Starpoint Rudely Welcomes Ken-West To Class A North With Dominant Win

After years as a perennial power in Class AA North, Kenmore West was expected to be a big force after dropping down to Class A North this season. In their first division game, the Blue Devils learned the hard way that two-time defending Starpoint is still the big man on the block.

The Spartans won their 16th consecutive regular season game as they dominated the Blue Devils from start to finish and rolled to an impressive 49-14 on Saturday at Crosby Field.

“To beat a good team by that many points, it feels good to know we have a lot of talented kids on this team and we just playing this game,” Starpoint receiver/defensive back Sam Mazzara said. “I didn’t think we’d win by that much but we just kept pedal to the metal and ended up picking up the W.”

The Spartans moved to 2-0 overall and in Class A North and have outscored foes by a combined 84-14.

Three first-quarter turnovers led to 20 points for Starpoint against the Blue Devils.

Ken West is a tough team but we prepared hard for them all week,” said senior quarterback Aaron Chase, who threw for three touchdowns. “We started out fast and continued that speed all game. Give the credit to our defense, they were great today.”

The Spartans limited the Blue Devils to 227 yards and both touchdowns came when the game was already firmly in Starpoint’s control. In all, Kenmore West turned the ball over six times – four interceptions and two fumbles.

“You can’t have six turnovers and try to win a football game, bottom line,” Kenmore West coach John Haynes said. “What’s disappointing is, I can handle the physical but it’s the mental part that of the game we just weren’t there.”

An early fumble led to an Anthony Robinson touchdown run and then Mazzara picked off a pass and was soon rewarded with a 14-yard touchdown reception from Chase.

The Spartans put the game firmly in control on Kenmore West’s drive as a pass by Andrew Fron seemed destined to find Starpoint’s Griffin Mack, who picked off a pass after it was deflected by two teammates and took it 45 yards for a score.

“I’m living right,” Mack said with a laugh. “Justin Mott tipped it, then Sam Mazzara tipped it and then it got to me. I had great blocking downfield and then I was able to get it in. It was a nice feeling.”

Justin Mott added a 5-yard TD run in the second quarter for a 28-0 halftime edge. Chase found Josh Brooks for touchdowns of 52 and 10 yards and Dalton Zienkiewicz added an 11-yard TD run for the Spartans.

Robinson ran for 155 yards and is already at 301 for the season. The Spartans totaled 473 yards of offense.

Meanwhile, Kenmore West (1-1, 0-1 Class A North) collected just 228 yards of offense – much of that in the second half with the game out of reach. Erick Rainey and Faisal Ahmadi had short touchdown runs for the Blue Devils.

“We just stuck to the game plan,” Mack said. “We shut (Williamsville East) down last week, stuck to the same game plan and did the same thing. We all came in, we executed well and we won.”