TROY — Traditional Big 10 Conference rivals Troy High and Schenectady played a passion-filled football game Saturday that unfortunately boiled over on the final play.

With under 30 seconds to go, Troy leading 40-0 and the clock winding down, Schenectady decided to punt on fourth-and-17 from their own 21 yard line even though the officials probably would not have minded the teams coming out to shake hands right then and there.

Schenectady’s senior quarterback, defensive back and punter, Tim Cox – who is set to attend the University at Albany next year on a lacrosse scholarship – received a low snap and decided to take off running. Cox gained 12 yards down the Schenectady sideline for the Patriots’ longest offensive play of the game. 

The play was over. The game was over. And then a bench-clearing brawl broke loose. 

Troy High players rushed to the opposite side of the field and school officials and security personnel rushed in to break it up, which they did in less than 60 seconds. Players apparently let their emotions take control after the final tackle and began throwing punches. A referee walked away from the scene holding his nose and looking like he had been hit in the face. 

Both teams separated and huddled together before meeting at the 50-yard line for a calm post-game handshake.

School officials from both sides confirmed that two players from each team were ejected from the game, which means they will be forced to sit out in Week Four.

The teams, which play regularly in other sports, had not met on the gridiron since 2007, so that may have partially explained the chippy nature of play throughout the game. Troy High limited Schenectady to a net loss of 20 yards on offense, which also frustrated the Patriots players as the contest continued to tilt toward the Flying Horses.

The referees kept a running clock beginning in the third quarter and continued that throughout the fourth, but appeared to disregard a few late hits out of bounds in the second half that, had they been flagged, may have prevented the postgame eruption.

"It’s just unfortunate," said Troy High head coach Jack Burger. "It was a hard-played football game on both sides for 47 minutes and 50 seconds."

"I’ll tell you exactly what I told the kids," said Schenectady head coach Jim Kramer. "Both teams are passionate about playing football, but there is a way to handle yourself and neither team handled it the way that we need to handle it to represent Section II football. I know coach Burger will talk to his kids and I talked to mine. We’re disappointed in what happened and it’s a lesson learned."

Is there anything Section II can do to prevent future brawls from happening on the field?

Bengals, Cannoneers set for Week Four showdown: Tamarac (3-0, 3-0) used a fourth quarter safety – senior lineman Wade Hansen made the tackle – to post a come-from-behind 24-22 victory over Granville (1-2, 1-2) in Week Three.

Also on Saturday, Watervliet (3-0, 3-0) posted a 28-6 victory over Canajoharie, meaning the Cannoneers have surrendered just 19 points through three games.

The two teams will meet in Clums Corners Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. for a non-division game.

In a season that has been dominated by blowouts – of the 90 games played in Section II so far, 57 of them, that’s 63.3%, have been decided by 20 points or more – Saturday's game could be one of the regular season’s highlights, even if it plays no role in either team’s playoff aspirations.

A few games lived up to the hype last week, as Shen topped Ballston Spa 7-0 in a Class AA Empire Division showdown and Chatham held off Fonda-Fultonville for control of the Class C South Division with a 35-28 triumph.

Section II high school football standings, 2010

(I'm Still missing QPs on Coxsackie-Athens-Taconic Hills from Week Two)

Class AA, League, Overall
Empire Division, W-L, W-L, PF, PA, QP
Shenendehowa, 3-0, 3-0, 82, 10, 21
Ballston Spa, 2-1, 2-1, 71, 34, 11.5
Saratoga Springs, 2-1, 2-1, 68, 33, 16.5
Bethlehem, 1-1, 1-2, 42, 86, 4.5
Christian Bros. Acad., 1-1, 2-1, 83, 53, 9
Guilderland, 0-2, 1-2, 61, 74, 0.5
Albany, 0-3, 0-3, 7, 107, 0
Liberty Division
Troy, 3-0, 3-0, 135, 0, 21
Shaker, 2-0, 3-0, 97, 35, 12
Niskayuna, 2-1, 2-1, 88, 81, 13.5
La Salle, 1-1, 1-2, 28, 105, 4
Colonie, 1-2, 1-2, 21, 88, 5.5
Columbia, 0-2, 0-3, 56, 92, 4
Schenectady, 0-3, 0-3, 49, 100, 3

