Larkin 35, Bartlett 28
A good passing performance by Cam Kinley coupled with an inability to make clean tackles for Bartlett resulted in a 42-35 win for Larkin to begin Upstate Eight Conference play.
Kinley finished the game 23 of 34 for 364 yards as he was able to dump the ball and let his receivers do the work.
"They all have some speed," said Hawks coach Tom Meaney of the Larkin offense. "They're tough as nails. We just needed to tackle a little bit better."
However, it was a 70-yard interception return by Nick Bee with 7:26 left in the game that sealed the deal for the Royals as it put Larkin up 42-21.
Larkin scored the game's first 2 touchdowns with a 78-yard TD pass to Jake Kane followed by a 15-yard TD pass to Dillon Smith to finish the first quarter 14-0.
Kane caught a 22-yard TD pass to end the half ahead after the Hawks scored a pair of touchdowns.
"We have the ability to score points," said Royals coach Dave Bierman. "That's huge for the kids."
Kinley had one more TD pass with a 67-yard reception by Bee followed by a QB sneak for Kinley both in the third quarter.
But the main factor was the Royals' ability to eat the clock once they had the lead.
"We did more things to eat up the clock," Bierman said. "Last week we give up 75 points because we'd score quickly and give the other team the ball right back."
For Bartlett, the Hawks did put up a fight near the end as they were down by 3 touchdowns.
After the interception return for Larkin, Jayson Blendowski took a kickoff return back for a 60-yard touchdown which gave the sideline some hope.
Soon after making a defensive stop, Josh Hasenberg, who finished 15 of 27 for 231 yards, threw a 25-yard TD pass to Alex VanNess, but only 58 seconds remained on the clock.
Vinnie Libreri scored the Hawks' first 2 TDs, each on 22-yard runs in the second quarter, while finishing the night with 150 yards on 22 carries.
"The run game should improve the passing game. We're mixing up the plays fine," said Meaney. "Eighty-five percent of the time, when a team scores 35 points, they're going to win. That just shows how good Larkin is."