The Ithaca Journal from Ithaca, New York • 9

Live sports scores on your cell phone Send a text message to 44636 (4INF0) with SPORTS, then select your team (Cornell, Yanks, Mets) HIGH SCHOOL RESULTS A roundup of the weekend's high school sports results. PAGE 6B Sports Editor. Brian Delaney 1 274-9214 1 bdelaneyithacajournal.com THE ITHACA JOURNAL ithacajournal.com Monday, September 21, 2009 IB Sports 11 iiih mw rally past Windsor makes Little M. Lasda rushes for 146 yards ON THE WEB For a photo gallery or to submit your photos: i -it ithacajournal.comhsfootball i 1 I IHS THIS DECADE Ithaca High's season-by-season record in varsity football this decade: I I Ithaca just might be able to start entertaining thoughts of its first winning season since going 6-3 in 1994. "They're talking about football again in Ithaca," said Little Red coach Ed Redmond.

"It hasn't been like that in many years. I think we're getting back that old Ithaca football when it was well-respected not just in Section 4 but in the state. By Mike Mangan mmangangannett.com Staff Writer WINDSOR Three weeks into the season, and a word not often associated with the Ithaca Highfoot-ball program can still be used to describe the Little Red-Undefeated. Surprising Ithaca continued its early-season magic on Saturday, improving to 3-0 with a 26-14 victory at Windsor in a non-league game. Riley Lasda rushed for 146 yards and three touchdowns and Philip Anderson added 97 yards and a touchdown run that broke a 14-all tie late in the second quarter for Ithaca.

After winning a total of four games in seven years prior to this season, "Now, I know we have a long way to go; the competition is going to get a lot tougher as we go along, but to be 3-0 feels pretty good." Along with the duo of Lasda and Anderson, an Ithaca defense that stiffened after Windsor grabbed a 14-0 first-half lead played a big role in Saturday's victory over the Black Knights (0-3). A little trickery didn't hurt either. Already trailing 14-0 and facing a fourth-and-7 at its 46-yard line, Ithaca ran a fake punt with punter Shane Barley connecting on a 19-yard pass play to Joseph Bucci for See ITHACA Page 4B Of ,1 '-M REBECCA ATLETT Staff Photo Ithaca's Keagan Duncan forces a fumble by Windsor's Ryan Hayes during a drive to the end zone in the first half of the Saturday game in Windsor. Ithaca rallied to win, 26-14, and is now 3-0 for the season. COLLEGE FOOTBALL T.

r' Unflappable Grastorf leads Bombers QB throws for four TDs 1 J( It. ft 1 aw t. By Brian Delaney Staff Writer ITHACA Time and again Saturday, Brian Grastorf stared down a furious Widener pass rush, got the 4 i At blocking he needed, and dehvered a perfectly timed strike to one ofhis several capable targets. On occasion, he took a hit. Other snaps, he was a millisecond away from absorbing a bruising body blow.

Regardless, his delivery never flinched. The quarterback position is still in good hands on South Hill. Grastorf flourished in his fifth col Ithaca Col. 41 Widener 7 Summary 5B legiate start, completing 26 of 37 passes for 268 yards and four touchdowns as No. 25 Ithaca overwhelmed the Pride, 41-17, in front of a large home crowd at Butterfield Stadium.

"That quarterback's a helluva player," Widener coach Dave Wood said. "But we knew that going in." They just couldn't do anything about it. With Ithaca's interior running game stifled by Widener's two 300-pound tackles, the Bombers moved the ball primarily See GRASTORF Page 5B SIMON WHEELER Staff Photo Cornell's Horatio Blackman is tackled by Bucknell's Ahkiel White after gaining enough yards for a first down early in the second quarter of Saturday's game at Schoelkopf Stadium. Cornell won, 33-9. Cornell crisp in opener Big plays spark Big Red against Bucknell I felt like I adjusted." Cornell scored three touchdowns over 30 yards a 30-yard touchdown pass from Ganter to Bryan Walters early in the second quarter, a 31-yard Ganter-to-Shane Savage hookup late in the third By Dan Sweeney dsweeneygannett.com Staff Writer ITHACA Watching film of Bucknell's first two football games, Cornell knew the bigplay wouldbe avail The lack of safety help is precisely what Ganter seized on with the touchdown throw to Walters, which put Cornell ahead 16-7.

