SYRACUSE — Jamestown freshman quarterback Trey Drake connected with sophomore running back Jaylen Butera on a fourth-down, 15-yard touchdown pass in overtime to lift the Red Raiders to a 28-21 victory over Baldwinsville in the National Football Foundation Kickoff Classic at the Carrier Dome on Saturday.

The Red Raiders’ defense was stout on the Bees’ ensuing possession, holding the Section III team without a first down and out of the end zone to cap a memorable season opener at Ernie Davis Legends Field.

Junior running back Savon VanSickle, playing healthy for the first time in almost two years, rushed for 177 yards on 31 carries and scored a pair of touchdowns, Drake scored on a 1-yard run and senior Andrew Dix booted four PATs.

The biggest play of the day, however, came on the Red Raiders’ lone possession in overtime. Taking the ball at the 20-yard line, VanSickle rushed for five yards and Demari Jones ran for three, but a fumble pushed Jamestown back three yards to the 15.

Coach Tom Langworthy called a timeout and elected to go for the first down rather than attempt a field goal. The decision proved to be the right one as Drake, who finished 6 of 10 for 78 yards with one interception in his varsity debut, rolled to his left and found Butera open in the flat. The latter caught the pass, made a beeline for the goal line and vaulted into the end zone for what proved to be the game-winning score.

Baldwinsville coach Carl Sanfilippo — son of former Jamestown coach Joe Sanfilippo — and his Bees then had their possession, beginning at the 20. But two running plays, sandwiched around an incomplete pass, set up fourth down from the 15. Baldwinsville quarterback Braden McCard dropped back in an effort to find an open receiver, but under heavy pressure from Red Raider junior linebacker Takye Branch, the pass fell incomplete to end the game.

Defensively, the Red Raiders were led by senior defensive back Josh Tonkin (six tackles, three assists, one tackle for loss); junior lineman Jadial Johnson (seven tackles, three assists, one sack and two tackles for loss); senior lineman Chase Jones (four tackles and three assists) and Branch (three tackles, three assists, one sack and three tackles for loss).

With a roster filled with underclassmen, Jamestown’s inexperience showed at times as it turned the ball over five times, but its resilient defense never broke, even when Baldwinsville had the Red Raiders on the ropes, particularly at the end of regulation and the game tied, 21-21.

Set up by an interception from the Bees’ Patrick May on Jamestown’s failed halfback option pass with just over a minute remaining in regulation, Baldwinsville — aided by a pair of long runs by Mike Letiza — advanced from its own 7 to the Red Raiders’ 12 with six seconds remaining. Sanfillippo had his kicker attempt a 29-yard, game-winning field goal, but the try was wide, pushing the game into overtime.

Armed with a new lease on life, the Red Raiders, who had a chance to take the lead late in regulation, but Dix’s 27-yard field goal attempt was no good didn’t disappoint on either side of the ball in the extra session.

The Red Raiders return to action next Friday when they host Hutch Tech at 7 p.m. at Strider Field.

NOTES: VanSickle was Jamestown’s Most Valuable Player. In addition to his 177 yards rushing, he also returned a punt 47 yards to set up the first of his two touchdowns. … Letiza, the Bees’ MVP, led Baldwinsville with 120 yards rushing on 19 carries and a pair of touchdowns on bursts of 22 and 9 yards; and Willie Strong added 69 yards on six carries and a 40-yard scamper to paydirt. … Demari Jones finished with 46 yards rushing on nine attempts, while Butera had 41 yards, also on nine trips for Jamestown. … Simeon Leeper caught four passes for 44 yards for the Red Raiders.

Jamestown 7 7 7 0 7 — 28

Baldwinsville 7 6 8 0 0 — 21

Bal–Letiza 22 run (Kenney kick)

JHS–Drake 1 run (Dix kick)

JHS–VanSickle 3 run (Dix kick)

Bal–Strong 40 run (pass fail)

JHS–VanSickle 5 run (Dix kick)

Bal–Letiza 9 run (Letiza run)

JHS–Butera 15 pass from Drake (Dix kick)