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Bengals snap three-game losing streak
Team earns first-ever Empire 8 victory in 21-14 win over Ithaca
By A.J. Speier
On October 17, 2012
After losing three straight home games against Empire 8 opponents, the Buffalo
State football team went on the road and picked up its first conference victory of
the season in a 21-14 win over Ithaca last Saturday.
The Bengals bounced back after allowing a season-high 51 points to Utica by
forcing three turnovers and holding Ithaca to just 253 yards of total offense,
propelling them to their first-ever win in the Empire 8.
"We played well at times in all three phases today, but the defense was the
big difference," head coach Jerry Boyes said. "We gave them a number of
opportunities with a short field in the second half, but the defense rose to the
occasion and secured the win for us."
Buffalo State got on the board first when quarterback Casey Kacz led a 14-
play, 91-yard drive, capped off by a one-yard touchdown run by Ismail Brooks.
The Bengals faked the ensuing extra point and holder Ryan Lehotsky found
linebacker Eddie Weiser to complete the two-point conversion.
Two plays later, the Bengals' offense took the field again when defensive tackle
Tawone Williams recovered a fumble by Ithaca running back Clay Ardoin. The
turnover resulted in a 27-yard field goal by kicker Nate Benoit, pushing the
Buffalo State lead to 11-0.
Ithaca answered with a nine-play, 67-yard drive. Ardoin scored on a two-yard
touchdown run to close the deficit to 11-7. The Bengals drove deep into Ithaca
territory again on their next drive, but Benoit missed a 21-yard field goal.
On Ithaca's next possession, quarterback Phil Neumann threw an interception to
safety Mike Burton, who returned it 56 yards. Benoit redeemed himself by hitting
a 32-yard field goal to give Buffalo State a 14-7 lead heading into the half.
"I thought there was wind at the beginning of the game and I tried to play it by
angles too much," Benoit said. "It didn't work out for me on the one that I missed,
but I figured there would be another field goal and I'd better be ready. I just didn't
want to be 50 percent for the day."
Coming out of the half, Bengals' wide receiver Caesarae Lewis fumbled the
opening kickoff. The Bengals' defense prevented a score, though, as defensive
end Brian Greene sacked Neumann on fourth and three at the Buffalo State 23.
"They double-teamed me and I just fought through the double team to make the
sack," Greene said. "I was being a tasmanian devil and just had to keep going
and keep working to fight through the blocks."
Kacz turned the ball back over with an interception on the very next play, but the
defense forced a three-and-out. Lehotsky came in off the bench to replace Kacz,
who was playing injured, and led a six-play, 72-yard drive that ended with a 42-
yard touchdown pass to tight end Zachary Best, extending the Bengals lead to
21-7 midway through the third quarter.
"Coming into the game, you just always have to be ready because you never
know what could happen in one play," Lehotsky said. "The play we just set up
nicely. It was a play action and they didn't cover him. He was wide open."
"We were just running the ball on them and they were flying up, so we decided to
go over the top," Best said. "I saw the ball and it just seemed to be floating in the
air forever. Lehotsky has been a great quarterback here for a number of years,
so I had all the faith in him in the world."
Ithaca tried to respond on the next drive, but Kam Johnson intercepted Neumann
at the Buffalo State 6-yard line.
"I read the tight end and I went downhill," Johnson said. "I tried to get back into
coverage, but I slipped and fell and the ball landed in my lap, so I just squeezed
the ball tight. It was big for the team."
On the Bengals' next possession, Lehotsky threw an interception to cornerback
Brian Garvey, who returned it 31 yards. The Bombers took advantage of the
turnover as Neumann finished the five-play, 37-yard drive with a 10-yard
touchdown pass to wide receiver Steve Delmore to make the score 21-14 with
10:14 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Ithaca had two more chances to try and tie it, but the Bengals' defense prevented
a score and Buffalo State ran out the remaining 2:05 left on the clock to win the
game.
Lehotsky ended the game completing 5-of-10 passes for 70 yards with a
touchdown and an interception after replacing the injured Kacz, who completed
10-of-19 for 134 yards and an interception. The Bengals had a balanced ground
attack with 161 rushing yards.
"We took [Kacz] out because he was still hurt a little bit and because he made
a bad decision," offensive coordinator Greg Forest said. "I think Lehotsky did
the job that he should've done just like he was the starter. He went in and made
some plays and we were able to win the game."
The Bengals will try to get back to .500 and make a push at an ECAC-bid this
Saturday when they visit Frostburg State at 1 p.m. Saturday in Maryland. The
Bobcats are coming off a 41-0 loss to Utica in which they had just 168 yards of
total offense.
"With the losses we have, it would be very difficult for us to get an NCAA-bid,
but what looms out there is the ECAC-bid because that is a possibility for us,
depending upon how we can finish out the season," Boyes said. "It comes down
to the same thing every Saturday and what we have to do. If we do it the way
we're capable of, only good things can happen."
A.J. Speier can be reached by email at speier.record@live.com.
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