GREENWICH - Nick Budesheim led the Black Horses with 13 points as the Schuylerville Black Horses won their second game in a row with a 55-44 victory over the Greenwich Witches.
The Black Horses found themselves down 20-12 after the first quarter as Sam Howard used 2 three point shots in a 10 point opening stanza effort for the Greenwich Witches, but slowly chipped away at the lead as Budesheim scored 7 second quarter points in a 13-9 quarter for the Black Horses.
Greenwich came away with the halftime lead 29-25, but saw that lead evaporate as the Black Horses outscored the Witches 20-2 in the third quarter to gain a lead that Schuylerville would not relinquish. Luke Pemrick would score the lone two points for Greenwich in the third quarter, both from the charity stripe.
Greenwich would attempt to come back in the fourth quarter, but the Black Horses managed the clock in the closing stages of the fourth quarter to preserve the win.
It was the second win in a row for Schuylerville, who had dropped four straight against tough Foothills Council teams prior to squeaking past Broadalbin-Perth by two points in their effort last Friday. The Black Horses next travel to face Joe Girard III and the Glens Falls Indians as they return to Foothills Council action next Friday.
In addition to Budesheim's 13 points, Stranton Sherman scored 12, Caiden Rutland had 3 three point buckets on his way to 11 points, and Paul Harshbarger found himself in double digits for Schuylerville.
For Greenwich, Sam Howard started hot with 15 first half points, but was held silent for much of the second half as the Black Horses defense started focusing on him. He added a free throw on his way to a total of 16 points for the Witches. John Walsh, the team's leading scorer, was held to 9 points.
The Witches next face the Wasaren League leading Hoosick Falls Panthers next Friday.
The non-conference meeting was the fifth since Schuylerville left the Wasaren League for the Foothills Council in the fall of 2014. Since the move, the Black Horses have won five straight against the school that's only six miles away from campus.
Saturday, December 29, 2018
Thursday, December 13, 2018
2018 Winter Sports Schedule
FOX Sports Radio 97.9/1230 will air 8 basketball and two hockey broadcasts, most on Friday nights, as part of their High School Sports winter coverage.
Of the games selected for broadcast, four games will feature Foothills Council matches, and three will feature Adirondack League games, as well as a non-conference game during the holiday break.
The coverage began on Friday, December 7th as the Fort Ann Cardinals hosted the North Warren Cougars in a rematch of the Section 2 Class D playoffs. The following two weeks features Foothills Council teams, as South Glens Falls travels to play Queensbury and then Hudson Falls in back-to-back weeks.
With a limited slate of Friday games available on December 28th, our weekly coverage will shift to a Saturday night non-conference match between Schuylerville and Greenwich.
The following week we head to the ice rink to check out what's going on in the CDHSHL with the first night of the Rivermen Tournament, as Plattsburgh takes on Adirondack, the combination of Glens Falls, Hudson Falls, South Glens Falls and Warrensburg students, then Northern Clinton takes on Queensbury in the nightcap.
After a week off, our Friday night coverage resumes with a pair of Adirondack League matches. First, the Argyle Scots take on the Fort Ann Cardinals in a game that could be a preview of the postseason, then the Lake George Warriors take on the Corinth Tomahawks the following Friday.
Our regular season coverage wraps up with our two looks at Joe Girard III as the Glens Falls Indians host the Scotia Tartans on February 1st, then hit the road as they play the Schuylerville Black Horses the following Friday.
As in past cases, our local coverage will include pre and post game coverage, featuring comprehensive previews and interviews with coaches and players. Pregame coverage for all games will begin approximately 10 minutes prior to tip (or faceoff in the case of hockey), with start time varying based on league and whether or not prior JV/modified games run late.
Thoughts from the Road Trip & Press Box: Glens Falls overcomes deficit, season-wide injuries
When Glens Falls punched their ticket to make it into the State Championship with their win over Marlboro in Middletown in Week 12, my mind was set. With a Noon kickoff in Syracuse, I wanted to stay the night Friday night to give myself the ability to ease my way into the broadcast on Saturday at the Carrier Dome.
My previous three trips to Syracuse (in 2012, 2013 and 2014) were day trips, arriving in Syracuse to do the game and then get out afterwards. After the jump, a first person recount of the journey to Central New York, and of the State Championship game between the Glens Falls Indians and the Batavia Blue Devils.
Frost scores season high 20 points as Fort Ann freezes North Warren's offense in 67-50 win.
