Black Knights edge the Herd 14-8
Silver Creek/Forestville quarterback Will Duliba (8) rolls out of the pocket to avoid the pass rush of the Herd during Friday’s nonleague football game at Silver Creek High School. P-J photo by Braden Carmen
Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove quarterback Ethan Conti (6) scrambles during the first half of a nonleague football game on Friday at Silver Creek High School. P-J photo by Braden Carmen
Silver Creek/Forestville quarterback Will Duliba (8) rolls out of the pocket to avoid the pass rush of the Herd during Friday’s nonleague football game at Silver Creek High School. P-J photo by Braden Carmen
Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove quarterback Ethan Conti (6) scrambles during the first half of a nonleague football game on Friday at Silver Creek High School. P-J photo by Braden Carmen
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SILVER CREEK -- The team is named the Black Knights and the home field is at Silver Creek High School, but the Forestville boys more than pulled their weight Friday night.
Thanks to two touchdown passes from Will Duliba to Jake Anders, two key defensive plays by Dom Anders, and tough running by Manny Sanchez, the Silver Creek/Forestville Black Knights defeated the Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove Herd 14-8 in a nonleague football game.
Following a 35-6 loss at home to the Clymer/Sherman/Panama Wolfpack to open the season, the Black Knights were faced with another challenging test Friday night. The Herd stepped onto the field looking to improve to 2-0 and hand the Black Knights another loss.
What a difference a week makes.
Faced with an early decision, Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove (1-1) went for it on fourth-and-5, and it paid off. Brody Hawkins caught a pass near the visiting sidelines and broke a tackle to convert a first down. Shortly afterward, the Herd found the end zone with a 7-yard rush from Dylan Newman. He followed with the 2-point conversion rush for an early 8-0 lead for the visiting Herd less than four minutes into the contest.
Silver Creek/Forestville (1-1) went three-and-out on its next drive, but the Black Knights made up for it by recovering a fumble near midfield. Nothing came of it, however, and neither team scored for the rest of the opening period.
Early in the second quarter, following a big return by Manny Sanchez into the red zone, Duliba found Jake Anders on a 13-yard touchdown pass in the front right corner of the end zone. The Black Knights were down just a pair, 8-6, with 9:23 left in the second quarter. That score held until the second half.
Following a Silver Creek/Forestville fumble on the first drive of the second half, the Herd was set up in prime position to capitalize. A few minutes later, faced with a fourth-and-3 at the Black Knights' 6-yard line, a run up the middle was stuffed by Dom Anders. The Black Knights took over on downs with 7:58 left in the third quarter.
After Duliba found Jake Anders on third-and-14 near midfield, the Black Knights bet on black one more time, and it paid off. Jake Anders beat the cornerback on a double move and broke free down the home sideline on a deep ball. Anders put his arms out wide to celebrate after he reeled the ball in for the go-ahead 33-yard touchdown with 1:24 left in the third quarter.
From there, it was up to the hosts to hang on, and they did just that, capped with a cheer from the home cheerleaders punctuated with, "We are proud of you."
The Black Knights travel to Newfane next week in the Class D opener. The Herd will face Clymer/Sherman/Panama in Falconer.
For a complete recap of Friday's game, visit www.observertoday.com.