Pulaski 70, APW 52
Gotta love it.
It's basketball season. Bring out your inner Dickie V, your airballs, even your overused 'you can't do that' chants. At least that means we're watching people shoot an inflated red-orange ball at a hoop 10 feet (hopefully) above the floor. Hopefully, you also bring out your A game.
That's what Pulaski did. It took a while for the home team to get it going, but once they did, it was game over. A couple quick buckets put them up 7-2 just over a minute into the game, but the Rebels settled in and got back into it behind 6 1st quarter points from Jarid Paninski. They held Pulaski scoreless over their last 5 possessions of the quarter and tied it up at 13 after 1. This was the time that Caleb Sedore took over. The 6'9"ish junior is receiving some lower-level to mid-major Division I interest, and that's no bull. Bucknell was in the house. With the exception of 1 James Carnes bucket early in the 2nd quarter, Sedore scored every Pulaski point over a period of 9:06 in the 1st half. APW was hanging around, though, and they even took the lead twice. Tom Canfield had 7 of his 9 points in the 2nd for the Rebels, including the floater that gave APW its last lead of the night. Cody Mosher tied it up at 25 with a free throw 16 seconds later, and then proceeded to hit a three to take the lead. With another Canfield 3 tying it up at 28 with :14.1 left in the half, you'd assume it was one shot time. No fouls... yeah, fouls. Sedore got to the line with :02.7 left, knocking both down. The inbounds pass was then stolen and Mosher hit Kody Koehler with the bucket to end the 1st half, giving Pulaski a 32-28 lead. Sedore ended up with 11 2nd quarter points for Pulaski, keeping them on top.
The 3rd quarter was a different game. Sedore, Carnes, and Nick Hollis scored quickly, giving Pulaski its first double-digit lead at 38-28 with 6:14 left in the 3rd. All-in-all, Pulaski went on a 10-0 run spanning 1:49 in the 2nd and 3rd quarters. Another Sedore bucket preserved the lead and gave him 20. The teams traded buckets in the most part throughout the 3rd after that, with Pulaski extending the lead to 14 on a Carnes bucket. With a Sage Bartlett bucket dropping the deficit to 11 in the 1st play of the 4th quarter, it looked like APW might somewhat hang around... nope. Over the next 1:51, the Blue Devils went on a 9-0 run, putting it basically all out of reach at 58-39 with 5:48 left. The largest lead was 21 at 64-43 after one of Joe Falciatano's 4 4th quarter threes. Pulaski coasted late to their 70-52 W.
Caleb Sedore finished with 22 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 5 blocks. 16 came in the 1st half - 11 in the 2nd quarter. Cody Mosher added 13 for the Blue Devils. Joe Falciatano had 12, and Nick Hollis had 10. All of Falciatano & Hollis' points came in the 2nd half. James Carnes had 6 points and 6 assists in the backcourt for the winners. APW was balanced in the loss, with Jarid Paninski scoring 12 to lead the way. 10 of his came early. He only scored once after the 3:25 mark of the 2nd quarter. Tom Canfield added 9, with 7 of those coming in the 2nd quarter.
Shoutout to Pulaski for roping me in. I think I'll be back!
Monday, November 25, 2013
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Even More Valuable Thoughts from 11/16: Cazenovia/Maine-Endwell Football
Maine-Endwell 35, Cazenovia 34
I'm a youngin, this just being my 5th year out of high school. I've seen quite a bit of sports at this level, football included, for someone my age. That being said...
Not sure if this was the craziest game I've ever been to, but it was certainly one of them.
Had every bit of drama you could hope for - a story line leading into it, a plot twist, a very competitive game, and a ballsy decision leading to a highly dramatic finish with a controversial ending. Not bad for upstate NY high school football.
Maine-Endwell was coming in to this game winners of 35 straight over the last 3 years. Cazenovia was looking to end that, of course, and it looked like they were going to get some help. The mid-week story was that 6 Maine-Endwell players violated a team rule and may or may not be playing come Saturday night. Caz had no such issues, and they jumped first when play started. After M-E QB Kyle Gallagher fumbled it away at their own 28, the Lakers took advantage. An 8 play drive that consisted of 6 Andrew Vogl carries culminated in a 1 yard plunge from QB Kevin Hopsicker, giving Caz a 7-0 lead just over 6 minutes in. Maine-Endwell responded by marching back up the field with a 9 play, 67 yard drive. 8 of them were runs, the lone pass being an 11 yard completion from Kyle to Adam Gallagher. The latter finished off the drive with a 9 yard score, tying it up at 7 with 1:45 left in the 1st. After M-E picked off a Hopsicker pass, they went the same amount of yardage with one less play, all runs this time. Kyle Gallagher rushed for 46 yards on 3 carries in that drive, and Colin LaSalle punched it in from 2 yards out, giving M-E its first lead at 14-7 four minutes into the 2nd. Caz responded quickly, needing only 2 plays to even up the score. Starting at their own 40, Hopsicker bolted for a 52 yard gain, being brought down by a defender who had to trail from the other side of the field to get him. Vogl finished it off with an 8 yard score about 30 seconds after M-E took the lead. The back & forth continued, with Maine-Endwell getting the lead right back on their next drive. A 10 play, 90 yard Kyle Gallagher-heavy drive assisted by a personal foul was just what the doctor ordered, apparently. He rushed for 86 yards on 5 carries in that drive alone, including a 33 yard TD scamper with 3:15 left in the half. Cazenovia started to drive back, but 3 penalties got the better of them, having to punt it away in the waning seconds.
Cazenovia started the 2nd half in the same manner as the 1st - strong. After trading 3 & outs and an 8 yard Maine-Endwell punt that gave the Lakers the ball at the M-E 48, they went to work. A big run by Vogl set up a 5 yard Hopsicker score, tying it back up again at 21 with 7:50 left in the 3rd. They couldn't get over the hump and take the lead, though. After getting the ball back, they were forced into a 4th & 21, and an M-E defender got a hand on the ensuing punt, giving the home team on the scoreboard strong field position. The Gallaghers linked up again, with Kyle hitting Adam from 38 yards out, putting M-E back up 28-21 with 3:05 left in the 3rd. The next drive was wacky. Vogl & Hopsicker had big runs, catapulting the drive deep into M-E territory. However, the drive stalled, and on 4th down at the 9, the Lakers lined up for a field goal. Whether it was going to be a fake or not, we just don't know. Hopsicker was the holder, so one can only assume. However, the snap went into the ground and he had trouble corralling it, so he got up and tried to make a play. He was brought down, but they were given renewed life when a face mask penalty was called on the tackle. M-E's coach was livid, and he had a point. He contested that Hopsicker picked his knee up to retrieve the ball, then dropped it back down to try & hold it, then picked it back up to carry it. The refs didn't hear his case, but I have the advantage of looking through a camera lens... he had a beef. The ball moved down to the 4, but it was still 4th down. They went for it, using a little misdirection pass play. It fell incomplete... but pass interference was called, moving it down to the 2. With a new rule implemented this year, the PI penalty didn't make it an automatic first down. Therefore, for the first time in my days, I saw 3 tries at 4th & goal. This last one was an untimed down, and Hopsicker was brought down inches shy of the goal line (remember that).
Maine-Endwell had their work cut out for them, starting inside their own 1. They didn't get anywhere. A fumble on the snap recovered by Caz gave the Lakers the ball at the 2 yard line yet again. This time, they made good with it, getting a 2 yard TD run by Vogl to forge the game's 4th tie with 11:52 left. Led by Kyle Gallagher, M-E pushed back down the field, but Caz picked off a pass deep in their own territory to avoid the crisis. However, they remained pinned deep, and even a good punt with a negative return gave Maine-Endwell the ball at Caz' 41. On 3rd & 11 from the 12, the Gallaghers connected again, Kyle hitting Adam for a 12 yard score, giving M-E yet another lead at 35-28 with 4:45 left. Cazenovia started at their own 35, and more of a heavy dose of Vogl & Hopsicker helped march them down the field. Over the first 5 plays of the drive, Vogl carried 3 times for 30 yards and Hopsicker added 20 on 2 to get to M-E's 20 with 2 and a half to go. The drive looked like it was about to stall after that, with M-E's defense forcing a 4th & 7 at their 17. However, Vogl took the option toss from Hopsicker, made a move and a burst, and found himself in the end zone, putting Caz down 35-34 with just over a minute to play. You could either take the pretty much sure extra point to tie it up, or go balls to the wall and try to get the W. The Laker coaching staff was feeling lucky, punk, and lined up to go for 2. After the good old-fashioned drama of a coaching chess match, with back to back timeouts, Caz still lined up to go for 2. Hopsicker drove forward, and he was brought down less than 6 inches shy of goal. The Caz players, coaches, fans, and whoever else you can think of were in an uproar over the call. Calling the refs cheaters, yelling at the guys who were doing the chains on the way out (because they made the call, obviously...), saying some other things even I won't repeat, which I guess is to be expected with emotions running so high... but again, I saw it through the lens. It was a great effort by Hopsicker and a great effort by the M-E defense, and to me, it looked like the ref on top of the play made a bang-bang call correctly. Props to that guy. M-E recovered the onside kick and kneeled on it to extend the W streak to 36, advancing to the state semifinals. Hell of a game!
#ByTheNumbers - Kyle Gallagher carried the load for the Sect IV representative, Maine-Endwell. He only went 3/10 in the air for 61 yards along with an INT, but 2 of the completions were TDs. He did his damage on the ground for the most part, running for a TD and 218 yards on 18 carries. On the other side of the ball, Andrew Vogl was a workhorse, getting 33 carries and amassing 243 rushing yards with 3 scores on the night. Kevin Hopsicker didn't do much in the air, only completing 1 pass, but he carried the ball 24 times for 150 yards and the other 2 Caz TDs. Cazenovia took the defeat, even though they outgained M-E 389-365 on the night.
