Shen had help preparing for Guilderland opener
CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. » If the Shenendehowa football squad gets past Guilderland Friday night on the road and avenges last year’s 4744 loss to the Dutchmen at home, they will have to send share the credit with several downstate powerhouses.
In a change to their pre-season routine which began last year, the Plainsmen met up with Monroe-Woodbury, John Jay and newly added Suffern last weekend in a Section I, II and IX fourway scrimmage at Suffern and the real-time looks gave them a window into Friday’s opener on the road at Guilderland.
“The two minute drill was huge, we went up against John Jay and Monroe and Monroe’s offense is very similar to Guilderland’s,” Shenendehowa coach Brian Claw-
son said. “They’re big up front, they’ve got a good quarterback, good receivers and they have a running back.
“It was an outstanding look, one that we weren’t able to achieve in practice. Our scout team is tremendous, but scrimmages are different, the competition is different and to be able to do that I think helped us.”
Guilderland brings a traditional high-powered aerial attack and quick strike offense that has always challenged the Plainsmen and other squads through the years.
“Defensively we held them out of the end zone, our front four were real solid,” Clawson said. “I think we’re big up front, we have a very good defensive line four across.
“The linebackers were active, they flowed to the ball well, they tackled well and the secondary did a nice job too. They were covering the receivers very well and active in the alley versus their running game.”
If the Plainsmen can avoid a shootout it will make the debut of Shenendehowa junior quarterback, five-foot nineinch Brendan Belott smoother.
“I think Brendan is ready,” Clawson said. “He’s had preparation in the offseason, he had two team camps, he had two 7-on-7 (tournaments) with high end competition.
“He got a great experience last week in the scrimmage, so it’s all about playing the game, it’s about being a little confident in himself, he’s very level-headed, he’s got a good personality.”
For senior running back Griffin Wallner, if he’s not receiving a pass out of the backfield, he will be looking to run over the edges for big gains and keeping the Dutchmen defense guessing.
“We expect them to put a lot of points on the board, but our defense is ready to get after them,” Griffin Wallner said. “Our offense is also ready to get after their defense.”
He remembers walking off his home field with the 47-44 loss weighing on his shoulders.
“It hurt for sure,” Wallner said. “We’re ready to get back out there and get after them.”
Senior wide receiver Devin Disonell is not afraid to take a win in enemy territory Friday night.
“We like to treat every opponent the same, but it’s definately a little bit different that its Guilderland,” Devin Disonell said. “They had our number last year and we felt like that was a game where we could have won if a couple of plays went different ways. We’re excited to get after it. We just feel that we’re prepared and ready to go.”
With the tough road opener Clawson was as anxious as his players to strap on the pads and take a trip back in time and take his own turn under center.
“The game last year was a personal shot at our pride we felt because it was a back-and-forth game, we showed tremendous character coming back in the fourth quarter, but it’s all about the win or the loss and we didn’t win,” Clawson said. “I think we’re motivated from that perspective to get back on the field.
“There is great anticipation from everyone in our community for tomorrow night’s game. Guilderland is a very tough opponent, they always play us tough regardless, every single year, Dan Pena runs a great program, they have good, skilled position players and they’re going to be around the football. We know that and we’ll have to be ready to go.”