WELLSVILLE - The Oatkan Knights drove a very long way to make very short work of the host Wellsville Lions. Though the field was dimly lit, there were many Knights that shone brightly with their play. Coach Moran emphasized intensity in the contest and it was well displayed on both sides of the ball as the offense stormed to 46 first half points, while the defense pitched a shutout of the locals. The win puts the Knights at 4-0 as they remain in the top 4 of all New York Class C football programs.

64 seconds. That is all it took for the Knights to score their first TD of the night. The Lions received the ball first and coughed it up via fumble to the Knights at the Wellsville 25. Ian Humphrey blew through a huge hole opened by his boys up front and found the end zone to put LeRoy up 6-0. The PAT kick was blocked.

Wellsville held onto the ball longer on their second possession, but encountered problems with Coach Andrew Paladino's defensive game plan and 3 penalties for various infractions. The Knights forced a punt and started from their own 30. LeRoy QB Mark Bennetti threw a superb dart of a slant to an in-stride Justin Becker who raced 60 yards to the Wellsville 10. FB Brady Bonacquisti powered 8 yards to the 2 and Tommy Bestor took it home those final 6 feet to push the score to 12-0 LeRoy at the 6:01 mark. The PAT pass fell incomplete.

Wellsville answered with a fine drive that took them down to the LeRoy 19. Chuck Brandes, Brady Bonacquisti, Alex DiFrancisco, and Travis Fenstermaker made key defensive plays to force the Lions to attempt a field goal attempt from nearly 45 yards out. The missed kick gave the Knights possession at the 20.

The Knights mixed it up well to march down the field once more for a score. Humphrey for 10, Bennetti 2, Ian for 6, Bonacquisti, a tough 7, and then Ian for 9 more. Bennetti once again would connect with Becker for a long gain as Justin hauled in the pass while being covered well, but not before picking up 39 yards, down to the Wellsville 7. Humphrey made it look easy at the 10:42 mark of the 2nd quarter as he raced in for his second TD of the contest. Again, the PAT is thwarted and the Knights are up 18-zip.

The Lions let the ensuing Bennetti kickoff go into the end zone so the 20 would be the start of their next possession. A nice 9-yard run was registered on 1st down. 2nd-and-1 soon became 3rd-and-9 as Alex DiFrancisco caused a hurried pitch in the Wellsville backfield that scooted OB on 2nd down. An incomplete pass led to yet another punt and a LeRoy drive start at the Lions' 34 after a "poison" boot by the Lions.

An 18-yard bullet from Bennetti to Chad Condidorio moved the chains 18 yards to the 16. Chad picked up 9 more yards on a quick-hit and run. With the ball at the 7, the Knights called upon rugged junior FB Steve Smith to give Wellsville a lesson in forward inertia. Back-to-back runs by Smith indeed got the job done and the Knights went up 25-0 with 8:09 remaining in the first half.

The Wellsville offense could not get untracked as DiFrancisco, Bonacquisti, Fenstermaker, and Cosimeno came up tough on D to force a 4th-and-32 scenario that pushed the ball back to the 8. The Lions had no choice but to punt from their end zone. An 11-yard boot made for yet another easy drive start for the Knights.

LeRoy notched their 5th TD on a 5-play drive that culminated in 3 power runs by durable Brady Bonacquisti who crossed the goal line from 2 yards out at the 4:08 mark to make it 32-0 in favor of the Knights after the PAT.

More of the same followed. A Wellsville 3-and-out and good field position for the Knights. Chad Condidorio set up the Knights next score with a fantastic 44 yard grab-and-go of a Bennetti pass that moved the ball to the Wellsville 8. Ian Humphrey picked up the TD 'hat-trick' at the 1:17 mark to make it 39-0 when the Fenstermaker PAT kick was true.

A Wellsville fumble made for the opportunity to add yet another TD before intermission. Tommy Bestor earned his second TD from 4 yards out and the scoreboard read LeRoy 46, Wellsville 0 at the half.

The 2nd half allowed Coach Moran the opportunity to utilize everyone on the team in the lopsided contest. The Knights would not score again, but they returned the favor and did not allow the Wellsville first-teamers to cross the goal line as well. Fine defense was displayed by: Ian Humphrey - 2 interceptions and big hits, Chad Condidorio - interception, Nick Pascucci - some fine run-stuffing, Jared Inuoye -sack, Jourdain Holly - good position and fierce hits, Steve Smith - constant pressure on the Wellsville backfield, Kory Cosimeno - all over the field, and Scooter Hurd - all-out effort, all of the time.

Avon arrives this upcoming Friday evening, Homecoming, for a 7:30 PM tilt with the Knights. The Braves have been state ranked in Class D this season, and will be hungry after losing to the resurgent Red Raiders of Cal-Mum this past week.