Leading off today: The first night game in Iona Prep history had a rather dark ending for the Gaels, ranked fourth in Class AA by the New York State Sportswriters Association.
Chaminade rallied from a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit Saturday to earn a 34-31 win in CHSFL action. Thomas Zenker scored the winning touchdown on a 15-yard reverse with 3:47 to play.
Two short Iona Prep punts led to Chaminade’s fourth-quarter TDs, and one that was returned 28 yards to the Iona 11 helped set up Zenker’s go-ahead score.
A year ago, Chaminade edged the Gaels on a last-second field goal at Chaminade.
Iona Prep QB Mario Biaggi was 23-for-32 for 199 yards in the loss.
Close call in Rochester: Iona Prep nearly had company on the list or losing highly ranked large schools. No. 3 Aquinas had to struggle to a 6-3 win over visiting McQuaid in the 2012 installment of Section 5's most passionate rivalry.
Alonzo Turney and Ishmael Cox intercepted passes on the final two McQuaid possessions to make Billy Lombardi's second-quarter TD stand up. Lombardi, playing on a sprained ankle, carried just nine times for 23 yards -- the first time in 15 career starts he was held under 80.
Aquinas held McQuaid to less than 100 yards of total offense.
The rivalry game started a challenging stretch for the Little Irish, who wrap up their regular season with games against No. 9 Buffalo St. Joseph's, No. 23 Canisius and Pennsylvania stalwart Erie Prep.
Speaking of Canisius ... Ryan Richards' 96-yard interception return, 10 tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery added up to a 14-7 victory for Canisius over Walsh Jesuit in a rare victory for a Western New York squad against Ohio competition.
The outcome gave the Crusaders their first 4-0 start and was only the fourth win in 44 tries vs. Ohio by area schools in the last nine seasons according to The Buffalo News. All four of the wins have come against Walsh.
Amazing day for Chambers: I strongly suspect that James Chambers' days as a high school kick returner are over. Oh, sure, the Lockport coaches will keep lining him up at the 5-yard line on the return unit, but it's a safe bet that there ain't anybody who'll be kicking the ball to his side of the field again.
Two of Chambers' seven TDs -- in just 13 touches of the ball overall -- in a 49-9 win over Niagara Falls came on kickoff returns of 92 and 95 yards. Another was on a 75-yard punt return. The Section 6 record for most TDs in a game is eight by Homer Geoffrion of Lafayette in 1929.
"Normally people don't kick it to him because that's what he does," Lockport coach Greg Bronson told The Buffalo News. "We're used to getting the ball on the 40 because teams will try to squib it or onside kick."
Another big effort: The Pony Express brings this news from Friday night: Geneva senior Shane Sweeney threw for eight touchdowns Friday as the Panthers, ranked fifth in Class B, beat Midlakes 54-7.
The spree set a record for NYSPHSAA schools and tied the overall state mark set by Gary Castine of Buffalo St. Joseph's in 1969.
