By David J. Hill<br><a href="mailto:hilld@gnnewspaper.com">E-mail David</a>
North Tonawanda, NY — With a raucous home crowd and history on its side, the North Tonawanda football team made history in the 100th T-NT Classic Friday night at the Lumberjacks Sports Complex.
The Jacks’ explosive offense gained more than 500 yards, while the defense held the Warriors to just five first downs in a 68-7 rout before a crowd of 7,500 who witnessed the most points ever scored in a T-NT game. North Tonawanda managed to outdo last year’s 61-point effort.
The victory extends to nine games North Tonawanda’s T-NT win streak, the longest consecutive triumphs without ties in the history of the series, which dates back to 1896, and gives the Lumberjacks a 60-31-9 series lead. The previous best was the eight straight games NT won from 1970 to 1977.
“It was an absolutely amazing experience just to compete in front of that entire crowd,” said North Tonawanda senior lineman Ben Kanaley. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and playing the way we did just made it all the better.”
Senior quarterback Mike Tuzzo rushed for touchdowns of 6 and 46 yards, and junior fullback Joe Medina (six carries, 76 yards) scored on runs of 3 and 20 yards for the Lumberjacks, who gained 410 yards on the ground and another 132 through the air.
The score sheet for the 100th T-NT game also will show that seniors Aaron Davis (two catches, 88 yards), Darrik Bloomfield, Steve Kijowski (11 tackles), Devan Moultrie (five carries, 91 yards) and Tom Sell electrified the crowd by reaching the end zone, as did junior Joe Montesanti. Bloomfield scored on a 44-yard touchdown catch from Montesanti on a halfback option pass in the first quarter.
The game was largely decided after the first quarter, when the Lumberjacks led 20-0, and was far out of reach by halftime, with NT rolling to a 48-7 advantage after a four touchdown second quarter.
“You certainly don’t like scoring that many points, but some of our younger kids got a chance to prove that they can execute pretty well,” said Lumberjacks (7-0) coach Eric Jantzi, whose T-NT record is 9-1. “It’s a fun experience,” he said. “It was a loud crowd. It was a great high school football atmosphere.”
The overmatched Warriors (0-7) did little to help their cause, punting the ball away on their first four drives of the game. Junior Kyle Schroeder had some booming kicks, but Tonawanda often was backed up deep in its own end that it gave the Jacks good field position.
“Their speed was certainly a difference, I think that was pretty clear,” Tonawanda’s second-year coach Jason Beckman said. “Even their second string fullback (Medina) was breaking a dive play for long yardage, and that’s where that disparity in speed certainly showed up.”
The Warriors’ bright spot was sophomore running back Justin Bacon, who recorded Tonawanda’s only touchdown, a 69-yarder in the second quarter.
“I think it just kind of happened that way,” Tuzzo said of the 68 points his offense scored. “Our goal today was just to be crisp on the field, don’t make mistakes, and obviously we did that out here and the score showed that.”
The pageantry surrounding the game was befitting for an event many in the Twin Cities had been anticipating since last year’s T-NT Classic. The North Tonawanda stands were near-capacity well over an hour before kickoff. Additional bleachers were brought in to accommodate fans on the Tonawanda side.
U.S. Marines unfurled a giant American flag for the singing of the National Anthem, and NT chorus members even offered a choral rendition of the Queen hit “We Will Rock You.” Tonawanda High School filled part of the bleachers with its own pep band, adding to the game atmosphere.
“It’s a good life experience,” Jantzi said. “It’s something you’re going to remember for the rest of your life. You can hang your hat on the fact that you were in the 100th T-NT game. It’s pretty special.”
Just ask Kanaley. “It was absolutely amazing just to go out there and score on every single drive and not let them stop us,” he said. “It’s a good feeling, especially when you’re the (team) scoring all the points.
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At halftime, local dignitaries honored veteran NT public address announcer Dick Grapes for his 51 years calling Lumberjacks home games. The press box at the stadium has been named in his honor.
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Prior to the game, NT’s Tuzzo and THS’ Phil Lockhart were presented with $500 scholarships from the Marines-sponsored Great American Rivalry Series.
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Grounds crews from both schools painted the end zones for the big game. NT’s was painted red with while letters spelling out “JACKS,” while Tonawanda’s end zone featured the Warriors logo centered between two T’s.
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There was another first. “For the first time in school history, we have a mascot,” Grapes announced shortly before kickoff. “His name is Jack, Lumber Jack.”
Contact reporter David J. Hill at 693-1000, ext. 115.
