SWC75
Bored Historian
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 33,987
- Like
- 65,552
THE FINALS
CLASS AA
With all the of the dramatic games in the other classes, the Class AA final between Section 6’s Jamestown and Section 9’s Newburgh Free Academy got kind of lost in the shuffle. Jamestown won it 41-20, although it was a better game than the score indicated. “Jamestown quarterback Nikkolas Holland ran for three touchdowns, as the Red Raiders pulled away to a 41-20 victory and the Class AA state championship. Anthony Dubose rushed for 259 yards and a touchdown in his final game at Newburgh, but it wasn’t enough to overcome three turnovers and the clock issue at the end of the first half…. The Goldbacks made three trips to the red zone in the first half, but none resulted in a touchdown…. Newburgh equaled Jamestown in total yards (420) and even had five more first downs, but it couldn’t match the Red Raiders’ raw explosiveness.. Down 34-13 early in the fourth quarter, Newburgh found a second life courtesy of Forbes’ 24th touchdown of the season with 9:42 left. The Goldbacks immediately intercepted Holland, but the ensuing drive stalled short of midfield. Minutes later, Holland delivered the final dagger with a 23-yard scoring strike to Panebianco across the middle.” (Hudson Valley Sports Report)
Jamestown's final line:
Section 6- JAMESTOWN 12-1 (457-143, #3 NYSSWA #2/217 MaxPreps, 3 titles)
MaxPreps has Jamestown tied with Maine-Endwell at the top of the state. But they have Jamestown #18 in their “Northeast” rankings while Maine-Endwell is tied for #25. The NYS football writers rank Canisius of Buffalo and Archbishop Stepinac of New York City ranked ahead of Jamestown. Those two schools will play for the State Catholic title on December 7th.
CLASS A
In a game for the ages, the Indian River Warriors won their first ever state championship and the first for Section 3 since 2007, (and the first ever in this classification- Class B is the only one we’ve been shut out of at this point). The game was expected to be a blow out, started out to be one and wound up being one. But it was hardly as simple as that. Queensbury was the defending state champion and had won 25 games in a row. Last year they’d totally dominated Section 6’s Williamsville North 36-7 to win the title. They’d blown through Section 2, winning ten straight games by a combined 430-74 with their closeted game a 15 point win. In the states, they first blew away Section 10’s Massena 48-0 before getting some real completion in beating Section 9’s Cornwall in the eastern semi-final. They run a a quick, well-blocked option offense where they hurry up to get plays off and rarely punt, not unlike what we saw from Auburn last year. They wear the opposition down and it gives way as the game progresses.
Indian River is the same sort of team, which often does not bode well for an upset. Upsets are more likely to happen when the underdog plays a different game than their opponent, something they aren’t used to facing in in games or in practice sessions against their own offense. They often pull off the upset
By making it the type of game they can win. If their scheme is similar to the favorite, they are facing a team used to seeing what they do and who does it better than they do. Indian River had to just try to meet Queensbury at the point of attack and try to win that battle because…that’s what they do.
Also Indian River used to be in Section 10 and was that team that the Section 2 champs flicked out of the way in the first round of the state tournament. Actually to be fair, they didn’t get flicked away in 2006 when they beat Burnt Hills only to get crushed by Cornwall 6-34 in the next round, (and their loses to Section 2 were closer than Massena’s). But they had a long history of frustration against Section 2.
It was obvious early that this game would be a blow-out. Queensbury scored in two plays, one a 64 yard run. Indian River then fumbled the kick-off and Queensbury again scored in two plays. Then the Warriors rallied to drive almost to the Spartan goal line only to fumble and then give up a 97 yard scoring drive which ended with a rare Queensbury pass that went 57 yards from Drew Wilson to Brett Rodriguez. Due to a missed extra point and a failed try for two, Queensbury had a 19-0 lead and the first period wasn’t even over. The route was on!
It sure was. Indian River went on a 63-12 run. That’s’ right, 63-12. They scored 63 of 75 points against the team that was supposed to crush them. They did it by meeting the Spartans at the point of attack, (aided greatly by 5-11 280 Zachary Stone), and they won that battle, rushing for 439 yards and completing their only pass for 40 yards while holding the Spartans, who came in averaging 350 yards on the ground to 253, 93 of it on one play, plus 162 yards passing. Rodriguez totaled 310 yards, running for 146 and catching passes for 88. The rest was return yardage. Romel Washington ran for 196 yards and 2 scores. Dustin Sharritt ran for 89 and three scores, Connor Brown for 72 and a score and Barnes for 45 yards and 2 scores for the winners.
