Lansing’s Vincent reflects on football season

Lansing football won its final three games of the season to finish 4-1, and all-state quarterback Ben Vincent was there to lead the way. The Bobcats outscored opponents 119-28, and in the final game of the season, a 46-14 win over Elmira-Notre Dame, Vincent scored five touchdowns as a running back.

After playing quarterback for Lansing for multiple years, the senior was able to gain a new perspective of football in his final high school game by switching positions.

“It was pretty great,” Vincent said. “Honestly, I haven’t played running back since I was in small fry. But it was pretty fun. Playing QB in eight-man [football] is similar to running back at times with all the open field and all the running, but it was pretty fun to mix it up there.”

The only blemish on the year for Lansing was a loss to Newfield, the team they beat to win the Section IV Championship last season. Vincent, who also plays defensive back for the Bobcats, discussed the adjustments that loss prompted that propelled them to the strong finish.

“I believe we were able to just figure out better ways to defend the pass,” he said. “We went and faced Moravia and we knew they were going to be a good passing team. We just worked on some defensive schemes and rolled from there.”

The defending Section IV eight-man football champions won’t be able to defend their title this year, but Lansing was happy to simply get a season regardless of the success they experienced.

“I think that we were able to just really come together well,” Vincent said. “We didn’t really expect what we were going to get with COVID. I think we were all just really grateful that we even got to have a season. Knowing that we didn’t have a fall season, we were just crossing our fingers for that spring season. And we couldn’t have been happier to get it.”

The final season for Vincent was as unique as it gets. From playing with a mask on, to playing in the spring, to having a full basketball season beforehand, Vincent, like any football player, had to adapt to many changes this year.

“It definitely felt different,” he said. “Playing a school-season sport going into football, I’ve never really had that before. So, that was definitely different. We didn’t have as much of a normal preseason as we normally would have since summer goes into the fall season. But I think we adjusted pretty well with what we had. It may not have added up to what preseason normally is, but it was definitely better than nothing. I thought the conditioning in basketball definitely helped us in football.”

With only one more baseball season left before Vincent graduates, he looked back on his fondest memory as a three-sport athlete at Lansing.

“I would say winning the sectional championship down in Johnson City in my junior year,” Vincent said. “I think it was because we were a new second-year eight-man program and a lot of people had doubts [about] us from other schools. We really came together as a team not just that year but this year too. We really came together as a team and proved a lot of people wrong.”

Looking ahead, Vincent will be continuing his football career in the fall at Alfred University, about two hours west of Lansing, joining current Groton running back Kalib Manning. He explained why Alfred was the right choice for him.

“On my visit, I really enjoyed the whole campus,” Vincent said. “It made me feel like I was at home. I felt I was given the best opportunity there out of all the other schools that I visited.”

That opportunity will be at wide receiver, which is the position that the Alfred football coaching staff believes Vincent will have the most success at. He’ll also be switching back to 11-man football after enjoying the open field of the eight-man game and discussed that adjustment.

“I’ll have to [adjust],” Vincent said. “There are definitely some things that I have forgotten a little bit. It hasn’t been too long, though. So, I think the adjustment won’t be too bad. It shouldn’t take too long.”

While he didn’t have a chance to add to the trophy case this season, another year of success at quarterback has earned Vincent a spot on a collegiate roster. The 2019 all-state quarterback is currently preparing for baseball season, looking to put the finishing touches on his tenure as a standout athlete for the Lansing Bobcats.