TROY — Troy High School senior running back and linebacker Shatiek Lewis has a simple approach to running with the football.

“You have to drive to the end zone. End zone every play, that’s all you think about,” Lewis said. “You have to give credit to the boys up front.”

Troy High senior Shatiek Lewis follows lineman Jay Yaskanich during Friday's game at La Salle. Lewis ran for 179 yards and four touchdowns in the 55-0 victory. (Photos by J.S. Carras - The Record).

Behind an offensive line that featured 80% first-year starters, Lewis reached the end zone five times Friday night in the first Collar City Cup game against La Salle Institute since the 2007 season. He ran the ball nine times in total for 179 yards, leading the Flying Horses to a 55-0 Liberty Division victory over their crosstown rivals on Sutton Field.

Scoring on runs of 3, 25, 30 and 51 yards, respectively, the La Salle defense had no answer for the 5-foot-8, 180-pound Lewis. In fact, the Cadets did not do much to stop any of the Troy High runners, who combined for 581 rushing yards on 45 attempts.

Troy (1-0, 1-0) returned just one offensive lineman in 2010 – senior Jay Yaskanich – but the Flying Horses’ new front five passed with flying colors in Week One.

Troy High senior running back Jordan Canzeri looks for running room during Friday's game against La Salle. He gained 148 yards and scored twice on 11 attempts.

“Those guys on the line, they work hard,” Lewis said. “Honestly, I had no worries. I had no problems with none of the guys. Everybody worked hard sine day one. Everybody was committed and dedicated, so there was no question in my mind.”

“It still is a work in progress up front,” said Troy High head coach Jack Burger. “But when you have the two-headed monster of Sha and Jordan (Canzeri), and with Stephan (Grinage) and (Kyle) Geraci leading for them - and Brian (Marsh) is no slouch with the ball in his hands - we can continue to keep getting better up front. That’s the goal. Get better each week up front.”

Canzeri added 148 yards and two touchdowns on 11 rushing attempts and Marsh, the team’s senior quarterback, picked up 94 yards on three attempts. Marsh’s 45-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter came after he had fumbled the snap at the line of scrimmage, but picked it up and finished the play down the left sideline.

La Salle's Gabriel Smith returns an interception as Troy High's Josh Blaauboer tries to make the tackle Friday night in The Record's Collar City Cup clash.

“I said to coach Burger, obviously I didn’t have us as prepared as well as I should have,” La Salle head coach Al Rapp said. “We didn’t play well and I’m sorry we didn’t give them a better game. They ran all over us. They just handled us and slapped us around.”

La Salle (0-1, 0-1) returned just one starter on either side of the ball this year – senior lineman Frank Seitz – and the Cadets started 10 underclassmen on offense around him.

Garrett Delory, La Salle’s junior quarterback, completed 11 of 29 passes for 98 yards. The Cadets ran the ball just 13 times and were held to negative five yards.

Troy High senior quarterback Brian Marsh runs for a 45-yard touchdown - he had fumbled the snap to start the play - in the second quarter against La Salle Friday night.

“When you’re going to spread the field and run no-back you’re going to bend a little bit, but we didn’t break,” Burger said. “They never got in the end zone. Coach (Bob) Burns did a great job with the defensive planning.”

La Salle won the last clash for The Record’s Collar City Cup, 19-14, on Oct. 12, 2007. Troy High played in Class A each of the past two seasons, forcing a postponement of the series. The Collar City Cup series is now tied, 4-4.

For video highlights from the game, visit www.troyrecord.com/video/sports

Following the game, the Flying Horses hoisted the trophy and took celebratory photographs with parents and supporters. Still, the players are already looking forward to their next game.

Friday night, La Salle hosts Guilderland (1-0, 1-0) in a non-division game. The Dutchmen knocked an undefeated La Salle team out of the first round of the postseason in 2009.

Troy hosts Colonie (0-1, 0-1) a week from today in a Liberty Division contest at 1:30 p.m. on Edward C. Picken Field.

“This was a huge game for us,” Lewis said. “We were looking forward to this and we were training for this for a long time.

“Actually, this does matter to us,” continued Lewis. “We’re happy to bring the cup home where it belongs. We’re really proud of that and we take pride in that. We’ll celebrate the victory while it lasts, but next week we’ll get right back to work.”

