Prep Talk

Live from the Class AA clash of the titans: NT 21, OP 7

Hello there from the much-anticipated Class AA football semifinal of Orchard Park at North Tonawanda. We'll have updates throughout the game. Things may get hairy later on because I have a deadline to meet. Get comfortable with your refresh button and enjoy the game.

The game will be shown on Time Warner Cable's Ch. 13 at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

6:51 p.m. The legendary Dick Grapes, the PA man for which this press box is named, just introduced "as a team ... the North Division champion ... North Tonawanda Lumberjacks."

6:52 p.m. Outrage alert: There are NO PROGRAMS HERE at North Tonawanda. Great job by Section VI. Utterly ridiculous.

6:57 p.m. Captains have met. NT defers, OP will receive. Just a fabulous night here. The wind has only picked up recently, but there are many folks here without a jacket. Hopefully the trick-or-treaters get a night like this tomorrow.

Here's the kickoff:

6:59 p.m. OP starts on its 24.

7:02 p.m. Forgot to mention my prediction -- NT by 13.

7:04 p.m. OP runs three times, gets a first down; a penalty pushed them to a first-and-15 and they are forced to punt from their 39. NT takes over at its 48 with 8:36 left in the first quarter after a nice punt return by Derrick Bloomfield 

7:06 p.m. On its second play from scrimmage, NT has a TOUCHDOWN. Joe Montesanti takes a pitch to the right from quarterback Mike Tuzzo, and Montesanti follows two nice blocks on a sprint to the end zone. NT gets the extra point kick from Aaron Davis and the Lumberjacks lead OP, 7-0, with 7:51 left in the first.

7:13 p.m. We have an update thanks to a text message from News Sports Columnist Bob DiCesare: Grand Island takes a 7-0 lead at Hamburg after Andy LaLonde goes 68 yards on a run on the Vikings' first play.

7:16 p.m. OP got two first downs before punting from the NT 35 and starts at its 3. Montesanti fielded the ball inside the 5, muffed it but recovered.

7:21 p.m. OP calls a timeout with 16 seconds left in the first quarter. NT faces a second-and-15 at the OP 41 after a fumbled pitch by Tuzzo was recovered by Davis on first down. NT is moving the ball well, particularly behind pitches to the right side to Montesanti.

7:22 p.m. At the END OF THE FIRST QUARTER, NT has a 7-0 lead on OP. 

7:29 p.m. NT's drive ended at the OP 31 when a fourth-and-5 pass by Tuzzo was just a bit too far for an open receiver. Then we had our first big turnover of the game. OP faced a second-and-15 at its 25 when a Dave Janca pass to the left sideline was tipped by Bloomfield and reeled in by -- I believe -- Davis. NT takes over at the OP 35.

7:34 p.m. North Tonawanda has scored its second TOUCHDOWN. On third-and-3 at the OP 4, Tuzzo hung up a pass to the right side of the end zone and Davis fought off a defender and went up and got it. Davis looked like he used his All-Western New York basketball skills to box out the defensive back and reel in the ball. NT gets the extra point from Davis and leads OP, 14-0, with 6:37 left in the second quarter.

7:38 p.m. Reports from Lauren Mariacher and DiCesare at Hamburg: GI has its 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter, then blocked a Hamburg punt and takes over at the Hamburg 22.

7:45 p.m. As the the text turns: DiCesare reports that GI misses 36-yard field goal wide left.

7:46 p.m. NT with a big play by Bloomfield, who nabs a OP player short on a fourth-and-5 play at the NT 10. Bloomfield is having a tremendous first half. OP had a nice drive from its 35 thanks to several Dan Nesci runs out of the wildcat formation and a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on NT for a late hit.

7:49 p.m. We are at HALFTIME with North Tonawanda leading Orchard Park, 14-0. Following the fourth-down stop, NT ran three plays, kneeling to run out the clock at its 14 to finish the half.

7:54 p.m. DiCesare text: Dlugosz scores on a 1-yard touchdown run to cap a 44-yard drive and GI leads at Hamburg, 14-0, wtih 3:20 left in the first half.

8:06 p.m. DiCesare text update ... Wow. Hamburg has scored two touchdowns to tie the game at 14-14. Nico Zarcone ran in a 3-yard touchdown with 1:39 left in the half, then Hamburg recovered a fumbled kickoff and Zarcone threw a 35-yard TD to Testman on the first play (1:25 left).

8:09 p.m. Orchard Park is set to kick off to NT.

8:10 p.m. NT starts at its 18.

8:14 p.m. NT gets a first down on an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, but nothing else and punts the ball, but OP's No. 11 (no program!) blocks Tuzzo's punt cleanly. Tuzzo covers inside the 10 but an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty is called on the tackle; OP starts at the NT 24.