FORT ANN - The Fort Ann Cardinals (5-0) pieced together an 11-0 run to start the second quarter as they pulled away from the North Warren Cougars (2-2) 67-50 in Adirondack League action on Friday.
Dylan Frost led the Cardinals with a season high 20 points as the Cardinals pulled away in the second and third quarters, after being down 20-17 to close out the first quarter. Fort Ann began the 2nd quarter with an 11-0 run to build a lead they wouldn't relinquish, outscoring North Warren 41-14 in the middle two stanzas.
The Cougars got 10 points from Anthony Girard, but was held silent in the second half as the Cardinals made it hard for North Warren to get points in the paint.
The Cardinals also tipped several cross-court passes and grabbed many offensive rebounds to give them second and third chances, something the Cougars had a hard time defending against.
North Warren would outscore the Cardinals in the 4th quarter, but Fort Ann had the game well in hand with as much as a 26 point lead at one point in the game.
Dylan Frost led the Cardinals with a season high 20 points as the Cardinals pulled away in the second and third quarters, after being down 20-17 to close out the first quarter. Fort Ann began the 2nd quarter with an 11-0 run to build a lead they wouldn't relinquish, outscoring North Warren 41-14 in the middle two stanzas.
The Cougars got 10 points from Anthony Girard, but was held silent in the second half as the Cardinals made it hard for North Warren to get points in the paint.
The Cardinals also tipped several cross-court passes and grabbed many offensive rebounds to give them second and third chances, something the Cougars had a hard time defending against.
North Warren would outscore the Cardinals in the 4th quarter, but Fort Ann had the game well in hand with as much as a 26 point lead at one point in the game.
Monday, November 26, 2018
CHAMPIONS: Glens Falls surpasses Batavia to win second state championship
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| Glens Falls prepares to snap the football one final time in the NYSPHSAA Class B Championship vs. Batavia |
Aalijah Sampson ran in for four touchdowns on his way to 132 yards on 22 carries as the Indians exploded in the second half to put away the Blue Devils.
The Blue Devils, winning the coin toss and choosing to receive the kick, went down the field 80 yards on the first drive of the game, capped by Ethan Biscaro's pass to Ray Leech for a 28 yard touchdown. Brendan Quirk attempted to stop Leech on the catch and run, but Leech escaped his grasp, and spun his way into the end zone for the first points on the board.
After a three and out that yielded one negative yard of offense for the Glens Falls Indians, Batavia began driving the field when disaster struck. Ethan Biscaro, before being tackled by David Barclay, dropped to the ground and found himself in pain, wobbling off to the sideline. Ray Leech moved to take the snap for the Blue Devils, and connected with Taiyo Iburi-Bethel by way of a tipped pass to score six more for Batavia. Biscaro would return in the third quarter, but hurt himself again and did not return after that.
Batavia on the ensuing kick caught the Glens Falls Indians off guard and recovered an onside kick to begin their third possession of the game. At the end of the first quarter, Batavia was outgaining the Glens Falls Indians offense 160 to -1 yards.
The third drive for Batavia ended with Ray Leech throwing the ball towards the end zone, but intercepted by Joe Girard III.
The momentum, swinging Batavia's way in the first quarter, began to bend in Glens Falls's favor on third down when Joe Girard III connected with David Barclay to gain the Indians' first 1st Down of the game. Three plays later, Joe Girard III scrambled his way for a four yard touchdown that felt more like 40 yards by the time he reached the end zone.
After Batavia came up empty on their next possession, Aalijah Sampson ran it in from a yard out after Joe Girard III dove for the pylon and was ruled out at the 1 yard line on a monster 42 yard run. Sampson would add on a two point conversion to tie the game.
Ray Leech returned the momentum to the Batavia sidelines with his 86 yard touchdown run 56 seconds later, however, it was not long kept as Glens Falls marched back down the field and capped their 71 second drive with Aalijah Sampson's two yard touchdown run. Sam Hogan's extra point gave the Indians their first lead of the game, a 21-20 lead that they took into the locker room.
With the ball first in the third quarter, the Indians started to pull away as Joe Girard III was responsible for three straight touchdowns. First connecting to David Barclay 33 yards out, catching the ball in the end zone, then running the ball in 3 yards himself. And then he connected with cousin Trent Girard on a 55 yard pass to set his spot at #1 for passing yards in a single season in Section 2, surpassing Holy Trinity's Joe Tortello, who set the mark at 3052 yards last year.
