Maple Grove Stuns Bennett In Class C Final

Kicker Dustin McCaslin didn’t even attempt a varsity field goal or extra point during regulation. Hell, he wasn’t even on the varsity squad during the regular season. But with an opportunity to send his team to a stunning upset win, McCaslin delivered.

Down 28-22 in overtime, Brad Benson scored his third touchdown of the game to knot the score and McCalslin's extra point gave Maple Grove a shocking 29-28 defeat over heavily favored Bennett in the Class C Section VI final at Ralph Wilson Stadium Friday.

It’s the second consecutive Section VI title for the Thunderdragon, albeit a successful defense of their crown few saw coming.

The contest nearly didn't reach overtime. Tied at 22-22 and facing fourth and goal, Bennett quarterback Anthony Mendrysa connected on a pass with Brandon Brown and it looked like the receiver would score the winning points, but Maple Grove’s Michael Padilla immediately wrapped Brown inside the two yard line for what literally amounted to a game-saving tackle.

Bennett entered the game the second-ranked Class C school in the state and dismantled Lackawanna in the semifinals last week 56-7.  One of the premier teams in Western New York, the Tigers were their own worst enemies Friday night.

Bennett committed a mind-blowing 14 penalties against Maple Grove for a total of 137 yards.  Some calls were questionable to say the least, but the Tigers made far too many mistakes, many of them pre-snap infractions to earn their first-ever Section Vi championship.

MGCL put together an ultra-impressive opening drive; methodically going 80 yards over 17 plays while controlling the ball 7:15, culminating in a one yard Benson touchdown run. The two point conversion run was good and the Thunderdragon scored the only eight points of the first quarter.

Benson struck for the lone big play of the first half at 3:30 of the second quarter when he broke two tackles inside and bounced out for a 40-yard touchdown run.

MGCL took a 14-0 lead into the locker room as Benson accounted for 100 of the Thunderdragon’s 103 first half total yards.

Stunned going into the locker room but fired up coming out of it, the Tigers quickly got on the board on their first drive on the third quarter. Mendrysa connected with Derrick Bishop on a 39-yard touchdown pass and Isaiah McDuffie ran in the two point conversion as Bennett cut the lead to 14-8.

Bennett would take their first lead on their next possession.  Mendyrsa hooked up with Brown on a short pass and Brown did the rest—turning it into a 41-yard gain down to the two.  McDuffie then punched it in for the touchdown and successfully ran in the conversion to give the Tigers a 16-14 lead.

On the first play of the fourth quarter Brown took a slant from Mendrys 17 yards for a touchdown as Bennett extended the lead to 22-14.

Mendrysa completed 11-of-18 passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns.

Bennett piled up 143 yards over 17 total plays and three touchdowns during their first three drives of the second half and looked poise to win going away in the fourth quarter.

However, Bennett continued to hurt themselves with penalties, deserved or not. Maple Grove was the beneficiary of some questionable calls, including a personal foul for a hit on a defenseless receiver on a 3^rd and 17 incomplete pass. The Thunderdragon would score with 4:26 left when Michael Welsh hit Mitch Sandberg in the flat and the fullback rumbled in from 14 yards out and Benson tied the score at 22-22 on a successful conversion run.

Bennett got the ball one last time at their 37.  Long runs by Marcelus Toliver and McDuffie got the Tigers deep in Thunderdragon territory but Padilla saved the day for Maple Grove with the fourth down tackle on Brown.

Bennett won the toss and McDuffie scored on a four yard touchdown run, but was denied on the two point conversion.

It set the stage for Thunderdragon heroics.

Benson finished a night he’ll never forget with 129 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries.

McDuffie ran for 96 yards on 19 carries and scored twice, but didn’t have the explosive runs he’s been accustomed to all season. McDuffie entered the game with 1,448 yards rushing and more than 10 yards per carry.

Maple Grove advances to play at the Far West Regionals in Rochester at 3pm on November 14^th.