DEPEW — Dunkirk battled back from a 21-0 halftime deficit, but came up just short of recovering an onside kick in the end and fell to Depew 28-21 in Class B2 play.

The Wildcats (1-0, 1-0) scored on a 4-yard run and touchdown passes of 6 and 35 yards to take a 21-0 halftime lead.

Justice Thomas-Rivera then returned Depew’s onside kick attempt to open the second half 55 yards for a touchdown and Anthony Piede added the point-after kick to make it 21-7.

Avery Krystofiak later added a 2-yard touchdown run to make it 21-13, but the Marauders (0-1, 0-1) botched the snap on the point-after attempt.

After Depew made it 28-13 with a 1-yard touchdown run, Dunkirk closed the gap on Hayven Smith’s 39-yard touchdown pass on third-and-15 with less than a minute remaining. When the same two connected on the 2-point conversion, the Marauders trailed by just seven.

But an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty — one of Dunkirk’s 10 penalties in the game that resulted in 100 yards — moved the ensuing kickoff back 15 yards. The Marauders still attempted an onside kick, but it bounced out of bounds just before Aries Cheverez could recover it, and Depew ran out the clock.

Smith completed five passes for 130 yards with three of the completions going to Thomas-Rivera for 78 yards.

The Marauders threw three interceptions and lost a fumble in the game.

“Being down 21-0 at the half, I’m proud of how the kids stayed in it and bounced back. We were able to make it a close game,” Dunkirk head coach Edwin Gomez said. “If we tweak a couple things and go back to the drawing board Monday, we’ll be ready for Albion coming to see us Friday at home.”

CAPOZZI HAS BIG NIGHT

AKRON — Carter Capozzi went 21 of 33 for 201 yards and three touchdowns as Gowanda/Pine Valley beat Akron 33-20 in nonleague action.

Kyan Austin caught 11 passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns while Lukas Barrett had two catches for 35 yards and the other touchdown for the Panthers (1-0).

Winter Mentley-Peters ran 19 times for 142 yards and two touchdowns while adding 10 tackles and two sacks on defense.

Austin had five tackles and an interception while Barrett chipped in three tackles for Gowanda/Pine Valley.

MEDINA BLANKS BLACK KNIGHTS

SILVER CREEK — Medina opened its season with a 41-0 nonleague shutout of Silver Creek/Forestville.

Christian Moss ran 10 times for 137 yards and three touchdowns while Preston Woodworth threw for 200 yards for the Mustangs.

SALAMANCA EDGES HUSKIES

OLEAN — Conner Seeley ran for a touchdown and caught another as Salamanca beat nonleague Olean 19-13 to open its season.

Quarterback Payton Bradley ran 12 times for 65 yards and Jesse Hill ran 16 times for 71 yards for the Warriors (1-0). Seeley added 33 yards on the ground.

Through the air, Bradley was 7 of 13 for 74 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown to Seeley.

Salamanca went ahead 13-0 on a 3-yard TD run by Hill and a 1-yard run by Seeley before Domonick Hirliman got the Huskies (0-1) on the board with a 5-yard TD run before halftime.

After the break, Seeley caught his 13-yard touchdown from Bradley.

Mykel Rivera caught a 30-yard touchdown pass from Joe Mest in the fourth quarter for the final margin.

Brendon Ghani was in on seven tackles while Seeley and Waylon Dowdy were each in on six for the Warriors. Tommy George also recovered a fumble.

T’WOLVES DOWN JFK

CATTARAUGUS — Dylan Swanson rushed for 145 yards and scored three touchdowns to lead Cattaraugus-Little Valley to a 28-12 nonleague victory over John F. Kennedy for its first home win in five years.

“It was a good win for our program,” Timberwolves head coach Mark Benton said. “Several of our young players played well.”

Defensively, Cattaraugus-Little Valley was led by Quinn Janora (10 tackles), Devan Otto (six tackles, interception) and Grady Merrill (sack and a fumble recovery).

The Timberwolves will entertain Wilson next Friday.