ROCHESTER - You wouldn't think Mark Bennetti was going to throw two touchdown passes to Justin Becker in Sunday's Section 5 Class C semifinal at PAETEC Park. It was cold, windy and a day made for running the football. But Bennetti threw two huge TD passes to his favorite target and the third-seeded Oatkan Knights downed No. 2 Pembroke 21-14 in a game that was filled with high emotions on both sides coming in.

"Justin has gotten so much better since last year," Le Roy quarterback Mark Bennetti said. "I know when I throw it up there and give him a chance he can make a play. It's the same thing I did with Craig (Tiberio) last year, but I see it in Justin. He keeps getting better as the weeks go on."

The win for Le Roy comes after a week in which both squads were giving each other bulletin board material. Some Dragons players were cheering for Wellsville in Le Roy the previous weekend and Bennetti called Pembroke and undisciplined team. Players have been talking smack about the matchup all week.

"I think we just showed them not to come in our house and disrespect us again," said offensive/defensive lineman Marcus Epps. "That kind of really made us all upset. You could see that by the way we played today."

After a scoreless first quarter, things got pretty crazy. Pembroke had stopped Le Roy on a fourth down conversion attempt at the Oatkan Knight 33-yard line late in the first quarter. Nate Wright had a 12-yard run and Pembroke had a third-and-6 at the Le Roy 17-yard line on the second play of the second quarter. Mike McKenrick attempted is first pass of the game and Mike Humphrey picked it off in the end zone.

But Le Roy started going backwards. Jared Dent tackled Ian Humphrey for a 6-yard loss, then a fumbled snap attempt moved Le Roy back to its own 11-yard line. Bennetti threw an incomplete pass and then set up to punt in the end zone. He received the snap and then kicked the ball off the side of his foot, out of bounds, for a measly three-yard gain.

"I think the wind blew it a little and I took my eye off it," Bennetti said. "Because the wind blew it I shanked it off the side of my foot."

Joe Striegel had an 11-yard touchdown run three plays later to put Pembroke up 7-0.

Ian Humphrey got going on Le Roy's next series. The junior ripped off runs of 14 and 16 yards before taking a toss-left 17 yards for a score.

After a Pembroke three-and-out, the first controversial call of the game happened. Bennetti threw a short pass to Chad Condidorio and he was hit by cornerback Neil Kubik, jarring the ball loose. McKenrick scooped up the ball and ran it 62 yards for a touchdown. Le Roy coaches believed Condidorio was whistled down with forward progress.

"I didn't know if it was going to get called or if he was going to break (the tackle)," McKenrick said. "If he broke it I was going to nail him. Someone else popped him and I was right there to scoop and score."

The Pembroke defense seemed to have momentum at that point, then sacking Bennetti for a 5-yard loss. But a personal foul penalty on the next play gave Le Roy a first down. Bennetti threw a 42-yard touchdown pass to Becker a few plays later, just before the half.