GAINESVILLE - Game 3 of the 2006 season saw the Oatkan Knights travel down the road to take on the Letchworth Indians coached by former LeRoy student-athlete Tim "Sticks" McMullen. Despite the loss of a talented RB, Tim knew he had a squad that could play with the very best talent of the LCAA. The Indians did just that. The red-clad home team played some gritty, physical football that caught the attention of Brian Moran's state ranked Knights (#4 in Class C at press time). Big plays were the order of the day as the Knights prevented a letdown after last week's dramatic 13-12 win over Cal-Mum at Hartwood Park.

The Knights got on the scoreboard early with stellar defense. The Indians went 3-and-out on their first possession, gaining just one yard from their 32 yard line start. Jourdain Holly burst through the Letchworth line and smothered the punt on 4th down, recovering it at the 9 yard line for a LeRoy first-and-goal scenario. FB Brady Bonacquisti followed the blocks of fellow backs Ian Humphrey and Steve Smith, crashing over the goal line from 4 yards out to put the Knights up 6-0 just 3:08 into the contest. Travis Fenstermaker added the PAT with ease. 7-zip.

The Indians responded with some fine running by Mike Nevinger, who followed his blocks well all night long. Mike is also a stellar wrestling talent so physical play is no problem for this kid. Mike averaged 5.5 yards per carry throughout the game for 88 total yards. Junior DB Josh Risewick and Tommy Bestor, playing LB, laid some intense hits that led to another Indian punt, a short one to the LeRoy 40.

Ian Humphrey, the star of the Cal-Mum late game comeback, ripped off a beautiful 56 yard run around the Letchworth D, before being pushed out at the one. Bonacquisti crashed over for the score on the ensuing play. At the 3:15 mark, the hometown crowd was silent as the Knights went up 14-0.

Letchworth responded well after a drive start from their own 20, following a special teams smackdown by Humphrey. The Indians rode the arm of QB Jeff Marcy and the legs of Nevinger to reach paydirt on a well choreographed 9-play drive, culminating in a 9 yard TD run by Nevinger just 49 seconds into the 2nd quarter. The PAT split the uprights to slice the LeRoy lead in half to 14-7. New life and fervor for the Indians and their fans!

The Letchworth defense stymied the LeRoy ground game and forced a punt that had to be re-kicked due to player interference on the Knights. The result - beautiful field position for McMullen's troops - the LeRoy 46.

The Indians rushed hard at the LeRoy D on 3 occasions only to be stuffed by the front wall of Whiting, Brandes, Epps, and Brady. A 4th and 2 saw the Indians go up top with a pass in an attempt to catch the visitors napping. The incomplete pass gave the Knights the ball at their own 38. A fumble immediately returned possession back to the Indians. With the skies growing more ominous with dark clouds, the thought of a possible tying score and rainy conditions had the LeRoy fans a bit nervous.

Nerves were calmed as Marcus "Big Cat" Epps crashed through the line and tossed the Letchworth back down for a loss. LB Kory Cosimeno followed suit and forced a fumble by the QB Marcy that was covered by the Indians, leaving them with a most difficult 3rd and 29 against Coach Andrew Paladino's stingy D. The draw run that followed was thwarted nicely and the Knights gained possession at the 33 after the punt.

The Knights worked the clock well with Bonacquisti powering up the gut and Ian being a threat to score at the drop of a helmet. LeRoy QB Mark Bennetti pulled of a beautiful 50 yard run to the Letchworth one after following some great blocking by Whiting, Epps, Humphrey, and Chad Condidorio. FB Steve Smith notched his first varsity TD on a one yard burst and the Travis boot was true for a 21-7 LeRoy lead. The momentum shift of the Bennetti run was huge in this physical battle.

An excellent kick return and pass gave the Indians great field position at the LeRoy 31. The threat of an Indian score just before the half was thwarted when Chad Condidorio made a most superb interception of a Marcy pass that was literally in the receiver's hands and stolen in mid-flight before contact was made with the ground. 21-7 Knights at the half.