East football in must win situation
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Two weeks ago, Williamsville East was sitting atop the Section VI Class A North division at 3-0 and on the road to a possible division title. But after two straight losses, including a 26-21 home decision to Starpoint last Saturday, the Flames (3-2, 3-2) have to beat Albion this Saturday and Grand Island in Week 8 to qualify.

"We gave up too much yardage and didn't get it done," said East coach Henry Fumerelle. "At times, we looked like the team I know we can be. But we weren't very consistent. We had too many peaks and valleys. It was just a heartbreaking loss."

East trailed 20-7 at halftime but two Zach Miller touchdowns, his last a 6-yard score with 3:58 left in the fourth quarter, tied the game. Joe O'Gorman's extra point made it 21-20. Miller also scored from six yards out. He made 10 tackles on defense.

Poor coverage on the ensuing kickoff gave Starpoint the ball on their own 38. The Spartans converted two third downs, one a third-and-14 that gave them a first down at the 25-yard line and set up an 18-yard touchdown from sophomore tailback Brandon Bratek with 1:05 left. Bratek finished with 161 yards on 21 carries and two scores.

East returned the ensuing kickoff to the 17 but could only move it nine yards. Fumerelle said his team tried to spike the ball on a third-and-5 but because the ball was not under center, they were called for an illegal pass, which resulted in a loss of down and a 10-yard loss. Joe Schriever's fourth down pass was incomplete.

Schriever opened the scoring at the six-minute mark of the first quarter on a 30-yard TD with Rick Silvestri (eight catches, 101 yards). Fumerelle also lauded Silvestri's defensive work.

Starpoint answered with a 6-yard score from Marc Sepanski. After the teams' defenses forced each to punt, Fumerelle said his team's punt catcher for some reason back off from the ball, a teammate tried to jump on the ball and Starpoint recovered at the 18. The Spartans capitalized with a Bratek touchdown. Fumerelle said another short East punt gave Starpoint great field position and two big runs later were in the end zone, again on a 1-yard run by Sepanski. Yiannis Mountziaris blocked the extra point.

It's Starpoint's third win over East in the last two years. Starpoint won 21-6 in Week Seven and 20-6 in the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame Class A Consolation Bowl finals.

"They're very basic but what they do they do well," said Fumerelle. "They play a full game and go all out... When we played our game in the second half, we were dominating, But I don't know if we thought the game was over when it was 21-20 but for them to come out and score that way, it was very disappointing."

East has to forget about the last two weeks and focus on Albion. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. Saturday at East.

"There is no tomorrow," said Fumerelle. "The way we played at the beginning of the year has set us up for this situation. The last two games we have not played our football. But we haven't given up."

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com