Aalijah Sampson added two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter to cap the Indians scoring. Ray Leech would score two touchdowns for Batavia, to finish the championship with 413 yards on 30 carries. He ran in for four touchdowns, threw for another touchdown, and was a receiver for a fifth trip to the end zone.
The championship is Glens Falls's second title, winning the title in 2016 under Joe Girard III's leadership, and the third trip to Syracuse. In 2012, Cam Girard led the Indians to the Dome, but found Maine-Endwell too tough to handle on the Spartans way to the title during their state-record winning streak.
NYSPHSAA CLASS B CHAMPIONSHIP
Glens Falls Indians (10-2) vs. Batavia Blue Devils (12-0)
SCORING:Glens Falls Indians 0 21 14 20 55
Batavia Blue Devils 14 6 0 12 32
TEAM Play Yards Time BAT GF
PAT/2-pt conversion try
1st Quarter:
BAT - Ethan Biscaro pass to Ray Leech - 28yds 9:11 6 0
Kick failed
BAT - Ray Leech pass to Taiyo Iburi - 46yds 3:30 14 0
Leech run
END OF 1ST QUARTER 14 0
2nd Quarter:
GF - Joe Girard III run - 4yds 9:20 14 6
Kick failed
GF - Aalijah Sampson run - 1yd 4:55 14 14
Sampson run
BAT - Ray Leech run - 86yds 3:51 20 14
Run failed
GF - Aalijah Sampson run - 2yds 2:40 20 21
Hogan kick
END OF 2ND QUARTER 20 21
3rd Quarter:
GF - Girard III pass to David Barclay- 33yds 9:54 20 28
Hogan kick
GF - Joe Girard III run - 3yds 3:40 20 35
Hogan kick
END OF 3RD QUARTER 20 35
4th Quarter:
GF - Girard III pass to Trent Girard - 55yds 11:52 20 42
Hogan kick
BAT - Ray Leech run - 19yds 5:48 26 42
Run failed
GF - Aalijah Sampson - 24yds 3:44 26 48
Kick failed
GF - Aalijah Sampson - 16yds 3:11 26 55
Hogan kick
BAT - Ray Leech run - 80yds 2:58 32 55
Run failed
END OF THE GAME 32 55
STATS
These are unofficial stats compiled by FOX Sports Radio 97.9/1230 during the game and are subject to errors.
Passing
Team Name C A Y T I
GF Joe Girard III 10 18 316 2 0
BAT Ethan Biscaro 5 7 70 1 0
BAT Ray Leech 1 3 46 1 1
BAT Alex Rood 0 4 0 0 1
BAT Taiyo Iburi-Bethel 0 1 0 0 0
Rushing
Team Name C Y T
GF Joe Girard III 13 13 2
GF Aalijah Sampson 22 132 4
BAT Ray Leech 30 413 3
BAT Taiyo Iburi-Bethel 3 32 0
BAT Ethan Biscaro 4 -14 0
BAT Alex Rood 2 3 0
Receiving
Team Name C Y T
GF David Barclay 2 93 1
GF Trent Girard 6 175 1
GF Aalijah Sampson 2 48 0
BAT Taiyo Iburi-Bethel 4 82 1
BAT Ray Leech 1 28 1
BAT Zach Anderson 1 6 0
Monday, November 5, 2018
Our 2018 High School Football Plays of the Year:
On Saturday, during the halftime of Glens Falls's 40-0 Sectional Championship win over the Cobleskill-Richmondville Bulldogs, we unveiled some of our favorite calls from the 2018 season.
If you were unable to listen, you can find the audio after the jump:
If you were unable to listen, you can find the audio after the jump:
Friday, October 26, 2018
The Sectional Semifinals Preview Edition
This week is the Sectional Semifinals, as the field of 20 teams gets whittled down to the 10 teams that will be playing for sectional titles next week.
After the jump, a look at all 10 games that will be played this week.
After the jump, a look at all 10 games that will be played this week.
Sunday, October 21, 2018
Thoughts From The Press Box: The Sectional Quarterfinals
Here's my thoughts on the 12 Sectional Quarterfinal matches that were played out over the past two days.
CLASS A:
Scotia Tartans 7, Troy Flying Horses 14 - This surprised me. Troy being pushed to the limit by a Scotia squad that wasn't great in 2018, but good enough to make the playoffs. But Scotia was unable to capitalize on the Flying Horses mistakes.
That being said, the Flying Horses need to tighten up their play, as they will now be hosting a Burnt Hills squad that is good at capitalizing on a team's miscues. Burnt Hills has an array of weapons and the Flying Horses will not be able to get away with a soft effort.
