“It was a great game for the seniors,” said Black Knights coach Sean Helmer. “It was a challenge for them to take care of business in their last opportunity on this field and they did it. I’m really happy for them, it’s a good group of kids and they deserve to have their last memory be a win.”

It took a little while for the Black Knights to get in gear, as the game was scoreless well into the first half, as both teams traded three and outs back and forth.

The Black Knights had a couple opportunities early, the first coming on a 54-yard run by Angel Caraballo from his own 21 to the opposing 25, but the Knights couldn’t convert. They would then later have a 4th and three from the Timberwolves 5-yard line, but were stopped short, keeping the game scoreless.

It took a pair of the 13 Black Knights’ seniors to finally break the ice.

OBSERVER Photo by Justin Goetz Silver Creek/Forestville’s Angel Caraballo takes a hand off in the Black Knights’ 32-0 victory over the Cattaraugus/Little Valley Timberwolves on Friday night.

Facing a 4th and six from the Timberwolves 29-yard line quarterback Dom Jamison hit Luke Zbytek in stride, and Zbytek made a couple men miss on his way into the end zone, giving Silver Creek/Forestville a 6-0 lead going into the half.

Despite the score, it wasn’t a very clean half for the Black Knights, but they were able to turn it around in the second half.

“The first half was just misfire after misfire,” Helmer said. “And we were moving the ball, but we’d either fumble or go backwards. It was just us not executing.”

At the start of the second half, the Black Knights picked up the pace.

On a what would have been a first down carry from Catt./Little Valley’s Nick Burroughs, he put the ball on the ground, and the Black Knights were able to jump on it. They made no mistake from there, as Cole Golembieski, another senior, ran it 26 yards to the house on 2nd and 15, and that was just the starting point for the Black Knights in the second half.

“There weren’t any adjustments,” Helmer said. “All we talked about at half time was just doing our jobs.”

The Black Knights certainly kept doing their jobs, as on the very next drive it was Caraballo’s turn to find the end zone, as he ran it in from the 11-yard line. Caraballo, yet another senior, finished the day with over 100 yards rushing and that touchdown.

“He ran hard,” Helmer said. “When he’s going, he’s a tough kid to bring down. He ran with a lot of passion and focus, and we’ve needed that from him.”

The fourth Silver Creek/Forestville touchdown came on the second snap of the fourth quarter, after Jamison set it up with a 30-yard run to end the third, as he made four defenders miss with some slick moves before being brought down. Sam Braidich was the one who finished the job this time, taking it 12 yards to the house on a reverse, and being the fourth Black Knight to score a touchdown in the game.

“It was good to be able to spread it out, get guys involved, and do things we haven’t done,” Helmer said.

The final Black Knights touchdown was a metaphoric passing of the torch as the senior Jamison hit the junior Braidich for a 63-yard touchdown pass to cap the score at 32-0. Lost in the offensive surge was the stellar Black Knights defense, who allowed only two first downs on the entire evening.

“It was pretty impressive,” Helmer said. “They’re pretty banged up over there, but either way, to execute and play like that is impressive.”

Overall, the Black Knights end their season with a 3-4 record and will have 13 holes to fill going into next season. While it always seems tough, Helmer knows it’s just part of the job.

“It’s like a lot of classes,” Helmer said. “They’re great kids and good football players. They do everything we ask them to and we always think it’ll be impossible to replace some of the kids, and while it is tough, someone always steps up. Everyone goes through this. It’s always a revolving door.”

The Black Knights can look forward to seeing Braidich, Hunter Larson, and Gabe Metzger suit up for them next season, while the seniors like Caraballo, Jamison, Golembieski, and Zbytek, along with all the others, get to celebrate their last win in the black and gold.