Thoughts from the Press Box: Unbeaten No More

WHITEHALL - One team had to experience their first loss of the season in the rain at Ambrose Gilligan Field on Saturday.

That team turned out to be the Cambridge Indians, who fumbled their way to a 21-19 loss against the Whitehall Railroaders to fall a game behind Whitehall for the top spot in Class D.

While the win gives Whitehall the edge in the playoff chase, it ultimately doesn't matter, as with Canajoharie's win over the Fort Edward/Argyle Flying Forts, it settled which four teams would be playing come November 1st at Schuylerville High.

Whitehall, Cambridge, Rensselaer and Canajoharie will make up the field for the Class D Sectional, with Fort Edward and Warrensburg playing in Week 7 to see which team will win their first game of the season.

It was a game that Whitehall got comfortable playing early, though we didn't see the magic that either team was known for through the first four weeks of the season.  With the rain, it made the passing game nearly extinct.

We didn't get to see Ethan English at his finest.  We didn't get to see Justin Hoagland at his finest.  Which is a shame, because on the top of their game, both quarterbacks would have electrified their offenses with their ability to both run and pass.

But maybe that makes this the appetizer for what could be another meeting between these teams on Saturday, November 8th in the Sectional Championship at Schuylerville.

Let's just hope for a dry day then.

The weather not only impacted the play on the field, it impacted our broadcast.  We were inside the press box, protected by the elements, however, thanks to a surprisingly good crowd that came out in support despite the rain, the elements made things hard for us.

The press box at Ambrose Gilligan Field is on even level with the top level of the bleachers, requiring us on several occasions to peek around supporters whose umbrellas were blocking our view.  If it wasn't for Tim Drawbridge or The Post-Star's Pete Tobey, I'm not sure how we would have made it through the broadcast with as much accuracy as we did.

We can write it off as just another challenge we have faced in our 33rd football broadcast in the last three years we've been doing this.