NORTH TONAWANDA — After going through the handshake line after a 42-28 win over North Tonawanda Friday, Saturday’s players flew off the bench and were hooting and hollering with excitement as the team was able to get a 42-28 win over North Tonawanda Friday at North Tonawanda’s George J. Vetter Stadium.
The excitement extended into the parking lot when a group of fans chanted “Baumann. Baumann. Baumann.” Until head coach Justin Baumann jumped up and down with the students to celebrate the victory.
But the celebrations would not have been possible if not for the play on the field. One of the biggest turning points of the game came midway through the fourth quarter.
After being down big throughout most of the game, North Tonawanda scored midway through the fourth quarter to trim the deficit to 28-21 and the team and crowd had their belief renewed.
The belief that despite all of the team’s struggles tonight, a victory was within reach. One stop and they might be there. That belief was dashed when moments after the touchdown Starpoint’s David Chase found a wide open Tajo Krentz for a 62 yard touchdown to push the lead out to 35-21.
That score wound up being the knockout blow for Starpoint in the 14-point victory.
The touchdown was the second of the night for Krentz who also returned the opening kick of the second half 82 yards to the end zone to turn a 14-8 lead into a 21-8 lead.
The game might have looked incredibly different if not for North Tonawanda’s struggles on fourth down where the hosts went 2-for-9. The money downs were something that North Tonawanda head coach Chris Tideswell picked out as a key for his team’s victory tonight. After the game, Tideswell was frustrated with his team’s performance on fourth down but not with the amount of times the Lumberjacks went for it.
North Tonawanda will look to bounce back at 7 p.m. Sept. 18 when it goes to Williamsville East. Starpoint has an opportunity to build on this win when it goes to Pioneer at 6 p.m. Sept. 17.