Troy was not convincing of a team who could walk away with the Sectional Championship on Friday. We'll have to see if they come better prepared for the match against Burnt Hills.
Columbia Blue Devils 16, Burnt Hills Spartans 49 - I'll admit, I don't know much about Columbia. But Burnt Hills looked good, bouncing back from the Week 7 loss to the Queensbury Spartans. Lapietro got back into rhythm, opening up the running game from Daverio and Lashley.
Burnt Hills looks hungry to get back to the State Playoffs, but the road to the Sectional Championship will be tough with a road game against the Troy Flying Horses in the semifinals. But if the Flying Horses have the miscues they did against Scotia, Burnt Hills will be heading to Shenendehowa for Week 10.
Ballston Spa Scotties 0, Averill Park Warriors 22 - Childrose is a smart quarterback, using his legs to give the Warriors the first score of the game against the Scotties. The Warrior defense was on target on Friday night, as the Scotties couldn't generate any offense.
The Warriors are hungry for revenge, and they will have the chance to do that on Saturday when they go to Queensbury for the semifinals. Last year Queensbury came down to Rensselaer County and beat the Warriors on their home field in the semifinals, and the Warriors would love to return the favor in Queensbury this year.
LaSalle Cadets 6, Queensbury Spartans 62 - You mean there's a person who can score for Queensbury not named Liam O'Mara? In serious, the Queensbury Spartans are red hot right now, topping the 60 point mark for the fourth time this season. Queensbury's 444 points (that's 55.5 points per game!) is more than 6 touchdowns better than the #2 team in Section 2, the Cambridge Indians. And twelve touchdowns better than the #3 team, Shaker.
A strong defensive effort is going to be needed to slow down the Queensbury Spartans. LaSalle got placed in a tough division for their first season in Class A, and didn't have the weapons needed to get past Queensbury.
CLASS B:
Ravena Indians 6, Glens Falls Indians 61 - The Ravena Indians entered the playoffs only beating one playoff team this year, and that was by forfeit after LaSalle revealed that they were playing with an ineligible player for the first two games of the season. And they got outclassed by a Glens Falls Indians team that is getting healthy and starting to gel at just the right time.
The Glens Falls Indians scored on three of their first four plays, while Ravena had back-to-back-to-back three and outs. Up 48-0, Glens Falls was able to get their backups some touches and Cooper Montgomery came away with two more touchdown.
The second half was all of three possessions, due to running clock with the score 55-0 at the half, and took 28 minutes to complete.
Hudson Falls Tigers 40, Hudson Hawks 38 - That compared to the first half of this game that took 83 minutes to complete due to penalties and such. Despite that, and the lights going out midway through the fourth quarter that made this game longer than some NFL games this season, this was the best game of the postseason by far.
These two teams traded leads in the second half, with Hudson Falls making some mistakes that gave Hudson the chance to come back from two scores down. But the Hudson defense couldn't make the stop when they needed to in the fourth quarter.
But the Hudson Falls Tigers have to sharpen up their ball control. The miscues they had against Hudson will maim the Tigers against Glens Falls, who they lost to earlier this season in the Jug Game. And they can't be handing the Indians bonus yards, like they did thanks to three straight Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalties that allowed Hudson to take the lead 38-32 in the fourth quarter.
Hudson Falls was the only road team to win this weekend.
Schalmont Sabres 6, Schuylerville Black Horses 40 - The Black Horses dominated in their second match against the Schalmont Sabres this season, rolling to a 33-0 lead at the half thanks to a 27 point second quarter. While fatigue could of been a possible explanation for Schalmont given their Tuesday game against Hudson that was required to be made up as playoff seeding depended on it, Schalmont looked flat for the second time against a Schuylerville team that has a lot of heart.
While Glens Falls may look like a #1 seed in Class B, Schuylerville has been quietly coming along as a serious team to watch out for as they travel to face the Reinfurt's #1 seed in Cobleskill. John Bowen has his players gelling at the right time, which could make for an interesting Super Bowl...
Broadalbin-Perth Patriots 14, Cobleskill-Richmondville Bulldogs 34 - Back in week 2, Cobleskill showed that they could be a serious threat this season when they forced the Glens Falls Indians to play a full 48 minute game, only winning the game in the final 90 seconds on a Joe Girard III touchdown run.
While the Bulldogs lead through much of the match against Broadalbin-Perth, it wasn't a wow kind of game that shows what the Bulldogs can do against a more explosive team like their next opponent in the Schuylerville Black Horses.
