ROME – The Whitesboro Warriors notched a fifth consecutive victory with a 55-48 win at Rome Free Academy to end the Black Knights’ own five-game winning streak.
As has often been the case when Whitesboro takes the field, the spotlight shone bright on Kyle Meier. The senior quarterback ran for five touchdowns and passed for two others in a see-saw battle between two of Oneida County’s three biggest schools. The teams traded touchdowns on the first seven possessions and visiting Whitesboro took advantage of one extra first half possession to build a 34-27 lead before halftime.
Whitesboro (5-1) has not lost since a Week Zero trip to Section II for a game against Shaker. Rome Free Academy (5-1) had been unbeaten this fall following a one-win 2022 season.
PHOTO GALLERY: Whitesboro defeats Rome Free Academy in varsity football: see photos of the game
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Key high school football games in Rome, Boonville, Frankfort this week
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The teams were tied at 27 in the final minute of the second quarter before Whitesboro took the lead for the fifth time. Meier had run for a touchdown at the end of the game’s opening possession, and he found the end zone with a pass to Brayden Czternastek with 22 seconds left in the half.
The teams had swapped a series of turnovers during the second quarter – two takeaways for the Black Knights on either side of one for the Warriors – and the Whitesboro defense finally forced a punt on Rome Free Academy’s drive to start the second half. That punt led to another Meier touchdown run – his fourth – and gave the visitors a two-score lead for the first time.
The teams traded touchdowns again but Whitesboro’s 56-yard run by Meier – the longest of his scoring runs – in the final minute of the third quarter was followed by an Evan Carlson-Stephenson-to-John Sharrino touchdown pass for Rome Free Academy in the opening minute of the fourth, bringing the Black Knights back within one touchdown at 48-40.
Each team added one more score. Memphis Ferguson ran for Whitesboro’s one Meier-free touchdown and gave the Warriors a 15-point lead before Carlson-Stephenson ran a one-yard sneak for a touchdown to add to his five scoring passes for Rome Free Academy and complete the scoring.
The 103 combined points were a reminder of Whitesboro’s 62-60 loss to Proctor last fall in another road game for the Class A squad against Oneida County’s other AA school.
Lebron Bowman caught Stephenson-Carlson’s first two touchdown passes, and Jaiden Holmes, Surafia Norries and Sharrino each caught one. Salvatore Martelli ran for a touchdown for the Black Knights.
Stephenson-Carlson’s Section III-leading total went over 1,700 passing yards in the game, and he has now thrown for 16 touchdowns. Meier, meanwhile, is closing in on 1,000 yards both rushing and passing for the second straight season; he has now scored 14 rushing touchdowns and passed for 13 as a senior.
Whitesboro finishes the regular season with home games against Syracuse-Corcoran on Oct. 13 and Auburn on Oct. 20. Rome Free Academy travels to West Genesee on Oct. 13 and Corcoran on Oct. 20.
New York Mills 24, Waterville 14
WATERVILLE – The New York Mills Marauders earned a 24-14 eight-player win over Waterville Thursday after being held scoreless by the Eagles in the first half at Brothertown Stadium.
Dominick Moore ran for two touchdowns and quarterback Lukas Komnick had one for New York Mills (3-2, 2-2 Eight Player East) which tacked on a two-point conversion after each.
Kane Patterson passed for 136 yards Waterville (2-3, 1-3 Eight Player East) and threw touchdowns to Cooper Patterson and Jackson Ruane. The Eagles led 6-0 at halftime on their 22-yard Patterson-to-Patterson touchdown pass in the second quarter.
Waterville next plays at Frankfort-Schuyler on Oct. 14. New York Mills has a bye next week and finishes the regular season with an Oct. 21 home game against Sauquoit Valley.
Sherburne-Earlville 54, Utica-Notre Dame 0
SHERBURNE- The Sherburne-Earlville Marauders scored 33 points in the first quarter on their way to a fourth consecutive victory Thursday, a 54-0 win over Utica’s Notre Dame Jugglers.
Darren Miles threw seven touchdown passes for the Marauders (5-1), including four to Nick Hull who had 145 receiving yards, all on scoring plays.
Miles completed nine of the 14 passes he threw for a season-high 270 yards. Aaron Key, Justin Race and Ethan Shaw each was on the receiving end of one of his touchdown passes. Race had two receptions for 70 yards and added a 29-yard run.
Miles has thrown 18 touchdown passes this season with at least two in each of the Marauders’ games.
Notre Dame (0-5) is on the road again at Oswego on Oct. 13. Sherburne-Earlville plays at Holland Patent Oct. 14.
2023-10-06 19:06:41
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