The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Saturday’s rivalry game has playoff implications
Saturday’s rivalry showdown between Oneida, VVS has big implications
Oneida, Vernon-Verona-Sherrill currently involved in fourway tie for last two Section III playoff spots.
Local coaches, players and fans weren’t shy about sharing their displeasure with the scheduling of last fall’s high school football game between Oneida and Vernon-VeronaSherrill, with the season opener for both teams being held before the first day of school.
There are no such complaints this year.
The rivals square off Saturday in the second-to-last game of the regular season, both teams sporting identical 3-2 records in a very com- petitive Class B East.
VVS and Oneida are currently in a four-way tie for third in the division, along with Central Valley Academy and Utica Notre Dame. Those four teams sit behind Cazenovia and Mexico in the standings, both of whom are 4-1. The Thunder host the Lakers on Friday night and the Jugglers play at the Tigers on Saturday night, which could give the VVS-Oneidawinner sole possession of third place or even a tie for second or first in the division.
Only four of those six teams will advance to the Section III playoffs, making Saturday’s showdown a crucial one for both sides. The im- portance is amplified by the final week’s schedule, whenOneida hosts Cazenovia and VVS travels to Mexico while CVA and UND face Camden and South Jefferson, two teams still looking for their first wins.
The sides enter the season’s stretch run trending in different directions. Coach Gary Oliver’s Red Devils lost its first two games to start the season but have since won three straight and carries momentuminto Saturday following a dominating 27-8 victory over the Thunder. Coach Jason Fuller’s squad, meanwhile, started with back-toback wins but has since gone 1-2,
falling to the Tigers at home last week.
Oneida enters Saturday’s game also looking to preserve its status as the series’ all-time leader, currently holding a 3231- 4 edge. VVS won last year’s contest 26-19.
VVSwill also induct the first class into its Athletics Hall of Fame this weekend. Three-sport athletes Devon Croll and Donald Rosenthal, basketball players Scott Hicks and Scott Knapp, coach Al Knapp and coaches and athletic directors Preston Denby and Terrance Oliver will be inducted in a ceremony at the school’s Sheveron Community Center on Friday at 6 p.m. The seven inductees will also be honored during halftime of Saturday’s game.
Kickoff for Saturday’s game is scheduled for 2 p.m.