Bishop Kearney’s Dahmir Pross carries the ball during the Class D state semifinal game at Cicero-North Syracuse High School on Friday, November 20, 2015.
Tioga’s Austin Payne celebrates Jesse Manuel’s touchdown during the Class D state semifinal game at Cicero-North Syracuse High School on Friday, November 20, 2015.
Bishop Kearney’s Duante Sims reacts following the last play of the Class D state semifinal game at Cicero-North Syracuse High School on Friday, November 20, 2015. Tioga beat Bishop Kearney 38-36.
Bishop Kearney’s Dahmir Pross takes a moment on the field after losing the Class D state semifinal game to Tioga at Cicero-North Syracuse High School on Friday, November 20, 2015.
Bishop Kearney quarterback Todd LaRocca eludes a defender during the first quarter against Tioga in the Class D state playoff semifinals at Cicero-North in Syracuse on Friday, Nov. 20, 2015.
Bishop Kearney running back Dahmir Pross rushes for a touchdown during the second quarter against Tioga in the Class D state playoff semifinals at Cicero-North in Syracuse on Friday, Nov. 20, 2015.
Bishop Kearney’s Todd LaRocca passes to Justin Davis during the Class D state semifinal game at Cicero-North Syracuse High School on Friday, November 20, 2015.
CICERO – The Bishop Kearney Kings had a chance to perform magic, turn catch-up into a comeback.
The trick was too difficult to pull off however at the end of the Class D high school football state semifinal.
Tioga turned back Bishop Kearney to win the West semifinal 38-36 Friday night at Cicero-North Syracuse High School.
Bishop Kearney trailed by 19 points in the third quarter and 18 in the fourth before senior quarterback Todd LaRocca threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score during the final period. A two-point conversion run by Dahmir Pross moved the Kings to within two points of the Section IV champions from the Binghamton-region, who built their lead on five touchdown runs by Jesse Manuel.
“You know, they gave us problems all day but we had the ball with a chance to get it done and they came up with a big stop,” Bishop Kearney coach Eddie Long said.
The Kings faced fourth-and-5 at Tioga’s 30 with 2:58 remaining. LaRocca once again hooked away from pressure applied by Tioga’s defense, but Tigers linebacker Adam Zwierlein came out of pass coverage to cut down the senior quarterback at the knees, short of a first down.
Bishop Kearney’s Matt LaRocca comforts his brother, Todd LaRocca, following the Class D state semifinal game at Cicero-North Syracuse High School on Friday, November 20, 2015.
Tioga, in this game for the fifth consecutive year, ran out the clock to move into the tournament final at noon next Friday inside the Carrier Dome at Syracuse University. The Tigers face Ticonderoga of Section VII.
“Very excited,” Manuel said. “We’ve been here for four years (with him on the team) and finally punching the ticket is definitely a great feeling.”
Tioga’s offense has the same resilient approach. The Tigers line up in the I-formation, Power-I formation and even the T-formation, a popular alignment in the 1940s, and move forward down after down.
“Definitely a ground game,” Manuel said. “We try to get the linemen to get off the ball (snap) faster than the defensive line to blow some holes, to get three or four yards a carry.”
Josh Jackson was named Bishop Kearney’s most valuable defensive player of the game. LaRocca, Kearney’s most valuable offensive player, and Pross were productive in Bishop Kearney’s spread offense. Pross ran for 131 yards on 26 carries, two of which were touchdowns. LaRocca was under pressure most of the game, but completed 17 of 24 attempts for 264 yards and two touchdowns. He also picked up first downs with short runs.
Tioga running back Jesse Manuel breaks away for a 47-yard run during the second quarter against Bishop Kearney in the Class D state playoff semifinals at Cicero-North in Syracuse on Friday, Nov. 20, 2015.
The Kings scored first and quickly on the first offensive possession to take their only lead.
LaRocca rolled to his right and left to fling passes downfield, including a throw to Devin Green in the back of the end zone for an 8-yard touchdown.
The Tioga Tigers had a swift answer. Manuel sped off 63 yards to the end zone for the first time on Tioga’s second play from scrimmage with the ball.
Bishop Kearney picked up a first down on its next drive, but LaRocca’s pass on fourth-and-5 at his team’s 40 was too high and incomplete. Tioga took the turnover on downs and turned it into another touchdown by Manuel in five plays, a 21-yard run with 4:51 remaining in the first quarter. The Kings, down 14-6, were in catch up mode the remainder of the game.
The Kings looked as if they were going to keep pace, as they drove to the Tioga 1 on their next drive. Another mistake kept the Kings out of the end zone however, a fumble recovered by the Tigers early in the second quarter.
Bishop Kearney quarterback Todd LaRocca rushes for a first down during the second quarter against Tioga in the Class D state playoff semifinals at Cicero-North in Syracuse on Friday, Nov. 20, 2015.
Manuel added a 5-yard touchdown run and Tanner Folk kicked a 28-yard field goal to help Tioga establish a 24-12 lead by halftime. The Tigers were ahead by 19 after a 30-yard touchdown run by Manuel during the third quarter.
Manuel’s final touchdown, a 15-yard run early in the fourth quarter, and a conversion kick gave the Tigers a 38-20 lead early in the fourth quarter. Kearney’s rally began seconds after Manuel’s easy touchdown run.
The first strike was quick, as LaRocca found Green, the quarterback’s most reliable target on this night, for a 63-yard touchdown. A conversion run by Pross cut Tioga’s lead to 10.
Tioga ran time off the clock but Kearney’s comeback continued after the Tigers punted with 6:33 remaining. The Kings, specifically LaRocca, were in the end zone again 2:06 later after a 1-yard run to his left after a fake handoff.
After another two-point conversion, the Kings were in position to pull off quite a stunt.
JAMESJ@GANNETT.COM