OBSERVER Photo by Ashleigh Brown
Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton’s Nick Jacobson breaks away from Fredonia’s Ayden Wronski during Friday’s Class C South football game in Mayville.
MAYVILLE — Frustration stemming from years worth of tough losses to the Fredonia Hillbillies was unleashed Friday night under the lights at Chautauqua Lake Central School.
In the end, it appeared to be a program-defining victory for the hosts.
From the opening kickoff until the horn sounded at halftime, the Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton Eagles did not let up in one of the most lopsided defeats the Hillbillies program has seen in several years. Following a 37-0 first half, the Eagles finished off a 37-6 Class C South football victory over Fredonia.
Coming off a 38-14 loss to Salamanca in Week 1, then facing a Fredonia team that beat them twice last year could have seemed like a daunting task for the Eagles in Week 2. Instead, Eagles head coach Ryan Gibbs saw his team respond in the way he had dreamed of for six years as a coach.
“Fredonia has always had our number. I’m a little emotional because it’s been a long six years,” Gibbs said with tears in his eyes. “We’ve had them on the edge several times, but we’ve never had a game like this.”
OBSERVER Photo by Ashleigh Brown
Eagles’ Asher Olson lunges forward for a touchdown in Class C South action against Fredonia on Friday night in Mayville.
Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton (1-1) wasted no time turning the night into a celebration. The opening kickoff of the game was returned 50 yards by Devin Hewes to set the Eagles up at the Fredonia (1-1) 25-yard line.
Gibbs said the game plan coming into the game was to “get Nick (Jacobson) the ball.” Jacobson, who did not play football last season, immediately rewarded his coaches for their faith in him.
On the first play of scrimmage, the Eagles found the end zone as the junior darted down the home sideline for the game’s first score.
“They have great athletes,” said Hillbillies head coach Greg Sherlock, adding of Jacobson, “He’s amazing.”
Just 17 seconds into the game, the Eagles led 7-0, but they were only getting started. Jacobson followed his opening touchdown with an acrobatic interception on a deep ball from Fredonia quarterback Donovan Dowdy at the Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton 22-yard line.
OBSERVER Photo by Ashleigh Brown
Fredonia’s Markel Davis looks for room to run.
From there, the Eagles marched right down the field on Fredonia for their second touchdown in as many drives. The scoring drive was capped by a strong run after the catch on a screen pass by Asher Olson, who broke several tackles for a 36-yard score.
Fredonia held the ball for more than four minutes on the ensuing drive, but Dowdy was stopped on fourth down with seven seconds left in the first quarter. The Eagles took over on downs, and immediately crossed midfield on the final play of the first quarter, as Jacobson bookended the quarter with another big play.
Two touchdowns in the first quarter would have been enough for the Eagles, but the hosts instead soared to new heights with an even more dominant second quarter.
After a long snap sailed over punter Bryce Bacher’s head early in the second quarter, the referees marked him down at the 1-yard line. The Eagles promptly responded with a quarterback sneak from junior quarterback Brayden Gibbs to increase the lead to 21-0.
The next drive was just as disastrous for Fredonia, as Dowdy threw the ball backwards looking for Luca Gullo deep in his own territory. The ball bounced around in the end zone before it was recovered out of bounds. After a long discussion, the referees ruled a safety, which put the Eagles up 23-0 with 7:58 left in the first half, along with the ball coming back to the hosts.
The Eagles took advantage of the ensuing possession in highlight reel fashion.
Brayden Gibbs let a deep ball fly down the field for Jacobson, who was in tight coverage. Falling backwards, Jacobson reached up and caught the ball with one hand near the Fredonia 10-yard line on a play that vindicated his head coach’s belief that Jacobson is one of the best athletes in all of Section VI.
“I honestly have no idea how I came down with it,” Jacobson said. “I just saw it coming in and it stuck to my hand. I can’t believe it.”
After the highlight-reel catch, Brayden Gibbs found Hewes in the back of the end zone, despite tight coverage, to put the game seemingly out of reach at 30-0.
The Eagles added on with another touchdown from Jacobson on an 18-yard reception from Brayden Gibbs with less than a minute to go. Thanks to five touchdowns, five extra points and a safety, the Eagles led 37-0 at the break.
“We are very young on the defensive side of the ball. We have seven underclassmen starting, so it takes time,” Sherlock said. “We’re here, and we accept that. … We just have to learn and we have to get better at playing fundamental football.”
The speed of the Eagles team presented matchup issues throughout the first half for Fredonia. Jacobson, who showed off his wheels on several big plays throughout the first half, said after the game, “We have the athletes. I think we are faster than any team we play.”
The second half was marred with penalties and injuries, which only prolonged the inevitable result. Fredonia managed to avoid a shutout with a Dowdy touchdown on a quarterback keeper from 20 yards out with 6:22 left in the final period.
“My hat’s off to Chautauqua Lake. They’ve got a very good team. I don’t know that they are weak anywhere,” Sherlock said.
Fredonia looks to regroup next week when it hosts Eden/North Collins on Friday night at the Orange Bowl in the first home game of the season for the Hillbillies. Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton will take on Silver Creek/Forestville on Friday in Silver Creek.