Troy High players hoist the Collar City Cup after defeating La Salle, 55-0, Friday night. (Will Montgomery photo - The Record).

TROY 55, LA SALLE 0

Troy (1-0, 1-0) 22 20 13 0 — 55
La Salle (0-1, 0-1) 0 0 0 0 — 0
First Quarter
T — Shatiek Lewis 3 run (Michael Pastore kick failed) 9:15
T— Jordan Canzeri 52 run (Lewis run) 8:04
T — Lewis 25 run (Noah Thomas pass from Brian Marsh) 3:14
Second Quarter
T — Lewis 30 run (Pastore kick) 5:38
T — Canzeri 19 run (Pastore kick) 2:38
T — Marsh 45 run (Pastore kick blocked) 1:03
Third Quarter
T — Lewis 51 run (Pastore kick) 7:15
T — Raheem Felder 17 run (Pastore kick failed) 0:00.5
Fourth Quarter
No scoring
Individual Statistics
Rushing: Troy (45-581) Lewis 9-179, Canzeri 11-148, Marsh 3-94, Valenti 7-60, Felder 4-40, Pastore 7-30, Geraci 1-17, Pirela 3-15. La Salle (13-(-5)): Koberger 4-7, Carroll 4-1, Landy 2-(-3), Delory 3-(-10).
Passing: Troy: Marsh 2-5-37-0-1. La Salle: Delory 11-29-98-0-1.
Receiving: Troy (2-37): Grinage 1-19, Blair 1-18. La Salle (11-98): Smith 3-31, Daversa-Russo 2-26, Carroll 1-19, Koberger 2-14, Landy 2-5, Ward 1-3.

The Record’s Collar City Cup History

2010, Troy 55, La Salle 0 
2007, La Salle 19, Troy 14
2006, Troy 29, La Salle 21
2005, La Salle 26, Troy 12
2004, La Salle 12, Troy 7
2003, Troy 27, La Salle 25
2002, Troy 14, La Salle 7
2001, La Salle 14, Troy 0

Note: In 2008, Troy defeated Lansingburgh in the inaugural Uncle Sam Cup game, 28-3. There were no intra-city matchups in 2009.

Section II scoreboard

Lansingburgh's Anthony Fogarty runs the ball against Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Friday night on the north side of town. BH-BL won the game, its 21st straight against Section II opponents, 25-15.

Thurs., Sept. 2
Class AA
Liberty Division
Shaker 34, Colonie 0

Fri., Sept. 3
Class AA
Empire Division
Ballston Spa 50, Albany 7
Saratoga Springs 28, Guilderland 12
Liberty Division
Niskayuna 32, Schenectady 28
Troy 55, La Salle Institute 0
Non-division
Christian Brothers Academy 37, Columbia 14
Class A
Non-division
Bishop Maginn 41, South Glens Falls 13
Queensbury 23, Scotia-Glenville 0
Amsterdam 35, Mohonasen 12
Averill Park 38, Gloversville 33
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake 25, Lansingburgh 15
Class B
Non-division
Albany Academy 67, Broadalbin-Perth 12
Canajoharie 42, Ichabod Crane 18
Ravena 21, Cobleskill-Richmondville 20
Schalmont 47, Cohoes 6
Hudson 35, Johnstown 2
Class C
South Division
Chatham 42, Catholic Central 20
North Division
Greenwich 54, Hoosic Valley 0
Tamarac 28, Lake George 18
Hoosick Falls 48, Corinth 20

Sat., Sept. 4
Class AA
Empire Division
Shenendehowa at Bethlehem, 1:30 p.m.
Class A
Non-division
Hudson Falls at Glens Falls, 1:30 p.m.
Class B
Non-division
Schuylerville at Cairo-Durham, 1:30 p.m.
Class C
South Division
Taconic Hills at Watervliet, 1 p.m.
Fonda-Fultonville at Coxsackie-Athens, 1 p.m.
North Division
Stillwater at Granville, 1 p.m.
Non-division
Mechanicville at Voorheesville, 1 p.m.
Class D
Bishop Gibbons at Cambridge, 1 p.m.
Fort Edward at Warrensburg, 1 p.m.
Salem at Whitehall, 1 p.m.

The next Off The Record live chat is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 9 at 7 p.m., right here on the blog.

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