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H.S FOOTBALL: Starpoint assistant coach dies
Bob Boudeman, 68, will be missed
By John D’Onofrio
E-mail John
Lockport Union-Sun & Journal
PENDLETON — The local football community is mourning the death of a local coaching icon — a man whose life unselfishly revolved around making others the best that they could be.
Bob Boudeman, a dedicated, enthusiastic football mentor even in recent years despite failing health, a beloved assistant coach who helped turn the Starpoint grid program into one of the most respected in the area, has died.
He was 68.
Word of Boudeman’s death hit the Starpoint High School team hard on Friday. Fellow Spartans assistant coach Tim Racey called members of the team out of class and into a room at 2 p.m. and announced the news.
“They were devastated. We’re stunned. For some of them, they were together with him for four years,” Racey said. Racey is Starpoint’s defensive coordinator and Boudeman was offensive coordinator for head coach Al Cavagnaro’s team.
“I told the kids that he lived and died for the three hours he got to spend with them on a daily basis,” Racey said.
“He lived and breathed football. And when he wasn’t coaching, he was watching film — trying to get better, trying to get an edge.
“In the coming days, you’re going to see 40 years worth of kids come out to pay their respects to him,” Racey said.
“He had some great one-liners and used them as a way of getting through to the kids. He’ll be sadly missed.”
Starpoint’s all-time leading rusher senior Brandon Bratek spoke on behalf of the entire team when he said, “He was a big part of our team. Everyone loved him.
“We knew he was sick. We didn’t how long he’d be with us, but we knew it would be our last season with him as seniors so we tried to make it special for him,” Bratek said.
“He was a big part of our team. Before every game and at practice he gave the best speeches.”
Starpoint senior quarterback Joe Scibilia added, “It was a bad day today. He coached me since I was a sophomore and taught me so much. This year he was concentrating on having me call more audibles, trying me to read defenses better.”
“He was the greatest offensive coordinator. ‘You reap what you sell’ or ‘The harder you work, the more it pays off.’ Those are things he said that we’ll remember,” Scibilia added.
Cavagnaro brought Boudeman in as a volunteer assistant five years ago. Since then, as former Starpoint football player and Niagara Gazette sports writer Nate Beutel said in a story earlier this week on Boudeman and Racey, “the once dormant program has won a pair of consolation Bowl championships and asserted itself as an annual contender in Class A North.”
Cavagnaro said he’s lost a close friend and someone who can’t be replaced.
“My son, put it best when he told his friend, ‘My dad’s best friend passed away.’ ” Cavagnaro said.
“He wasn’t as much as a great coach to me. He was my best friend.”
Boudeman’s legacy of putting everyone else ahead of him was evident immediately. Plans to postpone Monday’s annual Starpoint Football Banquet at the Ship’n Shore Restaurant were squashed by Boudeman’s family, who insist that coach Boudeman would never have wanted that.
“That’s the kind of guy he was. It was never ever about him. It was always about the kids,” Cavagnaro said.
Boudeman’s destiny with mentoring kids began in the Lockport Little Loop Football program in the early 1960s. He later coached semipro football and was the varsity football coach at Newfane High School, with assistants that included Paul Mulvey.
“Bob knew more about teaching football than anybody I’ve ever been associated with my whole life,” said Mulvey, who played football at DeSales High School, where he later assistant coached under the late Les Dugan. Mulvey also played football at Division II Liberty.
“He was football 24-7. He could watch a tape over and over again and he knew how to communicate the things he learned to his players. And he didn’t teach football, but life lessons,” Mulvey said.
“To me, it was just like talking to my father — that’s how dear I felt to him.
“He was teaching high school kids how to audible and there are kids who play two or three levels above that who never get it,” Mulvey said.
“And he would communicate this in a way that younger kids can understand — that’s how special he was. And it wasn’t just ‘rah, rah’ with him. He’d tell his team at halftime, ‘Okay, here’s the adjustments we’re going to make. He was a master at it.”
Calling hours at Prudden & Kandt Funeral Home are 7-9 p.m. on Monday; and 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. on Tuesday. A funeral mass is set for 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Mary’s R. C. Church.
