Albion spoils South's homecoming
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Albion's Marcus Taylor gets a handful of Williamsville South's Tim Krempa's facemask during the Billies' 32-6 homecoming loss last Saturday. Photo by Joe Eberle Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

The scoreboard read Albion 32, Williamsville South 6 but Billies coach Kraig Kurzanski felt last Saturday's homecoming game was the best his team had played in a month.

"We dominated the first quarter," said Kurzanski. "We made them fumble in the backfield on their first play (recovered at Albion 21 by Josh Burke) but we turned the ball over on downs."

Albion scored on the last drive of the first quarter, a 10-yard run by senior quarterback Justin Ward and added two more first half TDs, a 6-yard run by senior Brandon Brewer (160 yards) and a 12-yard pass from Ward to senior Jeff Andalora, to lead 20-0 at halftime. Albion's last TD was set up by a 49-yard punt return to the South 17 with 32 seconds remaining.

South's only points came in the third quarter on an 83-yard fumble recovery by junior Yahs Williams.

Williams also made nine tackles.

Ward added 2-yard second half TD strikes to Mike Warren and Shane Nesbitt. The Albion offense compiled close to 400 yards of offense.

"In the second half, they physically wore us down," said Kurzanski.

The South offense struggled. Senior backup quarterback Chris Hauser, who hadn't played in a couple of weeks because of an ankle injury, did not complete a pass and was intercepted twice. Regular starting QB Dae-Shaune Clarke was deemed ineligible to play by the school.

Injuries also forced the Billies to field four out of five new starters on the offensive line - Burke (right tackle), junior Anthony Glieco (right guard), senior Jerry Green (moved from left guard to center) and sophomore Steve Knapp (JV call-up at left guard, was hurt in the second quarter and replaced by senior Tom Darnley).

Senior left tackle Anthony Erbacher is the only Billies' lineman to have started in every game.

Williams led the South rushing attack with 54 yards on 10 carries.

Burke had nine solo tackles and one assisted tackle to go along with his fumble recovery to lead the Billies' defense.

The win gave Albion coach Dick Diminuco his 200th coaching victory. Canisius' Johnny Barnes (287) and Brocton/Grand Island's Gene Masters (249) are the only other coaches in Western New York history to have won more than 200 games.

"Dick's been a big supporter of mine; unfortunately, he won his 200th game against us," said Kurzanski. "It's a heck of a record."

South (1-6, 1-5) hosts Starpoint at 2 p.m. on Saturday. Kurzanski hopes to get back sophomore center Kevin Gerlach (leg contusion) and classmate Dillon Gallagher (back), a lineman, back from injury. The status of senior defensive end/wide receiver Kyle Taylor, who suffered a deep cut on his right hand on the first series against Albion, is uncertain.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com