Class A
Northwest Division
Amsterdam, 1-0, 3-0, 105, 24, 6
Burnt Hills, 1-0, 3-0, 115, 15, 7
Gloversville, 1-0, 1-2, 95, 106, 5.5
Glens Falls, 0-1, 2-1, 106, 71, 1.5
Queensbury, 0-1, 2-1, 71, 67, 0
South Glens Falls, 0-1, 1-2, 59, 63, 1
Southeast Division
Averill Park, 1-0, 2-1, 72, 81, 7
Bishop Maginn, 1-0, 2-1, 91, 73, 6
Lansingburgh, 0-0, 2-1, 108, 59, 0
Mohonasen, 0-1, 0-3, 38, 102, 1
Scotia-Glenville, 0-1, 0-3, 6, 84, 0

Class B
Reinfurt Division
Albany Academy, 1-0, 3-0, 157, 51, 7
Ravena, 1-0, 3-0, 115, 52, 7
Cohoes, 0-0, 0-3, 19, 146, 0
Cairo-Durham, 0-1, 0-3, 26, 132, 0
Hudson, 0-1, 1-2, 49, 71, 0
West Division
Hudson Falls, 1-0, 1-2, 82, 88, 7
Schalmont, 1-0, 3-0, 143, 26, 7
Schuylerville, 1-0, 3-0, 117, 20, 7
Broadalbin-Perth, 0-1, 0-3, 25, 177, 0
Cobleskill, 0-1, 1-2, 67, 55, 0
Johnstown, 0-1, 0-3, 20, 123, 0
Independent
Ichabod Crane, 0-0, 1-2, 72, 81, 0

Class C
North Division
Hoosick Falls, 3-0, 3-0, 110, 20, 20.5
Tamarac, 3-0, 3-0, 98, 40, 17.5
Greenwich, 2-1, 2-1, 97, 35, 14.5
Lake George, 2-1, 2-1, 74, 48, 11
Mechanicville, 1-1, 1-2, 35, 75, 7
Granville, 1-2, 1-2, 80, 80, 10
Hoosic Valley, 0-2, 0-3, 0, 115, 0.5
Stillwater, 0-2, 1-2, 47, 103, 0
Corinth, 0-3, 0-3, 45, 97, 3
South Division
Chatham, 3-0, 3-0, 105, 48, 20
Watervliet, 3-0, 3-0, 113, 19, 20.5
Fonda-Fultonville, 2-1, 2-1, 100, 71, 15
Voorheesville, 1-1, 2-1, 62, 57, 5
Coxsackie-Athens, 1-2, 1-2, 82, 86, 2
Canajoharie, 0-2, 1-2, 48, 74, 0
Catholic Central, 0-2, 1-2, 42, 82, 0.5
Taconic Hills, 0-2, 0-3, 38, 117, 0

Class D
Cambridge, 2-0, 2-0, 61, 15, 11.5
Rensselaer, 2-0, 2-0, 61, 29, 12
Fort Edward, 2-1, 2-1, 120, 62, 13
Whitehall, 2-1, 2-1, 73, 61, 14.5
Warrensburg, 1-2, 1-2, 40, 95, 8.5
Bishop Gibbons, 0-2, 0-2, 19, 50, 1.5
Salem, 0-3, 0-3, 35, 97, 1.5