8:18 p.m. NT stops OP on fourth-and7 at the NT 21 as a pass by OP's No. 15 goes harmlessly incomplete in the end zone. NT takes over at its 21 wtih 7:38 left in the third quarter.

8:22 p.m. NT moving well. First down at the OP 40 after a big keeper run by Tuzzo for 12 yards.

8:29 p.m. NT drove well, and drove for a long time, but its field goal on fourth-and-6 at the OP 7 goes wide right. NT had a third-and-1 but had a false start penalty. OP takes over at its 20 with 46 seconds left in the third quarter.

8:31 p.m. At the END OF THE THIRD QUARTER, NT maintains its 14-0 lead over OP. OP faces a third-and-19 from its 11 after a huge sack by No. 52 (no program!) of NT.

8:42 p.m. OP punted, NT threw an interception on fourth-and-9 at the OP 38, OP took over at its 18.

HUGE play for OP to keep their hopes alive, converting a fourth-and-13 at the NT 39 as junior quarterback Kyle Witkowski hit Nesci underneath and he escaped a few tackles to get to the NT 19 before being knocked out of bounds.

8:46 p.m. HUGE play for NT, and another one for Bloomfield. He intercepts a Witkowski pass inside the 5 and then goes on a nice return -- featuring a spin move -- although a block in the back penalty on NT brings it back to its 7 as it takes over with 8:18 left to play.

8:51 p.m. NT punts from its 19 and it is a good one by Tuzzo -- great coverage by Bloomfield (what a game) and OP will start at its 35 with 5:38 to play.

8:54 p.m. NT forces an incompletion by Orchard Park on fourth-and-9 and will take over at the OP 36 with 4:50 to play. OP is in a major hole now.

8:56 p.m. Update from Hamburg: GI scores on a 38-yard TD pass from Klock to Kellner and it takes a 21-14 lead to the fourth quarter.

8:57 p.m. First down NT at the OP 26. Clock runs under three minutes.

8:59 p.m. Looks like NT is headed to The Ralph, and OP won't be there for the first time since the year 2000. Tom Sell takes a handoff to the right side and runs around the corner and down the sideline for a 21-yard TOUCHDOWN. Davis adds the extra point and NT takes a 21-0 lead with 2:48 left in the game.

9 p.m.  The student section for NT chants: "Mis-ter Graaa-aapes" to PA guru Dick Grapes. Good stuff.

9:06 p.m. Orchard Park scores a TOUCHDOWN as Witkowski hits Nesci on the left side of the end zone on a 13-yard score with 1:49 left in the game. The extra point is good by No. 70 (no program!) and NT leads OP, 21-7.

9:13 p.m. GI leads Hamburg, 28-14, on a Klock 1-yard run with 1:48 left.

9:15 p.m. We have a FINAL SCORE: North Tonawanda 21, Orchard Park 7. 

More details later -- the press box applauds Dick Grapes as the crowd applauds NT. I'm outta here.

9:40 p.m. FINAL SCORE from Hamburg: GI wins, 28-14.

10:13 p.m. My story is in to the office. Now I'm headed there. Here's our scoreboard, which will be updated all night -- Canisius wins at St. Francis, 14-10. 

---Keith McShea

More pregame of the big game: OP at NT

I have a story in today's paper about the huge game tonight in Class AA that has defending state champ Orchard Park playing at North Tonawanda.

(Also be sure to check out Miguel Rodriguez's story which takes a look at some other games as well as recaps Thursday night's Week Nine action -- it includes a lot more information that we could fit in the paper.)

Here's some more OP-NT tidbits:

A postseason review since 2001, which accounts for OP's eight straight championship appearances at The Ralph:

2001 OP beats Lancaster in final
2002 NT beats OP, 14-10, in final
2003 OP loses to Lockport in final
2004 OP beats NT, 14-7, in final
2005 OP beats NT, 26-22, in final
2006 OP beats NT, 27-0, in semifinal
2007 OP beats Lancaster in final after NT lost at home to Lancaster in semifinal
2008 OP beats NT, 28-13, in final

* * *

OP coach Gene Tundo ....

On North Tonawanda's option offense:

"It's equally balanced either side, so you have to defend it on the run -- you have to defend the triple option and the vertical passing game. That really stretches your defense. You can't make any mistakes on any play. You have to read it, and when you read triple option the defense is always one man short. They're good at it.

"Frontier runs a version of it, so we've worked on the option. It's going to be hard to stop. It's a proven option running offense and they're running it as well as they've ever run it." 

On what has changed for OP since the Week Five loss at Lancaster:

"Our defense has gotten better. Offensively we've secured the ball better -- we really haven't turned the ball over as much. We've gotten better in all phases of the game, especially special teams -- we've played great the last three games or so. We've kicked four or five field goals since then.