In a thoughtful gesture, Starpoint High School Principal Gil Licata has chartered a bus for Spartans football players, allowing them to attend the funeral mass.
SAD NEWS...................
The Starpoint Football Program was saddened today as they were informed that their long-time coach Robert Boudeman passed away today Friday, November 7, 2008 at his residence in Lockport, NY. Coach Boudeman has had a tremendous impact on the lives of young men for over 40 years as he coached football and lessons about life. He will be tremendously missed but never forgotten.
Viewing arrangements have been made:
11/10 Monday 7:00-9:00 PM
11/11 Tuesday 2:00-4:00 and 7:00-9:00 at Prudden and Kandt Funeral Home
242 Genesse Street, Lockport, NY 14094
Funeral will be on Wednesday November 13th at 10:00 AM
St. Mary's Church, 5 Saxton, Lockport, NY 14094
| Robert W. Boudeman |
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 Robert W. Boudeman passed away November 7, 2008 in Lockport Memorial Hospital. Born November 6, 1940 in Lockport, he was the son of the late Sheldon “Bud” and Dorothy (Mullett) Boudeman. Robert worked for Harrison Radiator as a pipe fitter. He started coaching football in 1964 for the Lockport Little Loop. He started his high school coaching career at Newfane High School in 1985, where he worked his way up to varsity coach. He won the only State Championship in Newfane history. He also coached the Lockport Invaders Semi-pro Football team, where he also won a National Championship. He currently was the offensive coordinator for the Starpoint Varsity Football team. He loved riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle and spending time with his Dobermans and Rottweilers, but most of all he loved spending time with his family and his loving wife, Michaeleen (Daskavitz) Boudeman.Robert is survived by his children, Michele (John) Lennert, Scott (Mary) Boudeman, Alyssa (Glenn) Devole and David (Judy) Arlington, all of Lockport; devoted grandfather of Courtney and Cole Lennert, Andrew and Lauren Boudeman, Scott and Taylor Devole and Margaret, Hannah and David Arlington.Relatives and friends may call Monday 7-9 PM and Tuesday 2-4 and 7-9 PM at Prudden and Kandt Funeral Home, 242 Genesee St., Lockport, where prayers will be offered Wednesday at 9:30 AM, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 10 AM in St Mary’s RC Church, Lockport. Interment will be in Cold Spring Cemetery. Memorials to Save-A-Pet, P.O. Box 114, Newfane, NY 14108 would be appreciated by the family.Please visit www.pruddenandkandt.com. |
2008 CONSOLATION BOWL
Spartans Get Clubbed by Billies
By Nate Beutel
E-mail Nate
MEDINA — During Al Cavagnaro’s tenure as head coach at Starpoint he’s never lost his final game of the season, whether postseason or regular season.
Wednesday that streak came to an end thanks in large part to Dae’Shaune Clark and Yahs Williams, who accounted for all four of Williamsville South’s touchdowns in a 28-25 win over the Spartans in the Section VI Class A Consolation Bowl Championship at Medina’s Vets Park. Starpoint was seeking its third Bowl title in the past four seasons.
“We had a great season, I love this group of kids and they played hard… but this game was ours,” a disappointed Cavagnaro said afterwards. “We gave it away and that’s a shame.”
Starpoint (4-6 overall) seemingly had all the momentum after Brandon Bratek took a toss from quarterback Joe Scibilia and ran to paydirt from 12 yards out with just under three minutes left to give the Spartans a 25-20 lead.
But Clark and the Billies would not die. After Clark, who finished 16-of-26 for 233 yards, missed wide-open receivers on consecutive plays, he took things into his own hands. The senior, who was filling in for injured starter Joe Licata, scampered nine yards on a fourth-down play with just under a minute left to keep the drive alive.
Then two plays later he dodged a handful of tacklers on his way to an 18-yard touchdown run. Clark added a two-point conversion run to give South a 28-25 lead with 28 seconds left. On Starpoint’s first play of the next drive, Clark picked off Scibilia to seal the win.