CLASS C:
Lake George/Hadley-Luzerne WarEagles 6, Hoosick Falls Panthers 18 - The WarEagles got the early score, but offered the Panthers too many opportunities to get back into the game. It was a good season for Lake George/Hadley-Luzerne, however, they were a step below the top two teams in the division this season.
Hoosick Falls moves onto a tough Semifinal match against a Cambridge squad they already once beat the Panthers this season. While the Panthers put up the most any team has put up against Cambridge this season, it doesn't help with the Indians put up the second highest score of any team in Section 2, at just a shade under 50 points per game. The Panthers defense will need to tighten up for that rematch.
Helderberg Valley 6, Cambridge Indians 59 - Doug Luke has way too many weapons for most teams in Section 2 to handle. Whether it's Lindendoll, English, Sgambettera, Ogilvie ... the Indians have several options who can touch the ball and create magic. Heldeberg Valley is still coming along and developing, but ran into a roadblock in the first round.
Stillwater Warriors 21, Chatham Cougars 26 - This was the second best game of the playoffs, with lead changes and a dramatic finish where you didn't know who was coming out on top in the end. But in the end Chatham used their home field advantage to propel them into the next round.
It's a tough end for a Stillwater squad that went from being 6-0 and in consideration for a #2 seed to being 6-2 and out of the playoffs with losses to Holy Trinity and Chatham.
Voorheesville Blackbirds 18, Holy Trinity Pride 35 - I will admit, I know nothing of these two teams. Holy Trinity lost soundly against a Cambridge squad in Week 2 that still could become a preview of the Sectional Championship in Lansingburgh in two weeks.
But the Pride took care of business, pulling away from a Voorheesville Blackbird squad that earned their spot in the playoffs.
Now that the playoffs are done, it's time for the Sectional Semifinals. Let's hope that the Sectional Semifinals produce wild games like the ones seen in Columbia County in Week 8.
CLASS A:
Scotia Tartans 7, Troy Flying Horses 14 - This surprised me. Troy being pushed to the limit by a Scotia squad that wasn't great in 2018, but good enough to make the playoffs. But Scotia was unable to capitalize on the Flying Horses mistakes.
That being said, the Flying Horses need to tighten up their play, as they will now be hosting a Burnt Hills squad that is good at capitalizing on a team's miscues. Burnt Hills has an array of weapons and the Flying Horses will not be able to get away with a soft effort.
Troy was not convincing of a team who could walk away with the Sectional Championship on Friday. We'll have to see if they come better prepared for the match against Burnt Hills.
Columbia Blue Devils 16, Burnt Hills Spartans 49 - I'll admit, I don't know much about Columbia. But Burnt Hills looked good, bouncing back from the Week 7 loss to the Queensbury Spartans. Lapietro got back into rhythm, opening up the running game from Daverio and Lashley.
Burnt Hills looks hungry to get back to the State Playoffs, but the road to the Sectional Championship will be tough with a road game against the Troy Flying Horses in the semifinals. But if the Flying Horses have the miscues they did against Scotia, Burnt Hills will be heading to Shenendehowa for Week 10.
Ballston Spa Scotties 0, Averill Park Warriors 22 - Childrose is a smart quarterback, using his legs to give the Warriors the first score of the game against the Scotties. The Warrior defense was on target on Friday night, as the Scotties couldn't generate any offense.
The Warriors are hungry for revenge, and they will have the chance to do that on Saturday when they go to Queensbury for the semifinals. Last year Queensbury came down to Rensselaer County and beat the Warriors on their home field in the semifinals, and the Warriors would love to return the favor in Queensbury this year.
LaSalle Cadets 6, Queensbury Spartans 62 - You mean there's a person who can score for Queensbury not named Liam O'Mara? In serious, the Queensbury Spartans are red hot right now, topping the 60 point mark for the fourth time this season. Queensbury's 444 points (that's 55.5 points per game!) is more than 6 touchdowns better than the #2 team in Section 2, the Cambridge Indians. And twelve touchdowns better than the #3 team, Shaker.
A strong defensive effort is going to be needed to slow down the Queensbury Spartans. LaSalle got placed in a tough division for their first season in Class A, and didn't have the weapons needed to get past Queensbury.
CLASS B:
Ravena Indians 6, Glens Falls Indians 61 - The Ravena Indians entered the playoffs only beating one playoff team this year, and that was by forfeit after LaSalle revealed that they were playing with an ineligible player for the first two games of the season. And they got outclassed by a Glens Falls Indians team that is getting healthy and starting to gel at just the right time.