At one point Indian River scored on seven of 8 possessions. Quarterback Densel Barnes completed a 75 yard drive with a 4 yard touchdown run. 5-4 Romel Washington then scored on a 36 yard run. Rodriguez responded for Queensbury with his third touchdown, on a 26 yard pass from Wilson. That was only a temporary setback for the Warriors who scored two more times before halftime on short runs by Dustin Sharrit and Barnes to take a 29-25 halftime lead. They then increased that in the third quarter to on a 23 yard run by Connor Brown and a 2 yard plunge by Sharrit.
Then came the most explosive sequence of the game. A determined Rodriguez took a handoff from the Queensbury 7, put his head down and broke tackled until there were no more tackles to break. And then outran defenders all the way to the end zone, 93 yards away. That brought the Spartans to within 31-43. But on the Warriors second play after the kickoff, Washington broke away for a twisting 68 yard scoring run that swung the momentum back to his team. They then pounded the ball into the end zone two more times on short runs by Garrit and Brendan Smith. Queensbury got one more score when the magnificent Rodriguez returned the subsequent kick-off 76 yards to put the game over the century mark. That finally ended the scoring. And the game ended a long drought of championships for Indian River and Section 3.
Indian River’s final line:
Section 3- INDIAN RIVER 13-0 (538-202, #1 NYSSWA, #8/543 MaxPreps 1 title)
CLASS B
This one was the most anticipated game of the state finals. Section 4’s Maine-Endwell, winners of 50 games in a row and three straight state titles, (the first in Class A) vs. Section 2’s Schalmont, a team averaging nearly 60 points a game and who had done everything but beat the Spartans in last year’s state final. On that occasion, Schalmont had jumped out to a 14-0 lead and ME had rallied to win 22-21. This game nearly had the opposite result as the Spartans dominated the Sabers in the first half on their way to a 21-0 halftime lead that they extended to 27-0 the third quarter. But the Sabres came roaring back to close within 27-19. But they ran out of time and ME tied Hornell’s state record 51 yard winning streak of two years ago and became the first team to win four straight state championships. Nick Gallo completed a 36 yard pass to Zach O’Dell to ME’s 4 yard line with his team down 0-21. But then the banged-up Gallo was replaced by back-up Anthony Yezzo who bobbled the snap into the air and the Spartan’s Adam Gallagher grabbed it and returned it 91 yards for ME’s final score. But Gallo came back to score on a 4 yard run to make it 6-27. Yezzo returned and scored with 1:30 left from the 4 to make it 13-27. The Spartans got the onside kick but fumbled while taking a knee and the Sabres got one more chance at the Spartan 32. Yezzo passed backwards to Dalton Cooke who threw it to Devlin Higgins for the score with 14 seconds left. ME again got the onsides kick and this time held onto the ball while taking a knee. Schalmont actually outgained Maine-Endwell 416-202 but a 26 yard interception return and that 91 yard fumble return killed their chances.
Maine-Endwell’s final line:
Section 4- MAINE-ENDWELL 13-0 (455-125, #1 NYSSWA, #2/243 MaxPreps, 5 titles)
CLASS C
Section 4’s Chenango Forks of Section 4 pounded out a workmen-like 20-14 win over Section 2’s Hoosick Falls, the 2012 Class C champion, to win their second straight title. And their 4th title overall. They have won more games in the 22 years of the state tournament than any other school, (26). “Ryan Bronson rushed for 192 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning score from 43 yards out midway through the fourth quarter.” (Press and Sun Bulletin)
Chenango Fork’s final line:
Section 4- CHENANGO FORKS 12-1 (467-118, #1 NYSSWA, #6/514 MaxPreps, 4 titles)
Their one loss was to Class B champion Maine-Endwell, 7-20 on October 10th.
CLASS D
Until the Class A game that ended the state tournaments, this, the first game played in the Dome, was surely the most remarkable. Maybe it still is. Section 6’s Randolph was going for its third straight state title and had beaten Chester of Section 2, 42-13 in last year’s finals. The Cardinals were thus favored to beat the Hambletonians, (the race used to be run there), in similar fashion. But it didn’t look that way for a half. Chester rolled to a 27-6 halftime lead on the passing of Vinny Aloi and the running and receiving of Angel Suarez. Aloi threw for two scores, one to Suarez and ran for run. Suarez ran for the other. The shocked Cardinals must have heard a heck of a halftime speech, (or some really great adjustments) as they came out and thoroughly dominated the third quarter and much of the fourth, scoring four unanswered touchdowns. But Chester took back the lead at 35-34 on Aloi’s third TD pass, a 10 yarder to Justin Feldman and an Aloi run for the tow point conversion. Randolph quarterback Bryce Morrison ran 44 yards to take the lead back at 40-35. Aloi then threw his 4th TD pass and 37th of the season, from 37 yards out to Feldman to take the lead back at 41-40 with a minute left. Randolph then drove for the score that won them that third straight title, the big play a 42 yard scramble and pass by Morrison, who took it the final five yards plus the two point conversion that accounted for the final score. There were only 32 seconds left when he crossed the goal line. Morrison then sealed the game with an interception.