“We didn’t make enough plays,” Cavagnaro said. “We didn’t tackle on defense and we didn’t score enough on offense.”
Bratek, the school’s all-time leading rusher, rushed 17 times for 118 yards and two scores, including a 61-yard burst on the first play from scrimmage. Scibilia, who booted a pair of field goals, was 8-of-14 passing for 180 yards and a touchdown — a 66-yard strike to freshman Cory Regnet with only 10 seconds left in the first half.
For South (6-4), Yahs Williams had 16 carries for 123 yards and three touchdowns before leaving with an injury late in the third quarter.
STARPOINT BEATS CHEEKTOWAGA 35-28
Class A Consolation Semifinals
Starpoint 35, Cheektowaga 28
Brandon Bratek had scoring runs of 61, 56, 59 and 11 yards to push the Spartans over the Warriors in Saturday’s Class A consolation semifinal. He finished with 268 yards on 26 carries en route to his third-consecutive 1,000-yard season. Also for Starpoint (4-5), quarterback Joe Scibilia threw a scoring pass to Joe DeLelio, and had two interceptions, a fumble recovery and six tackles on the defensive end. His crucial first down run on a 4th-and-16 fake punt with 1:51 to go in the fourth sealed the game for the Spartans, who will play for their third Bowl championship in four years against Williamsville South at a date to be determined this week at Medina. Jaleel Harris led Cheektowaga (4-5) with nine rushes for 108 yards and a score
HEART AND SOUL
CRUNCH: Coaches are Starpoint's heart and soul
By Nate Beutel
E-mail Nate
PENDLETON — One is a local coaching legend that walks with a cane. The other is a jokester that can motivate kids with the best of them.
“I just think they’re the best,” Starpoint head coach Al Cavagnaro said of his assistants, Bob Boudeman and Tim Racey. “They’re both great teachers. They spend a lot of time at what they do and they really care about the kids.”
Assistant coaches are often the lifeblood of a program. That’s especially been the case at Starpoint where the assistants coordinate the offense and defense, a rarity at the high school level.
“When I brought Bob in five years ago it was so I could give my school the best chance to win,” said Cavagnaro, the former offensive coordinator. “After calling something, whether offense or defense for so many years, I didn’t know how it would turn out, but it’s actually been great. Now I get to see a little bit of everything and make suggestions where I see fit.”
Those suggestions have been few and far between because of the coordinators’ successes over the past five years. The once-dormant program has won a pair of Consolation Bowl championships and asserted itself as an annual contender in Class A North.
Boudeman has re-energized the Starpoint offense with his constant film study and varying formations. The veteran has also played a big part in the development of individual players, especially senior running back Brandon Bratek — the school’s all-time leading rusher.
“He’s helped me mature,” Bratek said. “During games after we score and the defense is on the field, we’ll go over plays on the sidelines and he’ll tell me little things to look for.”
Three-year starting quarterback Joe Scibilia, also a senior, said Boudeman has been like a personal coach to him over the last few seasons.
Racey, meanwhile, has been a confidant for players during tough times while displaying tough love at other times. He’s also developed a number of new defensive schemes that have made the Spartans defense more dangerous than in past years.
“He brings a lot of unique strategies to our defense, like this wide seven that we used to stop (Lockport running back David) Fluellen,” Bratek said.
Cavagnaro added that Racey, also the varsity baseball coach at Starpoint, will be a good fit to take over the program once he decides to step aside.
“I’m confident he can take it higher than where we are now,” Cavagnaro said.
For now, though, the Spartans are focused on winning their third Class A Bowl Championship in four years when they face league-rival Williamsville South today.
And with Boudeman’s health ailing a bit, you can bet the Spartans have some extra motivation to add another trophy to the awards case at the school.
“We wanted to win at Iroquois so badly for him, but we can still make this season special with one more win,” Bratek said. “It would be a real big accomplishment.”
STARPOINT LOSES A HEART-BREAKER 42-41
Spartans come close in Iroquois By Nate Beutel E-mail NateELMA — Veteran Starpoint coach Al Cavagnaro slept easy last night after watching his team go toe-to-toe with one of Western New York’s best, Iroquois.