The Glens Falls Indians scored on three of their first four plays, while Ravena had back-to-back-to-back three and outs. Up 48-0, Glens Falls was able to get their backups some touches and Cooper Montgomery came away with two more touchdown.
The second half was all of three possessions, due to running clock with the score 55-0 at the half, and took 28 minutes to complete.
Hudson Falls Tigers 40, Hudson Hawks 38 - That compared to the first half of this game that took 83 minutes to complete due to penalties and such. Despite that, and the lights going out midway through the fourth quarter that made this game longer than some NFL games this season, this was the best game of the postseason by far.
These two teams traded leads in the second half, with Hudson Falls making some mistakes that gave Hudson the chance to come back from two scores down. But the Hudson defense couldn't make the stop when they needed to in the fourth quarter.
But the Hudson Falls Tigers have to sharpen up their ball control. The miscues they had against Hudson will maim the Tigers against Glens Falls, who they lost to earlier this season in the Jug Game. And they can't be handing the Indians bonus yards, like they did thanks to three straight Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalties that allowed Hudson to take the lead 38-32 in the fourth quarter.
Hudson Falls was the only road team to win this weekend.
Schalmont Sabres 6, Schuylerville Black Horses 40 - The Black Horses dominated in their second match against the Schalmont Sabres this season, rolling to a 33-0 lead at the half thanks to a 27 point second quarter. While fatigue could of been a possible explanation for Schalmont given their Tuesday game against Hudson that was required to be made up as playoff seeding depended on it, Schalmont looked flat for the second time against a Schuylerville team that has a lot of heart.
While Glens Falls may look like a #1 seed in Class B, Schuylerville has been quietly coming along as a serious team to watch out for as they travel to face the Reinfurt's #1 seed in Cobleskill. John Bowen has his players gelling at the right time, which could make for an interesting Super Bowl...
Broadalbin-Perth Patriots 14, Cobleskill-Richmondville Bulldogs 34 - Back in week 2, Cobleskill showed that they could be a serious threat this season when they forced the Glens Falls Indians to play a full 48 minute game, only winning the game in the final 90 seconds on a Joe Girard III touchdown run.
While the Bulldogs lead through much of the match against Broadalbin-Perth, it wasn't a wow kind of game that shows what the Bulldogs can do against a more explosive team like their next opponent in the Schuylerville Black Horses.
CLASS C:
Lake George/Hadley-Luzerne WarEagles 6, Hoosick Falls Panthers 18 - The WarEagles got the early score, but offered the Panthers too many opportunities to get back into the game. It was a good season for Lake George/Hadley-Luzerne, however, they were a step below the top two teams in the division this season.
Hoosick Falls moves onto a tough Semifinal match against a Cambridge squad they already once beat the Panthers this season. While the Panthers put up the most any team has put up against Cambridge this season, it doesn't help with the Indians put up the second highest score of any team in Section 2, at just a shade under 50 points per game. The Panthers defense will need to tighten up for that rematch.
Helderberg Valley 6, Cambridge Indians 59 - Doug Luke has way too many weapons for most teams in Section 2 to handle. Whether it's Lindendoll, English, Sgambettera, Ogilvie ... the Indians have several options who can touch the ball and create magic. Heldeberg Valley is still coming along and developing, but ran into a roadblock in the first round.
Stillwater Warriors 21, Chatham Cougars 26 - This was the second best game of the playoffs, with lead changes and a dramatic finish where you didn't know who was coming out on top in the end. But in the end Chatham used their home field advantage to propel them into the next round.
It's a tough end for a Stillwater squad that went from being 6-0 and in consideration for a #2 seed to being 6-2 and out of the playoffs with losses to Holy Trinity and Chatham.
Voorheesville Blackbirds 18, Holy Trinity Pride 35 - I will admit, I know nothing of these two teams. Holy Trinity lost soundly against a Cambridge squad in Week 2 that still could become a preview of the Sectional Championship in Lansingburgh in two weeks.
But the Pride took care of business, pulling away from a Voorheesville Blackbird squad that earned their spot in the playoffs.
Now that the playoffs are done, it's time for the Sectional Semifinals. Let's hope that the Sectional Semifinals produce wild games like the ones seen in Columbia County in Week 8.
Saturday, October 20, 2018
Battle of the Indians on tap today on Putt LaMay Field
Five wins from making it to the Carrier Dome.
The Glens Falls Indians begin that push today when they host the Ravena Indians at 1:30pm at Putt LaMay field at Glens Falls High School in the first round of the Section 2 Class B playoffs.