Aloi threw for 455 yards and Suarez, who rushed for over 800 yards in the three tournament games, got 106 in this last one. He also caught 191 yards in passes. Both are seniors that will be hard to replace for Chester. “As long as the loss pains Chester, the Hambletonians (10-3) will remember another key statistic. Chester was called for 17 penalties totaling 139 yards. Randolph had three penalties for 15 yards.“ (Times-Herald-Record). Devyn Nelsen ran for 289 yards for the winners. “Morrison accounted for six of Randolph's seven touchdowns, running for five and throwing for another. (BuffaloTWCnews)
Randolph’s final line:
Section 6- RANDOLPH 11-1 (459-147, #1 NYSSWA, #14/1091 MaxPreps, 5 titles)
Their only loss was to Section 6’s Class C champion, Maple Grove-Chautauqua Lake, 12-24 on September 6.
Overall: As glorious as Indian River’s win was for Section 3, (CNY), the big winners in the Finals were Sections 6, (the Buffalo area), and Section 4, (the southern tier), both of whom won two titles. The western teams won all the titles. Section 9, (the Catskills) lost twice and Section 2, (the Albany area) went down 3 times. If Section 3’s team can get to the title game, we are in good shape, having won 11 of our last 13 such games.
Overall won-lost results:
Section 6 (Buffalo) 8-3 (2 titles)
Section 4 (So. Tier) 7-3 (2 titles)
Section 2 (Albany) 8-5
Section 9 (Catskills) 6-5
Section 3 (Central NY) 4-4 (1 title)
Section 5 (Rochester) 1-5
Section 1 (Hudson) 0-5
Section 7 (Champlain) 0-3
Section 10 (Adirondacks) 0-1
CLASS AA
With all the of the dramatic games in the other classes, the Class AA final between Section 6’s Jamestown and Section 9’s Newburgh Free Academy got kind of lost in the shuffle. Jamestown won it 41-20, although it was a better game than the score indicated. “Jamestown quarterback Nikkolas Holland ran for three touchdowns, as the Red Raiders pulled away to a 41-20 victory and the Class AA state championship. Anthony Dubose rushed for 259 yards and a touchdown in his final game at Newburgh, but it wasn’t enough to overcome three turnovers and the clock issue at the end of the first half…. The Goldbacks made three trips to the red zone in the first half, but none resulted in a touchdown…. Newburgh equaled Jamestown in total yards (420) and even had five more first downs, but it couldn’t match the Red Raiders’ raw explosiveness.. Down 34-13 early in the fourth quarter, Newburgh found a second life courtesy of Forbes’ 24th touchdown of the season with 9:42 left. The Goldbacks immediately intercepted Holland, but the ensuing drive stalled short of midfield. Minutes later, Holland delivered the final dagger with a 23-yard scoring strike to Panebianco across the middle.” (Hudson Valley Sports Report)
Jamestown's final line:
Section 6- JAMESTOWN 12-1 (457-143, #3 NYSSWA #2/217 MaxPreps, 3 titles)
MaxPreps has Jamestown tied with Maine-Endwell at the top of the state. But they have Jamestown #18 in their “Northeast” rankings while Maine-Endwell is tied for #25. The NYS football writers rank Canisius of Buffalo and Archbishop Stepinac of New York City ranked ahead of Jamestown. Those two schools will play for the State Catholic title on December 7th.
CLASS A
In a game for the ages, the Indian River Warriors won their first ever state championship and the first for Section 3 since 2007, (and the first ever in this classification- Class B is the only one we’ve been shut out of at this point). The game was expected to be a blow out, started out to be one and wound up being one. But it was hardly as simple as that. Queensbury was the defending state champion and had won 25 games in a row. Last year they’d totally dominated Section 6’s Williamsville North 36-7 to win the title. They’d blown through Section 2, winning ten straight games by a combined 430-74 with their closeted game a 15 point win. In the states, they first blew away Section 10’s Massena 48-0 before getting some real completion in beating Section 9’s Cornwall in the eastern semi-final. They run a a quick, well-blocked option offense where they hurry up to get plays off and rarely punt, not unlike what we saw from Auburn last year. They wear the opposition down and it gives way as the game progresses.
