Bears shut out at home by Trojans

CHITTENANGO >> Homer’s John Horner III ran for 123 yards and a touchdown on Friday night, leading his team in a 26-0 victory over Chittenango in a battle of two 4-1 teams atop the Section III Class B West football standings.

Kevin Bush added 58 rushing yards and two touchdowns for the Trojans in the victory while quarterback Jacob Rivers threw for 121 yards and a score.

Chittenango got off to a solid start when Christian Cerio returned the opening kickoff to the Homer 38 but a fourth-down sack resulted in a fumble and the Trojans took over on the Bears’ 45. Fellows hit Matt Guerrera for a 37-yard gain two plays later, setting up a three-yard scoring run for Bush. Tucker O’Donnell kicked the PAT, giving Homer a 7-0 lead with 7:44 to play in the opening period.

That score would hold up through halftime. Chittenango put together two long drives on its remaining two possessions of the first half but both stalled

out in Homer territory and resulted in turnovers on downs. Homer also had a turnover on downs and the halftime buzzer ended their next possession.

The Trojans quickly got back to the end zone to start the second half.

Rivers and Guerrera connected for another big completion on the second play of the third quarter, gaining 23 yards to the Bears’ 37. Homer marched inside the 10 but a holding penalty pushed the visitors back outside the 30 and set up a 3rd-and-30 play.

Bush gave the Trojans the big play they needed, rushing 34 yards to the end zone for his second score and a 13-0 lead.

Chittenango went 3-andout on the ensuing possession and Homer took control with under five minutes to play in the third quarter. The visitors were still on the move when the quarter expired but a third-down sack set up 4th-and-goal from the 18. With their backs to the wall again, the Trojans broke another big play to add to their lead. Rivers delivered a pass to Guerrera in the back corner of the end zone and the receiver made a sliding catch for the score and a 19-0 lead. Chittenango’s next possession quickly ended in a punt and Homer once again went to work on the ground.

The Trojans drove 55 yards in 10 plays, chewing nearly six minutes off the clock before Horner scored from a yard out. O’Donnell kicked his second PAT, extending the lead to 26- 0. With the victory, Homer clinched a postseason berth while also keeping pace with Marcellus, which beat Institute of Technology at Syracuse Central to improve to 4-1 in Class B West play.

Chittenango fell to 3-2 in league play with the loss, 4-2 overall.

KYLE MENNIG — ONEIDA DAILY DISPATCH Chittenango’s Hunter Hendrix (13) is tackled by several Homer defenders during their game in Chittenango on Friday.