"The main issue is going to be our kids. We were taking where we were for granted, and now we don't do that. We took the foot of the pedal the and we paid for it in the Lancaster game. We didn't want it as much as them. This will be similar to see how bad our guys want it. It will come down to who makes the least mistakes and who plays the hardest."

* * *

NT coach Eric Jantzi on the Jacks' play of late:

"We were improved last week [against Frontier] - I thought we played one of our best games of the year.

"I didn't expect anything less from this group of seniors, that's what I've expected this year. I expect they'll do the same thing [tonight] -- I expect they'll bring their best game. I'm not saying we'll blow anybody out, but they'll bring their best game.

"Steve Kijowski had one of the best games I've seen from an individual player probably since I've been here. He had 176 yards rushing and had 17 or 18 tackles. He's been a special kid this year and especially the last three years."

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Don't forget to vote in the poll: who's going to win? OP or NT?

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We'll be back with a Friday Night Live post later and we'll be live from the Dick Grapes Press Box at NT around 7 p.m.

---Keith McShea

Who's going to win Class AA football?

Class AA has the defending state champion in Orchard Park, last year's runner up and many people's pick for this year in North Tonawanda, not to mention No. 1 large school Lancaster, plus a group of super-competitive teams.

Will OP repeat? Will NT break through? Will Lancaster hold on to the top spot? Will Frontier, Jamestown or Lockport prove as stingy as they've been in the regular season?

poll by twiigs.com

As with all of our polls, we want to hear how and why you voted. Let us know in the comment space below.

Be sure to vote in all of the polls: Class A, Class B, Class C and Class D.

---Keith McShea

Live from Lancaster beating OP, 9-7

I'm in a crowded press box at Foyle-Kling Field for tonight's huge matchup of No. 1 large school and defending Class AA state champion Orchard Park at No. 2 Lancaster.

I'll provide updates when I can, just sit back and become buddies with your refresh button.

7:24 p.m. It's senior night for the Redskins, who were just introduced with their parents on the field. Some careful steps were taken out there by several parents, and a few had umbrellas. That will tell you a little about the field conditions. The Lancaster sideline below me is already muddied up quite a bit. It should be interesting here on the grass field. By the way, a great job by the Lancaster field crew -- there is a Lancaster and an OP helmet painted at midfield on our side, and a huge "R" facing the visiting bleachers. Great stuff. This is always one of the best places to watch a game.

7:34 p.m. The captains are meeting. The rest of the Lancaster team walks hand-in-hand and forms a long line behind their captains perpendicular to the 50-yard line. The Redskins similarly walked out that way for introductions. 

7:35 p.m. Lancaster will receive.

7:37 p.m. Lancaster will start at its 20.

7:40 p.m. Lancaster goes three-and-out after two passes and a scramble by Justin Juda which was halted by a nice wrapup by Dan Selby. OP starts at the Lancaster 40.

7:42 p.m. That's three-and-outs for both teams on their first possessions. Two Okoya Anderson runs and an incomplete pass by Dave Janca, and OP punts and a touchback starts Lancaster at its 20. 

7:44 p.m. Big play by the Quaker defense as junior Paul Leavell steps in front of a nicely-thrown ball by Juda at the Lancaster 45 and runs back a nice return. After an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, OP starts at the Lancaster 31 with 8:14 left in the first quarter.

7:50 p.m. Orchard Park has scored a TOUCHDOWN in fittingly dramatic fashion in a game between the top two large schools. On fourth-and-goal at the 1, Anderson carried left and followed a nice push for the score. Sophomore Austin Reece added the extra point and Orchard Park leads, 7-0, with 3:08 left in the first quarter. 

Here's some not-so-close-up video of the score:

7:54 p.m. An update from correspondent Lauren Mariacher at Elma -- Sweet Home leads Iroquois, 14-10, at halftime.

7:55 p.m. Lancaster faces a fourth-and-6 and calls a timeout with 1:45 left in the first quarter; the Redskins have Juda pooch punt and OP takes over at its 33 with 1:36 left in the first.

7:58 p.m. OP goes three-and-out after two incompletions and a stuffed run by Anderson -- Reece has a nice punt bounce to around the Lancaster 25, but an illegal block penalty will move the Redskins up to the 35.

8:01 p.m. At the END OF THE FIRST QUARTER, Orchard Park leads Lancaster, 7-0.

The Redskins are driving -- two first-down runs by Zack Maryniewski have Lancaster at the OP 40.

8:05 p.m. Lancaster has called a timeout with 10:25 left in the second quarter, having driven to the OP 19 but facing a fourth-and-6. A big third-down conversion went from Juda to Sean Pantling across the middle on third-and-10 from the OP 40.

