In the second of three straight afternoon games to complete the Northern Conference football season, OFA rebounded with a convincing win over Tupper Lake.
Rebounding from a demoralizing fourth quarter where Canton scored 20 straight points to a gain 28-22 victory, the Blue Devils (3-3, 4-3) used its entire roster to post a 51-0 win over Tupper Lake (0-6, 1-6) and evened their conference record for Saturday’s Senior Day regular season finale against Massena (3-3, 3-4).
“We had a good week of practice and are back on an elevating mode for Massena. We played well today and everyone got at least 10 plays. But we know we have to play better against Massena and prepare to face Potsdam in the first round (Class C semi-finals) of the playoffs,” said OFA Coach Matt Tessmer.
Class B Massena will travel west down Route 37 to Ron Johnson Field with a 3-3 NAC record looking to rebound from a 30-19 loss to Malone which completed its Class B schedule with a 3-0 record.
“Massena just had a bad game against Malone after playing pretty well against Potsdam. And Malone is a team which has gotten better in every game this season,” said Coach Tessmer.
The Blue Devils will also play Massena with a full complement of players, adding personnel from a junior varsity squad which travels to Lowville for its final game undefeated.
The Blue Devils enjoyed their most productive rushing outing of the season against the Lumberjacks with four seniors accounting for a 22-0 first quarter lead. Uriah Austin (6-50 TD) opened the scoring on a 12-yard run and Gabe Ortega (5-52 2TDs) ran for the two-point conversion. Ortega turned the corner for a 24 yard scoring run and the third touchdown of the quarter arrived as Trent Power pitched a 14-yard scoring pass to Grady Pharoah with Will LaFlair catching a two-point conversion pass from Power.
Ryder Liscum (5-80 TD) took a quarterback keeper 60 yards to the endzone in a 16-point second quarter. After Power found LaFlair for the conversion pass, Ortega rambled 20 yards to the endzone and Power found Ashton Cardinal with a two-point conversion pass. The third quarter saw the scoring completed as Power scored on a one-yard power sneak and Maddux Brenno ran untouched 21 yards to the endzone on a counter. Colt Cross added his first career PAT kick and OFA’s first of the season.
The Blue Devils held the Lumberjacks off the scoreboard despite a game-high 113-yard rushing effort on 13 carries by Bradyen Whitman who broke free on a 52-yard jaunt in the first quarter.
OFA 51 - TUPPER LAKE 0
First Quarter: Austin (O) on 12 yard run (Ortega run), Ortega on 24 run (rain failed), Pharoah (O( on 14 pass from Power (LaFlair on pass from Power). Second Quarter: Liscum (O) on 60 run (LaFlair run), Ortega (O) on 24 run (Cardinal on pass from Power). Third Quarter: Power (O) on 1 run (kck failed). Fourth Quarter: Brenno (O) on 21 run (Cross PAT).
Individual Statistics
Rushing: O - Austin 6-50 1 TD, Ortega 5-52 2 TDs, LaFlair 8-44, Liscum 5-80 1 TD, Power 4-13, 3 6-4, Francoer_Gladle 1-2, Brenno 1-21 TD. TL -Whitman 16-113, Ellers 2-2, Dukett 1-1.
Passing: O - Power 3x4-0-21 1 TD, TL Ellers 4x13-0 32.
Receiving: Pharoah 1-14 TD, Liscum 1-8, Ortega 1-7. TL - Whitman 2 - 5, - (-2), Skiff - 1-8, LaVigne 1 -12..