Red & Black attempts to regroup after defeat
The Watertown Red and Black's path to a repeat Empire Football League championship once appeared free of obstruction. But after its loss last week at Plattsburgh, the remainder of the EFL season got a lot more interesting.
The North Stars' 21-7 defeat of Watertown not only came as a shock, but it also created a three-way tie between Watertown, Plattsburgh and Vermont atop the now five-team EFL standings.
While coughing up a chance to complete an undefeated season was disappointing, the Red and Black didn't have time this week to dwell on its first setback of the 2010 campaign. Not with Amsterdam and quarterback Scott Lawson set to visit for today's 7:30 p.m. matchup.
"You want the unbeaten season, but sometimes it's good to get a gut check," receiver Nate Bryant said. "It just sucks when it happens."
With the midseason folding of EFL organizations Broome County and the Silver and Black Raiders, the Zephyrs tonight represent half of the Red and Black's remaining regular season schedule.
Watertown snagged a 31-27 victory two weeks ago at Amsterdam, but it wasn't sealed until Brian Williams made a goal-line interception in the final minute.
Lawson exposed an already suspect Watertown secondary by tossing for touchdown passes on Aug. 14, and Plattsburgh apparently took notice, scoring on throwing plays of 85 and 32 yards last week.
"Our main concern will probably be with our pass coverage," linebacker Kyle Roshia said. "That's pretty much our biggest weakness, and the last two weekends it's shown."
Watertown dealt with a similar mid-August setback during last year's title run, losing 14-2 at Quebec when it committed several agonizing turnovers.
Head coach George Ashcraft said he felt like he was back in Quebec last week.
"We had a bad night. Everybody knows that," Ashcraft said Tuesday. "It was haunting how reminiscent it was. But we still had a decent offensive night. We just fumbled the ball inside the red zone. It's hard to do that and try to win against a good team."
Watertown won't play another league game until Sept. 18 when it travels for a meeting with the Vermont Ice Storm. But the most important date on the Red and Black calendar may be Sept. 11, when Vermont goes to Plattsburgh.
If the host North Stars beat the Ice Storm, they would wrap up home-field advantage for the playoffs, including the championship game if they were to advance.
But the Red and Black isn't placing any extra pressure on itself for tonight.
"Every game was already going to be important," Williams said. "We were going to have to beat each team another time, anyway. It's just about us playing with a little more focus and a little more attitude. A little more consistency."
