Dunkirk defensive end Ayden Martucci (84) forces a fumble on Olean’s second play from scrimmage during a Class B3 football game Friday night at Karl Hoeppner Field. P-J photo by Braden Carmen

DUNKIRK — After 10 consecutive scoreless quarters, the Dunkirk Marauders finally had the touchdown they were seeking, as Jareese Gaines completed a spectacular catch, through pass interference in double coverage in the corner of the end zone, to give Dunkirk a third-quarter lead over the Olean Huskies.

“He’s one of our leaders. He’s our guy. He stepped up when we needed a spark,” Dunkirk head coach Edwin Gomez said. “We had the momentum going.”

Then, it was up to the Marauders to hold the lead for the final quarter and a half.

That didn’t happen.

In the fourth quarter, Dunkirk committed three turnovers, had a touchdown called back on a penalty, and was outscored 14-0 to remain winless on the season after Friday’s 14-7 Class B3 loss to Olean at Karl Hoeppner Field.

“You can’t turn the ball over,” said Gomez. “It sucks. These kids were mentally in it. They wanted it. To get the wind knocked out of your sails, it’s rough.”

The first half of Friday’s game between the Marauders (0-4, 0-4) and Huskies (3-1, 3-1) was encapsulated by the first play from scrimmage.

Following Lauryn McCracken’s kickoff was an interception by Dunkirk’s Ayden Martucci. Unfortunately for Dunkirk, Martucci fumbled the ball on the return. The ball was up for grabs, bouncing back and forth between both teams, and in the end, it all amounted to nothing. Olean recovered the ball within steps of where the play began.

Martucci nearly made up for his fumble by forcing a fumble himself on the next play, but again, Olean recovered the loose ball and remained on offense. The Huskies turned the ball over on downs, but Dunkirk fumbled on its first play from scrimmage and Olean took it right back.

While both teams struggled to hang onto the ball, both defenses did not waver through the first two periods. The game was scoreless entering halftime, thanks to a goal-to-goal stand by the Marauders defense in the final two minutes.

Although Dunkirk was outscored 125-14 through three games entering Friday’s contest, its defense kept Olean off the scoreboard for most of the night and left the door open for Gaines’ heroics to give his team the lead. His spectacular catch ignited the sideline and gave the home crowd hope.

That hope slowly faded away more and more as the game progressed.

Olean scored a 3-yard Manoah Miketish rushing touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter to cut Dunkirk’s lead to just one point. A failed extra-point attempt kept the lead in Dunkirk’s hands momentarily. However, on the ensuing drive, quarterback Gabe Valentine tried to force a throw to Gaines along the Dunkirk sideline and the pass was intercepted.

Taking over at the Dunkirk 40, Olean quickly entered the red zone after a 34-yard scramble by quarterback Joe Mest. He later forced his way in the end zone for a go-ahead touchdown, then added a 2-point conversion to put Olean ahead 14-7, less than three minutes into the fourth quarter.

While the Dunkirk lead evaporated quickly, there was still a lot of time for the Marauders to come back. Instead, that time just provided more room for heartbreak.

Following Olean’s go-ahead touchdown, Kingston Hall returned the kickoff across midfield. He followed his big return with an even bigger run, dashing down the field on his way to what appeared to be a Dunkirk touchdown that could have tied the game with an extra point. Instead, Hall’s touchdown was called back because of an illegal block in the back penalty against the Marauders. The drive later ended with a fumble on the Olean 19-yard line.

Still, Dunkirk had another chance after the defense forced a punt. Backed up in its own territory, Dunkirk managed to convert on fourth down to keep the drive alive as Gaines completed a catch as he fell to the turf. But on the next play, Valentine threw an uncontested interception over the middle of the field for Dunkirk’s third turnover of the fourth quarter. Olean picked up one more first down, then kneeled out the final seconds of its third victory of the season, handing Dunkirk its fourth straight loss to begin the year.

“If you take those turnovers away, you take that block in the back away, we’re up maybe two touchdowns. We definitely at least have a tied game with that run,” Gomez said. “It’s tough. It’s going to be a lot of work to rebuild and get the kids’ heads in the right space after getting a tough loss like that at the end there.”

Up next, the Marauders hit the road to face Albion on Thursday. Olean hosts Maryvale next Friday.

Olean 0 0 0 14 — 14

Dunkirk 0 0 7 0 — 7

Dun–Gaines 20 pass from Valentine (McCracken kick)

Ole–Miketish 3 run (kick failed)

Ole–Mest 3 run (Mest run)