On the first play of the fourth quarter, Grant Zahm returned an interception 55 yards for a touchdown, bringing the Herd within a point of the Cardinals.

An extra point would have tied the game, but Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove went for the lead by attempting a 2-point conversion.

However, the Randolph defense did what it had all game and stood tall to preserve the 7-6 lead which lasted the remaining quarter to secure a nonleague win at Bill Race Field.

“That was huge,” Randolph head coach Nate Armella said about his defense holding onto the lead. “Defensively, we’re still trying to figure out our identity. That first drive they kind of went down the field a little bit, but then we buckled down and got a stop and we kind of figured them out as we were going. We had that big pick down there, the stop on the goal line, just incredible effort.”

Randolph’s Gavin Larson (5) attempts to break up a pass intended for Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove’s Grant Zahm during Friday’s nonleague game at Bill Race Field in Falconer. Photo courtesy of Steve Garvey

Despite being stuffed at the goal line, the Herd’s touchdown injected a ton of energy into the home crowd and the pressure was on Randolph to maintain the lead.

Each defense continued to get the job done at midfield until Randolph (1-0) finally sent a punt into Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove (0-1) territory and a bobbled ball went the way of the Cardinals as their special teams did not give up on the play.

“That right there goes to show, if they don’t fumble that punt and get the ball, you never know,” Armella said. “They could go down the field and score and now they win the ballgame. We kept playing, we challenged the guys before the game you’ve got to play until the whistle. You’ve got four quarters, we tell them when the game is over there can’t be one thing you look back on and say ‘I wish I did this or have done that.'”

Randolph eliminated the risk from its offense, looking to wind down the clock and a final offensive possession for the Herd in their own territory ended with a Gavin Larson interception.

Kevin McElwain took to the ground for the Cardinals and picked up some crucial first downs to allow for Randolph to kneel out the clock and secure the 7-6 victory.

Both teams were looking for their offensive identity this season, with the Herd having plenty of turnover at skill positions and Randolph bringing in a new era under Armella.

“Tonight really showed us a lot,” Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove head coach Curt Fischer. “I’m going to have to tweak a lot of things, probably going to throw a lot of stuff out and just personnel-wise I’ve got to change some things to adapt to the team I have now with the injuries and that. We’ll be fine, I’m really happy with our kids and this is a good game to build on for us.”

Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove relied on the run for most of the game, but that became difficult when starting running back Taylor Jones went down with an injury at halftime.

Jones led the offense with 49 rushing yards in the first half and when he went down it became harder to move the sticks.

“I was really happy with our team,” Fischer added. “When we lost Taylor at halftime that really hurt us. We lost our other guard yesterday with a torn lat, so we were really scrambling. Our numbers, it looks like we have a lot of players, but we only have four skilled and one quarterback.”

The Randolph offense had a new look to it with plenty of pass plays incorporated into the playbook and the season even began with a completion.

However, that doesn’t mean the run is going anywhere for the Cardinals and in the second quarter it got them on the board. On a drive that included receptions from tight ends Carter Conley and Grady Huntington, McElwain helped move the sticks on the ground and Alex Garland took an end-around 34 yards to reach paydirt.

“Our identity is still running the football,” Armella said. “But we have the athletes that we can spread it out and throw if we need to and I think that was important to show we can do that. Obviously, we’ve got to clean some things up as far as pass blocking and catching the football.”

In the second quarter, it was just another PAT, but it proved the difference as Jaxon Morrison’s kick made the game 7-0. Then the Cardinals defense did their job keeping Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove off the board in the 7-6 victory to begin the season.

“It feels good,” Armella said about his first win as coach of the Cardinals. “I don’t like making this about myself, because these kids, the effort they had out here tonight was unbelievable. I could not have asked any more of them, I’m super proud of them. It feels good to get your first win, but this is about these guys.”

Randolph 0 7 0 0 — 7

Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove 0 0 0 6 — 6

Ran–Garland 34 run (Morrison kick)

F/CV/MG–Zahm 55 interception return (run failed)