The Record's Week Three Section II power polls

Class AA
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Troy High, 3-0, 3-0, 1
The Flying Horses nearly lost their shutout streak when Schenectady started a drive on Troy’s three-yard line in Week Two, but the defense made the stop and held on for a 40-0 victory.
2, Shaker High, 2-0, 3-0, 2
The Blue Bison posted a non-division victory over Bethlehem on Thursday night to remain undefeated under first-year head coach Greg Sheeler. Shaker hosts Niskayuna Friday night in Liberty Division action.
3, Shenendehowa, 3-0, 3-0, 4
The Plainsmen defense held strong Thursday night, keeping Ballston Spa off the scoreboard entirely in a 7-0 Empire Division victory.
4, Ballston Spa, 2-1, 2-1, 3
The Scotties lost control of the Empire Division lead last week, falling to Shen, but still have to be pleased with the defensive effort in limiting the potent Plainsmen offense to just one touchdown.
5, Saratoga Springs, 2-1, 2-1, NR
The Blue Streaks blanked Albany High last week, but they’ll get a tough test from Christian Brothers Academy Friday night in the Spa City.

Class A
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Burnt Hills, 1-0, 3-0, 1
The Spartans squared off Saturday against Queensbury, a team that had allowed just 19 points through the first two weeks. Burnt Hills won, 48-0, clearly showing they are primed for another Section II title run in 2010.
2, Lansingburgh, 0-0, 2-1, 4
The Knights romped all over archrival Cohoes in a non-division game Saturday in the Spindle City, 58-6. Lansingburgh hosts winless Scotia-Glenville Friday night.
3, Amsterdam, 1-0, 3-0, 5
The Rugged Rams look like they’re back in business in 2010, having outscored opponents 105-24 through three weeks. They will be tested Saturday afternoon at Glens Falls.
4, Bishop Maginn, 1-0, 2-1, NR
The Griffins topped Mohonasen 19-7 in Week Three, pulling into a first-place tie with Averill Park atop the Southeast Division. That score will get settled Friday night when Maginn travels to Averill Park.
5, Averill Park, 1-0, 2-1, NR
The Warriors bounced back after a big loss at Burnt Hills with a 34-6 triumph over Scotia-Glenville. Can this senior-laden team make a push for a division title in 2010?

Class B
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Albany Academy, 1-0, 3-0, 1
Zay Richardson piled up the yards in Week Three – he ran for 307 yards and four touchdowns against Hudson – but the Cadets lost starting quarterback Hunter McCarthy to a knee injury in the victory.
2, Schalmont, 1-0, 3-0, 2
The Sabres have become a more pass-happy team following the graduation of do-it-all running back Vince Gallo. Joe Paskevich threw for four touchdowns in last week’s victory over Broadalbin-Perth.
3, Schuylerville, 1-0, 3-0, 3
The Black Horses posted a 34-7 victory over Cobleskill in Week Three. Quarterback Ryan Mulligan is a dual-threat as both a passer and a runner.
4, Ravena, 1-0, 3-0, 4
The Indians exploded for 34 points in the second quarter of Friday’s 50-20 romp over Cairo-Durham. Daryl Ford and Corey Watts both gained over 100 rushing yards in the win.
5, Hudson Falls, 1-0, 1-2, NR
The Tigers lost their first two games out of the division, but bounced back when it really mattered, topping West Division rival Johnstown 44-6 in Week Three.

Class C
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Hoosick Falls, 3-0, 3-0, 1
The Panthers may be well-known for their high-octane spread option offense, but the defense came up big in a 20-0 victory over North Division rival Greenwich Friday night.
2, Chatham, 3-0, 3-0, 2
The Panthers held on for a major South Division victory over Fonda-Fultonville Friday night, winning by a touchdown. The schedule doesn’t get any easier with games against Voorheesville and Watervliet looming.
3, Watervliet, 3-0, 3-0, 3
The Cannoneers continue to roll – winning three straight games to open a season for the second straight year. Will it continue? Watervliet ended the 2009 campaign on a five-game losing streak.
4, Fonda-Fultonville, 2-1, 2-1, 5
The Braves certainly were not embarrassed in losing at Chatham last week, so expect the Braves to remain a major factor in the playoff hunt in Class C.
5, Tamarac, 3-0, 3-0, NR
Don’t look now, but the Bengals are 3-0 and tied atop the North Division standings with Hoosick Falls. Junior quarterback Nick Casale has elevated his game this year, becoming one of the area’s top dual-threat signalcallers.

