Durinka changes momentum, East beats South
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Williamsville East's Joe Schriever gets an arm on Williamsville South's Adrian Wood as Wood tries to elude during Thursday's league game. East won at South, 36-8, improving their record to 3-0 in Class A North, 3-1 overall. Photos by Joe Eberle

Momentum in a football game can change instantly and Williamsville South found out the hard way in its home league game with rival Williamsville East last Thursday night before an estimated crowd of 2,000.

On the opening drive, East's Tyler Durinka, a 6-foot-4, 278-pound defensive tackle, picked a DaeShaune Clark fumble out of the air on a fourth-and-2 and rushed 60 yards for a Flames touchdown. That momentum snowballed into a 36-8 East win.

Defensive end Rocco Del Grosso hit Clark at the East 40 to squirt the football loose. South had converted three first downs prior to the costly turnover.

"It changed the whole momentum of the game," said East coach Henry Fumerelle. "After that, it was our game from that point out. That was a real big play."

"We're not a good enough football team yet to overcome those things," added South coach Ryan Gallo. "In order for us to have an opportunity every week in and week out, we need to play mistake free football and we did not do that particularly well early on against Williamsville East."

Williamsville South's Nick Brace tries to haul down Williamsville East's Joe Schriever during second half action. Brace finished with 10 tackles, a sack, and a pass breakup.

Durinka finished with five tackles and was excellent on the offensive line, Fumerelle added.

East added a six-yard Zach Miller run and a 29-yard Joe O'Gorman field goal to push the Flames' lead to 16-0 at halftime. Miller's score came right after a South player was flagged for roughing O'Gorman on a field goal attempt.

East opened the third quarter with a 78-yard drive that chewed up six minutes of clock and culminated with a 5-yard Miller run. Fumerelle said his team had to overcome two holding penalties on the series. On their next drive, quarterback Joe Schriever found Rick Silvestri for a 24-yard touchdown reception.

South scored its only points of the game a minute into the fourth quarter when Clark ran in from eight yards. Michael Payne caught a two-point conversion from Clark.

South would try an onside kick but East sophomore Mike Langfelder recovered at the East 45. Fellow classmen J.L. Ivey would score on the ensuing drive from seven yards out.

The East offense was paced by Miller, who ran for 58 yards and two touchdowns on offense and a sack and six tackles on defense. Adam Kausch rushed for 92 yards.

Del Grosso finished with three sacks to lead the Flames' defense. East finished the game with eight sacks.

Schriever caught his fifth interception of the season. The school record is seven.

Fumerelle also lauded the play of Yiannis Mountziaris, who at defensive tackle made five tackles, three for a loss, and had key blocks on the offensive line, and A.J. Forster and Chris Petrucelli for their blocking.

South's Adrian Wood had 206 all-purpose yards (six receptions, 92 yards, two kickoffs for 114 yards). Ralph Rosso (11 tackles), Nick Brace (10 tackles, sack, one pass breakup) and Payne (nine tackles, forced fumble, sack, tackle for loss) led the Billies' defense.

"We moved the ball between the 20s but made too many mistakes," said Gallo. "We had a couple of interceptions, fumbled the ball twice. Defensively, we caused them to fumble a few times but never recovered the ball ourselves. We didn't make enough plays against a good football team."

Both teams will have their homecoming games this weekend. East, the only unbeaten Class A North team (3-0, 3-1) hosts winless Kenmore East (0-4, 0-4) at 2 p.m. Saturday. South (1-3, 1-3) hosts Sweet Home (2-1, 3-1) at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

"We're not talking about playoffs," said Fumerelle. "We're not talking about anybody except Kenmore East. The theme for this week is focus. There's a lot of things that happen in homecoming week. We anticipate a standing room only crowd. We have to be focused and be ready to play."

"It's going to be a tall challenge for us," said Gallo. "We're going to have to stay disciplined and play a physical brand of football. We're going to have to tackle well and stay true to form in technique. We have to not shoot ourselves in the foot."

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com