LEROY -- The most anticipated regular-season game of 9-man football came down to the final minute, when LeRoy-Ostrander proved its potency against its rival Grand Meadow.

The Cardinals, rated atop the latest Associated Press poll, held fourth-rated Grand Meadow in check for the final three quarters and scored two touchdowns within the last minute for a 21-7 Southern Confederacy Conference victory Friday night in LeRoy.

"I think that's one of the best games we've ever had," said L-O coach Stan Olson. "We feel very fortunate to win, we're very proud of the players.

"There were a number of kids on both sidelines who really played their hearts out tonight."

Kellen Bucknell's second rushing attempt of the game resulted in the game-winning 10-yard touchdown with 57 seconds to play. The Cardinals (3-0, 2-0) continued to thwart Grand Meadow's potent offense by pressuring quarterback Kyle Breitbarth, who was hurried into an interception that Chad Orum returned 31 yards for the final score.

"I thought that we would control the line of scrimmage, I thought that our advantage would be at the line of scrimmage, but it wasn't," said GM coach Gary Sloan. "We did very little offensively. We didn't move the ball because we were under pressure.

"This game was as physical as I thought it was going to be."

The two top-five heavyweights hammered on each other throughout the second half after LeRoy-Ostrander answered the Superlarks' score on the game's opening drive. Breitbarth found Chad Doocy streaking down the middle of the field, and L-O linebacker Jake Rowe tripped up while giving chase. Doocy hauled in Grand Meadow's only pass completion for a 54-yard touchdown, giving the Larks the early advantage.

But the Big Red defense did not allow Grand Meadow past the L-O 40-yard line for the rest of the game, giving the Cardinals ample opportunity to complete the comeback.

Eric Nelson's 35-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-2 midway through the second quarter tied the score, and LeRoy-Ostrander's defense did the rest.

Grand Meadow (2-1, 1-1) was forced to punt on three-and-out on four consecutive possessions to start the second half, and LeRoy-Ostrander started the ensuing drive from the GM 40. Ben Adams carried a trap play 26 yards off the left end the Cardinals eventually found themselves facing a fourth-and-four from the 8-yard line. Rowe's quick pass slipped in and out of his hands, and L-O fell short after reaching the red zone for the third time.

"Those chances run out, and here we had four of them," Olson said. "I was thinking overtime, but we persevered."

Orum's 21-yard field-goal attempt late in the third quarter sailed wide right, and it seemed the scoring drought for both teams would carry into overtime. But the Cardinals' fourth trip inside the GM 20-yard line resulted in Bucknell's touchdown run.

"It was great, it was wide open," Bucknell said of his fullback blast. "I only had one man to beat, the guys on the line did a great job. I usually get a couple carries a game, I'll take what I get I guess."

Grand Meadow's comeback attempted fell incomplete and then intercepted as Brett Mensink hurried Breitbarth into a bad throw. Orum hauled in the jump ball and dashed 31 yards to paydirt.

The Superlark offense was slowed by the absence of fullback Ryan Ament, who carried eight times for 37 yards in the first half. He was stuck on the sidelines for nearly 10 minutes of the second quarter with a sprained ankle.

"We believe strongly that we need our fullback to control the ball for us," Sloan said. Ament carried for one yard on Grand Meadow's first offensive play of the third quarter, but that would be it. Breitbarth, without the threat of Ament up the middle, was limited to nine yards on 11 carries in the second half.

Adams finished with 21 carries for 150 yards, while Nelson proved to be a dangerous second option with 79 yards on 12 carries.

Aside from the Superlarks' first and only completion, both teams' passing game was relatively inept. Rowe finished 3-for-11 for 15 yards and an interception, while Breitbarth was 1-for-8 with an interception.

LeRoy-Ostrander hosts Lyle/Pacelli (0-3, 0-2) next Friday night, while Grand Meadow goes to Glenville-Emmons.

Summary:

Score by quarters

GM7000--7

L-O07014--21

Scoring summary

GM -- Chad Doocy 54 pass from Kyle Breitbarth (Doocy kick)

L-O -- Eric Nelson 35 run (Chad Orum kick)

L-O -- Kellen Bucknell 10 run (Orum kick)

L-O -- Orum 31 interception return (Orum kick)

Individual leaders

RUSHING -- GM: Kyle Breitbarth 19-41, Ryan Ament 9-38, Chad Doocy 4-21, Zach Benson 5-16, Tyler Knutson 6-8, Anthony Stejskal 1-5, Zach Swanson 1-4, Derek Morrow 1-(-2); L-O: Ben Adams 21-150, Eric Nelson 12-79, Kellen Bucknell 2-15, Dustin Thorson 3-14, Mitch Lunning 1-2, Jake Rowe 3-(-11).

PASSING -- GM: Breitbarth 1-8-1-54; L-O: Rowe 3-11-1-15.

RECEIVING -- GM: Doocy 1-54; L-O: Thorson 1-8, Adams 1-5, Lunning 1-2.