BAINBRIDGE – There is a notable difference in the quality of play when watching the 2017 Bainbridge-Guilford football team, a team who has now won eight out of their last nine games.
Dating back to the 2016 season when Bainbridge-Guilford head coach, Israel Lorimer took over, B-G started 0-5 on the season before ending on a win streak.
That streak has, for the most part, continued into the 2017 season, as the Bobcats just devoured the Unadilla Valley Storm this past Friday, September 29, in a 42-22 game.
“They’re all big wins when you only play seven games, and this year six games. We wanted to try to get on them early. They’ve struggled on defense, but they obviously can put up some points and (Payton) Stirone can eat up some yards,” said coach Lorimer of the star UV running back. “We didn’t want them (Unadilla Valley) to score first and think they can play with us. Overall, I think we have a really good football team and they have some good athletes. We were able to establish ourselves early, Trevor (Halaquist), about 30 seconds in on the third play, got a nice run. That is something that I haven’t shown yet.”
Halaquist, B-G’s starting quarterback, scored three rushing touchdowns and ran for 178 yards on 11 carries – with his first coming from 31 yards out with 11:35 still left in the opening quarter. Fast forward to 9:10 left in the opening quarter and B-G watched as the athletic Halaquist ran his second in from 41 yards out.
“He (Halaquist) had an outstanding game. He had some great rushes and got some great blocks, and when he got in the open field he made some outstanding plays,” said coach Lorimer of his QB’s rushes.
With B-G up at 14-0, UV’s deadly rushing attack finally started to set in. Unadilla Valley enjoyed one solid quarter of play – the second – where they managed to outscore the Bobcats at 16-14.
“They scored and made it 14-8, we got the ball with about two minutes to go. We ran a trick play where we bring (Evan) Hyzer in and motion Trevor (Halaquist) out of the QB position and he throws the TD to him,” said coach Lorimer. “I tell Trevor to just squib the kick, because I didn’t want Stirone to get it. He kicks it hard it takes a bounce, it goes right to Stirone and he comes up left, goes right and he’s gone for the 89-yard kick return. We have outplayed them in all ways shapes and forms.”
Going into the half, B-G led the Storm at 28-16, with Stirone accounting for a three-yard touchdown early in the second quarter followed by the 89-yard kickoff return with :10 seconds left in the half.
“Stirone had some nice runs. But we did with him what I wanted to, we said we didn’t want him to have a run over 20 yards and he didn’t have one,” said coach Lorimer with regard to Stirone’s longest run going for 17 yards. “I watched our tape from last year and he (Stirone) gashed us.”
Stirone finished the game with 30 carries for 121 yards on the ground, before he was injured in the third quarter and did not return. Accompanying Stirone on the ground was fellow teammate, Mitchel Fernette, who ran the UV rock 24 times for 119 yards and one touchdown – coming during garbage time at 9:25 left in the fourth quarter.
For B-G, their offense scored twice in the third quarter – with Halaquist rushing in for a score from 49 yards out at 7:31 in the third and Nick Petrutoni gashing UV for a 37-yard run at 3:25 left in the third.
“Ben (Bivar) had a decent night, he averages 5.9 yards per carry on the year, which is a great average. Only one fumble late, (Evan) Hyzer fumbled, and we didn’t have an interception. We are really just doing a nice job hanging onto the ball and spreading it out. Now that I have Trevor (Halaquist) as a weapon running, I think it will open up our passing game,” said coach Lorimer.
Bivar finished the game with 10 carries for 59 rushing yards – while Halaquist threw for 64 yards, going 4-for-9.
