This look from Cohoes head coach James Ducharme was something the Tigers earned in the third quarter of Thursday's game, but yet again, Cohoes found a way to get it done late in the game. (Photos by Tom Killips - The Record).

Cohoes jumped out to an early 13-0 lead, but let Albany Academy climb right back and take the lead after Cadets running back Renel Potter scored on consecutive carries in the third quarter (gaining 118 yards in the process).

But just when the Tigers need a spark, there is Anthony Fogarty to provide it for Cohoes. Fogarty scored on a 29-yard run late in the third quarter, but Academy's Zay Richardson answered back with a one-yard scamper in the fourth, putting the Tigers behind by seven points with 8:42 to go.

Josh Floeser - the unsung hero in this game - made a great playfake on the Tigers' next drive, running 49 yards to the endzone, as Josh LeMay added the game-tying extra point.

Albany Academy and Cohoes traded three-and-out drives, with the Cadets getting the ball back on their own 45 yard line with just under three minutes to play.

The Cadets advanced the ball to the Tigers' 16-yard line, but sophomore quarterback Hunter McCarthy fumbled a snap and Cohoes' Carl Godfrey recovered, allowing the Tigers to kill the clock and play for overtime.

Fogarty ran the ball four times in overtime, punching it in from the one on his fourth attempt and LeMay made the extra point, meaning the Cadets needed seven points to force a second overtime or a touchdown and a two-point conversion for the win outright.

That was when the Tigers defense really made its case.

Richardson carried the ball twice for 10 yards, setting up a first-and-goal at the 10 yard line. Cohoes stopped Conor Ferris for a four yard loss on the next play. On second down, Fogarty sacked McCarthy for a nine-yard loss. On third down, Tommy Durrant and Dustin Hallock combined to sack McCarthy for a two-yard loss. On fourth down, with the game on the line, Fogarty intercepted a McCarthy pass, sealing the triumphant 33-26 come-from-behind Reinfurt Division victory.

Cohoes clinched the No. 2 seed in the Reinfurt Division and will host a Section II Class B quarterfinal playoff game on Sat., Oct. 24.

Albany Academy's Paolo LaPietra drags Darnell Rafalko to the ground during Thursday's afternoon special at Alumni Field at Cohoes High School.

Here are the projected first round matchups in the Section II Class B postseason - assuming no major shakeups in the standings - which begins the weekend of Oct. 23-24.

Reinfurt No. 1 - Lansingburgh v. West No. 4 - Broadalbin-Perth
West No. 2 - Hudson Falls vs. Reinfurt No. 3 - Albany Academy
Winners meet in semifinals - Oct. 30-31

West No. 1 - Schalmont vs. Reinfurt No. 4 - the winner of Friday's Hudson/Ravena game
Reinfurt No. 2 - Cohoes vs. West No. 3 - Cobleskill
Winners meet in semifinals - Oct. 30-31

Section II Super Bowl weekend - November 6, 7

Albany Academy's Renel Potter scampers for one of his two touchdowns in the third quarter of Thursday's game. Potter put the Cadets ahead, but they couldn't hold the lead against the Tigers.

The Tigers travel to Hudson Falls a week from Saturday for the regular season finale. They have had their share of fun with the come-from-behind wins, but finishing off an opponent before the fourth quarter is their biggest challenge.

"They know they always have a shot," Ducharme said. "We put them in situations during the week to make them think they have shots for when we’re down. To do it three weeks in a row shows all their heart and their character and the way they respond to adversity.
"But," he laughed, "I wish we could start and play a complete game and not have to do this."

COHOES 33, ALBANY ACADEMY 26 (OT)

Albany Academy (1-2, 4-2) 0 7 13 6 0 – 26
Cohoes (3-1, 5-1) 7 6 6 7 7 - 33
First Quarter
C – Chris Dissonell 32 punt block return (Josh LeMay kick) 5:08
Second Quarter
C – Anthony Fogarty 4 run (kick failed) 10:22
AA – Zay Richardson 4 run (Hunter McCarthy kick) 7:17
Third Quarter
AA – Renel Potter 38 run (H.McCarthy kick) 10:35
AA – Potter 80 run (kick blocked) 7:24
C – Fogarty 29 run (kick failed) 3:24
Fourth Quarter
AA – Richardson 1 run (kick failed) 8:42
C – Josh Floeser 49 run (LeMay kick) 6:51
Overtime
C – Fogarty 1 run (LeMay kick)
Individual Statistics
Rushing: Albany Academy (46-272) Richardson 20-63, Potter 8-154, McCarthy 9-7, Ferris 2-(-5), Fron 5-52, Currie 2-1. Cohoes (40-222) Fogarty 18-95, Floeser 11-120, Lonczak 3-(-5), Dissonell 3-15, Durrant 5-(-3).
Passing: Albany Academy: McCarthy 5-14-76-0-3, Richardson 1-1-3-0-0. Cohoes: Floeser 4-6-50-0-1.
Receiving: Albany Academy (6-79) Potter 1-8, Berkoqitz 1-19, Finin 1-17, Ferris 1-3, Richardson 1-14, Vita 1-18. Cohoes (4-50) Rafalko 2-26, Dissonell 1-15, Fogarty 1-9.