Joe Girard III said in an interview that will air on FOX Sports Radio 97.9/1230 at the half that he would love to get his team back to the Carrier Dome and claim another championship. But the Glens Falls Indians know they cannot overlook their current opponent.
"We got to take care of business here first," coach Pat Lilac said.
The Ravena Indians finished the regular season 2-5, but gained credit for a third win when LaSalle Institute forfeited their first two games of the season due to using an ineligible player. The Cadets originally won that first game of the season against Ravena 43-14.
On the field, the Ravena Indians lost their first four games of the season before rattling off wins against Ichabod Crane and Lansingburgh, both who missed the playoffs. Against playoff teams, Ravena is winless in 2018 in games played on the field, and have been outscored 182-22 in the four games against playoff teams that counted in the standings.
But Ravena comes in with weapons that can hurt the Glens Falls Indians if they look past this quarterfinal match. C.J. Blanchino is Ravena's regular signal caller, and has thrown it up in the air at least thirty times this season, completing 36% of his passes for over 200 yards of offense. Marlon Laing and Ricky Hernandez are Ravena's key tailbacks for Gary Vanderzee's offense.
For Glens Falls, their path to the North Division #1 seed was easier than their non-conference schedule. With the exception of last week's game against Broadalbin-Perth, the Indians grabbed hold of the game early and lead often, offering little opportunity for their opponents to get back in the game. Against Broadalbin-Perth, the Glens Falls Indians were down 21-7 in the third quarter before Freshman running back Griffen Woodell had a huge 54 yard touchdown run to get the Indians back in the game.
Pat Lilac says that Woodell has offered more versatility when it comes to the man Woodell was replacing in the lineup while he was banged up, Aalijah Sampson. Woodell's growth as a tailback will allow Sampson to be used in multiple positions for Lilac's offense.
And that should allow Joe Girard III to shine even better as the playoffs move on, now that the weight of the announcement of where the senior is going to college is over with.
R4 - Ravena Indians at N1 - Glens Falls Indians
Where: Putt LaMay Field, Glens Falls High School
Kickoff Time: 1:30pm
Live coverage begins on FOX Sports Radio 97.9/1230 at 1:15pm.
The Glens Falls Indians begin that push today when they host the Ravena Indians at 1:30pm at Putt LaMay field at Glens Falls High School in the first round of the Section 2 Class B playoffs.
Joe Girard III said in an interview that will air on FOX Sports Radio 97.9/1230 at the half that he would love to get his team back to the Carrier Dome and claim another championship. But the Glens Falls Indians know they cannot overlook their current opponent.
"We got to take care of business here first," coach Pat Lilac said.
The Ravena Indians finished the regular season 2-5, but gained credit for a third win when LaSalle Institute forfeited their first two games of the season due to using an ineligible player. The Cadets originally won that first game of the season against Ravena 43-14.
On the field, the Ravena Indians lost their first four games of the season before rattling off wins against Ichabod Crane and Lansingburgh, both who missed the playoffs. Against playoff teams, Ravena is winless in 2018 in games played on the field, and have been outscored 182-22 in the four games against playoff teams that counted in the standings.
But Ravena comes in with weapons that can hurt the Glens Falls Indians if they look past this quarterfinal match. C.J. Blanchino is Ravena's regular signal caller, and has thrown it up in the air at least thirty times this season, completing 36% of his passes for over 200 yards of offense. Marlon Laing and Ricky Hernandez are Ravena's key tailbacks for Gary Vanderzee's offense.
For Glens Falls, their path to the North Division #1 seed was easier than their non-conference schedule. With the exception of last week's game against Broadalbin-Perth, the Indians grabbed hold of the game early and lead often, offering little opportunity for their opponents to get back in the game. Against Broadalbin-Perth, the Glens Falls Indians were down 21-7 in the third quarter before Freshman running back Griffen Woodell had a huge 54 yard touchdown run to get the Indians back in the game.
Pat Lilac says that Woodell has offered more versatility when it comes to the man Woodell was replacing in the lineup while he was banged up, Aalijah Sampson. Woodell's growth as a tailback will allow Sampson to be used in multiple positions for Lilac's offense.
And that should allow Joe Girard III to shine even better as the playoffs move on, now that the weight of the announcement of where the senior is going to college is over with.
R4 - Ravena Indians at N1 - Glens Falls Indians
Where: Putt LaMay Field, Glens Falls High School
Kickoff Time: 1:30pm
Live coverage begins on FOX Sports Radio 97.9/1230 at 1:15pm.
