Archive: Sports

What does the running game do to the clock in football? Keeps it running. The scoreless first quarter ended quickly with the home team Watkins Glen/Odessa Montour threatening inside the Lansing ten. Three consecutive defensive stops by combinations of Garrett Bell/Brad Lehr then Luke Winslow / Mike Lapar followed by a stop by Joe Miller-Labar and Alex Powers. The second quarter began with a 4th and Goal for WG/OM at the Lansing six yard line. Four seconds later the Senecas led 8-0 after the successful conversion.

Just 18 second later, however, Lansing tallied their initial score with a first play 48 yard run by Miller-Labar through the right side. A Garret Bell PAT kick made it 8-7. Co-Head Coaches Miles Levesque and Brett Hotchkiss liked the last offensive play so much they ran it again on their next possession. Result. Another deep hand off to Miller-Labar from the I-formation through the right side of the line. Two missed tackles later Lansing had the lead with the 60 yard TD run. Bells' PAT kick increased the lead to six. The WG/OM double wing veer offense had consecutive drives to the Lansing 25 yard line but defensive end Mike Lapar had a sack and then hurried a QB pass to assist an end zone interception for Luke Winslow just before halftime.

Excitement and celebration was in the air at a crowded Sobus Field at Lansing HS Friday night. The football Bobcats were hosting the Hornets of Harpursville/Afton. Lansing Small Fry football players, coaches, and cheerleaders of all ages lined the sideline to welcome the team onto the field. It was Senior recognition night for 15 players and the senior cheerleaders as well.

When game action unfolded it was Harpursville/Afton striking first with a 40 yard TD pass. The Hornets quarterback eluded the pass rush of Kade Bennett and Alex Powers to hit the deep middle pass. Down 7-0 the home team put on an all around scoring display for the second quarter. Senior Joe Miller-Labar scored on a six yard run through the heart of the defense and Garrett Bell knotted the score at seven with the PAT kick.

Lansing's cross-country teams began the final leg of their season toward state competition with the IAC Divisional Meet at Groton's Stonehedges Country Club on Tuesday Oct. 10. The meet gathered all seven schools from Lansing's northern half of the IAC.

Lansing's varsity girls won their half of the meet on the strength of a 1st place finish by Mikaela Garcia (20:41). Emmaline Jackson (2nd, 21:26), Teresa Garcia (7th, 22:20), Leigh Miller (11th, 22:43), and Eden Jackson (12th, 22:55) also scored for the Bobcats, with Allison Keefe and Hana Thibault both recording 'pushes' (forcing other teams' top five finishers higher in the scoring). In the modified girls' race, Lansing's Kinsley Jacobs set a blistering pace on her way to a course record and a 1st place finish. Mydiah Boukar and Loveta Geesey finished 22nd and 24th, respectively, out of the field of 39 runners for the Bobcats.

A showdown of Class C division IV rivals took place in Lansing between the Eagles of Spencer VanEtten/Candor and the Bobcats. The Bobcats of Lansing holding a one game lead over this opponent in the division heading into the game.

Knotted at zero to start of the second quarter saw Lansing mix the pass and run to cap an 11 play 86 yard drive with a Darryl Fleming 32 yard touchdown run aided by a Kade Bennett block. Garrett Bell’s all important and successful PAT kick made it 7-0. Candor returned the ensuing kick off near midfield only to have the drive stall due to a 20 yard loss in the possession. Fleming continued his first half running load with two big runs that were key in Lansing threatening to go up another score with two minutes remaining in the half. Facing a fourth and one from the Candor 11 a quick out pass fell short of completion and the scoring threat was halted.

On Sunday September 30 the Lansing Bobcat Cross-Country Teams boarded a bus t 5:30 a.m. for a trip up to the Rochester area for the McQuaid Invitational—one of the largest XC meets in the country with more than 250 schools participating from five states and Canada.

Each race in the scenic Genesee Valley Park featured a field of 300 to 500 runners. For many Bobcats, it was largest race they had ever been in.

The Lansing Bobcats took on the Dryden Purple Lions on Wednesday night on Sobus Field. The long-awaited matchup between rivals was also Lansing's Senior Night. Before the game a small celebration recognized each of the 11 seniors: Lansing Miller, Taylor Overton, James Blair, Josh Zajac (C), Nick Parkes (C), Nic Whittaker, Jacob Williamson, Darius Desnoes, Trey McDonald, Henry Meyers and John Rogers. After the celebration the game began.

As has been Lansing's M-O this year, a goal came five minutes in. Captain Josh Zajac received a ball on the right flank, beat his man, and crossed it into the center. Midfielder Jacob Williamson smashed it one-time and just like that the Bobcats were up 1-0.

