And, yes, it was still three days before Labor Day.

But Jamestown head football coach Tom Langworthy couldn’t hide his enthusiasm as he gathered his team in the end zone at Strider Field for a postgame chat Friday night.

“You had a great game because you worked hard,” he said. “The coaches worked hard and, together, I think we can have something special.”

It was hard to argue with Jamestown’s effort.

Jamestown’s Carsen Bane runs for one of his three touchdowns during Friday’s nonleague game against Baldwinsville at Strider Field in Jamestown. P-J photo by Tim Frank

Carsen Bane rushed for 135 yards on 23 carries and scored three touchdowns, Cole Bloomquist ran for 44 yards on 12 attempts and added another rushing TD, and the Red Raiders’ defense did the rest en route to a dominant 28-6 nonleague victory over Baldwinsville of Section III.

“We feel like that’s going to be a foundation,” Langworthy said of the running game. “What we have to do is figure out what we did well and evolve from there, because we’re going to have to be able to throw the ball as well, but tonight was a good start. … I think we beat a good football team tonight and that’s what makes me excited.”

It didn’t take long for Jamestown to assert itself.

On the game’s first possession, they needed eight plays — seven runs and one pass — to march 76 yards, capped by Bloomquist’s 4-yard run. Ella Propheter booted the first of her four successful extra-point tries and the Red Raiders led 7-0 with just under 10 minutes remaining in the first quarter.

After forcing a Bees’ punt, Jamestown found the end zone again with Bane capping a 55-yard drive with 1-yard plunge. With just over a minute to go in the opening period, the Red Raiders already had a 14-0 lead.

Jamestown’s Keith Miller forces a Baldwinsville fumble during Friday’s nonleague football game at Strider Field in Jamestown. P-J photo by Tim Frank

Jamestown made it three touchdowns in three possessions as Bane capped a 61-yard drive with a 10-yard bust to the end zone. Armed with a 21-0 lead with 8:27 left before halftime, the hosts were in complete control. Their final touchdown came on Bane’s 5-yard run with 1:53 left in the third quarter, which pushed their advantage to 28-0.

Baldwinsville, which punted on six of its seven possessions, was plagued by penalties and stymied by the Red Raiders’ defense. Leading the way for Jamestown were Keith Miller (11 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and nine quarterback pressures), Bane (13 tackles), Bloomquist (10 tackles and six QB pressures) and Carson Panebianco (nine tackles).

“We’ve got a lot of wrestlers on this team (Miller, Bane and Bloomquist among them) and they’re just different, in a good way,” Langworthy said. “They’re just hard-nosed kids. Miller can mix it up, but he’s athletic, he’s aggressive and I’m excited what’s to come.”

The Bees, who are coached by Carl Sanfilippo, son of former Salamanca and Jamestown head coach and Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame inductee Joe Sanfilippo, averted the shutout with a minute remaining when quarterback Greg Marinelli connected with Nico Wellman on a 14-yard touchdown pass.

Jamestown returns to action a week from today when it travels to Niagara Falls for a Class AA game.

“We’ve got great kids in this town and (the community) should be proud of them,” Langworthy said.

NOTES: Making his varsity starting debut at quarterback, Jack Carlson completed 7 of 10 passes for 57 yards. He was intercepted once. … Panebianco had four catches for 28 yards and Xavier Foust added two receptions for 25 yards.

Baldwinsville 0 0 0 6 — 6

Jamestown 14 7 7 0 — 28

Jam–Bloomquist 4 run (Propheter kick)

Jam–Bane 1 run (Propheter kick)

Jam–Bane 10 run (Propheter kick)

Jam–Bane 5 run (Propheter kick)

Bal–Wellman 14 pass from Marinelli (kick failed)