Indian River is the same sort of team, which often does not bode well for an upset. Upsets are more likely to happen when the underdog plays a different game than their opponent, something they aren’t used to facing in in games or in practice sessions against their own offense. They often pull off the upset
By making it the type of game they can win. If their scheme is similar to the favorite, they are facing a team used to seeing what they do and who does it better than they do. Indian River had to just try to meet Queensbury at the point of attack and try to win that battle because…that’s what they do.
Also Indian River used to be in Section 10 and was that team that the Section 2 champs flicked out of the way in the first round of the state tournament. Actually to be fair, they didn’t get flicked away in 2006 when they beat Burnt Hills only to get crushed by Cornwall 6-34 in the next round, (and their loses to Section 2 were closer than Massena’s). But they had a long history of frustration against Section 2.
It was obvious early that this game would be a blow-out. Queensbury scored in two plays, one a 64 yard run. Indian River then fumbled the kick-off and Queensbury again scored in two plays. Then the Warriors rallied to drive almost to the Spartan goal line only to fumble and then give up a 97 yard scoring drive which ended with a rare Queensbury pass that went 57 yards from Drew Wilson to Brett Rodriguez. Due to a missed extra point and a failed try for two, Queensbury had a 19-0 lead and the first period wasn’t even over. The route was on!
It sure was. Indian River went on a 63-12 run. That’s’ right, 63-12. They scored 63 of 75 points against the team that was supposed to crush them. They did it by meeting the Spartans at the point of attack, (aided greatly by 5-11 280 Zachary Stone), and they won that battle, rushing for 439 yards and completing their only pass for 40 yards while holding the Spartans, who came in averaging 350 yards on the ground to 253, 93 of it on one play, plus 162 yards passing. Rodriguez totaled 310 yards, running for 146 and catching passes for 88. The rest was return yardage. Romel Washington ran for 196 yards and 2 scores. Dustin Sharritt ran for 89 and three scores, Connor Brown for 72 and a score and Barnes for 45 yards and 2 scores for the winners.
At one point Indian River scored on seven of 8 possessions. Quarterback Densel Barnes completed a 75 yard drive with a 4 yard touchdown run. 5-4 Romel Washington then scored on a 36 yard run. Rodriguez responded for Queensbury with his third touchdown, on a 26 yard pass from Wilson. That was only a temporary setback for the Warriors who scored two more times before halftime on short runs by Dustin Sharrit and Barnes to take a 29-25 halftime lead. They then increased that in the third quarter to on a 23 yard run by Connor Brown and a 2 yard plunge by Sharrit.
Then came the most explosive sequence of the game. A determined Rodriguez took a handoff from the Queensbury 7, put his head down and broke tackled until there were no more tackles to break. And then outran defenders all the way to the end zone, 93 yards away. That brought the Spartans to within 31-43. But on the Warriors second play after the kickoff, Washington broke away for a twisting 68 yard scoring run that swung the momentum back to his team. They then pounded the ball into the end zone two more times on short runs by Garrit and Brendan Smith. Queensbury got one more score when the magnificent Rodriguez returned the subsequent kick-off 76 yards to put the game over the century mark. That finally ended the scoring. And the game ended a long drought of championships for Indian River and Section 3.
Indian River’s final line:
Section 3- INDIAN RIVER 13-0 (538-202, #1 NYSSWA, #8/543 MaxPreps 1 title)
CLASS B
This one was the most anticipated game of the state finals. Section 4’s Maine-Endwell, winners of 50 games in a row and three straight state titles, (the first in Class A) vs. Section 2’s Schalmont, a team averaging nearly 60 points a game and who had done everything but beat the Spartans in last year’s state final. On that occasion, Schalmont had jumped out to a 14-0 lead and ME had rallied to win 22-21. This game nearly had the opposite result as the Spartans dominated the Sabers in the first half on their way to a 21-0 halftime lead that they extended to 27-0 the third quarter. But the Sabres came roaring back to close within 27-19. But they ran out of time and ME tied Hornell’s state record 51 yard winning streak of two years ago and became the first team to win four straight state championships. Nick Gallo completed a 36 yard pass to Zach O’Dell to ME’s 4 yard line with his team down 0-21. But then the banged-up Gallo was replaced by back-up Anthony Yezzo who bobbled the snap into the air and the Spartan’s Adam Gallagher grabbed it and returned it 91 yards for ME’s final score. But Gallo came back to score on a 4 yard run to make it 6-27. Yezzo returned and scored with 1:30 left from the 4 to make it 13-27. The Spartans got the onside kick but fumbled while taking a knee and the Sabres got one more chance at the Spartan 32. Yezzo passed backwards to Dalton Cooke who threw it to Devlin Higgins for the score with 14 seconds left. ME again got the onsides kick and this time held onto the ball while taking a knee. Schalmont actually outgained Maine-Endwell 416-202 but a 26 yard interception return and that 91 yard fumble return killed their chances.
