Mustangs News > Home Page Archives

NOTE: 
5:00 PM FRIDAY NIGHT
MARCELLUS vs SOLVAY
@ WEST GENESEE HIGH SCHOOL
SECTION 3 SEMI-FINAL 

Some moments transcend the game.  Some images stay with you longer than others. 

The game against South Jefferson Friday night had a lot of memorable moments – and there is no denying the euphoria of winning a playoff game at home – but the best image of the night came not from a spectacular play, a big hit or a game-changing turnover.  No, the best image of the night came after the game; after the teams had lined up and shook hands; after they had gone to their respective corners of the field to listen to their coaches praise their efforts in victory or console the inevitable sting of defeat; after all that post-game chatter and as the coaches from both sides walked off the field and toward the locker rooms; the players themselves had the game’s best moment.  There in the middle of the field players from both sides lingered and talked and hugged and shared a few minutes and a few words with each other; no coaches, no crowds, no one but the young men who had just finished their second titanic battle of the year.  The entire roster of both teams was out there exchanging congratulations and talking about the game.  It was a spontaneous display of mutual respect that reminds us how the game is supposed to be played.  It also unequivocally showed the class that players from both Marcellus and South Jefferson have in abundance.  It was the most the memorable image of the entire season so far and made me proud of our young men and of the boys from South Jefferson too.   Well done, men.

But back to the game ... The good news is that the Mustangs emerged victorious against a South Jefferson team that refused to quit and for the second time this season pushed Marcellus to play at a higher level to win.   That was the toughest 3-4 team we've ever played.

Marcellus was rolling in the first half and took a commanding 21-6 lead into halftime only to meet a surging Spartan team in the 3^rd quarter that made the Mustangs pay for every turnover they forced.  South Jefferson’s running game caught fire behind some hard charging efforts by # 14 and # 32 and they had Marcellus on their heels.  It was 27-21 in the 4^th quarter with South Jefferson driving the ball near mid field when Marcellus’s Josh Tucker made what is probably the play of the game, ripping the ball out of the Spartan RB’s hands in the backfield and giving the Mustangs a chance to open up a two score lead.  Marcellus had 3 touchdowns called back on penalties which strained the Green Herd to maintain their composure and regroup.  But regroup they did and came roaring back to win the game 33-21.

We said big games call for big plays from big time players and Marcellus got a boat load of them tonight from some of its marquee roster.  Behind an offensive line that occasionally blew open superhighway-sized running lanes, Ricky Alfreds put on a rushing clinic with some of the strongest ground attacks we’ve seen anyone in green and black ever do.  He ran for 296 yards on 27 carries and scored 3 TDs.  He had huge chunks of yardage negated by penalty calls or his performance would have been even more dramatic.  Ricky has been a force in past victories but his performance in this game set a new standard for “workhorse.”

QB Will Fiacchi worked his pocket magic again tonight despite weather conditions that were windy, cold, rainy and difficult, delivering the ball with accuracy and zip for 187 yards, completing 9 of 16 passes and 2 TDs.  The offensive line gave him good protection all night and Fiacchi used that time to pick apart the secondary.  When Fiacchi did have to run he made it count; scrambling out of the pocket and picking up chain-moving yardage in key situations.  Good field generals move the team when it counts and Fiacchi did that all night. 

Will’s favorite target was again fellow senior and captain Dan Rudy.  The team’s leading receiver showed why he is that by grabbing 5 catches for 120 yards and one trip to the House.  Rudy is just big-time and he came up big when the team needed a boost.  But he was not alone in that receiver corps.  Chaz Hayes grabbed 2 for 29 yards including a key first down; while  Zach Amidon caught 2 passes for 38 yards and one trip to the end zone on a very strong run after the catch.   On a night when the weather made passing very challenging, the Mustang receiver corps showed again why they are the best collection of wideouts in the league.   

The Mustang defense was again tough enough to keep the game from getting away from us.  Steve Brissette picked off his 4^th pass of the season to lead the team in that category.  Josh Tucker created one of the biggest fumble recoveries of the season with his in-the-backfield melee - bursting acros the line to hit both running back and QB before stripping the ball.  John Howard had a good night inside while brother and middle linebacker Jason Howard tallied 10 takedowns.  Freshman OLB Jason Decker made some monster hits on his way to a game high 14 tackles and 1 sack.  A very active Zach Wiley made 13 tackles along with 1 sack and tipped a couple passes too.  Niko Wagner and Joe Felicia played well off the ends including batting some passes and pressuring the Spartan QB.   Our defense is the key to our winning momentum - Marcellus is playing some prime time defense!

This was a big game for Marcellus and we won.  The road to a section title is now laid out and the team is ready to roll.  Next week, it’s a rematch with Solvay (who upset Chittenango!) where a win punches our ticket to the Dome!  The Bearcats are obviously playing improved football (we pounded them 32-6 a few weeks ago) as beating a very good Chittenango team in Chittenango serves notice that they are dangerous.  We will not take them lightly – not by a long shot.  They will have our undivided attention this week as the road to a championship goes one game at a time.  You go 1 – 0 each week; that’s the goal.  The regular season doesn’t mean anything now … records are meaningless … the only undefeated season that matters is the one you have in the post-season; that’s the season that counts! 

We played a very good Spartan team and came away winners.  Now we face a Solvay team flying high after upsetting Chittenango.  There’s no time to savor the South Jefferson win; it is behind us; the only game that matters now is coming up against the Bearcats.  Take care of business in that game and we are headed to the Dome!  Good job beating South Jefferson but get ready to work even harder this week.  We’ve come too far with this team to let one slip away so FOCUS and we can FINISH this journey as champions!

GO MUSTANGS!