{"id":55673,"date":"2024-08-09T00:56:48","date_gmt":"2024-08-09T04:56:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/?p=55673"},"modified":"2024-08-09T00:56:48","modified_gmt":"2024-08-09T04:56:48","slug":"genesee-county-spartans-hope-third-times-a-charm-as-they-face-host-lockport-in-semifinals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2024\/08\/09\/genesee-county-spartans-hope-third-times-a-charm-as-they-face-host-lockport-in-semifinals\/","title":{"rendered":"GENESEE COUNTY\/Spartans hope third time\u2019s a charm as they face host Lockport in semifinals"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Placekicker Julia Petry swings into one during Genesee County Spartans\u2019 practice session at Farrall Park in Batavia.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Mike Pettinella
Genesee County Spartans<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Genesee County Spartans Head Coach Harry Rascoe is looking at two \u201ckeys\u201d to knocking off the undefeated Lockport Wildcats this weekend and advancing to the championship game of the Northeastern Football Alliance semipro league.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot turning over the ball and pressuring their quarterback,\u201d Rascoe replied, when asked what the Spartans need to do to defeat the Wildcats in the Western Conference semifinal scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday at Lockport\u2019s Outwater Memorial Park, 125 Outwater Drive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Spartans take a 6-2 record into the game, with both losses coming at the hands of Lockport, 8-0 in league play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Genesee County lost to the Wildcats, 16-6, in their opening game (although the score was 8-6 with less than two minutes to play), and then fell, 36-14, to Lockport on July 13 in a game marred by six Spartans\u2019 turnovers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rascoe, speaking during a practice session on Wednesday at Farrall Park in Batavia, said it\u2019s imperative that the offense hold onto the ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to have to sustain drives on offense \u2013 the defense can\u2019t be on the field the whole time — and we\u2019ve got to contain (Lockport quarterback) Willie (Fair III).\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fair, while completing less than half of his pass attempts, has thrown for about 850 yards and 11 touchdowns this season \u2013 with several of those TDs coming on long passes after broken plays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe\u2019s got a great arm,\u201d Rascoe said. \u201cHe can throw pretty much the length of the field so it\u2019s hard to cover receivers on those broken plays. That\u2019s why we have to win the battle in the trenches and get to him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rascoe said he expects defensive back Jzhon Henderson to play on both sides of the ball \u2013 splitting the ball carrying duties with standout halfback Jed Reese (363 yards rushing in five games as three of the Spartans\u2019 victories were by forfeit).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is the playoffs; there\u2019s no more offense and defense. We\u2019re going to put our best 11 guys on the field to compete with them. We know they (the Wildcats) are already overlooking us, so we\u2019ll play the underdog.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>
\n

Quarterback Corey Turpin, who has thrown for 680 yards with six touchdowns and six interceptions, said he has to be efficient for the Spartans to win.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t give them extra opportunities,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s up to me to not turn the ball over, to execute and go in there with confidence. I feel that this is the game where we put everything together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defensive Coordinator Craig Tiberio said the Spartans match up well against Lockport in terms of talent, so it will come down to discipline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMore than anything, it\u2019s the attention to detail and everyone doing their job,\u201d Tiberio said. \u201cIf we can clean up the missed tackles and the few potential interceptions that we dropped, we\u2019ll be right there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tiberio said the Spartans\u2019 front four of Gunner Rapone, who has 6 \u00bd sacks thus far; Jalen White, Ryley Elliott and Steve Kowalczyk \u201cis the best in the league.\u201d He also praised linebacker Kaden Marucci, who leads the league in tackles and has two interceptions and four fumble recoveries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMarucci has had a super year and has been nominated for Defensive Player of the Year,\u201d he said, noting that Rapone earned that honor in 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Linebacker Marley English leads the team with three interceptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Genesee County Spartans’ projected starting lineup for this Saturday\u2019s game:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

OFFENSE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quarterback: Corey Turpin; Running backs: Jed Reese, Jzon Henderson; Tight end: Rob Thurston Jr.; Wide receivers: Deyonci Farley, Rayshawn Huitt; Center: Tim King; Guards: Austyn Fernandez, Anthony Natrigo; Tackles, Baylee Vercruysse, Jordan Chambers. Kicker: Julia Petry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DEFENSE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Front four: Gunner Rapone, Jalen White, Ryley Elliott, Steve Kowalczyk; Linebackers: Nick Santos, Kaden Marucci, Marley English; Secondary: Max Rapone, Dontre Woods, Jzon Henderson, Cody Wenner or Amir Cleveland. Punter: Deyonci Farley.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Placekicker Julia Petry swings into one during Genesee County Spartans\u2019 practice session at Farrall Park in Batavia. By Mike PettinellaGenesee County Spartans Genesee County Spartans Head Coach Harry Rascoe is looking at two \u201ckeys\u201d to knocking off the undefeated Lockport Wildcats this weekend and advancing to the championship game of \u2026<\/p>\n

Continue reading<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":55675,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[23],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-55673","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-genesee-county"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8eTP4-etX","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":53573,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2024\/05\/30\/genesee-county-spartans-open-season-this-saturday-against-visiting-lockport\/","url_meta":{"origin":55673,"position":0},"title":"Genesee County Spartans open season this Saturday against visiting Lockport","author":"aka","date":"May 30, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Press release: The Genesee County Spartans open their Northeastern Football Alliance semipro season this Saturday afternoon against the visiting Lockport Wildcats. 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