By David J. Hill
North Tonawanda, NY — Before the season even began, the North Tonawanda football team had its sights set high. Nothing less than a journey deep into the state playoffs would be acceptable.
That journey begins tonight when the undefeated Lumberjacks — winners of the Class AA North title for a third straight year — host Frontier (3-4) in a Section VI Class AA quarterfinal at the Lumberjacks Sports Complex. Kickoff is at 7.
North Tonawanda, however, may be without one of its top players — senior Aaron Davis — who is nursing an ankle injury. Lumberjacks coach Eric Jantzi said it’s “a big if” whether Davis will play at all tonight. Davis likely will suit up but if he does play, he probably won’t see much action unless absolutely necessary.
NT (7-0) enters the matchup as the top seed in AA North, and is ranked No. 3 in the state. The Falcons, meanwhile, drew the No. 4 seed in AA South and are making their first playoff appearance since the 1984 season, when they won the Section VI large schools title.
Jantzi doesn’t think that playoff inexperience will factor into tonight’s game. “It’s do or die time for everybody. We have to approach it like it’s another game that we have to win.”
North Tonawanda is 9-4 all-time against Frontier. The Jacks won their last meeting, in 2003, 21-12.
Frontier posted wins this season over Williamsville North, West Seneca West and Clarence. Their four losses were to Lancaster, Jamestown, Hamburg and Orchard Park.
The Falcons offense is keyed by senior running back Mark Schuster, who last week became the program’s all-time leading rusher. “He’s just a powerful runner,” Jantzi said of Schuster. “He has a low center of gravity, and he loves to cut back against the grain. We’ve got to get all the running lanes filled up so we can slow him down a little bit.”
The toughest task for Frontier likely will be slowing down NT’s high-octane offense, even if Davis doesn’t play many downs. The Jacks are averaging slightly more than 42 points per game this season and have allowed just 49 points in seven games.
CLASS AA CONSOLATION BOWL
W.S. West at Ken West
After dropping its first five games of the season, Ken West (2-5) heads into Saturday’s Class AA Consolation Bowl Semifinal tilt with West Seneca West on a two-game win streak.
In those victories — 30-6 over Niagara-Wheatfield and 28-8 over Kenmore East — the Blue Devils limited their turnovers and got some big offensive performances from senior Warren Hemphill and sophomores Marcus Lobdell and Martin Bailey.
Coach Rich Harris hopes to keep that momentum going against the 0-7 Indians. Kickoff is 2 p.m. at Crosby Field, the site of both Blue Devils victories this season.
The winner of this semifinal will play the victor of Saturday’s Niagara-Wheatfield at Clarence semifinal in the Class AA Bowl Championship at 7 p.m. at Depew High School.
NONLEAGUE
Springville at Tonawanda
There are no playoff or bowl game implications in this nonleague contest, but the 2009 season will end happily for one of these two squads as both enter Friday’s 7:30 p.m. kickoff as the bearers of 0-7 records.
Both teams lost big in Week 7, with Springville falling to Pioneer 42-14 and the Warriors getting drubbed by NT in the 100th T-NT game, 68-7. Sophomore Justin Bacon rushed for 109 yards, including a 69-yard touchdown, on 17 carries against the Lumberjacks.
A THS victory would be a positive sendoff for the Warriors’ 12 seniors. Springville and Tonawanda last met in 2005, with THS winning 29-22.
Kenmore East at Starpoint
Not much is at stake in this nonleague contest between the 0-7 Bulldogs and the 1-6 host Spartans. Kickoff is 2 p.m. at Starpoint.
Kenmore East is coming off a 28-8 loss to Ken-Ton rival Kenmore West, and will be looking to end an otherwise dismal season on a winning note. Starpoint won last year’s meeting 27-24.
Contact reporter David J. Hill at 693-1000, ext. 115.
ROAD TO ‘THE RALPH’
FRIDAY — Section VI Class AA Quarterfinals
• Frontier (3-4) at North Tonawanda (7-0), 7 p.m.
• Wil. North (3-4) at Orchard Park (6-1), 7 p.m.
• Niagara Falls (4-3) at Lancaster (7-0), 7:30 p.m.
OCT. 30
• Section VI Semifinals, matchups TBA
NOV. 6
• Section VI Finals at Ralph Wilson Stadium, AA: 8:30 p.m.
