Geneseo - The Oatkan Knights overwhelmed the host Blue Devils of Geneseo High 58-0 in a game that saw the Knights run just 27 plays from scrimmage. With the decisive win, the Knights finish as unbeaten Livingston County Division 2 champions. The squad is currently ranked #1 in Section 5 among all small school programs (C & D) and #6 in the New York State Sportswriters Class C poll. Geneseo had no answer for the LeRoy attack, including the Knights' "3 Joes" - Shaughnessy, Cosimeno, and Caccamise. QB Joe Shaughnessy directed the offense to precision. His ability to run and pass indeed kept the Devils off-balance, opening up the offense for the myriad of talent that is the LeRoy backfield. Joe Cosimeno had a banner evening that included 106 yards on just 4 carries, an interception, a blocked punt, and shifty punt returning (2 for 69 yards). Joe Caccamise continues to shine as the season progresses, rushing for 106 yards on 12 carries and 3 TDs.

The game opened with LeRoy's Reid Whiting jetting up the middle on the kick return to give the visiting Knights a drive start at their own 39-yard line. Met with a 4th and 3 at the LeRoy 46, Coach Moran gave the nod to clutch RB Matt Miller. Matt picked up the 3 yards and 36 more to put the Knights at the Devil 15-yard line. Matt finished what he started several plays later from the 4 to give the Knights a 6-0 lead. With the goal posts literally just feet in front of a heavily wooded drop-off, the Knights decided to forgo the Brendan Fulmer kick for PAT to save the LeRoy managers from getting lost looking for the ball in the forest. Instead, QB Shaughnessy hooked up with Fulmer in the corner of the end zone for the 2-point conversion pass to push the lead to 8-0.

Geneseo began their first possession at the 30-yard line and opened up with a nice screen in the flats to star tailback Kelly Heath. Heath is a tremendous athlete with exceptional speed. He is also the New York state Class C long jump champion in track. Heath's catch and run put the ball at the LeRoy 43. The Devils continued to mix up their plays nicely, keeping the LeRoy defense guessing. They eventually moved the ball to the LeRoy 24 before disaster struck. The LeRoy defense and a untimely penalty moved the ball back to the Geneseo 42 where the Devils were met with an incredibly long third-and-42 scenario. Geneseo went to the screen pass to pick up any yardage they could and instead were scored upon when LeRoy's Kenny Smith snagged the pass attempt, rambling 42 yards to paydirt. At the 4:47 mark it was 14-0 Knights.

The LeRoy defense came up big on Geneseo's ensuing possession forcing a punt. Coach Moran called for a wall to be set up for the punt return. The Knights' returner, Reid Whiting, fielded the punt on the fly and used the wall blocking to perfection, running 61 yards to the Geneseo 2-yard line. Moran saw to it that the tired Whiting got the TD he richly deserved. He called for the senior to run the ball on the first play from scrimmage and Whiting showed he still had enough in the gas tank, easily plunging in for the tally. Rick Laurie bulled his way over the goal line on a great second effort run to earn the 2-point conversion. 22-0 LeRoy at the 2:47 mark of the first quarter.

Things did not get any better for the Devils. Brendan Fulmer booted the kickoff out of the end zone to give the Devils no chance of a runback. Fulmer knocked it through the end zone 3 times on the night. How valuable is that to the Knights? The defense, which was led by Matt Miller and Billy Fox, again forced the Devils to a 3-and-out. The Devils went back to punt and the ball sailed over the punter's head. The punter made a great effort to retrieve the errant snap and managed a boot from his end zone, left-footed in fact (he was right-footed normally). The Knights took advantage of the drive start from the Geneseo 26. Seconds into the second quarter, the Knights went up 29-0 after Joe Caccamise's first TD of the evening, a 10-yarder that was followed by Fulmer's boot for PAT.

The Devils did move the ball well a few possessions later only to be thwarted by a Fulmer interception when they were forced to go for a first down at midfield. Joe Cosimeno scampered 25 yards for a score at the 7:34 mark of the second quarter to extend the lead to 36-0 for LeRoy after the Fulmer PAT kick.

The Devils again had some offense working as Heath found some seams in the LeRoy defense. Met with a fourth down at the LeRoy 29 the Devils desperately tried to post some points by attempting a 46-yard field goal. The low kick was blocked and LeRoy had possession at the Geneseo 16 with just 1:40 left in the half. Cosimeno ran left and cut back nicely against the grain to gallop 71 yards only to be caught by speedster Heath at the Geneseo 13. Three plays later, QB Shaughnessy dropped back to pass and recognized a wide-open middle of the field. His 10-yard run made it 42-0 Knights. Whiting added the 2-point PAT on a nice pass from Shaughnessy. At the half it was 44-0 LeRoy.

The second half brought more of the same as the first half. Heath fumbled the kick return at the Geneseo 28-yard line. The LeRoy second-team offense pounded the ball at the Devils. Caccamise ran around his left end, following a nice block by FB Billy Fox. The 10 yard scoot and Fox kick for PAT gave the Knights a 51-0 lead just 3.5 minutes into the second half. Caccamise tacked on his third TD later in the third on a 15-yard run. Fox again added the PAT kick easily. The second-team defense kept the shutout intact with some heady play. Linemen Lorne Campbell and Tim Wickson showed the depth that the team possesses on defense. The final 8+ minutes were played with a running clock. The Knights took a knee at the Geneseo 2 as time expired to make the final LeRoy 58, Geneseo 0.

The Road to Fauver and the Section 5 Class C title game begins this upcoming Friday at LeRoy's Hartwood Park. Come and see the seniors play their final home game. The quarterfinal opponent will be Mynderse Academy, the #8 seed in Class C. The Knights are the #1 seed.

There is going to be a bonfire and pep rally sponsored by the Student Council after the JV game on Thursday, October 25th, at Hartwood Park to celebrate the JV season and get pumped up for the Section 5 Varsity tourney. Coaches Moran and Paladino are to speak and cider and donuts will be served, so come on out and support the stellar LeRoy Varsity and JV football programs.