East Rochester/Gananda’s Hunter O’Lena breaks up a pass intended for Bath’s Jake Taggart.
ER/Gananda’s Joel Bean tries to catch a pass under pressure from Bath’s Patrick Brewer in the fourth quarter.
Section V Class C – ER/Gananda’s Cameron Cleveland runs with the ball but is tackled by Bath Haverling’s Patrick Brewer in the third quarter at Sahlen’s Stadium in Rochester, N.Y. on Saturday, November 7 2015.
Section V Class C – ER/Gananda’s Cameron Cleveland runs with the ball but is tackled by Bath Haverling’s Patrick Brewer in the third quarter at Sahlen’s Stadium in Rochester, N.Y. on Saturday, November 7 2015.
Section V Class C – ER/Gananda’s Hunter OÕLena breaks a pass intended for Bath Haverling’s Jake Taggart in the second quarter at Sahlen’s Stadium in Rochester, N.Y. on Saturday, November 7 2015.
Section V Class C – ER/Gananda’s Joel Bean almost has a pass under pressure from Bath Haverling’s Patrick Brewer in the fourth quarter at Sahlen’s Stadium in Rochester, N.Y. on Saturday, November 7 2015.
Section V Class C – ER/Gananda’s Hunter O’Lena pushes Bath Haverling’s Patrick Brewer outside the sideline in the second quarter at Sahlen’s Stadium in Rochester, N.Y. on Saturday, November 7 2015.
Section V Class C – ER/Gananda’s Alex Brothers feels the weight of the 30-40 loss to Bath Haverling’s at Sahlen’s Stadium in Rochester, N.Y. on Saturday, November 7 2015.
ER/Gananda’s Hunter O’Lena pushes Bath’s Patrick Brewer out of bounds.
Bath had yet to be challenged this year and up 32 points with a minute left in the third quarter on Saturday, that was still the case.
But then things got interesting, really interesting, in a hurry.
Bath saw its lead diminish down to two points with seven minutes to go in the fourth quarter as East Rochester/Gananda scored 30 points in less than a six-minute span.
Patrick Brewer saved the day for the Rams, scoring on an 85-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter as Bath won 40-30 on in the Class C football championship at Sahlen’s Stadium.
Brewer was named MVP after running for 248 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. He started the game with an 82-yard touchdown run that set the tone for the first 24 minutes. He ran for 141 yards in the first half, but dealt with an ankle injury most of the second half while the Bombers made their run. With the Rams up by two, he told the coaches to give him the ball.
“It took a bit for me to gut (the injury) out but I told the coaches I have go back in. I can’t sit on the sideline, it’s my senior year and I need to go back in,” Brewer said. “I went back in toward the end of the fourth quarter and said give me the ball. They said take it. I took it and three plays later I scored on the run.”
To put the Bombers’ (9-1) run into perspective, Bath has recorded six shutouts, including the first two rounds of sectionals, and hadn’t allowed a point in nearly a month. The Rams allowed 32 points all year, with 20 coming in a 58-20 win over Hornell on Oct. 10, which was the last time the Rams had allowed a score.
“I felt very comfortable in the third quarter up 32-0, but they’re a good football team,” said Bath head coach Wayne Carroll. “I thought we would play a little tougher defensively. We weren’t good with the football tonight but we did just enough to win.”
The Rams led 16-0 at halftime on Brewer’s run and a Tyler Finch run. Michael Rice scored on a 51-yard touchdown run and Jake Taggart caught a touchdown in the third quarter to put the Rams ahead by 32.
The Bombers had tried to run right at the Bath line in the first half with little success. In the second half, they opened up the playbook and put the ball in the hands of quarterback Patrick Shanley. He finished 10 of 25 for 135 yards and two touchdowns.
Cameron Cleveland found running room in the fourth quarter and finished with 151 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries.
ER/Gananda’s Alex Brothers feels the weight of the 40-30 loss to Bath at Sahlen’s Stadium.
Bath helped out the Bombers comeback with miscues.
“We couldn’t recover an onside kick and that’s on me,” Carroll said. “When we did recover an onside kick, we turned the ball over on the first play. We turned the ball over a lot and we still won. That’s a sign of a good football team.”
Defensively, the Rams were led by Taggart, who recorded 15 tackles. He also had the only two receptions from Rice for the entire game.
Bath will face Maple Grove/Chautauqua Lake in the state quarterfinals at Sahlen’s Stadium next week. But Carroll and the Rams will enjoy the sectional title first.
“We have quite a celebration waiting for us back in Bath,” Carroll said. “We have subs waiting for us in the locker room, so we’re living large right now.”
ER/Gananda’s Cameron Cleveland is tackled by Bath’s Patrick Brewer in the third quarter.