Lansing Football Ranked 16th In State After Shutting Out Dryden
by Glenna Miller

The Lansing Bobcats football team travelled to battle the Dryden Lions last Friday Night. Lansing needed a big night to bounce back from a tough loss to the #1 ranked Newark Valley squad, the week before. The Bobcats answered the call, as the shut-out the Lions, 19-0. The game was plagued with penalties for both squads, but Lansing was able to grind out a win to improve to 3-1 on the season. As of September 24th, Lansing is ranked 16th in State Class C football.

Summertime temperatures made a strong comeback in the third week of the cross-country season, with Lansing Bobcat racers experiencing the hottest running conditions since team practices began way back in early August. Even so, Lansing continued to rack up impressive team finishes in the past week, with a couple of Bobcats taking first-place in their respective divisions.

Last Saturday, Sept. 23, the Bobcat XC teams boarded a bus at 6:30 a.m. for the ride down to the Owego Cross-Country Invitational at Pheasant Hills Country Club. The golf course provided a beautiful backdrop with rolling forested hills, but that topography also played into the terrain for a race course with the most challenging climbs Lansing has seen all year. Throw in above-average temps hovering in the mid-80s, and the race became an endurance challenge.

The Lansing cross country teams kept up their momentum this fall with more wins and more 1st place awards in the second week of season.

On a balmy Saturday Sept. 16 that felt more like August, the Lansing varsity teams traveled up to Wayne High School near Rochester for a mega meet—the Wayne Pre-State Invitational involving 20 schools and more than 140 runners in each race at Lansing's division. Despite the crowded field, both the Bobcat boys and girls teams turned in impressive showings. On the boys' side, Zoli Csaki (19:15.10), Jack Thomas (19:32.58), Liam Hulsebosch (19:35.61), Torsten Gartenberg (20:09.99), and Teddy Brenner (22:39.55) comprised the Bobcats' top 5 scorers, with Anders Axelson and Ben Caveney also finishing the race. As a team, the Lansing boys finished 15th of 20 teams, with Watkins Glen (the top-ranked XC team at Class C in New York) taking 1st place. On the girls' side, Mikaela Garcia (21:32.97) tallied a very impressive 18th place out of 144 runners, with Leigh Miller (23:21.31), Allison Keefe (24:05.34), Teresa Garcia (24:08.79), and Hana Thibault (26:49.36) also scoring for their team to put the Lady Bobcats at 7th out of 19 teams competing.

The place to be Saturday night was at Charles O Dickens High School watching the Lansing Bobcats take on the Trumansburg Raiders under the lights on Tarbell Field. In what was billed as the game of the weekend, this one did not disappoint. Trumansburg kicked off and away we went.

Ten minutes in Lansing had its first real chance from a great penetrating cross by Captain Josh Zajac. After a pass back from striker Taylor Overton, Zajac put a long cross in behind Trumansburg's left back to where right midfielder Langston Hopkins could use his speed to beat the defender. He did just that, took a touch towards goal, but went wide left with his shot.

Coming off a two-game split in the Oneonta Festival this weekend where the Bobcats fell to Goshen and beat Cincinnatus, Lansing won its home opener against Newark Valley. Playing their third game in a row, the Bobcats came out a little slow. Going about their game plan Lansing controlled the ball in the midfield, but couldn't find the final connection for a goal. The Cardinal's defense kept the crosses from finding the correct head and didn't allow many clean shots from the middle of the field. Newark Valley's keeper, made numerous diving saves, even pushing one up to hit the crossbar and out.

Cross after cross got rejected or headed out, until Lansing midfielder Langston Hopkins rose above his defender to head in the game's first goal on a beautiful cross by Lansing Miller. A few minutes later the Bobcats would add to their lead on a shot by Aidan Huslebosch that took its time rolling over the line and another on a corner kick that was cleaned up by sophomore Joe Besemer.

First year Varsity football coaches Brett Hotchkiss and Miles Levesque are teamed as co-head coaches for this 2017 campaign. Along with Assistant coach Matt Hartz all three will be able to bring their experience and enthusiasm for the game to each of the 23 players on the roster.

The first game was a trip north to Moravia on a sunny Saturday. Lansing won the initial coin toss and opted to begin with the defense and kicked off to start the season. Garrett Bell booted the football deep and pinned Moravia down early. This set up excellent field possession for the Bobcats first possession of the season that resulted in a 29 yard scoring run by Luke Winslow. Darryl Fleming reached the end zone just before half to give the Cats a 23-14 lead.