Neat-o Stat of the Night - Kyle Gallagher ran for 218 yards, but he must be the type of guy who likes even numbers, despite the fact that his jersey number is 7. In the 1st and 3rd quarters, he only rushed for 19 yards on 6 carries. However, in the 2nd quarter, he had 132 rushing yards on 8 carries, and he ran the ball 4 times for 67 yards in the 4th quarter.
I'm a youngin, this just being my 5th year out of high school. I've seen quite a bit of sports at this level, football included, for someone my age. That being said...
Not sure if this was the craziest game I've ever been to, but it was certainly one of them.
Had every bit of drama you could hope for - a story line leading into it, a plot twist, a very competitive game, and a ballsy decision leading to a highly dramatic finish with a controversial ending. Not bad for upstate NY high school football.
Maine-Endwell was coming in to this game winners of 35 straight over the last 3 years. Cazenovia was looking to end that, of course, and it looked like they were going to get some help. The mid-week story was that 6 Maine-Endwell players violated a team rule and may or may not be playing come Saturday night. Caz had no such issues, and they jumped first when play started. After M-E QB Kyle Gallagher fumbled it away at their own 28, the Lakers took advantage. An 8 play drive that consisted of 6 Andrew Vogl carries culminated in a 1 yard plunge from QB Kevin Hopsicker, giving Caz a 7-0 lead just over 6 minutes in. Maine-Endwell responded by marching back up the field with a 9 play, 67 yard drive. 8 of them were runs, the lone pass being an 11 yard completion from Kyle to Adam Gallagher. The latter finished off the drive with a 9 yard score, tying it up at 7 with 1:45 left in the 1st. After M-E picked off a Hopsicker pass, they went the same amount of yardage with one less play, all runs this time. Kyle Gallagher rushed for 46 yards on 3 carries in that drive, and Colin LaSalle punched it in from 2 yards out, giving M-E its first lead at 14-7 four minutes into the 2nd. Caz responded quickly, needing only 2 plays to even up the score. Starting at their own 40, Hopsicker bolted for a 52 yard gain, being brought down by a defender who had to trail from the other side of the field to get him. Vogl finished it off with an 8 yard score about 30 seconds after M-E took the lead. The back & forth continued, with Maine-Endwell getting the lead right back on their next drive. A 10 play, 90 yard Kyle Gallagher-heavy drive assisted by a personal foul was just what the doctor ordered, apparently. He rushed for 86 yards on 5 carries in that drive alone, including a 33 yard TD scamper with 3:15 left in the half. Cazenovia started to drive back, but 3 penalties got the better of them, having to punt it away in the waning seconds.
Cazenovia started the 2nd half in the same manner as the 1st - strong. After trading 3 & outs and an 8 yard Maine-Endwell punt that gave the Lakers the ball at the M-E 48, they went to work. A big run by Vogl set up a 5 yard Hopsicker score, tying it back up again at 21 with 7:50 left in the 3rd. They couldn't get over the hump and take the lead, though. After getting the ball back, they were forced into a 4th & 21, and an M-E defender got a hand on the ensuing punt, giving the home team on the scoreboard strong field position. The Gallaghers linked up again, with Kyle hitting Adam from 38 yards out, putting M-E back up 28-21 with 3:05 left in the 3rd. The next drive was wacky. Vogl & Hopsicker had big runs, catapulting the drive deep into M-E territory. However, the drive stalled, and on 4th down at the 9, the Lakers lined up for a field goal. Whether it was going to be a fake or not, we just don't know. Hopsicker was the holder, so one can only assume. However, the snap went into the ground and he had trouble corralling it, so he got up and tried to make a play. He was brought down, but they were given renewed life when a face mask penalty was called on the tackle. M-E's coach was livid, and he had a point. He contested that Hopsicker picked his knee up to retrieve the ball, then dropped it back down to try & hold it, then picked it back up to carry it. The refs didn't hear his case, but I have the advantage of looking through a camera lens... he had a beef. The ball moved down to the 4, but it was still 4th down. They went for it, using a little misdirection pass play. It fell incomplete... but pass interference was called, moving it down to the 2. With a new rule implemented this year, the PI penalty didn't make it an automatic first down. Therefore, for the first time in my days, I saw 3 tries at 4th & goal. This last one was an untimed down, and Hopsicker was brought down inches shy of the goal line (remember that).
Maine-Endwell had their work cut out for them, starting inside their own 1. They didn't get anywhere. A fumble on the snap recovered by Caz gave the Lakers the ball at the 2 yard line yet again. This time, they made good with it, getting a 2 yard TD run by Vogl to forge the game's 4th tie with 11:52 left. Led by Kyle Gallagher, M-E pushed back down the field, but Caz picked off a pass deep in their own territory to avoid the crisis. However, they remained pinned deep, and even a good punt with a negative return gave Maine-Endwell the ball at Caz' 41. On 3rd & 11 from the 12, the Gallaghers connected again, Kyle hitting Adam for a 12 yard score, giving M-E yet another lead at 35-28 with 4:45 left. Cazenovia started at their own 35, and more of a heavy dose of Vogl & Hopsicker helped march them down the field. Over the first 5 plays of the drive, Vogl carried 3 times for 30 yards and Hopsicker added 20 on 2 to get to M-E's 20 with 2 and a half to go. The drive looked like it was about to stall after that, with M-E's defense forcing a 4th & 7 at their 17. However, Vogl took the option toss from Hopsicker, made a move and a burst, and found himself in the end zone, putting Caz down 35-34 with just over a minute to play. You could either take the pretty much sure extra point to tie it up, or go balls to the wall and try to get the W. The Laker coaching staff was feeling lucky, punk, and lined up to go for 2. After the good old-fashioned drama of a coaching chess match, with back to back timeouts, Caz still lined up to go for 2. Hopsicker drove forward, and he was brought down less than 6 inches shy of goal. The Caz players, coaches, fans, and whoever else you can think of were in an uproar over the call. Calling the refs cheaters, yelling at the guys who were doing the chains on the way out (because they made the call, obviously...), saying some other things even I won't repeat, which I guess is to be expected with emotions running so high... but again, I saw it through the lens. It was a great effort by Hopsicker and a great effort by the M-E defense, and to me, it looked like the ref on top of the play made a bang-bang call correctly. Props to that guy. M-E recovered the onside kick and kneeled on it to extend the W streak to 36, advancing to the state semifinals. Hell of a game!
#ByTheNumbers - Kyle Gallagher carried the load for the Sect IV representative, Maine-Endwell. He only went 3/10 in the air for 61 yards along with an INT, but 2 of the completions were TDs. He did his damage on the ground for the most part, running for a TD and 218 yards on 18 carries. On the other side of the ball, Andrew Vogl was a workhorse, getting 33 carries and amassing 243 rushing yards with 3 scores on the night. Kevin Hopsicker didn't do much in the air, only completing 1 pass, but he carried the ball 24 times for 150 yards and the other 2 Caz TDs. Cazenovia took the defeat, even though they outgained M-E 389-365 on the night.
Neat-o Stat of the Night - Kyle Gallagher ran for 218 yards, but he must be the type of guy who likes even numbers, despite the fact that his jersey number is 7. In the 1st and 3rd quarters, he only rushed for 19 yards on 6 carries. However, in the 2nd quarter, he had 132 rushing yards on 8 carries, and he ran the ball 4 times for 67 yards in the 4th quarter.
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
11/16 Most Valuable Thoughts: CBA/Elmira Free Academy - South Side Football
EFA/SS 24, CBA 18
Sect IV was unstoppable this week.
Even the mighty Brothers of CBA couldn't stop the Section IV train from the state semifinals. Being undermanned probably had a good portion to do with that, but they're not in the business of making excuses, so you probably won't hear that from them. However, standout RB Deshawn Salter tried to fight off an injury, but was removed from the game after 2 carries in the 1st series. He basically inserted himself back in during the 3rd quarter, trying to fight it off once and for all. However, after 2 more carries and getting bulldozed while blocking for QB JR Zazzara, he limped off the field for the last time in that game.
From the start, it was clear what the Express of Elmira were going to do: ground and pound, baby. Ground and pound. Section IV style. They lined up in a rock formation and told you to stop them. CBA had their issues with it. The Brothers did score first, though. A couple of Zazzara completions totaling 35 yards and a roughing the passer penalty were catalysts, and on 4th & goal from the 4, Zazzara hit backup RB Johnathan Stackhouse in the end zone, giving CBA a 7-0 lead with just over 2:50 left in the 1st quarter. Elmira had good field position to start the ensuing drive, but their 4th & 4 shot was killed early when the snap was bobbled and fumbled. CBA did nothing with it though, and the Express went to work on the next drive, going 54 yards in 9 plays (all on the ground), culminating in an 8 yard TD plunge by Eli Thomas. He had 6 carries for 44 yards on that drive alone. Elmira continued to keep CBA's offense in check, picking off a Zazzara pass & forcing another 3 & out on the next 2 drives, and on a 3rd & 9, Rasean Brooks threw his only TD pass of the game for Elmira, hitting Thomas with a 47 yard strike, putting them up 12-7 on CBA with 1:22 left in the 1st half. CBA answered very quickly and efficiently... taking the lead back in 23 seconds. Zazzara hit his favorite target, Andre Dowdell, twice in a row for 61 yards, the latter being a 24 yard TD strike with 59 seconds left in the half, putting the Brothers up 15-12. Elmira drove back down quickly, a big return aiding them in the process, along with a CBA personal foul on a Brooks incompletion with no time showing on the clock. On the untimed down, the crisis was averted for the visitors when a 30 yard FG attempt from Elmira went just wide left. Despite being outgained 222-118, CBA held the lead.
