Published: October 13, 2009 11:41 pm      

H.S. FOOTBALL: Lions clinch ‘AA’ playoff berth

Fluellen runs for 191 yards, four TDs in 41-14 win at Williamsville North.

WILLIAMSVILLE — Led by their dually-crowned all-time rusher and Homecoming King, the Lockport football Lions were once again running on all cylinders Saturday, cruising to a 41-14 Class AA North victory at Williamsville North.

With the win, head coach Greg Bronson’s Lions clinched a postseason berth. A win next Saturday against visiting Niagara Falls and the Lions (4-2 overall, 3-1 AA North) clinch a home playoff game.

Against the Spartans (2-4 overall, 2-2 AA North), Fluellen hopped, skipped and jumped his way to 191 yards and four touchdowns a week after breaking his brother’s all-time LHS rushing mark.

Lions junior fullback Tom DiCarlo and senior tight end Luke Rankie also scored touchdowns for LHS, which led 34-6 at halftime, thanks in part to three Spartans turnovers.

Lockport scored on its opening two possessions as Fluellen ran it in from five yards out, then the bulldozer DiCarlo broke several tackles and scored on a five-yard burst up the middle.

“It was a lot of fun out there today,” DiCarlo said. “That was my first touchdown — ever. I’ve played football, but I never played fullback. I was always on the O-line or D-line, so it was nice. It was a great team effort today. Everyone stepped up. The offensive line opened huge holes all day.”

Lions junior quarterback Kevin Bronson — arguably the most improved quarterback in Section VI this season — engineered scoring drives of 74, 55, 53, 56 and 37 yards in the first half, finishing a stellar 7-of-12 passing for 135 yards and a TD.

Bronson’s favorite target on Saturday was Rankie, who hauled in a 48-yard scoring pass to open the second quarter. Rankie, who doubles as an All-Western New York linebacker, finished with a career-best five catches for 118 yards and a TD.

Turnovers also played a big role in the game as Lockport benefited from two interceptions (Fluellen, Jake Chenez) and a fumble recovery (Dorian Polk) in the first half. Chenez intercepted his second pass of the day on the game’s final play.

The Spartans got touchdown passes from two different quarterbacks. In the second quarter, sophomore Zach Barrett tossed an 8-yard TD pass to Edwin Young, then late in the fourth quarter, junior Kevin Hall fired a 23-yard scoring pass to junior Matt Scheff.

“We shot ourselves in the foot too many times in the first half,” said Will North’s veteran head coach Mike Mammoliti. “And turnovers are tough to overcome when you’re up against a good team.”