Dalton Caldwell was facing cramps throughout the game, but his body did not fail him when it mattered most. Caldwell scored capped off two long drives with 7-yard and 9-yard touchdown rushes, and the Golden Cougars converted both 2-point conversions to rally from a 16-14 deficit in the fourth to a 30-16 victory.

“It was a real gutsy game,” Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove head coach Curt Fischer said. “We had four guys in and out with cramps. Everyone came in and played great. I’m real happy with that win for sure.”

Albion got on the board first and converted to make it 8-0, but the Golden Cougars were able to respond with a Garrett Williams 15-yard touchdown run to make it 8-6. The Golden Cougars then took the lead before halftime on a Lucas Sopak pass to Matt Welsh and Caldwell ran in the 2-point conversion to make it 14-6.

Albion took the 16-14 lead in the third quarter before succumbing to the Golden Cougars’ rally in the fourth.

Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove’s Cam Bower catches an 11-yard pass during Friday’s Class B2 game in Albion. P-J photo by Jason Bower

Caldwell led the offense with 110 yards on 17 carries, including two touchdowns, and Williams added another 69 yards on 13 carries.

Defensively, Cam Bower made seven tackles, Brodie Little had seven with three sacks, and Caldwell had eight tackles.

T’BIRDS WIN ON NEW FIELD

MAYVILLE — The Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton Thunderbirds put its new football field in Mayville to the test for the first time on Friday night against JFK.

For the first game it was quite the night to remember as the Thunderbirds pulled off the victory 28-22 in double overtime.

Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton’s Martin Ohlsson rushes downfield during Friday’s game against JFK in Mayville. Photo courtesy of Michelle Gilbert | MaxPreps

“When you go 1-7 last year and you come out and win a double overtime game, they showed today we’re heading in the right direction,” Thunderbirds head coach Ryan Gibbs said. “We played a heck of a game.”

JFK kept the Thunderbirds off the board in the first half and led 6-0, but then Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton’s offense started to find its groove. Thunderbirds’ leading rusher Bradley Smith scored the first touchdown to tie the game at 6-6 in the third quarter.

Both teams exchanged scores in the fourth, with Lawson Ormsby catching a touchdown pass from Hunter McCaslin for a touchdown and the 2-point conversions sent the game to overtime at 14-14.

Overtime is when McCaslin took over as he scored both touchdowns to win the game. Carson Fairbank converted the first 2-point conversion and McCaslin connected with Brett Meadows on the game-winning 2-point conversion to make it 28-22.

The Thunderbirds finished on a strong defensive stand to match last year’s win totals in just the first week. Gibbs noted strong performances from Ormsby, Mason Maring and Martin Ohlsson on the defensive side of the ball.

“It was Kyle Petersen’s first game at offensive coordinator and he did a nice job down the stretch,” Gibbs added. “We were executing plays we’ve had success in on 7-on-7 leagues. Our line really stepped it up, too.”

BIG THIRD QUARTER FOR TITANS

ELLICOTTVILLE — Gian Nuzzo ran for 184 yards and a touchdown while Hunter Smith added three scores on the ground as Franklinville/Ellicottville beat nonleague St. Mary’s 38-13.

The Titans (1-0) led just 8-6 at halftime before overpowering the Lancers in a 24-0 third quarter.

“The kids responded really well, especially in the second half,” Franklinville/Ellicottville head coach Jason Marsh said. “Our offensive line came out firing on all cylindars in the second half. … They were really able to dominate in that third quarter.”

Smith scored on runs of 11 and 9 yards early in the third quarter before a Noah Shenk interception gave Franklinville/Ellicottville a short field with which to work. Nuzzo then scored on a 29-yard run to make it 32-6.

“Gian played wide receiver last year, but he has stepped in at quarterback for us and done a nice job,” Marsh said. “We ran a little option and a couple of quarterback sweeps to go along with some scrambles.”

Brad John tackled St. Mary’s quarterback Sherred Bernard in the end zone to open the scoring before a 5-yard run from Smith made it 8-0.

Bernard threw his first of two touchdowns, a 15-yarder to Brayden Monk to make it 8-6 heading into halftime.

After the Titans’ 24-0 third quarter, Beau Bielecki added a 14-yard touchdown for Franklinville/Ellicottville and Bernard threw a 26-yard touchdown to Griffin Smith.

“We’re hoping we can keep running the ball the way that we did. That’s a nice luxury to have,” Marsh said. “We kind of thought we’d be able to throw the ball a little more and we kind of struggled in the pass game. We took what they gave us.”

St. Mary’s 0 6 0 7 — 13

Franklinville/Ellicottville 8 0 24 6 — 38

F/E–John tackle Bernard in end zone

F/E–HSmith 5 run (run failed)

St.M–Monk 15 pass from Bernard (run failed)

F/E–HSmith 11 run (Bielecki run)

F/E–HSmith 9 run (Shenk pass from Nuzzo)

F/E–Nuzzo 29 run (Bielecki run)

F/E–Bielecki 14 run (kick failed)

St.M–GSmith 26 pass from Bernard (Peccia kick)