Elmira turned it up in the 2nd half. After forcing a 3 & out, they went 69 yards in 9 plays Sect IV style to the end zone. The all-run drive finished off with Thomas again, bulldozing in from 1 yard out. The conversion was no good again, but the Express were back on top, this time 18-15 with 6:45 left in the 3rd. After a disastrous return left CBA starting at their own 8, they worked a little magic, led again by Zazzara. He had a 19 yard completion and a 13 yard run to start it off, getting them out of the danger zone. After another 13 yard run and a personal foul brought them to Elmira's 23, Salter made that 3rd quarter return attempt. He absorbed contact early and carried defenders for a 6 yard gain, then was stopped in the backfield on the next carry. On a Zazzara incompletion following those runs, he looked like he couldn't get the leverage while in pass protection and took a hell of a shot. That was the last shot he took, limping off the field after. However, Zazzara converted another 4th down, this time a 10 yard completion on 4th & 6, getting them to the 9. Stackhouse took the next carry, made a couple moves and worked toward the end zone. However, just as he was about to fall over the line, he was stripped and it was recovered by Elmira in the end zone, negating that drive and giving Elmira a touchback. CBA got the ball back near midfield after an Elmira fumble of their own, and a drive powered by a Zazzara completion to Dowdell and runs from Stackhouse and Dowdell set up a 4th down at the 7, where the Brothers tied it up with a 24 yard field goal. Elmira got the ball back with 9 minutes to go at their own 35, and they Section IVed it right down the field. A 12 play, 65 yard drive, all on the ground, ended with a 3 yard Thomas run into the end zone. The Express chewed 6:32 off the clock with that drive, giving CBA the ball with under 2 & a half to go, down 24-18. On the 1st play of the ensuing drive, a Zazzara throw was tipped up in the air, and Rasean Brooks got under it and picked it off. Elmira only needed one 1st down to end it... they didn't get it though, turning it over on downs after Thomas was taken down for a loss of 1 on 4th & 2. CBA got the ball at their own 20 with 1:06 left and 0 timeouts. After a 20 yard completion to Stackhouse, the drive stalled, and on 4th & 7, an incomplete pass sealed the deal. CBA, regarded as favorites in this one, had their seasons end at Union-Endicott.
Eli Thomas and the run game was a huge reason behind that. Thomas was in the end zone for all 4 of Elmira's TDs, but he didn't even pick up the most yardage for them - their other featured back in the rock formation carried for 167 yards on 30 carries. Thomas had 132 on 27 carries, 3 rushing TDs, and a 47 yard reception for a TD. On CBA's end, JR Zazzara, headed to Buffalo next fall, went 12/25, passing for 177 yards, 2 TDs, and 2 picks. He also ran for 52 yards on 10 carries. He had a tall task, having to lead CBA without Salter out there, and he almost did it. Andre Dowdell caught 7 passes for 107 yards and a TD, and Johnathan Stackhouse did a nice job in place of Salter, gaining 50 yards on the ground on 8 carries, along with 2 receptions for 24 yards and a TD. Elmira ran all over the CBA defense, outgaining the Brothers 398-266.
Sect IV was unstoppable this week.
Even the mighty Brothers of CBA couldn't stop the Section IV train from the state semifinals. Being undermanned probably had a good portion to do with that, but they're not in the business of making excuses, so you probably won't hear that from them. However, standout RB Deshawn Salter tried to fight off an injury, but was removed from the game after 2 carries in the 1st series. He basically inserted himself back in during the 3rd quarter, trying to fight it off once and for all. However, after 2 more carries and getting bulldozed while blocking for QB JR Zazzara, he limped off the field for the last time in that game.
From the start, it was clear what the Express of Elmira were going to do: ground and pound, baby. Ground and pound. Section IV style. They lined up in a rock formation and told you to stop them. CBA had their issues with it. The Brothers did score first, though. A couple of Zazzara completions totaling 35 yards and a roughing the passer penalty were catalysts, and on 4th & goal from the 4, Zazzara hit backup RB Johnathan Stackhouse in the end zone, giving CBA a 7-0 lead with just over 2:50 left in the 1st quarter. Elmira had good field position to start the ensuing drive, but their 4th & 4 shot was killed early when the snap was bobbled and fumbled. CBA did nothing with it though, and the Express went to work on the next drive, going 54 yards in 9 plays (all on the ground), culminating in an 8 yard TD plunge by Eli Thomas. He had 6 carries for 44 yards on that drive alone. Elmira continued to keep CBA's offense in check, picking off a Zazzara pass & forcing another 3 & out on the next 2 drives, and on a 3rd & 9, Rasean Brooks threw his only TD pass of the game for Elmira, hitting Thomas with a 47 yard strike, putting them up 12-7 on CBA with 1:22 left in the 1st half. CBA answered very quickly and efficiently... taking the lead back in 23 seconds. Zazzara hit his favorite target, Andre Dowdell, twice in a row for 61 yards, the latter being a 24 yard TD strike with 59 seconds left in the half, putting the Brothers up 15-12. Elmira drove back down quickly, a big return aiding them in the process, along with a CBA personal foul on a Brooks incompletion with no time showing on the clock. On the untimed down, the crisis was averted for the visitors when a 30 yard FG attempt from Elmira went just wide left. Despite being outgained 222-118, CBA held the lead.
Elmira turned it up in the 2nd half. After forcing a 3 & out, they went 69 yards in 9 plays Sect IV style to the end zone. The all-run drive finished off with Thomas again, bulldozing in from 1 yard out. The conversion was no good again, but the Express were back on top, this time 18-15 with 6:45 left in the 3rd. After a disastrous return left CBA starting at their own 8, they worked a little magic, led again by Zazzara. He had a 19 yard completion and a 13 yard run to start it off, getting them out of the danger zone. After another 13 yard run and a personal foul brought them to Elmira's 23, Salter made that 3rd quarter return attempt. He absorbed contact early and carried defenders for a 6 yard gain, then was stopped in the backfield on the next carry. On a Zazzara incompletion following those runs, he looked like he couldn't get the leverage while in pass protection and took a hell of a shot. That was the last shot he took, limping off the field after. However, Zazzara converted another 4th down, this time a 10 yard completion on 4th & 6, getting them to the 9. Stackhouse took the next carry, made a couple moves and worked toward the end zone. However, just as he was about to fall over the line, he was stripped and it was recovered by Elmira in the end zone, negating that drive and giving Elmira a touchback. CBA got the ball back near midfield after an Elmira fumble of their own, and a drive powered by a Zazzara completion to Dowdell and runs from Stackhouse and Dowdell set up a 4th down at the 7, where the Brothers tied it up with a 24 yard field goal. Elmira got the ball back with 9 minutes to go at their own 35, and they Section IVed it right down the field. A 12 play, 65 yard drive, all on the ground, ended with a 3 yard Thomas run into the end zone. The Express chewed 6:32 off the clock with that drive, giving CBA the ball with under 2 & a half to go, down 24-18. On the 1st play of the ensuing drive, a Zazzara throw was tipped up in the air, and Rasean Brooks got under it and picked it off. Elmira only needed one 1st down to end it... they didn't get it though, turning it over on downs after Thomas was taken down for a loss of 1 on 4th & 2. CBA got the ball at their own 20 with 1:06 left and 0 timeouts. After a 20 yard completion to Stackhouse, the drive stalled, and on 4th & 7, an incomplete pass sealed the deal. CBA, regarded as favorites in this one, had their seasons end at Union-Endicott.
Eli Thomas and the run game was a huge reason behind that. Thomas was in the end zone for all 4 of Elmira's TDs, but he didn't even pick up the most yardage for them - their other featured back in the rock formation carried for 167 yards on 30 carries. Thomas had 132 on 27 carries, 3 rushing TDs, and a 47 yard reception for a TD. On CBA's end, JR Zazzara, headed to Buffalo next fall, went 12/25, passing for 177 yards, 2 TDs, and 2 picks. He also ran for 52 yards on 10 carries. He had a tall task, having to lead CBA without Salter out there, and he almost did it. Andre Dowdell caught 7 passes for 107 yards and a TD, and Johnathan Stackhouse did a nice job in place of Salter, gaining 50 yards on the ground on 8 carries, along with 2 receptions for 24 yards and a TD. Elmira ran all over the CBA defense, outgaining the Brothers 398-266.
11/16 Most Valuable Thoughts, State Semi Edition: Poland/Eldred Girls Soccer
Poland 4, Eldred 0
The most lopsided game I've seen so deep into the state playoffs.
4-0 doesn't give the whoopin' justice. It had a little bit of a 1/8 sectional quarterfinal battle feel to it. However, they had both won their section... and a regional game after. The Tornadoes blew through TC3 and flexed on Eldred for 80 minutes.
The game started with an Eldred attack, and a handball 20 yards out gave Eldred a direct kick. The shot went wide left by around 5 feet. That shot, 35 seconds in, was the only shot they attempted all game. From that point on, Poland dominated. The best thing? It's not even the best I've seen them play this year. After starting to pepper Eldred GK Jenna Burns with shots, Poland broke through in the 9th minute, when Paige Sullivan took a pass from Mikayla Blumenstock and struck it home at the 31:17 mark. Just over 3 minutes later, Sullivan showed she didn't want her senior soccer season to end that day, putting another one through. This one, scored with 28:05 left in the half, was unassisted. The rout was on. It took a little while for Poland to make it 3-0, although they were continuing to put a shot up every 2 minutes on average. Blumenstock did the honors in the 33rd minute, when she took on 5 Eldred defenders and zig-zagged through them like cones in a dribbling drill and knocked it into the nylon. This was her 45th goal of the season, and increased her goal-scoring streak to 20 straight games. Poland went into the half up 3-0 while outshooting Eldred 21-1, forcing Burns to make 9 1st half saves. The only time Poland GK Courtney Green touched the ball was when she went to get one for their only 1st half goal kick.
The 2nd half started just as you'd expect - Poland scored. Sullivan delivered again, giving her a hat trick just over 43 minutes into the game. That goal made it the final, 4-0, with 36:41 left. Even without goals, Poland controlled the 2nd half while getting some fresh legs, 2nd stringers, youngins into the game. Eldred definitely picked up the physicality in the last 40 minutes.. that's putting it nicely. Looked like a team frustrated that decided to take it out on the team that was thoroughly whipping them harder than a kid when they get caught sneaking out. For the sake of the Tornadoes, the game couldn't get over quickly enough... although it did look like the thing that was keeping them interested in the game instead of going to straight autopilot was that extra hold, push, and shove. After relaxing on the shot attempts for a while, Poland did start peppering Burns again, definitely giving her a workout. In the first couple minutes, it was easy to tell it wouldn't be a question of 'who would win', more like 'by how much', and the winners showed why. The W put Poland in the state finals against Jasper-Troupsburg, another perennial powerhouse.
