GRAND ISLAND — Jacob Joseph knew the stakes of Grand Island’s rivalry with Lewiston-Porter, but had never really experienced it for himself.
At least not on the gridiron.
While the two schools are separated by only 18 miles, the reality of the Lancers and Vikings having a showdown on the football field was, for more than a decade, something players heard through relatives or an internet search.
But Joseph’s 37-yard interception return for a touchdown off Lew-Port quarterback Mason Bonito with 8 seconds left in the first quarter and then a 23-yard touchdown run halfway through the second quarter was the stimulus for Grand Island’s 35-0 victory against Lew-Port Friday at Gene Masters Stadium in what was the first encounter between the programs since Oct. 17, 2009 — also a 49-13 Grand Island win — Joseph appreciated the moment of bringing the rivalry back.
“It was cool, especially since the last few years, Lew-Port has had a really dominant basketball team and, to us, (we) kind of get our revenge on the football field,” Joseph said, a senior who had 61 yards rushing and four tackles. “It’s a really feel good moment.”
This season in Section VI football, Grand Island will compete in Section VI Class A2 while Lew-Port will compete in Class B2. But long before the gap in enrollment sizes, which caused the rivalry to go dormant, the Vikings and Lancers had many classic encounters, with the rivalry heating up in the mid-1980s and even up to 2007, when they were both in the Class A North division.
In 1985, current Grand Island coach Dean Santorio was the team’s quarterback and defeated current Wake Forest head coach Dave Clawson at quarterback for a Lancers’ team that also featured boys basketball coach Pat Krawczyk at wide receiver, as well as former Lew-Port football and basketball coach Matt Bradshaw.
Santorio’s eyes lit up when he started talking about playing in the rivalry, including, while a sophomore, facing Lew-Port Hall of Famer and future Super Bowl champion with the Dallas Cowboys, Daryl Johnston, during the Lancers’ 1984 division winning season.
“It’s always nice to play someone that you used to play year in and year out,” said Santorio. “… They had some really good athletes on those teams. You look back at all those years, 35, 40 years ago and you enjoy those times.”
Lew-Port second-year head coach Derek Tracy also has the experience of facing Grand Island. Tracy was a four-year quarterback for the Lancers from 2000 to 2003. Unfortunately, against Grand Island in the season opener, Tracy injured his leg, and later watched from the sidelines as the Vikings defeated the Lancers in the Section VI Class A championship, 45-12, at the former Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park.
Tracy experienced the rivalry from a different point of view, leading Bonito, Liam Timkey, Cole Walton and the current Lancers from the sidelines against a challenging Vikings defense with 18 players on the roster. Tracy said he appreciated facing Santorio, who he previously faced as a young player 20 years, noting the veteran “has our utmost respect.”
“It’s different,” Tracy said about the role change. “It’s a lot different because, back then, you’d let the coaches come up with the game plan. And then, we went out there and tried to execute. Now (as a coach), it’s a whole different ballgame. You just kind of try to be one step ahead of the opposing coach and today, we were not.”
While Lew-Port has had Grand Island’s number in other sports, it hadn’t recorded a victory on the gridiron since a 38-6 edge on Oct. 22, 2006. And while Santorio did note this could be the last time the programs face each other, due to enrollment, he, like Tracy, wouldn’t be opposed to keeping this rivalry going.
“You just want to go out and play hard and play well, so, hopefully, people just enjoyed the good football game,” Santorio said. “And, maybe, if it happens down the road again, great. It’s good for high school football.”
In the Grand Island victory (1-0), junior Mike Sole had 13 carries for 54 yards and two rushing touchdowns and senior quarterback Brayden Willats had an 11-yard touchdown on the team’s opening drive. Sophomore Dom Nucci and senior Doug Crowley had six tackles apiece.
Grand Island will now travel to face North Tonawanda while Lew-Port (0-1) will host Cleveland Hill at Blakeslee Stadium in Youngstown. Both games are 7 p.m. starts.