Maine-Endwell’s final line:
Section 4- MAINE-ENDWELL 13-0 (455-125, #1 NYSSWA, #2/243 MaxPreps, 5 titles)
CLASS C
Section 4’s Chenango Forks of Section 4 pounded out a workmen-like 20-14 win over Section 2’s Hoosick Falls, the 2012 Class C champion, to win their second straight title. And their 4th title overall. They have won more games in the 22 years of the state tournament than any other school, (26). “Ryan Bronson rushed for 192 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning score from 43 yards out midway through the fourth quarter.” (Press and Sun Bulletin)
Chenango Fork’s final line:
Section 4- CHENANGO FORKS 12-1 (467-118, #1 NYSSWA, #6/514 MaxPreps, 4 titles)
Their one loss was to Class B champion Maine-Endwell, 7-20 on October 10th.
CLASS D
Until the Class A game that ended the state tournaments, this, the first game played in the Dome, was surely the most remarkable. Maybe it still is. Section 6’s Randolph was going for its third straight state title and had beaten Chester of Section 2, 42-13 in last year’s finals. The Cardinals were thus favored to beat the Hambletonians, (the race used to be run there), in similar fashion. But it didn’t look that way for a half. Chester rolled to a 27-6 halftime lead on the passing of Vinny Aloi and the running and receiving of Angel Suarez. Aloi threw for two scores, one to Suarez and ran for run. Suarez ran for the other. The shocked Cardinals must have heard a heck of a halftime speech, (or some really great adjustments) as they came out and thoroughly dominated the third quarter and much of the fourth, scoring four unanswered touchdowns. But Chester took back the lead at 35-34 on Aloi’s third TD pass, a 10 yarder to Justin Feldman and an Aloi run for the tow point conversion. Randolph quarterback Bryce Morrison ran 44 yards to take the lead back at 40-35. Aloi then threw his 4th TD pass and 37th of the season, from 37 yards out to Feldman to take the lead back at 41-40 with a minute left. Randolph then drove for the score that won them that third straight title, the big play a 42 yard scramble and pass by Morrison, who took it the final five yards plus the two point conversion that accounted for the final score. There were only 32 seconds left when he crossed the goal line. Morrison then sealed the game with an interception.
Aloi threw for 455 yards and Suarez, who rushed for over 800 yards in the three tournament games, got 106 in this last one. He also caught 191 yards in passes. Both are seniors that will be hard to replace for Chester. “As long as the loss pains Chester, the Hambletonians (10-3) will remember another key statistic. Chester was called for 17 penalties totaling 139 yards. Randolph had three penalties for 15 yards.“ (Times-Herald-Record). Devyn Nelsen ran for 289 yards for the winners. “Morrison accounted for six of Randolph's seven touchdowns, running for five and throwing for another. (BuffaloTWCnews)
Randolph’s final line:
Section 6- RANDOLPH 11-1 (459-147, #1 NYSSWA, #14/1091 MaxPreps, 5 titles)
Their only loss was to Section 6’s Class C champion, Maple Grove-Chautauqua Lake, 12-24 on September 6.
Overall: As glorious as Indian River’s win was for Section 3, (CNY), the big winners in the Finals were Sections 6, (the Buffalo area), and Section 4, (the southern tier), both of whom won two titles. The western teams won all the titles. Section 9, (the Catskills) lost twice and Section 2, (the Albany area) went down 3 times. If Section 3’s team can get to the title game, we are in good shape, having won 11 of our last 13 such games.
Overall won-lost results:
Section 6 (Buffalo) 8-3 (2 titles)
Section 4 (So. Tier) 7-3 (2 titles)
Section 2 (Albany) 8-5
Section 9 (Catskills) 6-5
Section 3 (Central NY) 4-4 (1 title)
Section 5 (Rochester) 1-5
Section 1 (Hudson) 0-5
Section 7 (Champlain) 0-3
Section 10 (Adirondacks) 0-1