#ByTheNumbers - In a nutshell, Poland. Yeah. More lopsided than a teeter-totter with a fat kid and a toddler on it. Poland outshot Eldred 31-1. Let that marinate. They also had plenty of opportunities off the corner, attempting 13 to Eldred's 2. Poland's goalie duo of Green & Lil Lepper made a whole 0 saves. Jenna Burns made 14 big ones for Eldred - she was most certainly the Sect IX representative's bright spot on this day. Quick reactions saved a couple more from going on the board. Eldred had 13 goal kicks to Poland's 4, and Burns controlled the ball in non-save opportunities 7 more times, where Green never saw the ball and Lepper controlled it 3 times on Eldred balls that were played long with nowhere around. I'll say it again. In a nutshell, Poland.
The most lopsided game I've seen so deep into the state playoffs.
4-0 doesn't give the whoopin' justice. It had a little bit of a 1/8 sectional quarterfinal battle feel to it. However, they had both won their section... and a regional game after. The Tornadoes blew through TC3 and flexed on Eldred for 80 minutes.
The game started with an Eldred attack, and a handball 20 yards out gave Eldred a direct kick. The shot went wide left by around 5 feet. That shot, 35 seconds in, was the only shot they attempted all game. From that point on, Poland dominated. The best thing? It's not even the best I've seen them play this year. After starting to pepper Eldred GK Jenna Burns with shots, Poland broke through in the 9th minute, when Paige Sullivan took a pass from Mikayla Blumenstock and struck it home at the 31:17 mark. Just over 3 minutes later, Sullivan showed she didn't want her senior soccer season to end that day, putting another one through. This one, scored with 28:05 left in the half, was unassisted. The rout was on. It took a little while for Poland to make it 3-0, although they were continuing to put a shot up every 2 minutes on average. Blumenstock did the honors in the 33rd minute, when she took on 5 Eldred defenders and zig-zagged through them like cones in a dribbling drill and knocked it into the nylon. This was her 45th goal of the season, and increased her goal-scoring streak to 20 straight games. Poland went into the half up 3-0 while outshooting Eldred 21-1, forcing Burns to make 9 1st half saves. The only time Poland GK Courtney Green touched the ball was when she went to get one for their only 1st half goal kick.
The 2nd half started just as you'd expect - Poland scored. Sullivan delivered again, giving her a hat trick just over 43 minutes into the game. That goal made it the final, 4-0, with 36:41 left. Even without goals, Poland controlled the 2nd half while getting some fresh legs, 2nd stringers, youngins into the game. Eldred definitely picked up the physicality in the last 40 minutes.. that's putting it nicely. Looked like a team frustrated that decided to take it out on the team that was thoroughly whipping them harder than a kid when they get caught sneaking out. For the sake of the Tornadoes, the game couldn't get over quickly enough... although it did look like the thing that was keeping them interested in the game instead of going to straight autopilot was that extra hold, push, and shove. After relaxing on the shot attempts for a while, Poland did start peppering Burns again, definitely giving her a workout. In the first couple minutes, it was easy to tell it wouldn't be a question of 'who would win', more like 'by how much', and the winners showed why. The W put Poland in the state finals against Jasper-Troupsburg, another perennial powerhouse.
#ByTheNumbers - In a nutshell, Poland. Yeah. More lopsided than a teeter-totter with a fat kid and a toddler on it. Poland outshot Eldred 31-1. Let that marinate. They also had plenty of opportunities off the corner, attempting 13 to Eldred's 2. Poland's goalie duo of Green & Lil Lepper made a whole 0 saves. Jenna Burns made 14 big ones for Eldred - she was most certainly the Sect IX representative's bright spot on this day. Quick reactions saved a couple more from going on the board. Eldred had 13 goal kicks to Poland's 4, and Burns controlled the ball in non-save opportunities 7 more times, where Green never saw the ball and Lepper controlled it 3 times on Eldred balls that were played long with nowhere around. I'll say it again. In a nutshell, Poland.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
11/9 Most Valuable Thoughts: Lansing/Fabius-Pompey Boys Soccer
Lansing 4, Fabius-Pompey 0
Just another blustery November day in Liverpool... except for the fact it was regional day. Fabius-Pompey, ranked #3 in the latest NYSSWA Class C polls, was looking for a berth into the state Final 4, but had 6th ranked Lansing to beat first. This wasn't as much of a "home game" for F-P as most regionals are for the host section - they had a 40-45 minute drive to Liverpool, and Lansing (near Cortland) traveled slightly over an hour. Both teams had a pretty nice crowd on hand - but Lansing gave theirs much more to cheer about.
Lansing tallied early, with a goal scored by Donovan Baird before I arrived in the 12th minute. Fabius-Pompey had a couple somewhat promising opportunities, and kept it on their end for a few minutes, but that was the only sense of control the Falcons would hold all day. Lansing took control of the game and never let go of it. The Bobcats' possession game was too much to handle for the Section III representatives - connecting not 5, not 6, not 7 passes at a time, leading to a spread out D and scoring opportunities. With 15:26 remaining in the 1st half, Lansing's Sam Drake was spoon-fed a pretty cross a few yards away from goal, and he knew what to do with it, putting it in the back of the net. The game went to half with that 2-0 score, and Lansing outshooting F-P 8-2 while I was there.
Fabius-Pompey worked hard in the 2nd half to try & get back into it, but Lansing weathered the early 2nd half storm and started to assert themselves again, although not dominating possession as much. However, any doubt that was in anyone's eyes about this one was eliminated in the 62nd minute. While making a move in a 1 v 1 situation, Lansing's Jason Yahn was taken down well inside the 18. Falcon supporters were incensed by the call, but it looked like a good one from my angle - the foul in the box resulted in a PK for Yahn. He put it through the pipes, giving Lansing a 3-0 lead with 18:48 to play. They tacked on yet another insurance goal with 1:45 remaining, when a pop fly from 20+ yards out deep on the left side by Andy Parks had a little wind support and found its way in the back corner of the net. Lansing controlled every aspect of the game on this day, and brought a 4-0 W to the 607. They outshot Fabius 14-5 in the 67+ minutes I was there. Nate Scalisi had 3 saves for F-P, giving up the 1st 3 goals. The backup goalie didn't have any saves and gave up the weird one. I had Bryce Stanhope with 2 saves on the day for Lansing, who advance to play Williamson, the Section V representative, on Saturday at 5:00 on Middletown's turf field.
#ByTheNumbers - Lansing used a slow, methodical attack to wear down and defeat their opponent. This is shown in the numbers, with it all in favor of Lansing, but relatively low numbers all-around. They outshot F-P 14-5 and forced GK Nate Scalisi to field the ball 7 times, compared to their GK Stanhope only touching the ball 3 times on the day. It was a corner-kick free game for the most part - only 1 each way. The possession game was a killer. Great season to Sect III champs Fabius-Pompey, and best of luck to Sect IV rep Lansing this weekend.
Just another blustery November day in Liverpool... except for the fact it was regional day. Fabius-Pompey, ranked #3 in the latest NYSSWA Class C polls, was looking for a berth into the state Final 4, but had 6th ranked Lansing to beat first. This wasn't as much of a "home game" for F-P as most regionals are for the host section - they had a 40-45 minute drive to Liverpool, and Lansing (near Cortland) traveled slightly over an hour. Both teams had a pretty nice crowd on hand - but Lansing gave theirs much more to cheer about.
Lansing tallied early, with a goal scored by Donovan Baird before I arrived in the 12th minute. Fabius-Pompey had a couple somewhat promising opportunities, and kept it on their end for a few minutes, but that was the only sense of control the Falcons would hold all day. Lansing took control of the game and never let go of it. The Bobcats' possession game was too much to handle for the Section III representatives - connecting not 5, not 6, not 7 passes at a time, leading to a spread out D and scoring opportunities. With 15:26 remaining in the 1st half, Lansing's Sam Drake was spoon-fed a pretty cross a few yards away from goal, and he knew what to do with it, putting it in the back of the net. The game went to half with that 2-0 score, and Lansing outshooting F-P 8-2 while I was there.
Fabius-Pompey worked hard in the 2nd half to try & get back into it, but Lansing weathered the early 2nd half storm and started to assert themselves again, although not dominating possession as much. However, any doubt that was in anyone's eyes about this one was eliminated in the 62nd minute. While making a move in a 1 v 1 situation, Lansing's Jason Yahn was taken down well inside the 18. Falcon supporters were incensed by the call, but it looked like a good one from my angle - the foul in the box resulted in a PK for Yahn. He put it through the pipes, giving Lansing a 3-0 lead with 18:48 to play. They tacked on yet another insurance goal with 1:45 remaining, when a pop fly from 20+ yards out deep on the left side by Andy Parks had a little wind support and found its way in the back corner of the net. Lansing controlled every aspect of the game on this day, and brought a 4-0 W to the 607. They outshot Fabius 14-5 in the 67+ minutes I was there. Nate Scalisi had 3 saves for F-P, giving up the 1st 3 goals. The backup goalie didn't have any saves and gave up the weird one. I had Bryce Stanhope with 2 saves on the day for Lansing, who advance to play Williamson, the Section V representative, on Saturday at 5:00 on Middletown's turf field.
#ByTheNumbers - Lansing used a slow, methodical attack to wear down and defeat their opponent. This is shown in the numbers, with it all in favor of Lansing, but relatively low numbers all-around. They outshot F-P 14-5 and forced GK Nate Scalisi to field the ball 7 times, compared to their GK Stanhope only touching the ball 3 times on the day. It was a corner-kick free game for the most part - only 1 each way. The possession game was a killer. Great season to Sect III champs Fabius-Pompey, and best of luck to Sect IV rep Lansing this weekend.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Food For Thought
Just a note here. I use this segment when there's a nugget of thought I feel like turning into a paragraph or two. Nothing crazy, not calling anyone out... just my thoughts. My observations. They're worth a penny to most, and an article to this website.