This evening’s rest might be different, though, as he may be tossing and turning over his decision to go for a 2-point conversion and a win in Friday’s Class A quarterfinal.
“I got a little greedy,” Cavagnaro admitted after watching his Spartans fail on the conversion attempt and fall 42-41 to the host Chiefs at Latimer Field. “I don’t regret going for it, but I’m sure I’ll be thinking about it for a while.”
The ending was fitting for a game that displayed offensive outbursts and poor defense from both teams. Iroquois star tailback Brandon Murie got the show rolling with a two-yard run less than five minutes in. Starpoint’s Brandon Bratek, the school’s all-time leading rusher, responded on the ensuing drive when he plunged in from a yard out. The 13-play scoring drive took almost six minutes off the clock and tied the game.
Then after recovering the first of two onside kicks, the Spartans marched down the field for a go-ahead touchdown. Josh Elizalde capped the 10-play drive with a one-yard TD surge. Murie and the Chiefs again responded, though, with a 62-yard drive that saw Murie score from three yards out. Starpoint would come right back with another clock-controlling drive that saw Elizalde score from a yard out and give his team a 21-13 lead.
Still, it wouldn’t be enough for a Starpoint halftime advantage because Iroquois immediately marched down the field and scored with less than a second remaining in the second quarter. Quarterback Aaron Huber (9-of-14, 109 yards, 2 TDs) found Dan Parker for a 15-yard slant that found the end zone. The two-point conversion pass was tipped but caught by Chiefs’ fullback Billy Desiderio to tie the game at 21.
Iroquois then began the third quarter with a bang as it scored twice and forced the lone Starpoint punt within the first 11 minutes of the period. Murie scored on a 13-yard sweep, while Huber and Parker hooked up for the second time, this time from 23 yards out. That put the Chiefs lead at 14 with one minute remaining in the third quarter.
But the Spartans would battle back, beginning with a 43-yard kick return from Brandon Kopp. Bratek (25 carries, 160 yards) then ran 37 yards for a touchdown on the very next play. On the Chiefs’ first possession of the fourth quarter, though, Murie would run to paydirt again. His seven-yard touchdown was his fourth of the game. He finished with 222 yards on 31 carries.
And just when you thought the Spartans had enough, they came right back with a 76-yard scoring drive that ended with Elizalde diving in from two yards out to close the gap to seven points with just over six minutes remaining.
With their defense struggling to contain Murie, the Spartans went for the onside kick and were successful. Ten plays later with only 49 seconds remaining, Bratek rushed in from five yards out to pull Starpoint within one. Cavagnaro decided to send his extra-point team out, but after an offsides penalty on the Chiefs, he changed his mind and decided to go for the lead on the road.
“I saw a chance to win it and not have to play defense anymore (in overtime),” Cavagnaro explained.
Even with the extra few feet, Bratek was unable to get past a swarming Iroquois defense and was stopped inches short of the goal-line. Another onside kick was attempted, but this time Iroquois was ready.
Then after Starpoint used its remaining two timeouts and the Chiefs took a delay of game, Iroquois decided to punt the ball away with six seconds left. The kick was fair caught at Starpoint’s 45-yard line, but an illegal formation penalty complicated the situation. With less than one second remaining, Starpoint declined the penalty and decided to take the opportunity to free kick the ball from 55 yards out. Senior Joe Scibilia, who was a solid 11-of-15 passing from 114 yards, booted the ball with all his might, but it was wide left and fell short.
“The kids played fantastic and I’m so proud of them,” Cavagnaro said. “It’s too bad it had to end like that.”
Iroquois will host the winner of today’s Grand Island vs. Cheektowaga game on Friday, while Starpoint will enter the Consolation Bowl playoffs next week.
STARPOINT ROLLS OVER THE LIONS 38-6
Spartans Shock Lions 38-6
By John D’Onofrio
E-mail JohnLockport Union-Sun & Journal 38 6 
PENDLETON — Starpoint head coach Al Cavagnaro doesn’t have the answer to today’s nationwide financial crisis, but his marketing strategy for success provided huge dividends Saturday for his Spartans football team.
