He might have been right with how the game started, as the first 15 minutes of action seemed like a rude awakening for a Dunkirk team that visited a winless opponent with its sights on evening its record at 2-2.

Instead, the Marauders represented the first win of the year for the Blue Devils. A 22-point deficit proved to be too much to overcome in Thursday’s game, a 22-14 loss for the visiting Dunkirk Marauders.

“We just didn’t get out of our own way,” Dunkirk head coach Edwin Gomez said after the loss.

East Aurora/Holland (1-3, 1-2) went three-and-out on its first drive of the game, but so did Dunkirk (1-3, 1-3). While the majority of the first quarter was played without a point on the scoreboard, the Blue Devils struck first on a nine-yard touchdown pass from Jackson Suckow to Benjamin Ziegler with 1:53 left in the first quarter. Following an extra point, the Blue Devils led 7-0.

Dunkirk quarterback Hayven Smith throws a screen pass during the first half of Thursday’s Class B2 football game against East Aurora/Holland in East Aurora. OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen

Dunkirk went three-and-out again on its next drive, with a punt setting East Aurora-Holland up at its own 38-yard line. The field was flipped on a pair of first downs – the first being caused by a horse collar tackle by Dunkirk. Then, just prior to the first minute of the second quarter ticking off the clock, Hayden Fial rushed down the East Aurora sideline and fought off Dunkirk tacklers to find the end zone from 38 yards out. After a two-point conversion, East Aurora-Holland led 15-0.

A slow start quickly turned to a full blown disaster on the next possession, as Dunkirk quarterback Hayven Smith fumbled a snap in shotgun inside his own 20-yard line. East Aurora-Holland’s Hansley Petrie scooped the ball up near the line of scrimmage and returned it 15 yards for the touchdown. After the extra point, the Blue Devils held a 22-0 lead with 9:53 left in the first half.

The Blue Devils scored three touchdowns in exactly four minutes of game action. The Marauders found themselves down 22-0 before they had even registered a first down in the game.

Dunkirk finally got a first down on its next drive, but Smith was drilled on a fourth down pass attempt that led to a turnover on downs. Dunkirk’s defense forced a punt on the next drive, and the Marauders seemed to finally wake up offensively with roughly four minutes left in the first half. Aries Cheverez took a pitch down the Dunkirk sideline to put the Marauders in the red zone for the first time. Anthony Piede then had an 8-yard run down to the 9-yard line, then Smith carried the ball to the 5-yard line to set Dunkirk up at first-and-goal.

After failing to gain a yard on the next two plays, Smith rolled right and found Jordan Thomas Smith on the run for a 5-yard touchdown to put Dunkirk on the board, 22-7.

Dunkirk’s Aries Cheverez (3) was selected as Dunkirk’s Character Award winner during Thursday’s Class B2 game against East Aurora/Holland. He is pictured with Dunkirk head coach Edwin Gomez. OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen

Thomas Smith had an interception on the ensuing drive, which gave Dunkirk a great opportunity to cut the deficit to within one score by halftime, with Dunkirk set to receive the ball to start the half. Instead, the Marauders failed to keep the momentum rolling and the teams went into halftime with the Blue Devils ahead 22-7.

The Dunkirk defense did not allow a point in the second half, and of the 48 total minutes of action, the Marauders held the Blue Devils scoreless for 44 of them. Sadly for the maroon and white, that was still not enough.

“We need to figure out a way to play 48 minutes of football and not pick and choose when we have those sparks,” Gomez said.

Dunkirk did its best to claw back, as Smith rushed for a 7-yard touchdown with 5:31 left to play. The defense did its job to give the offense one last chance to drive down to tie the game, as Dunkirk regained possession at its own 34-yard line, down by eight, with 2:07 remaining.

A completion down the Dunkirk sideline moved the ball past midfield with just under two minutes left to play. But with 1:45 left on the clock, Smith felt the pressure from the Blue Devils defense yet again. His pass fluttered gently through the air like a paper airplane, and it fell right into the arms of East Aurora-Holland defensive back Jason Snyder for a game-sealing interception. The Blue Devils ran out the clock on the ensuing drive to claim their first victory of the year.

Dunkirk had more chances than just its final drive to cut into the Blue Devils’ lead. Most notably, what appeared to be a 46-yard touchdown pass from Smith to Anthony Piede — who was wide open down the middle of the field and darted into the end zone untouched — was wiped out on a facemask penalty called against a Dunkirk offensive lineman. Gomez said after the game that he did not see the foul take place as the play unfolded, and multiple players told coaches they did not commit a foul on the play.

“When you have big penalties like that, it takes the momentum away from the guys. It’s hard to climb out of that hole, as well,” Gomez said of the call.

Dunkirk also consistently had issues with the snap from shotgun formation, with the second quarter fumble that was returned for a touchdown among several fumbled snaps stemming from that formation on the night.

Among the positives on Thursday was the emergence of Jordan Thomas Smith, an eighth grader who made several key plays on both sides of the ball.

“The future for him is very bright. He is one of those natural athletes that can just play,” Gomez said of Thomas Smith. “For him to have a big game like this today, it shows why we have him up with the big boys. … Making plays like that makes him feel like he belongs here.”

Another positive for Dunkirk was the leadership by example set by Aries Cheverez, who received the Character Award after the game.

“Aries is a kid you absolutely love to have on the team. He carries himself with a lot of pride and a lot of maturity,” Gomez said. “… He doesn’t say much, but when he speaks, he speaks volumes. The kids really lean into what he’s doing on the field.”

The short week was not kind to Dunkirk, as many players were playing through injuries or unavailable to play on Thursday. Earlier in the week, Dunkirk had fewer than 20 healthy players to practice. The Marauders will welcome an extra day of rest before their next game.

Up next, the Marauders host Lackawanna on Friday, Oct. 3. The Blue Devils host Olean that same night.