Even the best officiating crew can impact a post-sectional game. This really came to me while watching Marcellus & Schalmont go at it in the opener at Stillwater Tuesday. As a Section III resident, I can tell you that among the three boards in our section (Utica, Syracuse, Watertown), there are many differences among them in basically every sport except for football. In Syracuse, they really let you get after it. In Watertown, they call almost everything. In Utica, half the refs call nothing, the other half call everything. If the officials among three boards in a section aren't consistent among themselves, do you expect all the officials in a state to be consistent amongst each other? Nope. Not saying the guys with whistles are at fault here. Just a thought. Marcellus & Schalmont play entirely contrasting styles, and some of that has to do with how they're officiated through the season. Schalmont was smaller than Marcellus, but not by a lot. Marcellus, though, was MUCH more physical. The Syracuse board makes you play through all sorts of contact. In the Capital District, much more is called, at least in soccer. You're used to having certain things called, you'll expect to have them called all the way through. There does come a point where you can't use that as a crutch, and you need to adjust to how the game is being called. It's part of being a soccer player instead of just an athlete. However, the difference was noticeable. Plenty of Schalmont parents were complaining about the physicality on the field and how much was being let go, screaming for calls, heard the word "dirty" thrown around a few times, so on and so on. I found myself thinking, "This is just another game in the Syracuse area". If the game was being called much tighter, Schalmont's squad, who is smallish, quick, and plays more of a pretty game, would have had an advantage. However, the officials let the extra bump go, let the slightly aggressive shield play on, and it most certainly played into Marcellus' hands, wearing Schalmont down a little bit with every play.
There's not really a way to change it unless all officials go to some sort of a convention where the rules are mapped out - what to call, what not to call, how physical do you let it get, and all that good stuff. I don't expect that to happen. Therefore, officiating after sectional play will always be a factor. I'm not going to call it a problem because I thought it was alright - just a factor, and in situations like this, a pretty big one.
Even the best officiating crew can impact a post-sectional game. This really came to me while watching Marcellus & Schalmont go at it in the opener at Stillwater Tuesday. As a Section III resident, I can tell you that among the three boards in our section (Utica, Syracuse, Watertown), there are many differences among them in basically every sport except for football. In Syracuse, they really let you get after it. In Watertown, they call almost everything. In Utica, half the refs call nothing, the other half call everything. If the officials among three boards in a section aren't consistent among themselves, do you expect all the officials in a state to be consistent amongst each other? Nope. Not saying the guys with whistles are at fault here. Just a thought. Marcellus & Schalmont play entirely contrasting styles, and some of that has to do with how they're officiated through the season. Schalmont was smaller than Marcellus, but not by a lot. Marcellus, though, was MUCH more physical. The Syracuse board makes you play through all sorts of contact. In the Capital District, much more is called, at least in soccer. You're used to having certain things called, you'll expect to have them called all the way through. There does come a point where you can't use that as a crutch, and you need to adjust to how the game is being called. It's part of being a soccer player instead of just an athlete. However, the difference was noticeable. Plenty of Schalmont parents were complaining about the physicality on the field and how much was being let go, screaming for calls, heard the word "dirty" thrown around a few times, so on and so on. I found myself thinking, "This is just another game in the Syracuse area". If the game was being called much tighter, Schalmont's squad, who is smallish, quick, and plays more of a pretty game, would have had an advantage. However, the officials let the extra bump go, let the slightly aggressive shield play on, and it most certainly played into Marcellus' hands, wearing Schalmont down a little bit with every play.
There's not really a way to change it unless all officials go to some sort of a convention where the rules are mapped out - what to call, what not to call, how physical do you let it get, and all that good stuff. I don't expect that to happen. Therefore, officiating after sectional play will always be a factor. I'm not going to call it a problem because I thought it was alright - just a factor, and in situations like this, a pretty big one.
11/5 Most Valuable Thoughts: Jamesville-Dewitt/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Girls Soccer
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake 2, Jamesville-Dewitt 2
BH-BL advances with a 3-1 edge in PKs
Another dandy. This is one I'm glad I was around for. J-D came in 18-1, ranked #9 in the state in Class A, outscoring opponents 59-13 this season. They stepped it up on the defensive end as of late, shutting 4 of their last 5 opponents out, including East Syracuse-Minoa in the Sect III finals. BH-BL came in at 11-7-1 against almost exclusively AA schools, ranked #11 in A, outscoring opponents 43-22. They won their finals in Sect II easily, knocking out Cobleskill-Richmondville 3-0. The marathon in Stillwater was well worth the wait.
Burnt Hills was looking for revenge, after J-D knocked them out at this stage last season en route to a berth in the state finals. Early, it looked like they were primed and ready for it, being the aggressors, first to almost everything. Led by Morgan Burchhardt and Meghan Malone, they forged chances early and often. Burchhardt could turn what looked like nothing into a chance, letting the cannon loose from 40+ yards on frame numerous times. In the first half, they outshot J-D 9-6, forcing Allison Butler to make 5 saves, touch the ball in non-save situations 5 more times, and have 7 goal kicks - a.k.a. they put the pressure on. However, J-D was the team who struck first. With 8 minutes left in the half, Paige Sherling played the ball in front of goal to Alex Catanzarite, who motored past everyone and knocked it through the pipes, giving the Red Rams a 1-0 lead over the Spartans. J-D did have a couple nice chances besides that in the half, but nothing else materialized either way. We went to the break with that same score. As I tweeted, a guy behind me said 'You smell that?.. OT'. I agreed. I just didn't think it was going to happen the way it did. Felt like it had 1-1 written all over it. Well, they wanted more fireworks.
Burnt Hills didn't dominate, but definitely had the better half of possession and chances to start the 2nd half. However, at about the 30 minute mark, it looked like J-D was starting to even play and they weathered the storm without giving up the lead. That all changed with just under 26 to go. Burchhardt was awarded a direct kick from slightly under 35 yards out, and the cannon came through, placing one beautifully in the top right corner of goal. Butler, who played a great game and was very strong positioning herself, had no shot at that one. With 25:46 remaining, the score was tied. It didn't take long for Sparty to capitalize on that build of momentum. Malone, who along with Burchhardt I dubbed "The Usual Suspects", received a pass in a dangerous spot with not much pressure, and she made J-D pay, putting one into the nylon at the 22:39 mark, thus giving BH-BL a 2-1 lead. With such a momentum shift, I foolishly thought what I heard a lot of people behind me saying: "this one's over". I was wrong. So were the parents, but I'm used to that. A direct kick from deep went over Spartan GK Erin Petrillose's hands, off the top post, and back down in front of goal, where Catanzarite beat everyone to the ball again, poking it into goal. Like Bounty, she cleans up the mess. That tied the score up at 2 with 19:25 left. If you're paying attention, the game before with 2 teams scoring 250 goals on the season managed 2 in 80 minutes, and the game with 2 teams scoring 102 goals scored 3 in 6:21. You just don't know sometimes, man. They each had some shots to break the tie - BH-BL with more, making Butler dive to make stops a couple times (did I mention she played like an all-star?), but J-D just missed out in the last 2 minutes. Catanzarite did what she does, beat everyone to the ball, but her shot from close went just wide of frame with under 2 to go. BH-BL outshot J-D 18-10 in regulation, forcing Butler to make 8 saves while Petrillose made 2, but what matters is the goal count, which was 2 apiece.
Sparty continued to pepper the goal at times in OT, forcing Butler to make 3 more saves in the 1st 10 minute session alone and 6 more total. However, through 30 minutes of extra time consisting of two 10 minute full sessions and two 5 minute sudden death/victory sessions, no one put a 3rd through, so we went to everyone's favorite... PKs! Happy happy, joy joy. BH-BL put Haley Schultz in goal for the penalty kicks, and she did admirably. Burchhardt & Malone started off by putting their attempts through, while Schultz stopped the first 2 J-D attempts, giving the Spartans a 2-0 lead in the Best of 5 PK attempts. Both attempts were no good in Round 3, with Butler making a save to keep the Red Rams alive. Still, with 2 rounds left, J-D needed to can both and stop both of BH-BL's last attempts. J-D started off Round 4 right, putting it through. However, Jenna Retell did the same for the Spartans, clinching the 3-1 victory in PKs and sending the Spartans through to the state quarters. A great game to cover all-around. You're not hearing me complain about the cold, the length of time, the fact that Boston Market was actually crappy after. I enjoyed myself out here. Worth the trip!
#NumbersDontLie - All-in-all, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake was the stronger team. However, J-D came with the heart and the desire, not to mention a goalie who could stop a shot from God. Mix those attributes together, and you draw up a formula to make numbers possibly lie. That being said, the Spartans generated more opportunities, looked like the team that would come out on top most of the way, and the numbers resembled that. They outshot Jamesville-Dewitt 28-13, forcing keeper Allison Butler to make 13 saves. She nearly matched that number in non-save touches. The game was somewhat corner kick-free, with only 7 corners in 110 minutes. J-D also had 18 goal kicks compared to BH-BL's 10 - I still understand goal kicks mean nothing to most people, but when you throw it in with the shot numbers, it goes to show that the Spartans were putting that pressure on the Section III representatives. A game full of drama. Sports. That's why we watch.
BH-BL advances with a 3-1 edge in PKs
Another dandy. This is one I'm glad I was around for. J-D came in 18-1, ranked #9 in the state in Class A, outscoring opponents 59-13 this season. They stepped it up on the defensive end as of late, shutting 4 of their last 5 opponents out, including East Syracuse-Minoa in the Sect III finals. BH-BL came in at 11-7-1 against almost exclusively AA schools, ranked #11 in A, outscoring opponents 43-22. They won their finals in Sect II easily, knocking out Cobleskill-Richmondville 3-0. The marathon in Stillwater was well worth the wait.
