Geneva ends Bath's season
BY SHAWN VARGO THE LEADER

PHOTO PROVIDED TO THE COURIER Front row-Garrison Koehler, Darren Snyder, Derek Snyder, Sean Ainsworth; back row-Coach Todd Lydden, Sam Armstrong, Steve Stromsness, Tyler Southard and Coach Bob Ainsworth.

ROCHESTER - After pitching a pair of shutouts in its first two sectional contests, Bath Haverling rallied back from an early deficit, but could not hold off a late charge from Geneva in a 28- 21 loss in the Section V, Class B championship game at PAETEC Park on Saturday, Nov. 3.

Geneva running back Jeremiah Allen scored the only touchdown of the entire second half with 6:42 remaining in the fourth quarter to give the fifthseeded Panthers the win and help the senior running back earn the game's Most Valuable Player award.

The Rams closed their season with an 8-2 record, but will have to live with an offseason of nagging "what ifs" after not cashing in on key opportunities throughout the game.

"We had our chances to win," said Bath coach Wayne Carroll. "Geneva is a really good football team and we didn't go for the jugular when we had the chance."

Allen opened the scoring on Geneva's opening drive with a 1-yard plunge. Tyler Travis did much of the damage on the 69-yard drive with a 32-yard run.

Bath went 3-and-out on its first possession and Allen gave Geneva a short field by returning the punt to the Rams' 39.

Geneva went for it on a 4th-and-inches play on Bath's 29 and quarterback Bobby Martin busted through the line of scrimmage and scampered the distance for a touchdown. A failed conversion attempt gave the Panthers a 12-0 lead just seven minutes into the game.

"It just happened so fast, it was like bang bang," Carroll said. "We gave them the short field and they just took advantage of it. When you play in a championship game, you can't get into bad field position."

Bath regrouped and went back to work. The product was a 12-play, 65-yard drive which was capped off by a 1- yard Jake Kuver quarterback sneak on the opening play of the second quarter. Brad York's point after cut the lead to 12-7.

Bath's second possession of the quarter gave the Rams the lead when Kuver scored from 2 yards away. A 25-yard run by Andre McCloud was the longest play of the drive.

"After last week's game, we were pretty amped up for this one," Kuver said. "We weren't going to get that far behind. We were here for a reason and we were going to give them a helluva game."

Bath carried the momentum of grabbing a 14-12 lead into the kickoff as Allen coughed up the ball and T.C. Carroll came up with it, giving Bath the ball on the Geneva 26.

Bath turned the ball over on downs, but the Rams' defense returned the favor, forcing Geneva to punt four plays later.

McCloud headed to the left sideline and got a wall to run around and the junior speedster went 62 yards for the touchdown. It was the second straight game in which McCloud scored on a punt return.

Geneva wrestled the momentum away from Bath with its final drive of the half, going 54 yards on six plays, while using just 48 seconds. With no time outs remaining, Martin completed a 14-yard touchdown pass to Darrious Thomas with three seconds remaining.

"We showed a lot of character. We came back and fought hard," Carroll said. "All we had to do was to make two more plays on the quarterback - a sack or an interception - it just didn't happen for us."

Bath opened the third quarter with the ball and promptly moved the ball deep into Geneva territory with its running game. Brett Havens' 27-yard carry set the Rams up on the Panthers' 15, but two plays later, Kuver was hit from behind and fumbled the ball on the 11.

Bath's defense held, as did Geneva's on Bath's possession.

Geneva's second possession of the second half began with 9:25 left in the fourth quarter - on its own 19. A holding penalty moved the ball back to the 10, giving the Rams a chance to pin down the Panthers.

McCloud nearly intercepted a Martin pass on second down, but Bath allowed Martin and Thomas to hook up for a 37-yard completion on third down to keep the drive alive.

From there, Geneva needed just four running plays to get the go-ahead touchdown as Allen followed a 32-yard run with a 6-yard TD.

"We really held Allen all day, and then late in the fourth quarter he busted that one for the touchdown," Carroll said. "They made the plays when they needed them and we didn't score in the second half."

Allen finished with 98 yards rushing, while Martin threw for 99 yards.

Bath got two more tries on offense, but only crossed midfield once.

"They're a good defense, probably the best we've played all year," Kuver said.

Havens led the Rams with 90 rushing yards, followed by 62 from Kuver and 49 by McCloud. McCloud's totals were hurt by a pair of big losses while reversing his field - which sometimes paid off for him - just not today. Havens earned the Roger Bunce Sportsmanship Award, while Kuver earned the Outstanding Offensive Back award. Bath's Eric Argenieri was named the Outstanding Offensive Lineman.

Argentieri also led the Rams' defense with nine tackles, while T.C. Carroll had seven.