Brockport spotted South Park of Section VI a 20-0 halftime lead and could not rally as the Section V football champions fell 20-7 in the Class A New York State western regionals.
South Park scored on their first possession of the game and, later in the first quarter, on an 89-yard punt return by Offensive Player of the Game David Thomas.
Thomas later caught a 64-yard bomb with 91 seconds remaining in the first half, but two other opportunities were stopped by the Brockport defense as Cory Gross made a leaping interception ended one drive and Jeremy Michaels knocked down a pass attempt in the end zone on fourth down to thwart another.
That kept the Blue Devils within reach, but they were stopped on downs inside the ten yard line on two consecutive drives to open the third quarter and early in the fourth before finally getting on the board.
A ten-play, 50 yard drive kept alive by a roughing-the-passer penalty on third down, was capped by a four-yard touchdown run by Gross and Cameron Fox’s extra point to make it 20-7 with 4:18 remaining.
The ensuing onside kick was recovered by junior varsity call-up Nick Brauch, but their comeback attempt was stopped on four downs including a key quarterback sack on second down and a penalty for an illegal forward pass on third down.
The game was fairly even statistically except for the Blue Devils only managing a 1-of 13 on third and fourth downs.
The loss in the state playoffs was disappointing, but doesn’t tarnish the Blue Devils first football Section V title.
“I’ve been a four-year starter and our teams have always been successful,” senior lineman Cam Calderelli, who had four tackles, said. “We had a lot of sophomores on the team who really stepped up this year. I’m happy for my team right now and the way I look at it is that Brockport is going up from here.”
“Coming into the year we had lost a lot of key players and I knew we had a good nucleus back, but I didn’t know how they would gel,” Blue Devils head coach Scott Nugent said. “We really didn’t know what our team was going to be capable of, but we did know they were a great group with no individuals, but team players.
“(The seniors) have made everybody accustomed to winning here at Brockport, so that’s the expectation now. Their hard work and perseverance will be what leads future teams here.”
Senior linebacker Jim Stone led the Blue Devils with 5.5 tackles while Jeremy Michels ended his high school football career with a second half interception. Other seniors included Austin Myers, Shane Hogan, Brandon Lemere, Joe Jarvis, Fox, Chris Sodoma, Matt Johnston, Tyler Johnson, Nick Bertino, Dylan Johnson and Devin Nottingham.
