Troy, Shaker advance to Class AA semifinals
Sports Staff TROY, N.Y. » Dev Holmes starred for the No. 1 seed and No. 1 state-ranked Troy varsity football team in a 25-7 first round Section II Class AA playoff win over No. 4 CBA Friday night.
Holmes scored on a hilight reel 60-yard run early in the contest and added an interception returned to the Brothers’ 5-yard line. That set up Joe Casale for a quarterback keeper into the end zone.
The victory improves Troy to 8-0 and sets up a sectional semifinal against Shenendehowa, who beat Colonie on Friday.
Coach Bob Burns’ Flying Horses, the defending state champs, have not lost a game since the 2015 Section II final when they were a Class A squad. SHAKER 27, GUILDERLAND 16 » After falling behind 3-0, Shaker (7-1) turned two Guilderland turnovers into two first-quarter touchdowns. Ravion Burt ran in untouched from eight yards for the Blue Bison, then big man Joe Toutai moved the pile for a 10-yard touchdown run that made it 13-3.
That’s the way it stayed until after the half when Logan Souza returned the opening kick of the third quarter 81 yards for Shaker’s third touchdown of the night and a 20-3 lead.
Jared Schwartz scored Guilderland’s first touchdown of the game before Burt extended the lead to 27-10 with a 47-yard touchdown scamper. Shaker had the edge in rushing 245-163 despite being outgained in passing 203-6 and overall 366-251.
Shaker advances to play Saratoga Springs in the Class AA semifinals next week in Saratoga Springs. SARATOGA SPRINGS 34, BETHLEHEM 13 » Saratoga quarterback Wes Englintine ran for 151 yards, scored two touchdowns, went 6-9 and threw for 75 yards. Nick Frank had two rushing touchdowns and Carter Steingraber ran one in from 44 yards out in the first round victory.
Saratoga moves on to face shaker in the next round, next Friday. SHENENDEHOWA 31, COLONIE 12» When things weren’t going to Plainsmen’s way Friday night and they needed a spark, they got help from within and outside the organization.
Wide receiver Joe Novenche his fellow wide out Devin Disonell for a 34yard option pass and then two plays later, Novenche showed his own receiving skills, pulling in an 11-yard touchdown catch in the back of the end zone, behind two Colonie receivers who both tipped the ball before Novenche corralled it.
Later, Shenendehowa put together an 84-yard drive that was aided by four 15-yard penalties at the hands of Colonie, moving the chains 60 yards to set up the first of running back Griffin Wallner’s two touchdowns on the night.
“When you’re in the playoffs it might not look pretty, but the bottom line is you’re here to survive and advance and that’s what we did tonight,” Shenendehowa Coach Brian Clawson said. “There are a lot of things you can’t control on the field.
“What we can control is watching the film with the players and evaluating what was called and was not called, what was correct and what was incorrect. Take it for what it’s worth and move forward.”
Shenenehowa will travel to face Troy High in the Class AA semifinal next Friday. Luc Lescault both scored twice for Stillwater (7-1) in a Class C quarterfinal victory. The No. 2 North seed advances to play No. 4 Hoosick Falls in the semifinals next week.
Dan Morris opened the scoring for the Warriors, who jumped out to a 22-0 first quarter lead.
Stillwater pushed the lead to 36-0 a the half to essentially clinch the contest by the break.
Mike Kowalchyk also scored for the Warriors, who extended the lead to 42-7 after three quarters. CHATHAM 49, MECHANICVILLE 14 » In the Class C quarterfinal Chatham Kaleb Taylor was in control from the pocket the entire night, completing six passes for more than 150 yards and throwing for three touchdowns all to Tristan Schermerhorn. If that wasn’t enough, the signal caller also called his own number on two occasions for scores as Chatham routed Mechanicville, 4914. HOOSICK FALLS 26, WATERVLIET 12 » Sam Richard recorded three touchdowns, two on the ground and one in the air, and Hoosick Falls upset Watervliet in the Class C quarterfinals. Watervliet lost Kareerm Duncan for a while due to an injury, and for the second straight year, the Cannoneers dropped their first sectional game as the No. 1 seed.