North Tonawanda wins Class AA title in record-setting rout
The marquee matchup of Section VI football championship weekend at Ralph Wilson Stadium was the Class AA final between two of the best large schools with two of the best football traditions in Western New York.
The results of the grand finale were simply staggering.
A 34-point second quarter for North Tonawanda. Eight turnovers in the game for Lancaster. A record point total at the venue where Section VI championships have been held for 31 years.
North Tonawanda set a new high for points scored in a Section VI final as it dominated Lancaster, 54-7, before an estimated 4,000 fans that were either stunned that things were going so well — or going so poorly.
Lumberjacks senior Steve Kijowski scored four touchdowns. Junior Joe Montesanti had three. Senior Mike Tuzzo threw for two.
"Fifty-four to seven — that's a statement. That's a great game," said Tuzzo. "I'm definitely surprised by that score. ... I don't know if I ever could have imagined it like this. It's a dream of all of ours to come out at Ralph Wilson Stadium and win. We were able to do it, and it was a lot of fun."
A North Tonawanda team that includes many players who lost to eventual state champion Orchard Park at The Ralph one year ago, won the school's third championship and first since 2002. NT and Lancaster both entered the game undefeated; the Lumberjacks entered the game ranked third among Western New York large schools while Lancaster was second behind Class A champion Sweet Home.
"They never cease to amaze me," 10th-year North Tonawanda coach Eric Jantzi said of his Lumberjacks. "The performance they put on tonight is something I'll remember the rest of my life. Things were like in slow motion a lot of times, the way we got opportunistic with the turnovers and made the turnovers happen. I couldn't be more proud of a special group of kids.
"I thought it was going to be a dogfight, and all the turnovers made it a little lopsided."
North Tonawanda (10-0) advanced to the Far West Regionals and will face Webster Schroeder at 6 p.m. Saturday at downtown Rochester's Marina Auto Stadium. Schroeder beat defending Section V (Rochester area) champion Gates-Chili, 52-14, in Saturday night's final.
The first quarter at The Ralph was one that was certainly expected, with Lancaster and NT each threatening but neither able to score.
The second quarter began with a quick shift in momentum. Lancaster (9-1) was inside the NT 35 when Cory Davis fumbled. NT senior Darrik Bloomfield — who also had two interceptions for a combined 58 return yards — picked it up and returned it to the Lancaster 29.
Three plays later, Lancaster couldn't find Montesanti (13 carries, 107 yards) on a third-down play and he went up the middle for a 22-yard score.
After NT forced a punt, Kijowski soon had a 41-yard TD run, his first of three scores in a row. On Lancaster's ensuing possession, Kijowski returned an interception 15 yards for a touchdown. A fumble gave the ball back to NT and Kijowski ran in from 3 yards. Another punt was eventually turned into a 13-yard pass play from Tuzzo to senior Aaron Davis and NT had its 34-0 halftime lead.
Lancaster had five interceptions and three fumbles. Davis' extra point kick after a Montesanti 10-yard TD with five minutes to go moved NT one point past Iroquois' 2006 total of 53.
"Certainly we waited for our worst half of football to be in the stadium," said 24th-year Lancaster coach Len Jankiewicz. "But that's how things go. Give credit to North Tonawanda. The reason we're not doing the things we do is because they're doing the things they are."
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