Waverly tops 500 yards, earns first state title in football

Led by a quarterback who will go down as one of the most prolific passers in New York history and spearheaded by a group that continuously answered the call Saturday night, one of Section 4’s top football programs now has a state title to add to its trophy case.

Waverly joined the sizable list of Section 4 state champions with a 46-26 victory over Section 2 champion Fonda-Fultonville in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class C title game at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse.

The championship didn’t come with the ease a 20-point margin might indicate. It wasn’t until senior quarterback Joey Tomasso connected with Xavier Watson for a 40-yard touchdown on second-and-15 that the Wolverines gained some breathing room.

That score with 3 minutes, 38 seconds remaining made it a 39-26 contest. Kolsen Keathley (9 carries, 126 yards) tacked on a 79-yard TD run up the middle with 1:31 to play following a stop by Waverly’s defense on a night the offenses dominated the second half.

“There’s nothing like it and this team will for sure be remembered in Waverly history forever,” Tomasso said. “That’s just a great thing to be a part of.”

By the Numbers

Jake VanHouten heads to the end zone to score for Waverly during the Wolverines’ 46-26 win in the NYSPHSAA Class C football final Dec. 2, 2023 at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse.

More than 1,000 yards of offense was produced and eight touchdowns were scored in the second half. Waverly ended up with the yardage advantage, 553-488.

In his final high school game, Tomasso completed 18 of 26 passes for 333 yards and four touchdowns. He added 58 yards and two touchdowns on 13 rushes.

Three of the touchdowns went to Xavier Watson, who caught eight passes for 161 yards. The game’s first points came on a 49-yard pass from Tomasso to a streaking Watson deep down the…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/waverly-tops-500-yards-earns-065618021.html

Author : The Star Gazette

Publish date : 2023-12-03 06:56:18

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