8:06 p.m. Lancaster goes for it on the fourth down and is stopped when senior linebacker Joshua Reed sniffed out Maryniewski on a screen pass.

8:09 p.m. The field is getting chewed up on the left half (OP is now driving left to right on your computer screen; Lancaster had the ball in that end for much of the first quarter). Footing is a little iffy and there is some slipping going on. There are also some visible chunks of divots around the 20-yard line on the left side. There has been hardly any action on the right.

8:14 p.m. OP moved to its 32 but had to punt; Lancaster went three-and-out on the ensuing possession; OP takes over at near its 14 (no yardage on the scoreboard and it's tough to tell down there) with 6:00 left in the second quarter. 

8:18 p.m. Dave Janca hits Cory Harrison on a nice pass on third-and-8 for what looked like a first down, but a measurement shows OP short by an inch or two. OP lines up and nearly draws Lancaster off-sides before calling a timeout with 4:40 left in the third. They come out in punt formation.

8:21 p.m. Lancaster takes over at its 46 with 4:28 left in the second quarter.

8:23 p.m. Orchard Park takes over at its 20 with 3:35 left in the second after a very quick three-and-out by Lancaster which had two incompletions and a stuffed run.

8:26 p.m. Lancaster gets a big break on an OP short punt and takes over at the OP 26. 

8:27 p.m. The drive went that fast -- Lancaster misfires on a Juda pass on fourth-and-7 and OP takes over at its 23 with 56 seconds left in the second quarter. 

8:30 p.m. Orchard Park has moved forward a big chunk in a little time and calls a timeout with 19 seconds left in the first half. Anderson had two big runs, one for 12 yards and one for 17 to get OP to the Lancaster 48.

8:31 p.m. Another nice run for Anderson up the middle is followed by a timeout by OP with 13 seconds left in the half. OP has a second-and-5 at the Lancaster 43.

8:34 p.m. We are at HALFTIME and Orchard Park has a 7-0 lead. The clock is counting down for 12 minutes. 

OP moved the ball well on its final possession; Dave Janca hit Derek Janca on the left sideline for a first down at the Lancaster 36 -- and he got out of bounds with five seconds left. On the final play, Dave Janca hung up a pass down the left sideline for senior Kevin Collins, who appeared to get his hands on the ball but was well covered and the ball fell to the muddy turf.

It's not raining now but the field has been a factor. It might be affecting the quarterbacks, because when they are on the move they haven't been accurate.

8:45 p.m. A radio report has Sweet Home leading Iroquois, 29-13, in the second half. Another press box report -- Andrew Mrozek is out with a broken collarbone, a big ouch for Lancaster.

8:51 p.m. A great return by Leavell, who took a short-hop kickoff, followed tightly-bunched blockers and literally shook his leg out of what appeared to be a certain tackle to take the ball to the OP 47.

8:54 p.m. Orchard Park has to punt and Lancaster takes over at its 27 wtih 9:40 left in the third quarter.

8:59 p.m. Orchard Park takes over at its 23 after stopping Maryniewski on a fourth-and-1 run at the OP 21. Great hold by OP after Lancaster found life behind Juda's option runs to the outside and Cory Davis's runs up the middle. 

9:06 p.m. Whoa. Huge play here. Lancaster called a timeout with 3:38 left in the third quarter after a crazy play. Orchard Park went to punt and a faulty snap brought Reece to the right side, just in line for a Lancaster player to block it -- Reece's punt went out of bounds at an extreme angle and it looked like it was blocked -- but it wasn't. The player was all over Reece and was called for roughing the kicker, giving OP a first down at the Lancaster 43. Whoa. 

9:10 p.m. Another whoa. Lancaster nearly had an interception on one play but the defender couldn't come down with it. On the next, Andy Speyer had an interception but it was called back on a pass interference penalty. 

9:13 p.m. I'm running out of whoas. Lancaster finally got that interception, as senior Kevin Schwach -- the player who nearly blocked the punt -- picked off a Dave Janca pass to the right sideline to give Lancaster the ball at its 27 with 1:52 left in the third. 

9:14 p.m. On Lancaster's first play, Juda kept it up the middle and sped all the way on a great run to the OP 18. Kevin Collins made a touchdown-saving tackle. 

9:16 p.m. Lancaster calls a timeout with 12 seconds left in the third quarter, facing a fourth-and-7 at the OP 15. Great play by Cody Hallick, a junior, to stuff a third-and-6 run behind the line of scrimmage.

9:18 p.m. We have a TOUCHDOWN for Lancaster with two seconds left in the third quarter after a great play by Juda. The senior quarterback rolled left on the fourth down play, then reversed field and went back to the right side while several Quakers bore down on him. Juda put up a great pass to the end zone, over an OP defender and where Sean Pantling could get it for a score.

