SCOTTIES OUTLAST RAMS
Defense stops La Salle 10 yards short of goal line to end game
Ballston Spa running back Jovie Acacio breaks a tackle from Amsterdam cornerback Josiah Newborn, helping his team win 34-31 on Friday.
The Averill Park football team was outgained Friday night, but it was not outplayed. For the second week in a row, the Warriors had their Class A game go down to the final minute to determine a winner. Each time, Averill Park was a bit better than its opponent when it mattered most.
Averill Park withstood a late rally by La Salle, culminated by junior safety Ryan Heffner tackling La Salle wide receiver Nassir Young at the Warriors’ 10-yard line as time expired to preserve a 20-13 home triumph.
“That is crazy. Two weeks in a row. We stuck it out,” Averill Park senior defensive end Nick Clemenzi said.
“To win in that circumstance, I couldn’t be happier,” Averill Park senior fullback Dan Mcshane said. “A lot of guys stepped up — young guys, old guys, whoever.”
Last week, Averill Park eked out a wild 41-40 victory against Amsterdam when the Warriors stuffed a two-point conversion run that could have won the game. Friday, Averill Park withstood the Cadets pushing the ball down the field in the waning seconds. Young caught a short pass on the final play that began from the Averill Park 29. He cut left, went back to the right and eventually was pulled down by Heffner.
The Warriors (4-1 overall, 4-1 Class A) landed the No. 2 seed from the Capital Division and will face Grasso Division champion Burnt Hills (5-0, 4-0) next week in the classification semifinals.
“They have shown they have learned how to win these close games,” Averill Park coach Zach Gobel said.
Clemenzi, who recorded two sacks and a batted down pass
Friday, said he was thrilled to win it with his brothers. The Warriors gathered in the end zone afterwards and exulted in their victory over the Cadets (2-2, 2-2).
“There is no better feeling than to go there with them. We’ve worked our butts off to be there,” Clemenzi said of next week’s playoff game at Burnt Hills. “I am definitely happy about that.”
Averill Park suffered a 46-0 loss against Capital Division champion Troy in Week 3, putting itself in the position of having to beat Amsterdam and La Salle to be among the four Class A playoff teams. Mission accomplished, but it was not easy.
The Warriors did not manage much on offense during the first half, but took advantage of two short-field situations to establish a 14-0 halftime advantage.
Punt returner Ben Ferlito set the stage of the Warriors’ first touchdown when he fielded a line-drive boot at full speed near midfield and returned it to the La Salle 14. Last week, “Fearless” Ferlito returned a kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
“Defense and special teams played outstanding,” Gobel said.
Mcshane capped the short series with the first of his two three-yard touchdown runs as Averill Park led 7-0 with 4:50 left in the first half.
After each team failed to move the ball on a possession, Averill Park junior defensive back Gavin Girodano, who also is the team’s starting quarterback, intercepted a pass and returned it to the La Salle 10. On fourth-and-goal from the 1, Giordano scored on a dive up the middle with nine seconds remaining in the second quarter.
The Cadets thought they scored on their first play from scrimmage in the third quarter, but a holding penalty negated a 77-yard touchdown run by senior running back Bo Catherwood. La Salle rebounded and used a 29yard pass play from junior quarterback Eddie Yamin to junior receiver Damani Canty on fourth down to set the stage for a fiveyard touchdown run by Catherwood.
Averill Park responded by producing its finest drive of the game, a 16-play, 88-yard march capped by Mcshane’s second touchdown run. That series began with 5:01 left in the third quarter and ended with 7:21 left in the fourth.
“We are used to running and having lone drives,” Mcshane said. “We kind of went back to our history and did what we know how to do. We just kept pounding it and pounding, which is what our offense is. We did it.”
Young hauled in a 38-yard touchdown pass from Yamin with 4:15 remaining and La Salle managed to move the ball into the Warriors’ territory before running out of time.