On Friday, the Lions' Den at Lockport High School was packed and there was a buzz in the air. League-leading Kenmore West was in town for a game with huge implications on who will win the NFL title. The Blue Devils were co-champs of the league with the then mighty Niagara Falls in 2012. Lockport last won the league in 2006, but that was with Falls playing an independent schedule. This season, someone has an opportunity to take that title away from the Wolverines. Lockport needed the win to avoid all but falling out of the race to dethrone Falls, and its senior laden squad was up to the task.
Lockport knocked the Blue Devils down early and never allowed them to get all the way back up, scoring a 55-49 win in a crucial NFL contest. The victory earns the Lions a share of first place in league with their counterpart as the teams make their way through the back end of the regular season schedule.
Ryan Lawrence led three Lions finishing in double-figure scoring with 19 points, and also hauled in 11 boards. Moziah Townsend also netted a double-double, finishing with 13 points and 14 rebounds. Charlie Sobieraski had a big night inside as he collected 20 rebounds, while Colin Dougherty was a stablizing force for Lockport all evening with timely buckets, instictual defense, and a knack for making a play when his team needed one - he finished with 15 points.
The Lions broke an early tie two minutes into the game with a 14-2 run over the last six minutes of the opening quarter that included seven points from Lawrence, four from Dougherty, and a 3-pointer from senior guard Daniel Bronson (five assists). Lockport held an 18-8 advantage after eight minutes and never trailed during the contest. Late in the second stanza, Dougherty was fouled hard on a breakaway and drew an intentional foul. It resulted in a four-point swing for the Lions, as Dougherty hit both free throws, before Townsend scored on the ensuing inbounds, allowing his team to maintain its 10-point lead, 27-17, at the break.
During the second half, Trent White came off the bench to provide some energy for the Blue Devils, as they attempted to get back into the game. White, along with senior starter Noah Whalen combined for 23 of Kenmore West's 32 second half points. During the third quarter, the two led a 7-0 run that cut the deficit to five points and during the final minute of that quarter, the Blue Devils got to with in four points - the closest they had been since the opening minutes of the game. However, a traditional three-point play for Townsend with 10 seconds remaining in the stanza lifted Lockport's advantage back to 36-29 heading into the final frame.
Whalen quickly popped a trey for Kenmore West and had his squad back within four in the opening minute of the fourth. After the teams traded buckets, Lawrence asserted himself for the Lions and led the charge that would put the game away. Lawrence scored eight points in just over 90 seconds as part of a 10-3 run that pushed the score to 48-37, and sealed the fate of the Blue Devils. The closest Kenmore West could get to the Lions over the game's final four minutes was five points with under 30 seconds to go.
Whalen led Kenmore West with 20 points, while White added 10 points.
If both schools win the remainder of their NFL games, they would share a league championship. Lockport still has key games against North Tonawanda, Niagara Falls, and recently resurgent Lew-Port. Kenmore West also faces Lew-Port for a second time, along with a pair of games coming up against the team the league has gone through for a decade, Niagara Falls. They will undoubtedly be keeping an eye on the results of the other over the final weeks of the season, in hopes that the other stumbles, giving them the prize outright.
-centercourt
Great job gettin it done up there in Lockport. Nice to see my childhood nieghbor putting the boys in a position to win. As a coach thats the best you can do, and they responded well it sounds like. Big time wins ahead to finish...Good Luck Coach "G"
Posted by: Game | Saturday, January 25, 2014 at 03:48 PM