It was a very promising start for the Jamestown Chiefs (1-5) of the Northeastern Football Alliance at home against the Lyndonville Tigers, but in the end there was too much of the visitors' offense as Lyndonville prevailed, 23-15, on Saturday at Strider Field.
A big stand on fourth-and-one for the Chiefs defense set up Shawn Fink, James Dickey and the rest of the Chiefs for their opening drive near midfield as the game got under way. After four bruising runs, Fink lobbed a 32-yard strike to Gary Kum for the game's first score.
Jamestown was up, 7-0.
''They went for it on fourth down on their own 45-yard line,'' Jamestown Chiefs coach Brendan Carter said. ''We stopped, them ,took over for our opening drive and ran the play-action, corner fade.''
The Chiefs were fired up early and playing well in front of their fans, but the Tigers roared right back.
The Lyndonville offense woke up and rattled off 23 unanswered points.
''Their offense ran a total of 63 plays and we ran just 30,'' Carter added. ''We had a really hard time maintaining their quarterback. He was a nightmare.''
Lyndonville's speed on the turf at Strider Field led to big plays for the Tigers, but the biggest play of the game came in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter for Chiefs kickoff return specialist, Ricky Gonzalez.
Gonzalez blazed down the field for a 78-yard score, Dickey trotted in for the two-point conversation and the Chiefs were right back in the game.
There just wasn't any time left for a fourth quarter comeback.
''Defensively we played very well with the bend but don't break philosophy,'' Carter said. ''We just bent a lot longer than what I would have liked.''
One 15-play drive was the only blemish on an otherwise stellar defensive day. In five other trips into the red zone, the Tigers walked away with just three field goals and two turnovers.
This Saturday, the Chiefs are back on their home turf to battle with the Southern Tier Diesel at 5 p.m. It will also be kids night, so anyone 17-years of age and under will be admitted free of charge.
At halftime, the Chiefs will be honoring the Jamestown Dukes, a semi-professional football franchise in the 1940-50s.
Any former Dukes players will be admitted free of charge.