Burnt Hills was looking for revenge, after J-D knocked them out at this stage last season en route to a berth in the state finals. Early, it looked like they were primed and ready for it, being the aggressors, first to almost everything. Led by Morgan Burchhardt and Meghan Malone, they forged chances early and often. Burchhardt could turn what looked like nothing into a chance, letting the cannon loose from 40+ yards on frame numerous times. In the first half, they outshot J-D 9-6, forcing Allison Butler to make 5 saves, touch the ball in non-save situations 5 more times, and have 7 goal kicks - a.k.a. they put the pressure on. However, J-D was the team who struck first. With 8 minutes left in the half, Paige Sherling played the ball in front of goal to Alex Catanzarite, who motored past everyone and knocked it through the pipes, giving the Red Rams a 1-0 lead over the Spartans. J-D did have a couple nice chances besides that in the half, but nothing else materialized either way. We went to the break with that same score. As I tweeted, a guy behind me said 'You smell that?.. OT'. I agreed. I just didn't think it was going to happen the way it did. Felt like it had 1-1 written all over it. Well, they wanted more fireworks.
Burnt Hills didn't dominate, but definitely had the better half of possession and chances to start the 2nd half. However, at about the 30 minute mark, it looked like J-D was starting to even play and they weathered the storm without giving up the lead. That all changed with just under 26 to go. Burchhardt was awarded a direct kick from slightly under 35 yards out, and the cannon came through, placing one beautifully in the top right corner of goal. Butler, who played a great game and was very strong positioning herself, had no shot at that one. With 25:46 remaining, the score was tied. It didn't take long for Sparty to capitalize on that build of momentum. Malone, who along with Burchhardt I dubbed "The Usual Suspects", received a pass in a dangerous spot with not much pressure, and she made J-D pay, putting one into the nylon at the 22:39 mark, thus giving BH-BL a 2-1 lead. With such a momentum shift, I foolishly thought what I heard a lot of people behind me saying: "this one's over". I was wrong. So were the parents, but I'm used to that. A direct kick from deep went over Spartan GK Erin Petrillose's hands, off the top post, and back down in front of goal, where Catanzarite beat everyone to the ball again, poking it into goal. Like Bounty, she cleans up the mess. That tied the score up at 2 with 19:25 left. If you're paying attention, the game before with 2 teams scoring 250 goals on the season managed 2 in 80 minutes, and the game with 2 teams scoring 102 goals scored 3 in 6:21. You just don't know sometimes, man. They each had some shots to break the tie - BH-BL with more, making Butler dive to make stops a couple times (did I mention she played like an all-star?), but J-D just missed out in the last 2 minutes. Catanzarite did what she does, beat everyone to the ball, but her shot from close went just wide of frame with under 2 to go. BH-BL outshot J-D 18-10 in regulation, forcing Butler to make 8 saves while Petrillose made 2, but what matters is the goal count, which was 2 apiece.
Sparty continued to pepper the goal at times in OT, forcing Butler to make 3 more saves in the 1st 10 minute session alone and 6 more total. However, through 30 minutes of extra time consisting of two 10 minute full sessions and two 5 minute sudden death/victory sessions, no one put a 3rd through, so we went to everyone's favorite... PKs! Happy happy, joy joy. BH-BL put Haley Schultz in goal for the penalty kicks, and she did admirably. Burchhardt & Malone started off by putting their attempts through, while Schultz stopped the first 2 J-D attempts, giving the Spartans a 2-0 lead in the Best of 5 PK attempts. Both attempts were no good in Round 3, with Butler making a save to keep the Red Rams alive. Still, with 2 rounds left, J-D needed to can both and stop both of BH-BL's last attempts. J-D started off Round 4 right, putting it through. However, Jenna Retell did the same for the Spartans, clinching the 3-1 victory in PKs and sending the Spartans through to the state quarters. A great game to cover all-around. You're not hearing me complain about the cold, the length of time, the fact that Boston Market was actually crappy after. I enjoyed myself out here. Worth the trip!
#NumbersDontLie - All-in-all, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake was the stronger team. However, J-D came with the heart and the desire, not to mention a goalie who could stop a shot from God. Mix those attributes together, and you draw up a formula to make numbers possibly lie. That being said, the Spartans generated more opportunities, looked like the team that would come out on top most of the way, and the numbers resembled that. They outshot Jamesville-Dewitt 28-13, forcing keeper Allison Butler to make 13 saves. She nearly matched that number in non-save touches. The game was somewhat corner kick-free, with only 7 corners in 110 minutes. J-D also had 18 goal kicks compared to BH-BL's 10 - I still understand goal kicks mean nothing to most people, but when you throw it in with the shot numbers, it goes to show that the Spartans were putting that pressure on the Section III representatives. A game full of drama. Sports. That's why we watch.
11/5 Most Valuable Thoughts: Marcellus/Schalmont Girls Soccer
Marcellus 2, Schalmont 0
This is what we come to see. The best of the best. Time for some post-sectional soccer action. Bums need not apply... and no one on the field was a bum at Stillwater on this night. This Sect III/Sect II showdown between 2 of the top 3 teams in the state in Class B was every bit of competitive as expected.
Got there late, unfortunately. Hoped to be there the whole time, showed up with 7 minutes remaining in the first half. Didn't miss anything I needed to see though, as it was still scoreless. Over those last few minutes of the half, Schalmont, ranked #1 in Class B, showed a little more spark, but no one provided a scoring opportunity that looked legitimate. These 2 teams had high-powered offenses and staunch defenses all year, scoring 250 goals combined going into this night, while only giving up 17. The defenses won out through the first 40.
To start the 2nd half, Schalmont continued to show the spark, and with Bianca Mascitelli & Madeline Saccocio pressuring the Mustangs' back line, there was a point where it looked like a matter of time before Schalmont would break through. Mascitelli just missed on putting one through at one point, and the Marcellus keeper had to make a couple saves early in the half. However, Marcellus, ranked #3 in the state, settled back in and showed everyone something: it's not about who gets the most chances, it's about who makes the most of their chances. They started to balance play, and with 15:46 remaining, they made the most of a chance. Brielle Filtch received a pass up top, just outside the 18. For whatever reason, she had loads of daylight... they must have neglected that part of the scouting report. She one-touched it and let it loose, putting it past the keeper in the bottom right corner. Girl can play. Schalmont instantly tried to put the pressure on, but it ended with a long-distance shot right to the keeper's chest. 3 minutes later, Marcellus countered off a Schalmont attack and ultimately was awarded a corner. The corner itself went nowhere, but the Sabres didn't exactly clear it as well as they'd like to. Sort of a failed clearance attempt up the middle of the field went to the foot of Mustang Emma Blystone, who one-timed it from deep over the Sabres GK's head, giving Marcellus the insurance goal they needed at the 11:59 mark. The last 12 minutes were played relatively evenly, with neither team forging a very strong scoring chance. Overall, a great game to watch. High energy, physical but not rough, fun to watch. Marcellus moves on to the state quarterfinals with the win, where they play the winner of the Sect VII/Sect X game. Schalmont, despite the loss, had a hell of a season. Nothing to be ashamed of. As a matter of fact, that was their only blemish this year, finishing with a record of 20-1.
#NumbersDontLie - This was even. Schalmont's chances came in flurries, but Marcellus always had its share of opportunities. Never one-sided. As a matter of fact, in the 2nd half, both teams attempted 6 shots and had 1 corner kick. Both GKs touched the ball 7 times in the half - 3 saves & 4 non-save touches on Marcellus' end, and 2 saves with 5 non-save touches for Schalmont. It's not always about who gets the most chances, or whose chances look the best. It's about who makes the net move, and that's what Marcellus did.
This is what we come to see. The best of the best. Time for some post-sectional soccer action. Bums need not apply... and no one on the field was a bum at Stillwater on this night. This Sect III/Sect II showdown between 2 of the top 3 teams in the state in Class B was every bit of competitive as expected.
Got there late, unfortunately. Hoped to be there the whole time, showed up with 7 minutes remaining in the first half. Didn't miss anything I needed to see though, as it was still scoreless. Over those last few minutes of the half, Schalmont, ranked #1 in Class B, showed a little more spark, but no one provided a scoring opportunity that looked legitimate. These 2 teams had high-powered offenses and staunch defenses all year, scoring 250 goals combined going into this night, while only giving up 17. The defenses won out through the first 40.
To start the 2nd half, Schalmont continued to show the spark, and with Bianca Mascitelli & Madeline Saccocio pressuring the Mustangs' back line, there was a point where it looked like a matter of time before Schalmont would break through. Mascitelli just missed on putting one through at one point, and the Marcellus keeper had to make a couple saves early in the half. However, Marcellus, ranked #3 in the state, settled back in and showed everyone something: it's not about who gets the most chances, it's about who makes the most of their chances. They started to balance play, and with 15:46 remaining, they made the most of a chance. Brielle Filtch received a pass up top, just outside the 18. For whatever reason, she had loads of daylight... they must have neglected that part of the scouting report. She one-touched it and let it loose, putting it past the keeper in the bottom right corner. Girl can play. Schalmont instantly tried to put the pressure on, but it ended with a long-distance shot right to the keeper's chest. 3 minutes later, Marcellus countered off a Schalmont attack and ultimately was awarded a corner. The corner itself went nowhere, but the Sabres didn't exactly clear it as well as they'd like to. Sort of a failed clearance attempt up the middle of the field went to the foot of Mustang Emma Blystone, who one-timed it from deep over the Sabres GK's head, giving Marcellus the insurance goal they needed at the 11:59 mark. The last 12 minutes were played relatively evenly, with neither team forging a very strong scoring chance. Overall, a great game to watch. High energy, physical but not rough, fun to watch. Marcellus moves on to the state quarterfinals with the win, where they play the winner of the Sect VII/Sect X game. Schalmont, despite the loss, had a hell of a season. Nothing to be ashamed of. As a matter of fact, that was their only blemish this year, finishing with a record of 20-1.
