is mobbed. There are purple-clad people walking everywhere. I see WNY football guru Dick Gallagher on the sidelines as well as Hamburg lacrosse coach Jerry Severino.

Williamsville East has a 6-0 lead on the host Bulldogs, but Hamburg gets a big sack just before I head to the car. The camera angle isn't great, but hey, it's a phone.

While I'm typing in my car, I hear Iroquois turn its game into a blowout against East Aurora, while Hamburg scored a touchdown to take a 7-6 lead on Will East.

7:58 p.m. I do some typing, and it's off to Orchard Park -- an update on WGR said the game is tied at 7-7 late in the first quarter. Looks like I should get moving.

8:02 p.m. Still posting stuff from my car when Hamburg scores a touchdown on an interception return and adds a two-point conversion for a 15-6 lead on Will East. Iroquois' lead on East Aurora is 25-0 late in the first half.

* * *

8:23 p.m. After a slowwwww drive to OP, I walk in and my timing is not great -- 42 seconds left in the second quarter with OP up, 14-7. I'm kicking myself for posting stuff at Hamburg instead of driving right here. 

I see two plays -- one is below, the final play of the half -- and I've gotta get going. I can afford to sit at the field for 15 minutes. Gotta get back to the office. Our first deadline is 10:15, so it is going to be super-tight getting games in the paper. 

8:49 p.m. After some posting, tweeting and Facebook-ing (see The Buffalo News' Prep Talk blog fan page), I'm heading back to the office. EA has scored a touchdown and is down, 25-7, at Iroquois.

* * *

I'm back in the office for what should be a crazy night.

Keep track of the high school scoreboard, where we'll get scores as soon as possible.

* * *

CRAZY night. OP wins in double overtime, Maple Grove wins at the wire. See details at our home page story.

* * *

Check out a photo gallery from opening night with images taken by The News' Mark Mulville, John Hickey and James P. McCoy.

* * * 

OK. It's well after midnight, but all of the games that were reported to us are in the main story -- for many games, there are details and statistics that we didn't have room for (or time for) in the paper.

* * *

Did you see a game tonight? Listen to one on the radio?

Let us know what you thought in the comments section below.

---Keith McShea

Members of Lancaster's High School's championship football teams in 1969, 1989 and 1999, set aside Sept. 18. You are wanted at Foyle/Kling Field.

The Redskins are sponsoring a Salute of the Champions Night when they host Frontier in the home opener on the 18th and all players from those three team are invited. There will be a pregame dinner for the current and former athletes on Thursday of game week. The former players will also be honored in a pre-game ceremony before the 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

"We bring back Championship teams as a way of rekindling and reliving those moments players had during their era. It's important to connect those teams with our present players to put substance into our tradition,” said current coach Len Jankiewicz. "It gives the kids some first hand insight into the history of the program."

Former players planning to attend are asked to call Len Jankiewicz at 686-3270 or e-mail him at: LJankiewicz@lancaster.wnyric.org. Len Jankiewicz was coach of the 1999 and 1989 squads while Joe Foyle was the head coach in 1969.

The calendar says 2009 and that's good news for Lancaster fans. Besides the titles in 1969, 1989 and 1999, this is the 90th season of Lancaster football and its program was founded in 1919.

Continue reading "Lancaster football to salute title teams" »

Plenty of good things happened this lacrosse season to soften the blow of Section VI not
winning a state title.

Consider where some of these players are continuing their careers ...

Everyone knows Jeff Tundo is headed to Ohio State, he committed as a junior, but what about Pierce Abrams of Niagara-Wheatfield ticketed for defending national champion Syracuse? Besides honing his skills in Wheatfield, he was also selected to the under-19 Iroquois National team and has been participating with a select group of players on a Six Nation junior A box lacrosse team in Canada. He accepted the prestigious Haudenosaunee Promise Scholarship to SU.

Clay DelPrince of Frontier is going to Brown where he will receive an Ivy League education.

"I chose Brown because they have a really good mix of academic and athletic programs at a very high caliber," said DelPrince, who plans to study biochemistry. "Obviously in the Ivy League they're one of the best academic institutions and lately they're under a new coach and the lacrosse program has been really good, making the NCAA Tournament this year."

Those players wouldn't be going anywhere without good grades. Ten schools received the state's scholar/athlete award for having a combined 90-plus average: Lockport, Hamburg, Lancaster, Iroquois, Clarence, Frontier, Williamsville North, Sweet Home, Niagara-Wheatfield and Williamsville East.

This year's All-Western New York lacrosse team, chosen by area coaches, contains four players from Orchard Park -- Tundo, Mike Moran, Artie Marrapese and Gary Davies.

---Mary Jo Monnin

Ashley Fields stole the show on the girls’ side of the state track and field championships on Saturday.

The Amherst sophomore captured four golds -- two each in Division I and Federation. She broke her own Section VI record in the 200 meters with a time of 23.66. In that race, Fields made an improbable comeback on Columbus’ Whitney Fountain, who was a good five strides ahead of Fields with 50 meters to go.

With two years of high school still to go, Fields is the fastest girl in the state. “I was expecting this in maybe my junior or senior year,” Fields said. “Before this season, I was hoping to set PR’s and break school records -- not even the section record. I never would have thought I’d be a state champion in the 100 and the 200.”

Be sure to check out tomorrow’s paper for more on Fields’ miraculous day.

As Fields caught her breath and soaked in a refreshing breeze from the mist fan near the finish line after winning the 100, she saw Nichols’ Adele Jackson-Gibson in the corner of her eye. Fields walked over and fist-bumped her fellow Section VI sprinter.

Continue reading "Live from the state track meet: Four wins for Amherst's Fields" »