On the extra point, however, there was a bad snap and Michael Theuerkauf never got off a kick.
Orchard Park still leads Lancaster, 7-6.

9:20 p.m. After a touchback kickoff, that is the END OF THE THIRD QUARTER.

9:22 p.m. A final from Elma: Sweet Home beats Iroquois, 44-23.

9:31 p.m. Not many updates from me here as I've got a deadline to make. OP just converted a huge third down when Janca hit Robert Kugler on third-and-14 to move OP from midfield to the Lancaster 23.

9:33 p.m. Huge play for Lancaster now. A personal foul moved OP into a third-and-23 at the 35, and Janca was picked off by Ryan Loftus, who returned the ball to the Lancaster 27 with 4:56 left to play. 

9:37 p.m. Lancaster at OP 37 after a personal foul call on OP. Just over three minutes left. 

9:38 p.m. Timeout Orchard Park with 2:54 left and Lancaster with a first down at the OP 23. Juda just hit Cory Davis on a short safety-valve pass across the middle that went for a 14-yard gain. 

9:41 p.m. Timeout Lancaster with the Redskins facing a third-and-3 at the OP 16 with 1:46 left in the game. 

9:48 p.m. Lancaster lining up for a potential game-winning field goal wtih 10 seconds left. 

9:49 p.m. Alex Debbins hit the 21-yard field goal to give Lancaster a 9-7 lead with six seconds left. WHOA.

Here's some video which is quite fuzzy, but the reaction of the crowd is pretty priceless:

9:51 p.m. We have a FINAL SCORE: Lancaster 9, Orchard Park 7. I gotta run.

* * *

Here's what happens after your team kicks a field goal in the final seconds to beat the reigning state champions (and that's three broadcast teams plus a PA announcer in a buzzing press box):

* * *

Here's a link to my story, featuring video interviews.

---Keith McShea

Will North field hockey on a roll

Check out the High School Extra for a busy Wednesday of fall sports. Here are some extra notes from around the fields:

* * *

Williamsville North field hockey coach Kris LaPaglia has the Spartans firing on all cylinders early this season. The latest example: an 8-0 domination of Holland.

"We're working well as a team right now and we have a lot of kids who can be offensive threats," LaPaglia said.

Playing that role Wednesday was junior Alley Ahern, who had four goals.

 "This is a big year for her," LaPaglia said. "She's been with me for a couple of years now and her game has really improved. Her skill level is very high."

Nikki Atkins added a hat trick and backup sophomore goalie Alayna Wageman got the shutout. The Spartans are now 4-0 on the season.

* * *

 In girls soccer action, Jackie April had the game-winning goal midway through the second second half as Orchard Park stayed unbeaten at 3-0 in ECIC I with a 2-1 win over Frontier.

Nichols senior Bri Smith had all five goals in her team's 5-0 shutout of Sacred Heart in Monsignor Martin action. Smith now has 19 goals in seven games after scoring 59 a season ago. Bethany Novak and Meaghan Heldwein split the shutout in goal for the Vikings (6-1).

---Jay Skurski

Friday Night Live: Week Two

The education of the Western New York high school football fan continues tonight.

Will Orchard Park have another close one? Can Cardinal O'Hara head to the Southtowns and knock off St. Francis?

Will Frontier, North Tonawanda, Iroquois and Hamburg continue their winning ways among large schools?

Who will get the first win in the Harvard Cup?

The kickoff of the Buffalo Public Schools' Harvard Cup, which has Hutch-Tech taking on Grover Cleveland at All High Stadium, is the first of 25 games that will be kicked off tonight as Week Two gets started. You can listen to the first Intense Milk Harvard Cup Game of the Week at 5 p.m. at WJJL (1440 AM), WJJL.com or via the National High School Broadcast Network. 

The Williamsville North at North Tonawanda game is on WGR (550 AM).

Here's what you think the best game of the weekend is.

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. We also have a fan page at Facebook -- just search "The Buffalo News' Prep Talk blog" -- and you'll get updates with links to our high school sports stories.

* * *

6:04 p.m. It's the start of our football night, but we've already been way up to Middleport for research on a girls volleyball story which features Roy-Hart (and there were tons of purple-football-jersey-wearing Ram fans walking around. I was also over at Canisius High to check out a few plays from their boys volleyball match that officially opened the school's new field house.

We watched some late second-quarter action of Hutch-Tech against Grover Cleveland in the Harvard Cup opener, including a touchdown and two-point conversion that gave the Engineers a 14-8 lead over Grover at halftime.

The scoring drive began with an interception by Tech (above), which then drove down the field and got a 7-yard TD run (below) by senior Antae Miller, who stretched out the ball ahead of him and jusssst broke the plane for the score.