#NumbersDontLie - This was even. Schalmont's chances came in flurries, but Marcellus always had its share of opportunities. Never one-sided. As a matter of fact, in the 2nd half, both teams attempted 6 shots and had 1 corner kick. Both GKs touched the ball 7 times in the half - 3 saves & 4 non-save touches on Marcellus' end, and 2 saves with 5 non-save touches for Schalmont. It's not always about who gets the most chances, or whose chances look the best. It's about who makes the net move, and that's what Marcellus did.
Monday, November 4, 2013
Preview City: Marcellus/Schalmont, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake/Jamesville-Dewitt Girls Soccer
Marcellus/Schalmont
This one starts off the day in Stillwater. The Sect III/Sect II Class B girls soccer regional truly pits 2 of the state's top teams in this class against each other. Marcellus comes in with a record of 17-1-1, a hiccup against Skaneateles and a draw against a tough Westhill squad that they beat in the Sect III finals this year the only things keeping them from a perfect record. They've outscored opponents 123-10 over the course of the season, and are ranked #3 in the most recent NYSSWA Class B polls. They're tough. The majority of their firepower comes from 3 players - Jada Sargeant (29 goals), Brielle Filtch (24 goals), and Madi Belvito (14 goals, 24 assists). I've yet to see someone who can catch up to Belvito, a.k.a. Roadrunner, if she gets a step. They're very strong defensively, shutting teams out a dozen times so far - not to mention that their goalies only have to make about 3 saves a contest, on average. Their numbers are extremely impressive...
But if there's one school whose numbers top that, it's who they're playing. The Sabres of Schalmont are undefeated, sitting at 20-0 entering Tuesday. They're the top-ranked team in the state, according to those same polls. They've outscored the opposition by an ungodly 120 goals - 127-7. 13 shutouts, and 7 games where the opponent has scored 1 goal. No multi-goal games. They spread the wealth offensively: it seems like half their team has at least 6 goals. Madeline Saccocio leads the way (22 goals, 16 dimes), but you can throw Molly Older (21 goals), Bianca Mascitelli (18 goals & 10 assists), Rachel Cardinal (12 goals, 15 dimes), & Julia Rossi (12 goals) in the mix. They have numerous girls who can get the job done, and they've done just that.. All. Year. Long. Who's going to win the battle of these powerhouses? Find out tomorrow at 4:30.
Jamesville-Dewitt/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake
I think this game has the potential to be interesting. This is a rematch of last season's Class A regional, with J-D getting the W on the way to making the state final. They've had different paths, but they both end up here. J-D has only a loss at the hands of West Genesee on their schedule. They haven't been overly dominant like the two aforementioned teams, but with 1 loss & ranked in the top 10 in the NYSSWA Class A state rankings (#9 to be exact), they're doing something right. They've outscored opponents 59-13, including 9 shutouts, and 4 of the last 5. Paige Sherling leads the attack for a relatively balanced Red Rams squad, fresh off getting the game winner in the Sect III Class A finals against ES-M. They did a nice job with adversity, loading up the non-league schedule with a couple AA schools. Their hopes, I'm sure, was to prepare them for nights like this...
And Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake is prepared, too. They're coming in just out of the top 10, sitting at #11. Their record is the least impressive of the ones mentioned - 11-7-1. They've doubled up opponents, outscoring them 43-22. But wait... these girls have played AA schools all year long. Including the best in Sect II. Maybe that's a good reason for the record. Morgan Burchhardt leads the way with 12 tallies. Meghan Malone has scored just 5 times, but is a catalyst for plenty of other goals. They went through Sect II Class A sectionals on a tear, beating Cobleskill in the final 3-0. Should be interesting. This one will kick off around 6:30 Tuesday!
This one starts off the day in Stillwater. The Sect III/Sect II Class B girls soccer regional truly pits 2 of the state's top teams in this class against each other. Marcellus comes in with a record of 17-1-1, a hiccup against Skaneateles and a draw against a tough Westhill squad that they beat in the Sect III finals this year the only things keeping them from a perfect record. They've outscored opponents 123-10 over the course of the season, and are ranked #3 in the most recent NYSSWA Class B polls. They're tough. The majority of their firepower comes from 3 players - Jada Sargeant (29 goals), Brielle Filtch (24 goals), and Madi Belvito (14 goals, 24 assists). I've yet to see someone who can catch up to Belvito, a.k.a. Roadrunner, if she gets a step. They're very strong defensively, shutting teams out a dozen times so far - not to mention that their goalies only have to make about 3 saves a contest, on average. Their numbers are extremely impressive...
But if there's one school whose numbers top that, it's who they're playing. The Sabres of Schalmont are undefeated, sitting at 20-0 entering Tuesday. They're the top-ranked team in the state, according to those same polls. They've outscored the opposition by an ungodly 120 goals - 127-7. 13 shutouts, and 7 games where the opponent has scored 1 goal. No multi-goal games. They spread the wealth offensively: it seems like half their team has at least 6 goals. Madeline Saccocio leads the way (22 goals, 16 dimes), but you can throw Molly Older (21 goals), Bianca Mascitelli (18 goals & 10 assists), Rachel Cardinal (12 goals, 15 dimes), & Julia Rossi (12 goals) in the mix. They have numerous girls who can get the job done, and they've done just that.. All. Year. Long. Who's going to win the battle of these powerhouses? Find out tomorrow at 4:30.
Jamesville-Dewitt/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake
I think this game has the potential to be interesting. This is a rematch of last season's Class A regional, with J-D getting the W on the way to making the state final. They've had different paths, but they both end up here. J-D has only a loss at the hands of West Genesee on their schedule. They haven't been overly dominant like the two aforementioned teams, but with 1 loss & ranked in the top 10 in the NYSSWA Class A state rankings (#9 to be exact), they're doing something right. They've outscored opponents 59-13, including 9 shutouts, and 4 of the last 5. Paige Sherling leads the attack for a relatively balanced Red Rams squad, fresh off getting the game winner in the Sect III Class A finals against ES-M. They did a nice job with adversity, loading up the non-league schedule with a couple AA schools. Their hopes, I'm sure, was to prepare them for nights like this...
And Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake is prepared, too. They're coming in just out of the top 10, sitting at #11. Their record is the least impressive of the ones mentioned - 11-7-1. They've doubled up opponents, outscoring them 43-22. But wait... these girls have played AA schools all year long. Including the best in Sect II. Maybe that's a good reason for the record. Morgan Burchhardt leads the way with 12 tallies. Meghan Malone has scored just 5 times, but is a catalyst for plenty of other goals. They went through Sect II Class A sectionals on a tear, beating Cobleskill in the final 3-0. Should be interesting. This one will kick off around 6:30 Tuesday!
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Most Valuable Thoughts: Herkimer/Westmoreland Football
Herkimer 29, Westmoreland 20
The score was around what I expected. Everything else was different. A game I expected to be back & forth was pretty much dominated by Herkimer. What prevented this game from being lopsided - a couple big special teams plays from the Bulldogs and a bunch of Magician mistakes when they were threatening to score.
After trading drives that went about as far as Miss Daisy without a driver, Westmoreland's Tim Harrison retreated to pick up a bouncing punt within his own 5, and nearly broke it free. He was caught from behind after a 49 yard return. They proceeded to lose 20 yards on an errant option toss, but a late hit moved it up 15 of those yards - a common theme of Herkimer errors keeping Westmo around. A 31 yard completion from Tyler Deveans to Jack Acquaviva on 3rd & 11 was the big play of the drive, which led to a 1 yard Deveans plunge on 1st & goal, putting Westmoreland up 7-0 with 4:25 left in the 1st quarter. It didn't take long for the Magicians to respond. On the 1st play of the ensuing drive, Austin Mills ran one up the gut, shed a couple would-be tacklers early, and busted out 58 yards into the end zone, putting Herkimer up 8-7 at the 4:11 mark. This is a lead Herkimer would never relinquish.
After a 3 & out, Herkimer got the ball back and proceeded to get up the field quickly. A 32 yard catch & run from Brennen Thompson off a Mills pass broke it deep into Bulldog territory, and 3 Mills runs finished it off, the last one being a 3 yard plunge into the end zone on 1st & goal. The Magicians were up 14-7 with the 1st coming to a close. Mills picked off a Deveans pass (another common theme) setting up another quick strike - after an incomplete pass, Thompson had the Madden Run of the Night, shaking a couple tackles and hitting the trigger button a few times, juking left & right around 4 other would-be tacklers, going from the middle of the field to near the right sideline, cutting back to the middle, and ending up in the promised land with a 46 yard TD. The 2 point conversion gave Herkimer its largest lead, a 22-7 cushion less than 1:30 into the 2nd quarter. Herkimer's offense stalled for the rest of the half, with a pair of 3 & outs and a looming 3rd & 22 at the end of the half, and Westmo was able to get back in it. After another 3 & out and Deveans pass picked off by Mills again, the Bulldogs fed Tim Harrison, who got them into the red zone off consecutive runs of 17 & 18 yards. On 3rd & goal from the 14, Deveans lofted one up to where only 6'6" Tyler Taverne could get it, and he grabbed it in the end zone, shrinking the lead to 22-14 with :55.5 left in the half. They went to the break with that score - Westmo ran 13 more plays than the Magicians and held the ball for much longer, but in this case, it was because Herkimer's scoring drives were quick.