"It was just a two-man read," Ganter said. "And I was reading that safety right over the top and he ran with Savage on the post on the inside and it left Bryan open on the outside." After trading possessions to start the game, Cornell punter Drew Alston pinned Bucknell at its own 3-yard line. Two plays later, the Bison's Josh Lee fumbled a pitch in the end zone and fell on it for a safety, putting Cornell up 2-0 just 4 minutes, 49 seconds into its season. "I think it's huge," Cornell coach Jim Knowles said of getting out to an early lead. "Particularly in the first game, everything just seems to operate better.

We'll learn. I'm sure we won't have early leads See CORNELL Page 5B quarter and a 65-yard run by Stephen Liuzza midway through the second quarter. In Bucknell's (1-2) first two games, it allowed five touchdowns from at least 30 yards out. "It must be (a lack of communication)," Bucknell coach Tim Landis said. "It obviously falls on us as coaches because our players aren't reacting the way we need them to react.

Maybe we're asking them to do something that they can't physically able. And on Saturday afternoon in its season opener, the Big Red took advantage. Making his second collegiate start, senior quarterback Ben Ganter completed 17 of 25 passes and tossed two touchdowns while the Big Red defense recorded a safety on Bucknell's second possession en route to a 33-9 victory in front of 9,889 at Schoellkopf Field. Cornell 33 Bucknell 9 Summary 5B 1 sL 1 "I felt pretty comfortable," Ganter said. "I tried to take it like a practice; just getting out there and getting reps.

It was a little different with the game speed, but do, so it's our job to get in there in the film room and try to figure that out and fix it. We're struggling there with the safety help over the top." KAITLYN MCQUAID Staff Photo Ithaca College's Thomas Vossler is tackled by Widener's Fred Ferro, bottom, and Joe Colleluori during the third quarter of Saturday's game at Butterfield Stadium. Ithaca won, 41-7. Owens, Evans give Bills passing game a spark to beat Bucs allowing 438 yards. Tampa Bay's once-respected defense has now allowed 332 yards or more in each of its past seven games.

It's given up 400-plus yards in each of its two games this season following a 34-21 loss to Dallas last weekend. The defensive backfield continues to be susceptible to the deep pass. Before Owens' touchdown, Lee Evans opened the scoring with 332-yard touchdown receptioa Tampa Bay allowed three TDs of 40 yards or more against Dallas. So much for Bills quarterback Trent Edwards' inability to go deep. After being labeled "Captain Check-down" for most of the preseason, and questioned by Owens this past week for overlooking a few opportunities to go long against New England, Edwards responded.

He finished 21 of 31 for 230 yards with two scores and an interceptioa Edwards hit Evans in stride just inside the right pylon and ahead of Ronde Barber five plays into the Bills' opening drive. The TD to T.O. came on a similar play, with By John Wawrow AP Sports Writer ORCHARD PARK Donte Whitner returned an interception 76 yards for a touchdown and Terrell Owens after being negated, most of the game scored on a 43-yard catch in his home debut to cap a 33-20 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. Whitner also made a key stop on fourth down less than a week after he was left crying in frustration after the Bills squandered an 11-point MORE NFL ON 33 Jets send message to Patriots. Owens going up to get the ball just ahead of cornerback Aqib Talib.

Owens celebrated his first touchdown with Buffalo and the 140th of his 14-year career by jumping into the arms of several teammates in the end zone. Some fans in the sold-out stadium celebrated by tossing up popcorn in tribute of T.O.'s famous saying: "Getcha popcorn ready." Bills 33 Bucs 20 lead in a 25-24 season-opening loss at New England. Buffalo (1-1) ended a five-game home losing streak. The Buccaneers (0-2) have lost six straight and continue to struggle on defense after.