Tech added a two-point conversion on a pass. I've got video of those plays and will get them up soon.

Tech scored first on a rushing touchdown by senior quarterback Mark Horne. Grover scored on a wild play in which senior tight end Dontay Byrd caught a pass that was deflected and then ran 64 yards for the touchdown.

We're writing this from the new press box at All High Stadium -- that's right, the new press box. It has been built behind the stands. The old one is still on the stadium roof, and the stairway leading to it remains boarded off and guarded full-time. I just shake my head when I think about that stairway. 

The new press box is a good one, a decent space with a tables and electrical hookups, with a good view of the action despite some pillars in front of us.

With a bunch of games starting at 7 and 7:30 p.m. in the Southtowns, I'm going to get my fill down there -- I think I'll start at St. Francis, but there are games at Frontier, Hamburg, Lackawanna and Orchard Park as well. We'll see. 

I'm heading to the parking lot and turning on the radio broadcast of this game.

* * *

7:01 p.m. We're in the St. Francis parking lot and just posted some video highlights from the Harvard Cup game. Hutch-Tech still leads and the awesome Harvard Cup radio crew is letting an official have it for throwing a celebration flag on Grover after a big touchdown. "That's the worst call I've ever seen!" said Hall of Fame coach Art Serotte. Grover scores on the two-point conversion to go up, 22-20, on Tech. Great stuff. O'Hara-St. Francis just kicked off. I'm headed to the sidelines.

7:07 p.m. Holey crud. While I fixed some blog stuff, Cardinal O'Hara returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown (I believe that's how they scored -- there were 15 seconds gone on the scoreboard) and has a 7-0 lead on the host Red Raiders. I gotta get out of the car.

7:25 p.m. Back in the car and hitting up google for "iPhone reboot" after our phone went kaput. Ugh. It was fine in the car, then I got to the field and it was dead. Uh-oh. 

On the radio, I just heard a riled-up Rick Kozak hollering that Grover beat Tech, 28-20. Quite the opener there. I kind of feel bad I don't have any Grover highlights here, but it was all Tech there at the end of the first half.

7:31 p.m. Thank you, apple.com. A reboot and we're fine. It appeared that a little piece of fuzz or paper got stuck in the slot where you put the battery in and maybe shorted it out or something. Oh well. We're back up and running and we're headed to another game. 

I don't have any video or pictures, but St. Francis and O'Hara are tied at 7-7. It turns out that O'Hara scored on its first play of scrimmage, an 80-yard run by -- I believe -- Robert Davis. St. Francis answered with a very pretty play facing a fourth-and-9 at the O'Hara 19 as senior quarterback Michael Chuchia put up a pretty pass in the right corner for senior Roland Kerr, who made the grab with plenty of room for his feet to land in the end zone. Very nice play. There is 7:46 left in the second quarter.

Too many games and not a lot of time, so I'm outta here.

* * *

7:39 p.m. I park far away from Frontier's far-away field, run through three parking lots (hey, it's good exercise) and I hear the PA announcer getting excited because Mark Schuster just scored on a 56-yard touchdown run -- but I'm still far away from the far-away field. Whoops. The Falcons take a 7-0 lead on West Seneca West.

7:54 p.m. I leave Frontier after seeing the Falcons on a nice defensive series (including the big sack above). I'd expect them to add to their lead, although the Falcons failed on a series just before I left. I think I'm headed to Hamburg next

* * *

8:03 p.m. Whoops again. Hamburg is at halftime with a 13-3 lead over Grand Island -- looks like a great game, but halftime just started and there's 15 minutes on the clock. I'm outta here. North to Lackawanna we go.

* * *

8:27 p.m. Whoa. I arrive and Lackawanna is down, 14-6, to Pioneer in the second quarter. 

Pioneer was deep in Lackawanna territory, but the Steelers stopped a run (above) and got a big sack (below) to get some key field position back.

Pioneer called a timeout, but I don't have any time to spare. I run back to the parking lot -- where I parked illegally -- and head to Orchard Park. 

* * *

8:49 p.m. I'm guessing OP is now in the third quarter. I'm here, but in the car doing some updating via my laptop. I gotta head to the office at about 9:15 p.m. at the latest.

9:02 p.m. The good news is that WGR is doing high school football. The bad news is that they picked North Tonawanda's home game against Williamsville North, which was a blowout waiting to happen.

And it sure happened. NT went up, 49-0, at the halftime. It just went final: NT wins, 63-0. Yikes.

* * *

9:18 p.m. I'm hitting the road after Orchard Park took a 28-10 lead over Jamestown on a touchdown run (below) by Okoya Anderson which came on the last play of the third quarter. He had a nice gain a play earlier (above) just after OP stopped Jamestown on downs in OP territory. 

