Aquinas quarterback Jake Zembiec throws a touchdown to Jalen Pickett.
Rush-Henrietta QB Jared Gerbino scores on a touchdown run in the first quarter against Victor at Sahlen’s Stadium on Nov. 1, 2015.
Resiliency it appears, or some kind of stubborn streak, was required for admission into the Section V Class AA football final.
When the area high school football playoffs began, the Rush-Henrietta Royal Comets had three losses, not exactly the mark of a title contender.
The three losses cannot be wiped away, but neither can the Royal Comets it seems, who are in the tournament final after knocking off two undefeated teams.
Rush-Henrietta, a 20-19 winner over Victor during the semifinals Sunday at Sahlen’s Stadium, faces another unbeaten team for the Section V Class AA championship next Sunday, No. 1 seed Aquinas (9-0).
“Everybody thinks that AQ is just going to beat us around, like they do (to other teams),’’ Rush-Henrietta senior receiver/defensive back Jashaun Smith said. “We’re going to practice hard, play hard and we’re going to see what happens.’’
Aquinas players may not be among those who expect their team to just beat around the Royal Comets when the final is played 4 p.m. on Nov. 8, back inside Rochester’s soccer stadium.
No. 4 Hilton (7-2) led Aquinas, tied for No. 1 in the state rankings, by seven points late in the third quarter. Then the bid for the upset bounced away and became a 21-14 win for Aquinas.
“They were big, physical and ran the ball at us,’’ Aquinas junior Jason Hawkes said. “The fourth quarter came around and we stepped it up, played hard.
“We played just as physical as them, we came up and made plays.’’
Hilton was on top 14-7 after a 1-yard quarterback sneak into the end zone by Johnathan Letta with 2:42 to play in the third quarter. Letta was 8 of 16 passing for 79 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown throw to Bailey Pittman in the second quarter.
Conditions were windy, but there were throws that Hilton receivers should have held held on to.
Schedule & results: Section V football playoffs
Shemar Hayes of Aquinas hugs Hilton’s Bailey Pittman after Hilton was intercepted late in the fourth. "Keep your head up, you’re a great player,” Hayes told Pittman.
Jake Zembiec, an Aquinas senior who committed to play at Penn State last fall, threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Pickett to help Aquinas even the score with 18 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
A fumble at the Hilton 40 with 11:36 remaining set up the go-ahead score by Aquinas. Zembiec used his feet to move Aquinas inside the Hilton 20, and then scored on a 2-yard run with 8:18 to play.
Zembiec finished with 61 yards rushing on 10 carries, in part, because senior running back Taylor Riggins left the game with an injury. The Aquinas quarterback also was 9 of 16 passing for 101 yards with a touchdown and interception, in part, because because scoring-threat Earnest Edwards left the game with an injury.
It was the Hilton Cadets who needed to figure out a way to score with more than four minutes remaining. They moved to the Aquinas 46, when Anthony Flegler intercepted a pass that bounced off a receiver.
Rush-Henrietta quarterback Jared Gerbino and Reggie Robinson, both seniors, had a better connection against Victor, with the score 13-13.
A play-call came in that put Rush-Henrietta in the wrong formation, according to Gerbino. Adjustments were made, Gerbino dodged pressure from Victor’s defense and threw a pass to a spot in the middle of the field he expected Robinson to occupy.
Robinson made the catch and sped off to the end zone for a 36-yard touchdown that gave Rush-Henrietta the lead with 4:06 remaining. Victor’s power-run game offense beat the clock however, and scored a touchdown on a 17-yard run by Patrick Barrow with 53 seconds remaining. Rush-Henrietta’s lead was 20-19.
Blue Devils coach Geoff Mandile decided Victor would go for two points. Barrow carried again, this time to his left, but fell to the turf short of the end zone. Victor junior Zack Estabrooks recovered an onside kick however, and that allowed the Blue Devils to reach the R-H 32.
R-H’s Joseph Ortiz intercepted a pass with no time remaining.
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