By: Joey Campbell
GREECE, NY --- On a foggy Friday evening, the Brockport Blue Devils hit the road to take on the Greece Athena Trojans in Monroe County action. After a slow start, Brockport took over in the second half en route to a 42-14 victory.
"The game didn't start out as we wanted," Brockport head coach Paul Carella said. "But we talk about battling adversity, being relentless, being tough and rising to the occasion. Play four quarters, not one, not two, not three, but four. We talk about that all the time, so when that comes it's good for us."
It was 14-7 Blue Devils in the early minutes of the third quarter. After Brockport had punted to Greece Athena, the Trojans tried to throw a screen pass, but it was intercepted by senior Brayden Scaccia who returned it for a pick-six to increase the lead to 21-7. This touchdown swinged momentum towards the Blue Devils for the rest of the way.
"We watched film all week, we practice it all week," Scaccia said. "We just saw that every time, 28 was out there in the slot and he was off, he's most likely getting a bubble. I had a feeling it was coming, and it kind of just happened."
Scaccia racked up three touchdowns including a receiving and rushing touchdown in the first half. To go along with Scaccia, senior wide receiver Jayden Taylor scored two touchdowns and running back Ryan Miller scored a rushing touchdown. Defensively, Azay Odey and Ayden Matthews both tallied an interception apiece. For Greece Athena, wide receiver Travis Mack and running back James Baker scored the two touchdowns on the game.
"Scaccia used to be our secret weapon," Carella said. "He blocks, he tackles, he runs the ball, he catches the ball, he scores touchdowns... I would take 100 of him."
The Trojans struck first. On the second drive of the game, Greece Athena quarterback Jacob Strebel threw a bomb down the sideline to Travis Mack for a 69-yard touchdown to put the Trojans up 7-0.
"It was a very competitive game," Greece Athena head coach Mike Husdan said. "I know the overall score doesn't say it, but the first half, we were really bringing it. We were able to run the ball, come down the field and score on them. I thought defensively, we played really aggressive, and we were all over the field."
Brockport responded a drive later. After converting a fourth down, Scaccia caught a pass and made two defenders miss to reach the endzone, tying the game up at seven apiece.
Later in the second quarter, Greece Athena was in the redzone. Strebel attempted to throw a bullet into the endzone, but Brockport defensive back Matthews intercepted the ball returning it all the way into Trojan territory.
"It felt amazing," Matthews said. "I was thinking about it before the game, and we've been thinking about it all week, play after play. We're scouting them and it all shows on the field, and we left it all out there."
On Brockport's first play after the interception, quarterback Landon Scott launched the football down the sidelines for a catch in the redzone by Odey. The following play, Scaccia got the ball in the backfield this time, and ran it into the endzone to give Brockport its first lead, 14-7.
Going into the second half, the Blue Devils dominated. After the pick-six by Scaccia to set the tone, Athena punted the following drive. Brockport capitalized on the opportunity to extend the lead by three touchdowns as Taylor ran in a touchdown off an end around to put the Blue Devils up 28-7.
Athena tried to close the gap as they responded with a touchdown their following drive. This time it was the feet of Baker as he pushed his way into the endzone and cut the lead in half, 28-14 early in the fourth quarter.
Brockport wasted no time responding. Scott connected with Taylor in the middle of the field on a slant and Taylor took it 50+ yards to the house to put the game away.
The Trojans had one more drive to mount a comeback, but the Blue Devils had other plans. Brockport recorded their third interception of the game, this time by Odey. Brockport closed the game out with one more touchdown thanks to Miller as he took an outside zone run to the endzone.
"I love these kids," Carella said. "I enjoy coming to work coaching these guys, it's not a job to me".
For Greece Athena, they fall to 1-1 on the season and look ahead to next week as they go on the road to take on East/WOIS at 6 p.m. For Brockport, the Blue Devils improve to 2-0 on the season and take on Monroe at home next Friday at 7 p.m.
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