Junior running back Sean Meyers gained 177 yards rushing with two touchdowns in the first half alone and third-seed Hilton scored on three of the first four possessions in their 35-14 Section V Class AA football semifinal victory against sixth-seed Penfield.
Meyers bounced an inside run to the outside for a 16-yard touchdown to cap a seven-play, 65-yard scoring drive after the Cadets received the opening kickoff. Noah Panepinto’s extra point made it 7-0.
After the Patriots came right back to tie the game, Meyers carried the ball on all ten plays, including runs of 17 and 13 yards, as the Cadets drove 62 yards to take a 14-7 lead.
Penfield again tied the game 14-14 on a 51-yard touchdown pass on a second down and 27 play in the second quarter, but the Cadets came right back with their longest scoring drive of the contest running off more than five minutes off the clock in 12 plays capped by Nick Romano’s one-yard TD run to put Hilton ahead for good.
On the third play of the second half, Hilton senior Kyle Walsh intercepted a Patriot pass attempt to set up the Cadets for a short 16-yard scoring drive capped by Meyers third touchdown run of the night.
The final touchdown came after Penfield shanked a punt setting the Cadets up at midfield. Two penalties and two plays later, senior quarterback Ryan Butts found classmate Marquise Powell for a 67-yard catch and run touchdown.
“The linemen up front are killing it,” Meyers said after his (unofficial) 208 yards rushing contest. “The whole team is working hard and overcoming everything. Doing what I do I guess.”
“We had high expectations for Sean all year; he came on last week and had 130 yards in a back-up role,” Hilton head coach Rich Lipani said. “We know he can play and we don’t think our offense will slow down when he plays. Nick Romano has had a great year, but we knew Sean coming in for us was going to be a good threat and he’s done a great job filling in last week and tonight.
“Great effort by our offensive line getting a great push and that’s one of the things we work on and strive for.
“We’ve got our hands full with McQuaid next week, but at this point in time everyone you play is going to be really good.”
