Watertown, Indian River experience difficult games

CHITTENANGO — Turnovers plagued Watertown and Indian River in their respective Section 3 Class A semifinal games Friday at Chittenango high school.

Whitesboro capitalized on three first-half turnovers to take a commanding lead en route to defeating Watertown, 49-22.

Indian River turned the ball over on three consecutive drives in the first half against East Syracuse-Minoa. The Spartans built an early insurmountable lead before pummeling the Warriors, 52-29.

East Syracuse-Minoa and Whitesboro will meet in the sectional championship next weekend.

WHITESBORO 49, WATERTOWN 22

It seemed like Mike Bunal had the game of his life for Whitesboro in its semifinal win against Watertown.

Bunal caught three passes for three touchdowns and 151 yards, including a 54-yarder with less than 30 seconds to play in the first half that put the game away. He also scored on receptions of 31 and 66 yards, rushed for another TD, had four extra-point kicks and picked off Watertown quarterback Mason Phillips twice.

Perhaps he even drove the bus to Chittenango.

But Whitesboro coach Tom Schoen shrugged off the performance as if it was an everyday occurrence.

“That’s Mike Bunal,” he said. “Mike Bunal makes stuff happen. He can do that.”

Most of Bunal’s efforts came in the first half as the Warriors (9-0 overall) built a 28-8 edge, turning three interceptions into three touchdown drives.

The most damaging interception in Watertown’s futile effort came inside of one minute to play in the first half. The Cyclones (6-3) were marching, using running back Diamond Williams to handle most of the offensive load, and trailed only 21-8.

They worked to the 24-yard line, and, on first down, Watertown coach Vince Williams called for a pass to the end zone. Caleb Bettis cut to the front corner, but Whitesboro’s Adam Pexton jumped the route and came away with the third interception of the game.

“That killed us,” Vince Williams said. “We had the momentum. If we punch that in and score right away in the third quarter, it’s a close ball game. Those mistakes killed us. You make mistakes against Whitesboro and they’ll make you pay, and that’s what happened.”

Two plays and 20 seconds later, Bunal trotted into the end zone for the 20-point lead.

“It was a 14-point swing,” Bunal said. “It’s huge to go into the half with that lead, come out and just work the clock.”

That’s precisely what Whitesboro did. Quarterback Adam Eberly attempted only one pass in the second half. Still, Watertown struggled to contain the powerful offense.

Steve Almond took one run 31 yards to pay dirt, and Bunal added a 24-yard touchdown run. Watertown also helped Whitesboro’s cause. The Cyclones snapped a ball high on a punt attempt into its own end zone, which Whitesboro recovered for another six points.

Watertown’s scoring plays came on a 16-yard reception by Ryan Bajaly, a 1-yard run by Diamond Williams and a 15-yard run by Anton Gadson.

“We battled the whole game,” Bettis said. “We tried to come back, it was just too much.”

EAST SYRACUSE-MINOA 52, INDIAN RIVER 29

The Warriors uncharacteristically gave up the football three times in the first half, didn’t score until the third quarter and posted one of its worst offensive performances of the season.

“It makes me want to throw up,” Indian River coach Cory Marsell said. “We had that energy drained from us when we did turn the ball over. I didn’t see that same fire that I’ve seen in these guys.”

East Syracuse-Minoa, meanwhile, didn’t suffer nearly the same problems.

The undefeated Spartans (9-0) took a 33-0 halftime edge with an 80-yard touchdown pass, 40-yard fumble recovery, 36-yard run, a 35-yard pass and a piddly 1-yard scamper.

Jordan Barton accounted for three of his team’s five first-half touchdowns, including the fumble return that deflated the Warriors.

“I was going to make a hit and the ball popped out right near the sideline,” Barton said. “It was a golden opportunity to take advantage of. We were obviously the better team.”

Marsell wasn’t so sure Indian River would have beaten the East Syracuse-Minoa team that did show up, even if his team played well. The Warriors trailed 52-7 before staging three unanswered scores in the fourth quarter.

“I don’t know why we all of a sudden started (turning it over),” he said. “If we didn’t do that — I’m not saying we would have been in that game because ES-M played too well for me to say that, but it would have played out differently.”