After this week, it seems like Dunkirk has quite a dominant team, after all.

The Dunkirk Marauders varsity football team made another huge statement on Friday, with a 47-6 win over Alden under the lights of Dunkirk High School.

Dunkirk (3-0) looked to be in trouble on the first drive of the game, as Alden (0-3) drove into the red zone after a pair of third down conversions by the Alden offense. However, the defense may have bent, but it did not break, as Earl Stewart came away with an interception at the goal line for the first of three turnovers in the game forced by the Dunkirk defense.

“We had kind of a down week, a tough week,” said Sarratori after the game. “We had some things to work on after the Tonawanda game, and the kids showed up to play tonight.”

OBSERVER Photo by Justin Goetz Dunkirk’s Earl Stewert (26) attempts to bring down Alden’s Alex Rzepka (3) during a football game on Friday night in Dunkirk. Dunkirk went on to dominate Alden, winning by a score of 47-6.

The Marauders responded with a third down conversion of their own on the first drive, as Dunkirk quarterback Phil Messina found Kayin Odebralski streaking down the Dunkirk sideline for a long completion on 3rd and 4. Dunkirk marched down the field for the first score of the game, as Messina scored on a quarterback sneak from one yard out.

Dunkirk’s 6-0 lead held through the rest of the first quarter, as the Marauders used a long, methodical drive to get into the red zone to begin the second quarter.

That quarter could not have started — or finished — any better for the Dunkirk Marauders.

On the first play of the second quarter, Dunkirk running back Quantavis Kleckley scored from five yards out, which gave the Marauders a 12-0 lead.

After Dunkirk forced a punt on the next drive, a huge return by Odebralski set the Marauders up with great field position.

On 3rd and 5 from the Alden 21 yard line, the Marauders capitalized. Running back Angel Reyes carried the ball up the middle and through the Alden defense for Dunkirk’s third rushing touchdown of the game by its third different rusher. After a two point conversion pass from Messina, Dunkirk led 20-0.

It only got better from there for the Marauders.

On Alden’s next drive, a pair of Marauders drilled the Alden ball carrier and forced a fumble. Stewart was there to scoop the ball up and took off down the Dunkirk sideline. No one was able to catch Stewart on the way to a 40 yard fumble return for a Dunkirk touchdown.

Dunkirk led 27-0 after Stewart connected on the extra point, but the Marauders were not satisfied just yet.

On the ensuing drive for Alden, the Marauders forced another fumble at nearly the exact same spot on the field. That time, it was Conrad Thomas who was there to scoop up the ball and return it for another 40 yard Dunkirk touchdown. Within one minute of each other, the two fumble return scores put the Marauders ahead, 35-0, with just under two minutes left in the first half.

“You don’t usually see that,” said Sarratori of the back-to-back defensive scores. “It’s about time we get a couple of breaks like that.”

Dunkirk did not let up much in the second half, as Kleckley punched the ball in from six yards out on the first drive of the second half for his second score of the game. Reyes added his second touchdown of the game, as well, in the fourth quarter from five yards out.

“We were really conservative (in the second half),” said Sarratori. “We did what we had to. We wanted to come out and make sure we continued to have momentum. It’s not just about this game, it’s about getting better for every week. … We have big goals this week and we have to play better than last week and even tonight.”

Dunkirk led 47-0 with a running clock in the fourth quarter, before Alden finally scored on 4th and goal from the 10 yard line on a pass with under four minutes remaining. With the win, Dunkirk now has three wins in a row to start the year.

“It was a total team effort,” said Sarratori. “The offense scored a few, the defense scored a couple, special teams did a nice job. Everybody played well.”

Dunkirk had no turnovers in the game and only two penalties, compared to three turnovers and eight penalties last week against Tonawanda.

“There are still little things that we’re still not doing, on defense and offense,” said Sarratori. “The good teams are going to take advantage of that.”

Kleckley finished with 10 carries for 82 yards and two touchdowns, which brings his total to seven touchdowns through three games. Reyes finished with 42 yards and two touchdowns, while Dunkirk finished with 214 rushing yards as a team, despite the absence of All-State star Tywon Wright, who is out for the season.

“I feel pretty good, but if it wasn’t for the lineman, those holes would not be there,” said Reyes. “In the end, it’s how hard the lineman are working.”

Although the line had yet another strong game for Dunkirk, it certainly eased the concerns of Sarratori coming into the matchup to get the production Dunkirk got from Kleckley and Reyes.

“(Angel Reyes) really stepped up and Kleckley was a beast,” said Sarratori. “We could have ran him all second half, but we wanted to make sure he stays healthy.”

With the emergence of Reyes in the backfield, along with 48 yards from Rocky Radcliffe, Dunkirk appears to have figured out how to adequately fill the void of Wright in the lineup. In the wake of Wright’s injury, Reyes said it puts everything into perspective.

“It gives us a lot of motivation,” said Reyes. “It only takes one play for you to be out (for the year). We have to be ready on every play to step up, we have to know what we’re doing because you never know (what could happen).”

Now moving forward, it is up to Dunkirk to continue to improve every week to satisfy Sarratori’s goals of another deep playoff run.

“We definitely improved, and we’re getting closer to the team we want to be, but we’re definitely not there yet,” said Sarratori.

Dunkirk now takes its 3-0 league record to Newfane next Saturday in another Class B3 matchup.

Twitter: @bradencarmen