* * *

9:36 p.m. Back in the office and ready to write. Stay tuned.

* * *

10:32 p.m. Our scoreboard is getting updated by the minute.

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1:16 a.m. Here's a link to our football roundup, featuring Frewsburg knocking off Maple Grove (wow!). The scoreboard (linked above) is complete. High School Extra has soccer, volleyball, tennis and field hockey. 

As for the games I stopped by, it just proves the old adage: you can't tell a game by the two minutes of game action you see :-)

When I left All High, Hutch-Tech seemed OK with a lead. When I left St. Francis, it was a tie game. When I left Frontier, it was a one-touchdown lead. When I left Lackawanna, Pioneer was up and the Steeler sideline seemed to be getting nervous.

Six football games from about 5:30 to about 9:15 p.m. I've said it before, I'll say it again: I love my job.

But I'm tired. Good night.

* * *

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

Friday Night Live: Week One kicks off

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

Big weekend on several fall fields

Football is obviously the big sport in the fall, but this opening weekend is even bigger when you consider the big events that are getting other seasons started.

* * *

In today's paper we mentioned two boys soccer events, the Clarence Tournament and the Coaches V. Cancer ECIC-NFL Challenge at Sweet Home. The Clarence event speaks for itself with top teams East Aurora, Nichols and Kenmore East visiting.

The Sweet Home event has organizers wondering aloud if it is the largest boys soccer event to be held in Western New York. With five games on Friday and five on Saturday, I can't think of anything of that scope.

It's a great format and a great cause. Officials will wear a commemorative shirt to honor former longtime Western New York official Tom Mingle, who passed away on Sept. 5, 2008. The officials -- who are donating all of their game fees to cancer research -- will make a presentation to Tom's family during halftime of the Sweet Home/North Tonawanda game at 12:45 p.m. Saturday.

The format of the event is two points for a win and one point for a tie; if the two leagues are tied the tiebreaker is fewest goals allowed.

Here's the lineup:

Friday's games
Sweet Home vs. Kenmore West, 2 p.m.
Wmsv. East vs. North Tonawanda, 4 p.m.
Wmsv. North vs. Niagara Falls, 4 p.m.
Wmsv. South vs. Lew-Port, 6 p.m.
Hamburg vs. Niagara-Wheatfield, 6 p.m.
Saturday's games
Wmsv. North vs. Lew-Port, 10 a.m.
Wmsv. East vs. Niagara-Wheatfield, 10 a.m.
Sweet Home vs. North Tonawanda, noon
Hamburg vs. Kenmore West, noon
Wmsv. South vs. Niagara Falls, 2 p.m.

Also, this afternoon is the first round for the Eden Kickoff Classic, which features the hosts meeting Springville and Pioneer taking on Roy-Hart; the winners meet Friday.

Friday just isn't opening night for football at Orchard Park, Rochester boys soccer power Aquinas will visit OP at 5 p.m.

Speaking of Aquinas, on Saturday the Little Irish host Canisius while the girls team hosts East Aurora.

* * *

Clarence also has a nice collection for its girls soccer tournament, held in conjunction with the boys. Friday's first-rounders are Nardin at Clarence and Nichols vs. Kenmore East.

Some nonleague girls soccer action Friday includes a great program showdown of Williamsville North at Grand Island as well as Williamsville South at North Tonawanda. 

* * *

Clarence just leads the league in big opening events -- the 23rd annual Clarence Invitational in boys volleyball includes a who's who of top teams in its 16-team field. Orchard Park, Canisius, Eden and St. Francis will be there. The tournament starts at 8 a.m.

Speaking of volleyball, the boys get some serious bump-set-spiking in tonight as OP -- which went undefeated last year -- opens against St. Francis at home at 7 p.m.

On Friday, Catholic girls state champion St. Mary's opens up at Victor of Section V (Rochester area) while Williamsville North is at Starpoint.

* * *

All that and even boys basketball (!) sneaking in with the Elia Tournament at Niagara Falls. 

---Keith McShea

WGR's full schedule of Friday night games

WGR's Web site states it will be broadcasting the following games on Friday nights:

Friday: East Aurora at Iroquois
Sept. 11: Williamsville North at North Tonawanda
Sept. 18: Depew at Maryvale
Sept. 25: Sweet Home at West Seneca East
Oct. 2: Orchard Park at Lancaster
Oct. 9: Iroquois at Williamsville South
Oct. 17 (Saturday): Kenmore East at Kenmore West

A quality lineup of games, and it's definitely cool to see high schools going primetime -- especially on a station where they high school sports talk has been quarantined to one hour on Saturday mornings for years.

