POTSDAM – Hungry for the school’s first football victory since 2014, Potsdam Central running backs ate up huge chunks of yardage in Friday night’s Northern Athletic Conference matchup against Tupper Lake.

Led by Brandon Buffham’s 200 yards rushing and four touchdowns on just 14 carries – all in the first half – the Sandstoners rolled to a 40-6 intermission lead en route to a 46-20 victory.

“It feels good to win,” said Buffham who was also a member of the Sandstoner team in 2014 that last tasted victory. “The team did what it had to do tonight. This win picks up every single player on the team…No, I don’t know if four touchdowns in a half will ever happen again. It’s something.”

Potsdam (1-2) led 22-0 after one quarter on Buffham touchdown runs of 39 and 25 yards sandwiched around a Cameron Talcott 3-yard score.

And it was more Potsdam in the second quarter as Buffham scored on runs of 2 and 9 yards to make it 34-0 before Chase Bedore put the Lumberjacks on the board with a four-yard effort with just 36 seconds left before intermission. However, a bruising 18-yard run by Potsdam fullback Jacques Kuno just 29 seconds later made it 40-6 at the half.

“We needed this badly. The guys have played well this year and they needed to win. The offensive line blocked really well and we got rid of a lot of mistakes,” said Potsdam coach Jim Kirka. “Brandon is a hard runner, a nice high school back. He has a lot of heart and he shouldered the load tonight.”

Tupper Lake scored the lone touchdown of the third quarter on a Brennan Mccomber to Bedore 15-yard pass. In the fourth quarter, Potsdam’s Nelson Agen scored on a two-yard run set up his own 21-yard scamper before Bedore answered with a 6-yard rushing effort.

Also contributing to the Sandstoner rushing attack were Kuno with 74 yards on 10 carries, Austin Caloren with 78 yards on six totes, Talcott with 52 yards on eight carries, Phil North with 46 yards on six totes and Agen with 41 yards on four carries.

Bedore rushed 13 times for 59 yards for the Lumberjacks who were held to just 20 yards of offense in the first half by an inspired Potsdam defense.

Tupper Lake (0-3) hits the road again next week with a game Saturday in Brasher Falls against St. Lawrence.

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Potsdam 46, Tupper Lake 20

[TABULATED_DATA]

First Quarter

P – Buffham 39 run (Buffham run)

P – Talcott 3 run (run failed)

P – Buffham 25 run (Buffham run)

Second Quarter

P – Buffham 2 run (run failed)

P – Buffham 9 run (run failed)

T – Bedore 4-run (pass fail)

P – Kuno 18 run (pass failed)

Third Quarter

T – Becker 15 pass from McComber (Becker run)

Fourth Quarter

P – Agen 2-run (run failed)

T – Bedore 6-run (run failed)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Passing: TL: McComber 4-8 45 TD; Pots: Talcott 0-1 0.

Rushing: TL Bedore 13-59 2TD Becker 7-42 J. Stradley 4-8 K. Stradley 1-0 McComber 7-8 Hyde 1-0; Pots: Buffham 14-200 4 TD Kuno 10-74 TD Talcott 8-52 TD Caloren 6-78 Agen 4-41 TD North 6-46.

Receiving: TL teReile 1-21 Bedore 2-9 Becker 1-15 TD Records Potsdam 1-2 Tupper Lake 0-3