Two of the best football players in Class A met up in Clarence, NY Friday night for their Far West Regional playoff game. Shaun Dolac, the West Seneca East senior quarterback and Irondequoit’s Freddy June Jr. (’19) are having MVP-like seasons for their respective teams.
This one came down to the wire but it was the Trojans prevailing 15-8 in front of a tough crowd that sat through cold and rain for four quarters.
WSE might have been a little nervous out of the gate. The Trojans turned the ball over early giving Irondequoit the ball at their own 26-yard line.
Irondequoit took advantage of the short field and a holding call and turned it into a late first quarter touchdown. June scored from just a few yards out and then again on the 2-pt conversion to give the Eagles an 8-0 lead with just over a minute left in the 1st quarter.
On the Trojans next possession, Dolac found redemption in the form of an 11-yard touchdown run and followed up with a 2-pt conversion as well. That tied up the game 8-8 early in the 2nd quarter.
The Eagles put together a solid drive on their next possession. An offsides call against WSE on 4th and short from the Trojans 46-yard line gave the Eagles a fresh set of downs. Irondequoit worked their way down to inside the Trojans 10-yard line and were in excellent position to go up on WSE. But the Trojans defense caught a break.
Senior linebacker Devare Mathis made a great play on a pass from June to Brandon Harris in the end zone, knocking the football out of the receiver’s hands negating a score on 3rd and goal for the Eagles. Irondequoit then made a rare special teams blunder while attempting a field goal. The snap was off the mark and the holder was soon tackled behind the line of scrimmage.
The teams went to the locker rooms tied at the end of the half.
WSE came out swinging in the second half.
A strip sack by Dolac deep in Irondequoit territory resulted in the go-ahead touchdown. Mathis scored on a 6-yard carry and after the successful extra point try by Matt Sztaba the Trojans led 15-8.
Irondequoit would have a number of solid drives in each of the final two quarters but could not turn them into points. The Trojans defense was simply too much. Specifically Zach Arnone in the secondary who picked off a June pass late in the fourth quarter ending a decent drive.
WSE blocked a field goal try with 5:10 left in the game, keeping momentum on their side.
With the game on the line the WSE defense stepped up big, stopping the Eagles on 4th and 3 with 2:21 left in the game.
Dolac rushed for a couple of first downs to help run the clock out. He finished with 137 yards rushing.
WSE moves on to play the winner of the Indian River (Sec III) vs Vestal (Sec IV) game. This was the Trojans first appearance in the Far West Regionals.
Last week the Trojans knocked off the reigning NYSPHSAA Class A champ West Seneca West Indians, consequently that was the only team to beat the Trojans this season.
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