Joe Scibilia did everything but hand out the “Senior Day” cookies, throwing two touchdown passes, rushing for another, and kicking not only five extra points, but a 41-yard field goal in Starpoint’s stunning 38-6 victory over visiting Lockport in the regular-season, non-league finale for both schools at Shirley Tudor Stadium.
“Package that up. That’s the first time I’ve seen you play that way all year,” Cavagnaro told his troops after the game.
“Bottle that emotion up that you gve us today and I’ll tell you what. You play this way next Friday night and we’re going to Grand Island.”
Cavaganro was referring to Starpoint’s Section VI Class A playoff game at Iroquois at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. At the same time, the Lions (3-4 overall) play at Lancaster in a Class AA playoff tilt.
The Spartans, who finished 3-4 overall in the 2008, got two first-half touchdowns from senior Brandon Bratek, who played another strong game with injuries. Bratek finished with 123 yards and two TDs on 23 carries. His 35 career TDs at Starpoint is a new school record. He’s also the Spartans’ all-time leading rusher.
“We were pumped up for this game,” said Scibilia, whose 41-yard field goal could easily have gone 51.
“I thought our line — Justin Graham, Mike Crage, Adam Giberson, Dalton Maska and Andrew Dadswell — played well today.”
There were four additional Starpoint school records set on Saturday. Scibilia’s 51 completions this year is a new single-season record, as is his 19 career TD passes.
Starpoint senior wide receiver Joe DeLelio, who finished with four catches for 25 yards, upped his reception total this season to 28, which is not only a Starpoint single-season record, but a career one as well. DeLelio also had an interception for Starpoint. Junior wide receiver Derek Bongiovanni added four catches for 73 yards and a TD.
“If you would have told me the final score before the game, I never would have believed you,” Cavagnaro said.
“I have to give all the credit to our offensive coordinator Bob Boudeman. He called just a great game and we ate the clock. They didn’t know what was coming.”
Starpoint finished with an incredible time-of possession advantage of 11:39 to 12 seconds in the first quarter and 19:39 to 4:21 in the first half.
Others grinding out huge chunks of yards for the garnet and gray were Brandon Kopp (34 yards, 7 carries), Scibilia (27 yards, five carries), junior Josh Elizalde (47 yards, 10 carries), senior Taylor Turpin (21 yards, five carries) and up from the junior varsity freshman Corey Regnet (16 yards, one carry; two receptions, 21 yards, TD).
Spartans senior Matt Allinson had a fumble recovery and mopped up for Scibilia at QB when Scibilia came out of the game midway through the fourth quarter.
Except for a 69-yard touchdown run by David Fluellen (13 carries, 106 yards, TD) on their first play from scrimmage, the Lions couldn’t muster much offense. Lions senior quarterback Justin Guyton had more passes dropped, finishing 2-for-7 for eight yards and an interception.
“We weren’t well prepared and Starpoint played like they had something to prove,” said Lions head coach Greg Bronson.
“We played today like double-A can just show up to play an A team, but we found out that the game isn’t played on paper. If you don’t respect your opponent, any team can beat you.”
Junior Sean Mulvey had a fumble recovery for the Lions. Senior Colton Balcerzak and junior Rashad Brown caught passes.
GRAND ISLAND BLOWS OUT STARPOINT 42-20
 42 20 Vikings roll behind Oliverio's 4 TD passes Grand Island senior quarterback Joe Oliverio was nearly flawless Saturday in leading the Vikings to a convincing 42-20 Class A North road victory at Starpoint. Oliverio finished 9-of-12 passing for 165 yards and four touchdowns in GI’s fourth consecutive win. Senior wideout Alex Neutz also continued on his torrid pace, catching seven passes for 164 yards and three scores.
Running back Eddie Weiser added 17 carries for 148 yards and a touchdown, while Andy LaLonde had two carries for 62 yards and a score. Joel Klock, who was 3-of-4 passing for 47 yards, kicked a 23-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to round out the scoring for the Vikings (5-1 overall, 4-2 Class A North). Defensively, Weiser and Brett Dlugosz both had nine tackles. GI had a 32-0 lead at the half.
