PENDLETON — Frankie Buttitta had butterflies in his stomach as he lined up in the Starpoint secondary. He knew that the Spartans defense had to slow down Williamsville East’s offense, but he wasn’t expecting to be the one to draw first blood.
Tied at 7-7 nearly two minutes into the second quarter, the junior cornerback intercepted Flames’ quarterback Ryan McKinnon’s pass near the Williamsville East sideline and it returned near midfield. Buttitta’s interception was an example of Starpoint’s early season surge defensively.
Through a 3-0 start, Starpoint has allowed five points per game, currently the third best average in Section VI. And, the Spartans haven’t allowed an opponent to reach double digits.
“(Coaches) got a game plan and we just execute it,” Buttitta said. “… I wouldn’t say there’s really much of a big part (of the game plan). I just know that we go there with a positive attitude. We all fly around the ball. We all make plays.”
Starpoint did make plays over the course of last season, too. The Spartans won all six games when it held opponents to 20 points or less and recorded season totals of 27 sacks, 16 interceptions, 11 fumble recoveries and allowed 15 points per game.
But Starpoint was also 0-4 when it allowed over 20 points, including against Health Sciences (58), Kenmore West (24) and in its season-ending loss to Lockport (30). This season, the Spartans have disrupted opposing offenses, recording three interceptions, three fumble recoveries and two sacks.
Starpoint is also only allowing 197.3 yards per game. The Spartans have allowed 14 passing yards to Health Sciences and 23 rushing yards to Williamsville East.
Including senior linebacker and new career sacks leader Lucas Lombardo, the Spartans returned six of their top-eight tacklers and four players who recorded a sack. The veteran experience has led to a strong familiarity with defensive coordinator Evan Majewski’s system.
“We’ve had a lot of these core players for three years now,” Starpoint head coach Tim Racey said. “So I think they’ve been able to soak up a ton of that knowledge that coaches (and) our assistant coordinators are giving them. … I think they’re able to recognize their weaknesses and obviously capitalize on their strengths.”
With five games left in the regular season, Starpoint isn’t looking too far ahead. Starpoint’s last 3-0 start ended with a 6-3 finish in the Fall 2021 season, with its defense allowing 19 points per game.
The fewest Starpoint has allowed for a season average was in 2006, when it allowed 10.6 points. But for those currently on the team, the key to the game defensively is how Starpoint starts.
“I mean, we got to come out fast,” Lombardo said. “We got to come out and hit hard. I mean, we just got to set that tone from the get go.”