Class D
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Rensselaer, 2-0, 2-0, 1
Senior quarterback Tim Foust excelled for the Rams in a 27-7 victory over Warrensburg. He threw for three touchdowns and ran for another in the come-from-behind victory.
2, Cambridge, 2-0, 2-0, 2
The Indians received a bye week in Week Three when Spa Catholic dropped its program over the summer. Cambridge gets back on the field Saturday afternoon when it hosts Fort Edward.
3, Fort Edward, 2-1, 2-1, 3
The Flying Forts bounced back from a loss to Rensselaer in Week Two, topping Salem, 44-13.

Week Four schedule

Fri., Sept. 24
Class AA
Empire Division
Bethlehem at Ballston Spa, 7 p.m.
Christian Brothers Academy at Saratoga Springs, 7 p.m.
Guilderland at Albany, 7 p.m.
Liberty Division
Colonie at La Salle, 7 p.m.
Niskayuna at Shaker, 7 p.m.
Troy at Columbia, 7 p.m.
Non-division
Shenendehowa at Schenectady, 7 p.m.

Class A
Southeast Division
Bishop Maginn at Averill Park, 7 p.m.
Scotia-Glenville at Lansingburgh, 7 p.m.
Northwest Division
Burnt Hills at Gloversville, 7 p.m.
Queensbury at South Glens Falls, 7 p.m.
Non-division
Mohonasen at Hudson, 7 p.m.

Class B
West Division
Schalmont at Johnstown, 7 p.m.
Schuylerville at Broadalbin-Perth, 7 p.m.

Class C
South Division
Catholic Central at Taconic Hills, 7 p.m.
Voorheesville at Chatham, 7 p.m.
North Division
Corinth at Stillwater, 7 p.m.
Hoosic Valley at Lake George, 7 p.m.
Granville at Hoosick Falls, 7 p.m.
Greenwich at Mechanicville, 7 p.m.

Sat., Sept. 25
Class A
Northwest Division
Amsterdam at Glens Falls, 1:30 p.m.
Class B
West Division
Cobleskill-Richmondville at Hudson Falls, 1 p.m.
Reinfurt Division
Albany Academy at Cairo-Durham, 1:30 p.m.
Ravena at Cohoes, 1:30 p.m.
Non-division
Ichabod Crane at Coxsackie-Athens, 1:30 p.m.

Class C
South Division
Canajoharie at Fonda-Fultonville, 1 p.m.
Non-division
Ichabod Crane at Coxsackie-Athens, 1 p.m.
Watervliet at Tamarac, 1 p.m.

Class D
Bishop Gibbons at Warrensburg, 1 p.m.
Fort Edward at Cambridge, 1 p.m.
Rensselaer at Salem, 1 p.m.

Games to watch in Week Four

Colonie at La Salle, Fri., 7 p.m.: Both teams are in a fight to stay afloat for a postseason berth out of the Liberty Division and are coming off wins in Week Three.

Niskayuna at Shaker, Fri., 7 p.m.: Are the Blue Bison for real in 2010? This could be Shaker's first true test.

Bishop Maginn at Averill Park, Fri., 7 p.m.: The winner gains control of the Southeast Division, at least for now.

Catholic Central at Taconic Hills, Fri., 7 p.m.: Can the Crusaders make it two in a row?

Voorheesville at Chatham, Fri., 7 p.m.: The Blackbirds were a preseason favorite pick by many, but have stumbled with a loss at Fonda in Week Two. Can Voorheesville hang with Chatham?

Greenwich at Mechanicville, Fri., 7 p.m.: Can the Witches rebound from Friday's loss to Hoosick Falls? Can the Red Raiders keep the momentum going after a victory at Corinth?

Fort Edward at Cambridge, Sat., 1 p.m.: The Flying Forts have already dropped a game to Rensselaer, so can they find a way to beat Cambridge or is Class D just a two-horse race this year?

Watervliet at Tamarac, Sat., 1 p.m.: It won't count toward either team's division record, but it will be a big barometer game for both teams.

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