Tuesday, October 9, 2018
The Standings, and a look at Week 7's Playoff Implications
Here are the current standings for the five classifications entering Week 7.
x - clinched playoff spot
d - clinched divisional title
h - clinched second seed, will play at home Week 8
e - eliminated
i - ineligible for playoffs-playing in a lower class.
d - clinched divisional title
h - clinched second seed, will play at home Week 8
e - eliminated
i - ineligible for playoffs-playing in a lower class.
Several divisional titles are up for grabs in Week 7. In Class A, both divisional titles will be on the line when Queensbury visits Burnt Hills in the Grasso Division, and the Capital Division will be determined when Averill Park visit Troy.
In Class B, the Reinfurt Division will be determined as Schalmont travels to Cobleskill, although I'm not certain how the cancelled Hudson at Schalmont game from last week will play into this. This isn't as easy of a scenario as the Amsterdam/Broadalbin-Perth match where the two teams were non-divisional opponents and thus wouldn't impact playoff seeding. Glens Falls finishes the season against Broadalbin-Perth, but win or lose, they have the North Division's title.
In Class C, Cambridge and Chatham have their divisional titles sewn up, but the Central Division is up for grabs as Stillwater hosts Holy Trinity.
Finally, Class D's title will be handed out when Warrensburg hosts Whitehall under the temporary lights on Friday night.
In Class AA, Shaker can clinch their division this week with a win at CBA, as they will have head-to-head wins over both Saratoga Springs and Shenendehowa, who face each other in Week 8. Don't forget, Class AA is playing eight weeks regular season this year, and will only admit four teams to the playoffs.
As far as the other teams making the playoffs, Saratoga Springs and Shenendehowa are on the inside path to making the playoffs and can clinch with victories over Schenectady and Albany this week. If both teams win, they will determine who gets to host the Class AA Semifinal when they face each other next week.
In Class A, only Mohonasen has been eliminated from consideration as this week's home game is against non-divisional opponent Hudson Falls and thus cannot catch the final seed into the playoffs. South Glens Falls is in a scenario where they need to win and get help from Gloversville, and then hope the quarter points are good enough to eliminate Scotia, as the Bulldogs have the tiebreaker over Gloversville, but not the Tartans. If the Bulldogs lose to Ballston Spa, the Gloversville/Scotia game becomes a win-and-you're-in game. Ballston Spa is in the playoffs, and can do no better than the #3 seed.
In the Capital Division, Green Tech is eliminated as the LaSalle at Amsterdam winner will take the fourth and final playoff spot in the division. Columbia is in, and will take the #3 seed win or lose, as a win will give it to them outright, and with wins over both LaSalle and Amsterdam this season, the Blue Devils will win the tiebreaker if they do lose.
In Class B, the eight team field is set. Johnstown can beat Schuylerville to tie Broadalbin-Perth in the standings, but the Patriots hold the tiebreaker over the Sir Bills by virtue of their 48-6 win this past Friday. If Schuylerville wins, it will set in stone Schuylerville's place as the #2 seed, Hudson Falls as the #3 seed and Broadalbin-Perth as the #4 seed. In the Reinfurt Division, Hudson and Ravena meet to see who will be travelling up to Glens Falls next week. Winner gets the #3 seed and a likely trip to Schuylerville, loser has to go further up the Hudson River to Glens Falls.
Class C is complicated, as the only guarantee from my understanding talking to Lake George's Athletic Director Kyle Manny on Friday is that the divisional winner is the only team guaranteed in the playoffs. Those three teams will be seeded 1-3, then it comes down to five wild cards for the remaining spots. Cambridge is a strong candidate for the #1 seed, with the winner of the Holy Trinity/Stillwater match getting the #2 seed and Chatham getting the #3 seed. But for the remainder of the teams, you should expect Hoosick Falls, the loser of the Holy Trinity/Stillwater match, Voorheesville to get in, and the other two teams coming down to the Lake George/Granville winner and Fonda, if they get past Mechanicville this week. Again, this classification is hard to read, so take these words with a grain of salt.
In Class D, after Whitehall/Warrensburg, Hoosic Valley is in the field of four. Fort Edward will also get to play a meaningful game in Week 9 by way of their tiebreaker over Rensselaer.
What this means is a lot of great football coming up this week. Division titles are up on the line and playoff position is as well. Give Section II credit, they made some right choices for Week 7 schedules when they came out with the schedules back in March.
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