By David J. Hill
For the first time in seven years, North Tonawanda is traveling to Rochester to play more football.
The Section VI Class AA champion Lumberjacks, ranked third in the state, will face Webster Schroeder on Saturday in the Far West Regionals at 6 p.m. at Marina Auto Stadium. The winner advances to the semifinals the following Saturday at the same venue.
It’s NT’s second trip to the state quarterfinals since 2002. Rochester is just another stop on the Lumberjacks journey toward their goal of winning a state title. “It’s been a while since we’ve been there,” senior offensive lineman Casey Shreve said of the state quarterfinals. “It’s just exciting to get to travel to Rochester and play a football game.”
Exciting as it may be, the Lumberjacks are well aware of what’s on the line. “If you lose, you’re done, but we don’t want to lose. We don’t want to stop playing football,” Shreve said.
North Tonawanda (10-0) is riding a wave of momentum following two huge playoff victories, over Orchard Park and Lancaster. The Warriors from Webster Schroeder enter Saturday’s contest ranked 17th in the state. They’re 7-0 since dropping two of their first three games. Webster Schroeder didn’t crack the top 20 state ranking until the 10th week of the season.
Again, the Jacks will face an opponent that hasn’t matched their scoring prowess. NT has outscored its foes 413-76, the Warriors 254-136. Webster Schroeder gave up 65 points in its first three games alone, but has allowed 71 during its win streak.
The Warriors won the Section V title last week over Gates Chili, 52-14. Senior Pete Noto ran for 207 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries in that game.
Despite a crisp defense that’s allowed 27 points in three playoff games, NT doesn’t expect to roll to another blowout victory this week.
“They’re good. They run a spread offense, and they like to run the football out of the spread,” junior fullback Joe Montesanti said of Webster Schroeder. “We’ve just got to come with our A-game and hopefully play like we did the last two games.”
In those last two games, NT shut down two of the best offenses in Western New York, holding Lancaster and NT to just seven points each.
“I think it’ll be a good, hard-hitting game between two good football teams looking to advance,” Jacks coach Eric Jantzi. “It’s do or die for both teams. Everybody’s going to be pretty desperate out there.”
Contact reporter David J. Hill at 693-1000, ext. 115.