For Starpoint (2-4, 2-3), Joe Scibilia threw a pair of touchdown passes. Joe DeLelio and Derek Bongiovanni each caught one, while Brandon Bratek had a 13-yard touchdown run.
October 4, 2008
 42 14
Casey Kacz threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as the Panthers jumped out to a big lead en route to a Class A North victory. Deshenaro Morris added a pair of rushing TDs for the Panthers (5-0 overall, 4-0 Class A North).
Despite the lopsided nature of the score, Starpoint defensive coordinator Tim Racey said the difference in total yardage was only about 100 but that turnovers were the Spartans’ downfall. Starpoint quarterback Joe Scibilia was 6-of-16 for 83 yards and two touchdowns, but all-league running back Brandon Bratek was held in check, running for only 47 yards on 10 carries. Joe Delelio had three catches for 42 yards and a TD and Denver Kopp, who led the team with 11 tackles, hauled in a six-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter for Starpoint (2-3, 2-2).
STARPOINT WINS A WILD ONE....
September 27, 2008
Doug Benz/Staff Photographer TOUGH YARDS: Starpoint’s Brandon Bratek (28) moves the ball Saturday during action against Kenmore East at Starpoint Field the Spartans won, 27-24.
Starpoint wins thriller over Kenmore East
By John D’Onofrio
PENDLETON — In case you missed Saturday’s Section VI Class A North football contest between Starpoint and Kenmore East, grab a sheet of paper and write down every sports cliché you can think of, then read them aloud.
“Mr. Clutch” was there, as were “two evenly-matched teams” in “a game of inches” in which you “hated to see someone lose,” the “see-saw battle” ended in a “Mother-of-All” “fantastic finish.”
And finally, emphatically, “It just doesn’t get any better than this.”
In one of the most exciting, electrifying local grid games of the season thus far, Starpoint’s Joe DeLelio hauled in a 4-yard touchdown pass from Joe Scibilia with 43 seconds to go, lifting the Spartans to a thrilling 27-24 victory over the visiting Bulldogs at Shirley Tudor Stadium.
“Wow. That was a great football game,” said Spartans defensive coordinator Tim Racey, after both teams combined for 858 yards of total offense. “Hats off to our kids. They persevered. And hats off to the Ken East team. Obviously, both teams played with a lot of heart today.”
The teams traded punches throughout with the Bulldogs taking the lead once in every quarter and the Spartans (2-2 overall, 2-1 Class A North) rebounding to take a slim lead. It went that way until the end, when time ran out on the Bulldogs (0-4 overall, 0-3 Class A North) at the Spartans’ 2-yard line.
“We got down to the red zone two more times. Once we fumbled and the other we threw an interception — woulda, shoulda, coulda, I guess,” said Ken East head coach Matt Chimera. “I asked my kids to play great today and leave it all on the field and they did that. Unfortunately we fell just a couple of yards short.”
The Bulldogs opened the scoring late in the first quarter when senior quarterback Jon Anthony Wiltberger tossed an 89-yard touchdown pass to wide-open senior wide receiver Victor Cacho (3 catches, 160 yards, 2 TDs). The two-point run failed and the visitors led 6-0.
That didn’t last long — 19 seconds to be exact. On their next play from scrimmage, Starpoint’s all-time leading rusher, senior Brandon Bratek (18 carries, 225 yards, 2 TDs), sprinted around the left side and down the sideline 84 yards for a touchdown. Joe Scibilia’s first of three extra points — which proved to be the difference — gave the hosts a 7-6 lead after one.
In the second quarter, Wiltberger (17-of-22 passing, 301 yards, 3 TDs), rolled right, double pumped then hit junior wide receiver Kevin Wagner in the endzone to give Ken East a 12-7 lead with under a minute to go in the half.
But once again, the Spartans marched right back to take the lead before intermission. Sophomore Brandon Kopp returned the kickoff 66 yards to the Bulldogs’ 19. Three plays later and Bratek plowed in from the 1 to give the Spartans a 14-12 lead at the mid-way point.