Iroquois is a big winner with two games, but both are good matchups. The Monsignor Martin Association is a big loser with zero games, but it's somewhat understandable since there aren't any Friday nighters screaming for coverage. If GR is still doing games on Oct. 30, it might not be a bad, spread-the-wealth idea to go with the Monsignor Martin championship rematch of Canisius at St. Francis rather than a Section VI semifinal.

The list is a good mix of games, teams and areas, and it shouldn't be a surprise that the lineup consists of all Erie County teams other than just-across-the-bridge North Tonawanda. Randolph-Maple Grove is a great game for high school football fans, but GR wants to move the ratings needle, especially in a first-time venture like this.

---Keith McShea

How The News voted: Preseason practice

The actual poll starts next week, so this, just like everything in high school football the past two weeks, is just practice. That's right, we're talkin bout practice.

So much so that -- hours after we submitted a top 10 list for publication in the paper -- we have second thoughts about a bunch of this top 10, particularly the large schools. If most polls should be taken with a grain of salt, this one should be taken with 1/10th of a grain. 

One final look back is here with the 2008 final poll, and here's our 2009 look forward:

1. Orchard Park (13-0 last year) [last year's final poll: 1] - A no-brainer to end last year, a no-brainer to start this year. 

2. Sweet Home (13-0) [2] - They might not be the state championship-caliber team they were a year ago (last year's depth was phenomenal), but we still like them here.

3. North Tonawanda (9-1) [3] - A lot back from a team that gave OP a tough test. You could argue they could be No. 2. Preseason-wise, we clearly see the top three, then a bunch of more teams.

4. Iroquois (8-2) [9] - Call it scrimmage bias after being fairly impressed with them on their Field of Dreams. After how low I voted them last year, they shouldn't be up this high. But certainly a great year-after-year program that should be in the top 10.

5. Lancaster (6-3) [7] - Speaking of great year-after-year, here's another top 10 team. We eagerly await the battles of AA South.

6. St. Francis (4-6) [4] - They beat Canisius when it counted last year, so we gave them a slight edge here, as we did in last year's final poll. Yet another top program which should be in the mix. Another murderous schedule this year.

7. Canisius (6-4) [5] - On paper they lost a lot, but so did they teams ahead of them. Proof that Nos. 4-7 in this poll could be interchangable. This year their schedule might be just as murderous as Frannies' (both play Ohio's St. Ignatius, Rochester's Aquinas and Pennsylvania's Cathedral Prep).

8. Riverside (10-1) [6] - The Harvard Cup champions kept a lot of talent and welcomed top lineman Sean Mulhern of Canisius. With no nonleague games for Harvard Cup teams this year, it's pure guesswork how they stack up against the rest of Western New York. Talk about a poll headache. 

9. Kenmore West (6-3) [8] - Here's a nod to the Blue Devils playing OP tough in the postseason (two losses at OP, one at NT). We err on the side of what you did last year, rather than offseason hype, and we reserve the right to change our mind once the teams hit the field :-).

10. Williamsville South (6-4) [NR] - A whole lot back from last year's team, so we'll throw the Billies in this spot, slightly edging out Grand Island, a top 10 team that's not in the top 10 (I have Frontier right after that at 12, for what it's worth). And well, would you look at this: Saturday afternoon -- Williamsville South at Grand Island.

Small schools

1. Southwestern (13-0) [2] - Too many weapons back to not be in this spot.

2. Maple Grove (13-0) [1] - All signs point to these two being atop the poll for a while. But I guess that's why they play the games.

3. Lackawanna (10-1) [3] - We'll keep the Steelers up high despite the loss of Capone Smith. Like Iroquois, this might be a case of seeing Lackawanna scrimmage (and scrimmage well). 

4. Fredonia (8-2) [4] - Another slot-them-in-from-last-year, although this year's schedule (C) might hurt them in the polls (to the bunch at B).

5. Cleveland Hill (8-1) [7] - A bunch back from a team that was a top three program last year until losing to Silver Creek in last year's semis.

6. Depew (6-3) [9] - When in doubt, rank the teams that are usually ranked.

7. Alden (8-1) [5] - Might be generous considering what they lost in graduation.

8. Cardinal O'Hara (6-4) [10] - Four Monsignor Martin small school titles in a row make them one of the best small schools. They looked it on Scrimmage Saturday, too.

9. Randolph (6-3) [NR] - Could make some noise Friday night at Maple Grove.

10. Cheektowaga (4-5) [NR] - You'd think these guys will be in the top 10 after dropping down from Class A. We shall see -- starting Friday when the Warriors host high-powered Medina. 

Our small-school poll regret? Probably not making room for Burgard. We'll call them the small school version of Grand Island (the 11th top 10 team).

Don't like what you're reading? The comment space is below.

Also, visit here Wednesday for a live chat with yours truly at 7 p.m.

---Keith McShea