The 2nd half was the land of missed opportunities for Herkimer. They started at their own 8 yard line after a Zach Steele kick return TD was called back on a hold. Two Mills completions, a 16 yarder to Dan Appley and a 46 yarder to Steele, along with a roughing the passer penalty, quickly put the ball at Westmoreland's 15. Mills hit Appley on the ensuing play, who was headed toward the end zone, but had the ball popped out around the 1. The ball snuck out of the end zone before another Herkimer player could pounce on it, resulting in a touchback. The next time they got the ball, they moved up the field quickly again. A Mills 14 yard run & Thompson 22 yard run put them back in the red zone, at the 12. A block in the back moved it back to a 2nd & 24 at one point, and after a 17 yard completion from Mills to Eric Johnston, they were left with a 4th & 3 at the 6. They went for it, and Mills came up one yard short. They nearly forced a safety right after, forcing Westmoreland's offense right to the goal line after tackling Robert Heitzmann nearly in the end zone, and an ensuing punt & 19 yard Johnston return put Herkimer at the Bulldog 23 to start the drive. This time, they would cash in. An 11 yard completion to Adam Kirkpatrick on 4th & 4 set up a 2 yard Mills plunge into the end zone, making the score 29-14 with 3:06 remaining in the 3rd. Deveans had it poked away on the ensuing Westmoreland drive, but Tim Harrison helped make up for it. He had his own Madden run, dirty dancing his way away from 3 Magicians converging on him right after the catch and turning it into a 74 yard TD return. The extra point was no good, however, keeping it a 2 possession game at 29-20. On a day where Harrison didn't have much room to breathe (10 carries for 57 yards, 35 of those being on consecutive carries), he made up for it in the return game, picking up 123 return yards on just 2 returns.
Herkimer's longest drive was the following one, running 12 plays and chewing up 6:22 of clock, but after getting to Westmoreland's 18, they stalled again, turning it over on downs. The Bulldogs couldn't capitalize, getting pinned deep in their own territory, and another nice Johnston return put it at their 32 for Herk to take over. They made it to the 19 this time, but Mills had the ball stripped while going back to pass, and Westmoreland recovered. However, on the 2nd play of the drive, Deveans dropped back to pass, and Mills found his way to it again, picking off his 3rd pass of the night. They basically ran out the clock, turning it over on downs, but with just :01.2 seconds remaining, and found their way into the Class D finals, taking on Sandy Creek at the Carrier Dome Saturday @ noon. Austin Mills went 7/16 in the air for 153 yards; he also rushed for 130 yards on 22 carries & 3 TDs. He lost a fumble, but picked off 3 passes himself. Brennen Thompson had a strong game for Herkimer, with 124 rushing yards & a TD on 13 carries, along with springing his 1 reception 32 yards. On Westmoreland's end, Tyler Deveans went 5/15, throwing for 72 yards, a TD & 3 picks. He ran for 14 yards on 7 carries & a TD, along with a lost fumble. He was sacked 3 times for a loss of 28 yards, whereas his counterpart, Mills, wasn't sacked once. Tim Harrison was bottled up for most of the night, rushing for 57 yards on 10 carries, and 4 receiving yards on 1 catch. He did his damage on special teams, returning a punt 74 yards to the house and taking his other punt return 49 yards, nearly breaking it out to go all the way. Herkimer outgained Westmoreland, not including penalties or special teams, 424-104 on the night. Westmo was held to just 12 offensive yards in the 2nd half. However, Herkimer had some costly, untimely penalties (7 for 72 yards), and only scored once in the 2nd half on 5 opportunities inside the Westmoreland 20. If Herkimer could have capitalized, this game could have been a blowout. On this night, Herkimer was the better of the two squads, and the actual score didn't necessarily indicate the amount of opportunities they could have, and probably should have, converted. They'll need to shore that up going forward, but they move on to the Dome for the 3rd straight year, and I'm sure to all of them, that's what matters.
Neat-o Stat of the Night - Already mentioned it. 5 red zone trips for Herkimer in the 2nd half alone with 7 points to show for it. Also, 22 of Herkimer's 29 points came in the matter of 5 minutes and 35 seconds. Talk about the flood gates opening.
The score was around what I expected. Everything else was different. A game I expected to be back & forth was pretty much dominated by Herkimer. What prevented this game from being lopsided - a couple big special teams plays from the Bulldogs and a bunch of Magician mistakes when they were threatening to score.
After trading drives that went about as far as Miss Daisy without a driver, Westmoreland's Tim Harrison retreated to pick up a bouncing punt within his own 5, and nearly broke it free. He was caught from behind after a 49 yard return. They proceeded to lose 20 yards on an errant option toss, but a late hit moved it up 15 of those yards - a common theme of Herkimer errors keeping Westmo around. A 31 yard completion from Tyler Deveans to Jack Acquaviva on 3rd & 11 was the big play of the drive, which led to a 1 yard Deveans plunge on 1st & goal, putting Westmoreland up 7-0 with 4:25 left in the 1st quarter. It didn't take long for the Magicians to respond. On the 1st play of the ensuing drive, Austin Mills ran one up the gut, shed a couple would-be tacklers early, and busted out 58 yards into the end zone, putting Herkimer up 8-7 at the 4:11 mark. This is a lead Herkimer would never relinquish.
After a 3 & out, Herkimer got the ball back and proceeded to get up the field quickly. A 32 yard catch & run from Brennen Thompson off a Mills pass broke it deep into Bulldog territory, and 3 Mills runs finished it off, the last one being a 3 yard plunge into the end zone on 1st & goal. The Magicians were up 14-7 with the 1st coming to a close. Mills picked off a Deveans pass (another common theme) setting up another quick strike - after an incomplete pass, Thompson had the Madden Run of the Night, shaking a couple tackles and hitting the trigger button a few times, juking left & right around 4 other would-be tacklers, going from the middle of the field to near the right sideline, cutting back to the middle, and ending up in the promised land with a 46 yard TD. The 2 point conversion gave Herkimer its largest lead, a 22-7 cushion less than 1:30 into the 2nd quarter. Herkimer's offense stalled for the rest of the half, with a pair of 3 & outs and a looming 3rd & 22 at the end of the half, and Westmo was able to get back in it. After another 3 & out and Deveans pass picked off by Mills again, the Bulldogs fed Tim Harrison, who got them into the red zone off consecutive runs of 17 & 18 yards. On 3rd & goal from the 14, Deveans lofted one up to where only 6'6" Tyler Taverne could get it, and he grabbed it in the end zone, shrinking the lead to 22-14 with :55.5 left in the half. They went to the break with that score - Westmo ran 13 more plays than the Magicians and held the ball for much longer, but in this case, it was because Herkimer's scoring drives were quick.
The 2nd half was the land of missed opportunities for Herkimer. They started at their own 8 yard line after a Zach Steele kick return TD was called back on a hold. Two Mills completions, a 16 yarder to Dan Appley and a 46 yarder to Steele, along with a roughing the passer penalty, quickly put the ball at Westmoreland's 15. Mills hit Appley on the ensuing play, who was headed toward the end zone, but had the ball popped out around the 1. The ball snuck out of the end zone before another Herkimer player could pounce on it, resulting in a touchback. The next time they got the ball, they moved up the field quickly again. A Mills 14 yard run & Thompson 22 yard run put them back in the red zone, at the 12. A block in the back moved it back to a 2nd & 24 at one point, and after a 17 yard completion from Mills to Eric Johnston, they were left with a 4th & 3 at the 6. They went for it, and Mills came up one yard short. They nearly forced a safety right after, forcing Westmoreland's offense right to the goal line after tackling Robert Heitzmann nearly in the end zone, and an ensuing punt & 19 yard Johnston return put Herkimer at the Bulldog 23 to start the drive. This time, they would cash in. An 11 yard completion to Adam Kirkpatrick on 4th & 4 set up a 2 yard Mills plunge into the end zone, making the score 29-14 with 3:06 remaining in the 3rd. Deveans had it poked away on the ensuing Westmoreland drive, but Tim Harrison helped make up for it. He had his own Madden run, dirty dancing his way away from 3 Magicians converging on him right after the catch and turning it into a 74 yard TD return. The extra point was no good, however, keeping it a 2 possession game at 29-20. On a day where Harrison didn't have much room to breathe (10 carries for 57 yards, 35 of those being on consecutive carries), he made up for it in the return game, picking up 123 return yards on just 2 returns.
Herkimer's longest drive was the following one, running 12 plays and chewing up 6:22 of clock, but after getting to Westmoreland's 18, they stalled again, turning it over on downs. The Bulldogs couldn't capitalize, getting pinned deep in their own territory, and another nice Johnston return put it at their 32 for Herk to take over. They made it to the 19 this time, but Mills had the ball stripped while going back to pass, and Westmoreland recovered. However, on the 2nd play of the drive, Deveans dropped back to pass, and Mills found his way to it again, picking off his 3rd pass of the night. They basically ran out the clock, turning it over on downs, but with just :01.2 seconds remaining, and found their way into the Class D finals, taking on Sandy Creek at the Carrier Dome Saturday @ noon. Austin Mills went 7/16 in the air for 153 yards; he also rushed for 130 yards on 22 carries & 3 TDs. He lost a fumble, but picked off 3 passes himself. Brennen Thompson had a strong game for Herkimer, with 124 rushing yards & a TD on 13 carries, along with springing his 1 reception 32 yards. On Westmoreland's end, Tyler Deveans went 5/15, throwing for 72 yards, a TD & 3 picks. He ran for 14 yards on 7 carries & a TD, along with a lost fumble. He was sacked 3 times for a loss of 28 yards, whereas his counterpart, Mills, wasn't sacked once. Tim Harrison was bottled up for most of the night, rushing for 57 yards on 10 carries, and 4 receiving yards on 1 catch. He did his damage on special teams, returning a punt 74 yards to the house and taking his other punt return 49 yards, nearly breaking it out to go all the way. Herkimer outgained Westmoreland, not including penalties or special teams, 424-104 on the night. Westmo was held to just 12 offensive yards in the 2nd half. However, Herkimer had some costly, untimely penalties (7 for 72 yards), and only scored once in the 2nd half on 5 opportunities inside the Westmoreland 20. If Herkimer could have capitalized, this game could have been a blowout. On this night, Herkimer was the better of the two squads, and the actual score didn't necessarily indicate the amount of opportunities they could have, and probably should have, converted. They'll need to shore that up going forward, but they move on to the Dome for the 3rd straight year, and I'm sure to all of them, that's what matters.
Neat-o Stat of the Night - Already mentioned it. 5 red zone trips for Herkimer in the 2nd half alone with 7 points to show for it. Also, 22 of Herkimer's 29 points came in the matter of 5 minutes and 35 seconds. Talk about the flood gates opening.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)