Ken East opened the second half with a six-play, 66-yard drive, capped by a 33-yard scoring pass from Wiltberger to Cacho. The two-point pass failed, but the Bulldogs led 18-14.
After the two teams traded fumbles, the Spartans regained the lead again. Bratek took a handoff and scampered down the right sideline for 86 yards to the Bulldogs’ 1. Three plays later and Taylor Turpin burst into the end zone. Scibilia’s PAT was blocked, but Starpoint held a slim 20-18 lead.
The Bulldogs, who finished with 489 yards on offense, marched 74 yards in 11 plays, capped by senior Mike Doherty’s 1-yard run, regaining the lead, 24-20, with three-and-a-half minutes left in the game. The drive included a fourth-and-10 pass from Wiltberger to Doherty (20 rushes, 129 yards, 1 TD; 5 receptions, 55 yards) on a well-designed play inside the 10.
“It’s called a jail break. We try to get the defense to look the other way, then Mike makes a cut across the middle — and he was open,” Wiltberger said.
It was “four-down territory” the rest of the way for both teams.
The Spartans started at their own 38 and moved swiftly on the ground. When the drive appeared to stall with a fourth-and-11 on the Bulldogs’ 33, Scibilia (10-of-17, 106 yards), calmly hit DeLelio (6 catches, 48 yards), a senior wide receiver, over the middle for a first down at the Ken East 18. Tack on an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and the Spartans had it first and goal inside the 10.
Two plays later and Scibilia hit DeLelio with a four-yard scoring pass play that gave Starpoint a 27-24 lead with 43.1 seconds to go.
Game over? Not today.
The Bulldogs marched 63 yards in five plays. Wiltberger passed 13 yards to Wagner at the 2-yard line with three hundredths of a second left on the clock. With no time-outs, Wiltberger ran up to the line to spike the ball before the game clock was restarted, but the drive stalled about 100 inches short.
STARPOINT'S RALLY FALLS SHORT, LOSE TO THE BILLES 28-26
 28 26
WEEK #3 - September 20, 2008
Williamsville South’s first score came courtesy of a 30-yard pass early in the second quarter to Stasiak from sophomore starting quarterback Joseph Licata 14 of 34, 179 yards, 2 TDs), who is the son of Starpoint principal Gil Licata.
Starpoint (1-2 overall, 1-1 league) trailed, 22-7, late in the third quarter and for a time was without its starting quarterback. Joseph Scibilia (7-for-19 passing, 85 yards; 10 rushes, 38 yards, TD) was knocked out with cramping after his 2-yard run gave the Spartans a third-and-goal from the 6.
Not to worry, Joe Delelio stepped in and fired a scoring pass over the middle to Starpoint career rushing leader Brandon Bratek, making it 22-13 with 1:06 left in the third. But just 38 seconds later, Clark fired a 35-yard scoring pass to sophomore Kevin O’Connell to put the Billies up by 15 entering the final 12 minutes.
After taking a series off, Scibilia returned and nearly tied it up for the Spartans. Denver Kopp’s 10-yard run with 3:18 left made it 28-20 following Scibilia’s PAT kick and capped a 10-play, 85-yard march highlighted by Scibilia’s 20-yard scamper and runs of 11 and 12 yards by Bratek (20 carries, 93 yards).
The Spartans’ defense held and Starpoint got the ball back at its own 44 with 1:58 left. Bratek rumbled for gains of 11 and 6 yards, Scibilia hit Josh Elizalde for 14 yards, then an interference call set up the Spartans with first-and-goal at the 9 with 26.6 seconds remaining.
After two incompletions, Scibilia rolled out right and gained 8 yards to the 1, bringing up fourth-and-1 with 8.4 seconds left. Scibilia again rolled right, this time into the end zone following a Starpoint timeout, leaving the Spartans two points away with 4.8 seconds left.
