By Brandon Koch
Greater Niagara Newspapers
LOCKPORT —
Two weeks of arduous two-a-days culminated for area football teams on Scrimmage Saturday across Western New York.
Highlighting Saturday’s docket of exhibition matchups was perhaps a fantasy contest of sorts, as defending Class AA New York state champion North Tonawanda lined up against Class A champ, Sweet Home at Lockport’s Emmett Belknap Middle School.
Aside from the host Lions and, of course, the Lumberjacks and the Panthers, was University at Buffalo bound gunslinger Joe Licata and Williamsville South, Monsignor Martin Association perennial contender, St. Francis, and 2009 Class A runner-up Grand Island.
For head coach Eric Jantzi and NT, the level of competition was welcomed.
“The level of competition we faced today was probably the best we’ve had in a long time in terms of our scrimmage,” Jantzi said. “Our goal is to play the best teams that we can so that — if we’re lucky enough to get out of Western New York — we’re better prepared by that point in the season. Getting into a scrimmage like this is better for us and it just makes everyone better, not just us.”
Jantzi’s offense, which on paper has been depleted due to departing seniors, got off to a rather slow start before getting the ball rolling on a couple of scores.
“I thought we started a little slower than we’re used to doing, but we picked it up pretty well,” he said.
With an almost complete overhaul in the backfield, which includes former running back Joe Montesanti’s switch to quarterback, Jantzi added he has been pleased with the progress of his starting 11 on “O.”
“We’re improving. I’m happy with our progress,” Jantzi said. “We moved the ball pretty good offensively against everybody. I was satisfied enough to be happy with our progress. Hopefully we can continue to improve and we’ll take it from there.”
Grand Island head coach Dean Santorio was also pleased with his team. Last year’s Section VI runner-up Vikings had a solid performance, Santorio said.
“We made some mistakes, but that’s what scrimmages are for,” he said. “We were pretty happy with some of things we did moving the football offensively against three pretty good football teams — Lockport, St. Francis and NT.”
While Santorio said he was content with GI’s play on the offensive side of the ball, the Vikings defense struggled at times, he said.
“We were a little disappointed in our tackling defensively,” Santorio said. “We didn’t play as well as we would have liked, but overall that’s what scrimmages are for and hopefully we can get some things sorted out before our next week.”
In addition to the super scrimmage at Lockport, Niagara Falls traveled to All-High Stadium in Buffalo to take on East and Grover Cleveland, while Tonawanda and Lew-Port visited West Seneca East.
Niagara Falls coach Don Bass was disappointed in his team’s offense, but hopes they have enough time to get things together before the season starts.
“Other than Dale (Stewart) at quarterback, nothing good happened on offense for us,” Bass said after the Wolverines finished their scrimmage. Bass noted a young offensive line and tentative play disrupted what Bass expects to be a potent attack.
“We were a little laid back, a little lethargic,” he said, adding that he hadn’t seen that from his Wolverines in practice thus far.
Bass was excited about his defense, however, which only allowed one touchdown at the morning scrimmage.
“I think the defense did well,” he said, his only critique being better tackling.
Other area teams in action were Monsignor Martin Association’s Cardinal O’Hara at Cleveland Hill, Kenmore West at Clarence, Kenmore East at Amherst, Niagara-Wheatfield at Depew. St. Joe’s hosted Cathedral Prep (Pa.).
The high school grid season makes its return next Friday.
Sports reporter Ryan Nagelhout contributed to this article.
