Wayland-Cohocton hosted Livonia in high school football action at the Cohocton Sports Complex on Friday night and the two teams played an exciting contest somewhat reminiscent of the Golden Eagles heartbreaker at Shalen Stadium against Wellsville in the Sectional Finals last year in Rochester.
Wayland-Cohocton blocked three Livonia punts in the game, but in the end, a blocked field goal attempt by the Bulldog special teams keyed a 22-21 Livonia victory.
After each team sputtered in their opening drives, Livonia was about to punt in their own territory. The Bulldogs gave Way-Co something to think about and attempted a quick kick, which Eagles tackle Zach Glantz blocked and the Golden Eagles recovered on the Livonia 29-yard-line. The Eagles got a big play from running back Jordan Rizzieri who broke free on a 27-yard touchdown run with 4:28 left in the first quarter. Dan Wilkinson booted the point-after making it a 7-0 game.
Following their ensuing, unsuccessful series, Livonia attempted to punt again, and this time Darren Becker got a piece of the football setting Way-Co up on the Bulldogs’ 41 yard line. This and one other Eagles possession opened in Bulldogs territory, but Way-Co could not cash in. That started the pendulum swinging the other way.
Livonia’s final two possessions in the half resulted in extreme efficiency and produced a Bulldogs lead at the half. With 5:53 left in the second quarter Bulldogs senior leader Derek Bishopp broke free on a 70-yard touchdown run making it a 7-6 game when the Bulldogs missed the point-after.
Way-Co stalled again, and the punt set Livonia up at their own 46 yard line. Coach Steve Girolmo’s club responded and received a big play when quarterback Connor Pierce connected with Josh Wester on a 25-yard scoring ariel with 0:37 remaining. Wester ran in the two-point conversion making it a 14-7 game at the half with Livonia in command.
There was more excitement in the second half as Way-Co scored on their first possession after stopping Livonia’s initial drive. The Golden Eagles drove 80 yards and the drive was capped by a 14-yard touchdown run on Rizzieri. When Way-Co missed the conversion, Livonia maintained a slim 14-13 edge in the game. With defense doing its job, special teams again surfaced. With 6:32 left in the game, the Bulldogs were stopped by the Eagles deep in their own territory. When Livonia attempted to punt, C.J. Ellis got free and blocked the kick. The ball rolled free into the end zone where Way-Co’s Mason Hamilton fell on it for a touchdown swinging the lead the Golden Eagles’ way. The home team decided to go for two and C.J. Ellis hooked up with Caleb Sick in the end zone for the conversion making it 21-14. The game was far from over.
Wayland-Cohocton hosted Livonia in high school football action at the Cohocton Sports Complex on Friday night and the two teams played an exciting contest somewhat reminiscent of the Golden Eagles heartbreaker at Shalen Stadium against Wellsville in the Sectional Finals last year in Rochester.
Wayland-Cohocton blocked three Livonia punts in the game, but in the end, a blocked field goal attempt by the Bulldog special teams keyed a 22-21 Livonia victory.
After each team sputtered in their opening drives, Livonia was about to punt in their own territory. The Bulldogs gave Way-Co something to think about and attempted a quick kick, which Eagles tackle Zach Glantz blocked and the Golden Eagles recovered on the Livonia 29-yard-line. The Eagles got a big play from running back Jordan Rizzieri who broke free on a 27-yard touchdown run with 4:28 left in the first quarter. Dan Wilkinson booted the point-after making it a 7-0 game.
Following their ensuing, unsuccessful series, Livonia attempted to punt again, and this time Darren Becker got a piece of the football setting Way-Co up on the Bulldogs’ 41 yard line. This and one other Eagles possession opened in Bulldogs territory, but Way-Co could not cash in. That started the pendulum swinging the other way.
Livonia’s final two possessions in the half resulted in extreme efficiency and produced a Bulldogs lead at the half. With 5:53 left in the second quarter Bulldogs senior leader Derek Bishopp broke free on a 70-yard touchdown run making it a 7-6 game when the Bulldogs missed the point-after.
Way-Co stalled again, and the punt set Livonia up at their own 46 yard line. Coach Steve Girolmo’s club responded and received a big play when quarterback Connor Pierce connected with Josh Wester on a 25-yard scoring ariel with 0:37 remaining. Wester ran in the two-point conversion making it a 14-7 game at the half with Livonia in command.
There was more excitement in the second half as Way-Co scored on their first possession after stopping Livonia’s initial drive. The Golden Eagles drove 80 yards and the drive was capped by a 14-yard touchdown run on Rizzieri. When Way-Co missed the conversion, Livonia maintained a slim 14-13 edge in the game. With defense doing its job, special teams again surfaced. With 6:32 left in the game, the Bulldogs were stopped by the Eagles deep in their own territory. When Livonia attempted to punt, C.J. Ellis got free and blocked the kick. The ball rolled free into the end zone where Way-Co’s Mason Hamilton fell on it for a touchdown swinging the lead the Golden Eagles’ way. The home team decided to go for two and C.J. Ellis hooked up with Caleb Sick in the end zone for the conversion making it 21-14. The game was far from over.
Following Livonia’s return of the ensuing kick-off, Wayland-Cohocton was flagged for a personal foul which placed the ball on the Golden Eagles 44 yard line and shortened the field considerably for the orange and blue. The Bulldogs marched downfield and Kade O’Leary barreled into the end zone from the 1 yard line with 1:43 left making it 21-20. Livonia went for the deuce as Bishopp won a footrace to the corner of the end zone giving the Bulldogs the lead 22-21.
Way-Co had one shot left. The Eagles pushed the ball upfield and amidst a comedy of costly penalties Wayland-Cohocton managed to get enough key plays to move into field goal range. With 0:05 left on the clock Way-Co’s Dan Wilkinson tried a 30-yard field goal for the win, but Livonia took a page out of the Eagles’ playbook and blocked the potential game-winning kick to preserve a 22-21 win.