Williamsville South called a timeout prior to the two-point attempt, and then Billies senior linebacker Chris Hauser met Scibilia short of the goal line as the QB rolled to his left this time. "I was expecting them to throw it in the end zone but they had been doing rollouts all day," Hauser said. "Once I read the rollout, I got to the ball and just took him down. I had to make up for a tackle I’d missed earlier."
That was the last in a day filled with big plays. Though Starpoint was outgained, 383-227, they stayed in the game thanks to a 77-yard kickoff return for a touchdown midway through the second quarter by Brandon Kopp. He and Bratek were back as the deep men and collided as both attempted to field the boot. Kopp picked the ball off the ground as was sprung free along the left sideline thanks to a punishing, open-field block by Bratek.
“We gave up a score on the first drive of the second half, but after that our defense played great,” Cavagnaro said.
Defensively, Corey Eggert’s 11 tackles led the Spartans; including three for a loss and one pass batted down. Starpoint junior linebacker Kodiak Allen forced a fumble for Williamsville South’s lone turnover and also blocked a PAT kick. South’s 245-pound John Kelley registered a sack on a Starpoint PAT pass attempt and three others that counted in the statistics, while junior teammate Dillon Gallagher’s name was called out over the public address system so frequently for tackles that seemed like every Billies defender was wearing jersey No. 55.
With all the scoring, it was easy to forget about the first-quarter play that ultimately provided the margin of victory. South junior linebacker Michael Lang forced Scibilia into a fumble that rolled through the Starpoint end zone for a safety and gave the Billies a lead they never relinquished.
Starpoint looks to bounce back into the playoff race next week with a win against Kenmore East.
SPARTANS SHUT-OUT THE FLAMES 29-0 IN A RECORD SETTING FASHION
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The Starpoint Spartans got their first win of the year as they beat the Williamsville East Flames 29-0 on Saturday. Running back Brandon Bratek has 100 yards on 17 carries and scored two touchdowns. During the game Bratek set the school career rushing record by eclipaing John Cappello's mark of 2515 set in 1970 to 1971. Joe Scibilia tied a Starpoint record by kicking 2 field goals. Scibilia also threw a touchdown pass to Brendan Reinert in the first half. The defense swared around the East offense all day and was rewarded when Nick Stenzel recorded a safety by tackling the East running back in the end zone. Joe DeLelio had an interception, while Scibilia and Michael Crage led the team in tackles. Bratek broke the school record when he took of the right hand side of the offense and raced 38 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter. Next week the Spartans will face the Billies from Williamsville South.
Varsity Football All-Time Records
Starpoint Spartans All-Time Records
September 5, 2008
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The Starpoint Spartans opened their 2008 season with a lackluster loss to the West Seneca East Trojans 21-9. The Trojans opened the scoring in the first quarter as Starpoint couldn't convert on their opening offensive drive. WSE QB Andy Pangallo ran in the first score from one yard out. Starpoint's defense stiffened after a series of WSE first downs, then Denver Kopp recoverd a fumble as the rain came down to thwart a WSE drive. Starpoint marched down the field and Joe Scibilia put Starpoint's first points of the season on the board with a 33 yard FG. The score at halftime was 7-3.
WSE then took the opening kickoff and drove down the field and scored what would end up being the game winning TD. Bradon Bratek finished off the scoring with less then a minute left in the game, running it in from nine yards out. Bratek finished with 100 yards on 22 carries. Joe Scibilia led teh defense with 8 tackles. Joe Delelio and Matt Allinson finished with 6 tackles apiece.
GARNET WINS OVER GREY IN FIRST ANNUAL GARNET AND GREY GAME
The defense was able to walk away from Wednesday nights scrimmage on a positive note as they were able to hold off a late surging offense to win the first annual Garnet and Grey Game 42-34. Spectacular plays by free safety Joe Delelio with hard nosed hitting by Tucker Smith and Mike Crage allowed the defense to rally after giving up some early points to teh offense. Quarterback Joe Scibilia opened the scoring on a 35 yard run to take the lead 11-0. Kodiak Allan was pressed into the starting tailback spot, did well gaining 8 and 11 yards on runs up the middle only to fumble before the 1st quarter ended.
2008 Football Schedule
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