Watertown back runs for 457 yards

Tevion Cappe certainly has created a buzz as the featured running back for Watertown.

Try these numbers on for size: 848 yards and nine touchdowns.

So you say you’re not impressed? Perhaps you have a point, especially in light of the fact that there are already multiple 1,000-yard rushers across New York this fall.

Well, factor this little nugget into the equation: Those aren’t Cappe’s season totals. Rather, that’s his body of work for just the past two games. The elusive senior ran for 391 yards in a 44-7 victory against Camden on Oct. 15 and followed up with 23 carries for 457 yards and four touchdowns Friday as Watertown routed East Syracuse-Minoa 58-16.

The victory improved the Cyclones to 5-3 and advanced them to the Section 3 Class A semifinals vs. Indian River. Cappe’s 457-yard night was the No. 6 rushing performance in state history, and four of the top six marks have come since 2007. Dale Ross of Westhill carried 30 times for 569 yards in a 2007 game against Marcellus to set the record.

Cappe has accumulated 1,797 yards on the ground and 30 touchdowns this season.

"Tevion is very gracious to his offensive linemen and they've really been producing for him the last couple of games," coach Vince Williams told the Watertown Daily Times. "When he's running like that, we should win ball games."

REVERSAL OF FORTUNES IN SECTION I
When we last checked in on Section I Class A, Rye had just ripped the heart out of Harrison with a touchdown in the final 15 seconds for a 21-20 victory in a fierce rivalry game.

A week later, it’s Rye that’s on the canvas and Harrison is moving forward to the sectional semifinals.

Harrison edged John Jay (Cross River) 17-13 on Saturday in a confrontation between state-ranked squads that looked as though it would once again end badly for the Huskies. John Jay drove 80 yards to a score late in the game with the help of two pass interference penalties to cut the deficit to four points. But after getting the ball back with 1:15 to go and completing four straight passes to reach midfield, Hime Rrace (274 passing yards, two touchdowns) was picked off by Steven Deleo with 40 seconds to go to end the threat.

Tanner Knox (16 carries, 122 yards) and Stephen Ricciardi (11 carries, 128 yards) shouldered the offensive load for Harrison.

A day earlier, Somers (Lincolndale) rolled to a 35-14 win over Rye, which played the second half minus Connor Eck after the quarterback suffered a hand injury. Chris Silva ran for 156 yards and a touchdown and caught a 46-yard screen pass for a TD. Quarterback Anthony Lombardo ran for three TDs and passed for another.

DIFFICULT DECISION FOR DOLGEVILLE
Weedsport put on an impressive show on the road and then held on to pull off a noteworthy upset in Section 3 Class D action by edging Dolgeville 28-27. Weedsport rushed for 301 yards and gained 421 overall, then stuffed a Dolgeville 2-point conversion run late in the game.

Dolgeville's Ray Ruggerio scored on a 45-yard run with less than four minutes to play, but Michael Barnes was stopped on the 2-point attempt by Weedsport linebacker Collin Dillabough. Dolgeville kicker Cody Petras was 3-for-3 on extra points up to that point in the game and 29-for-35 for the season, but his coach never considered sending him onto the field to attempt to tie the game.

“We would never kick in that situation,” Dolgeville coach Chris Connolly told The Citizen in Auburn. “Not in this town. I wouldn’t put that game on one kid’s foot. So it was never a question. And anyone who knows me knows that that’s true.”

Weedsport, which got 38 carries for 205 yards from sophomore Will Wittmer, took a 14-7 lead in the second quarter after a 17-play, 99-yard drive that ate up 7:19. Dolgeville ran just nine offensive plays in the first half.

MORE WEEKEND HEROES AND HIGHLIGHTS
* Wayne (Ontario Center) beat East Irondequoit 15-13 as Cory McNamara picked off three passes to run his season total to 10 and also recovered a fumble in the Eagles’ first Section 5 tournament win in their 13-year history. MacNamara returned one of his interceptions 30 yards for a touchdown and also kicked a 30-yard field goal for Wayne, which forced seven turnovers.

* Mount Sinai had allowed just 32 points in six games, but John Glenn (Elwood) roared to a 52-28 triumph as Ryan Rielly churned out a school-record 506 yards of total offense and had a hand in all seven touchdowns. Rielly went 12-for-18 with four touchdowns and 376 yards and also carried 14 times for 130 yards and three scores.

* Chenango Forks (Binghamton) put up the most staggering team stat of the weekend by running for a school-record 639 yards to beat Unadilla Valley-Edmeston 67-15. Jimmy Miller led the way with 13 carries for 133 yards and three touchdowns. Ryan Lamond and Casey LaNave carried five times apiece for 122 and 130 yards, respectively, and scored twice apiece.

* Newfield (Selden) blanked Smithtown East 31-0 as Shervon Barthelmy rushed 22 times for 303 yards and three touchdowns. Barthelmy also scored on a 26-yard screen pass in the first quarter.

* Geneseo won a 68-36 slugfest over Barker behind Xavier Copeland, who completed 10 of 14 attempts for 278 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 10 times for 216 yards and four more scores.

* Preshod McCoy ran for 271 yards (including 199 in the third quarter) and three North Babylon touchdowns to edge Riverhead 22-20.

* Middletown's Vincent Mortellaro threw for 319 yards and four touchdowns, including three to wide receiver Jalon White, in a 37-14 win over Port Jervis.

* Though never in danger after building a 27-14 lead at the half, defending state Class B champion Hornell found itself in a 64-42 shootout vs. Batavia. Senior Sam Stonerock ran for 298 yards and five touchdowns on 37 carries.

* Sidney's Dylan Umbra threw for 288 yards and five touchdowns — including two apiece to Andy Kozak and Josh Wilce — to beat back Greene 48-0.

* James Ognibene chalked up 284 all-purpose yards and five touchdowns as Chester rolled past Fallsburg 59-20. His scores included two rushes, a reception, a 57-yard punt return and an 80-yard kickoff return.

John Schiano, who has written about high school sports in western and central New York for more than 25 years, covers New York for MaxPreps. He may be reached at johnschianosports@gmail.com.