Former La Salle Institute football players Nolan Flike (left) and Lou DiNovo (right) pose with the Sabre prior to the 2009 meeting against Chrisitan Brothers Academy. La Salle won that game, to retain the Sabre, but CBA is poised to reclaim it after this week's crossover game. (Photo by J.S. Carras - The Record).

When Christian Brothers Academy lost at Troy High Saturday afternoon in a Section II Class AA quarterfinal football game, it opened the door for the resumption of one of the Capital Region's premier rivalry games: the battle for the Sabre between CBA and its bitter rival, La Salle Institute.

Sunday, La Salle head coach Al Rapp said that he would refuse to have his team play in the game, but by Monday, his stance had softened.

"I guess we're playing," said Rapp on Monday. "But I'm not exactly pleased with the whole idea."

La Salle heads to Christian Brothers Academy for a Week Nine crossover game Friday night at 7 p.m. It will be one of the most talked-about crossover games in Section II history.

CBA head coach Joe Burke, who sits on Section II's scheduling committee, declined to comment Sunday, stating that the official Section II crossover schedule had yet to be announced.

The issue for Rapp is not that he fears losing the Sabre. He fears that Section II is breaking traditional crossover scheduling procedure.

The criteria for scheduling crossover games is generally based on finding equally matched opponents for a competitive game. In Rapp's mind, CBA, which was a No. 4 seed knocked out in the opening round of the Class AA quarterfinals, should play Schenectady, the opposite No. 4 that lost in the opening round.

La Salle would then match up against Bethlehem, a team that like La Salle, did not qualify for the postseason.

“We've never been one to back down from anybody,” Rapp said.

The Cadets, which finished with a 1-6 record in the regular season and were outscored 240 to 75. La Salle defeated winless Albany in a crossover game Friday night, 33-13.

Prior to 2010, La Salle was a perennial Section II title contender under Rapp's guidance, having appeared in a local Super Bowl game five times since 2000.

CBA went 4-3 in the regular season under first-year head coach Joe Burke, clinching the No. 4 playoff berth in the Empire Division. The Brothers were tied in the second quarter with Liberty Division No. 1 Troy, the No. 7 ranked Class AA team in the state, before losing 43-21 in Saturday's Section II quarterfinal.

As Rapp said, La Salle has not been one to back down from a challenge in the past. The Cadets have regularly scheduled the top teams from Sections I and IX when Section II teams played regular season games against teams from out-of-section.

La Salle, which has an enrollment of 420 students this year according to the 2010 BEDS report released by the New York State Sportswriters Association, is dwarfed by every other school in Class AA, all of which have enrollments of at least 1,000 students, save for CBA, which has 440 students.

The CBA vs. La Salle rivalry dates back to 1932, but has been suspended on occasion. La Salle dropped down to play in Class B in 1984 and the series was scrapped until 2001 when the Cadets returned to Class AA. Although the Brothers hold the series advantage, 32-21-6, La Salle has dominated since the resumption of the game, winning all eight contests and maintaing control of the Sabre, the sword that is presented to the winning side.

Friday's game will mark the 60th time the teams have met on the gridiron.

Adding intrigue to the rivalry were the rumors in late 2009 that the two schools were considering plans for a merger, as enrollment is down at both schools. CBA’ s 2009 enrollment fell 10 percent from 2008 to 352 students and La Salle’ s has steadily decreased in recent years, from 650 in 1997 to 402 in 2008.

The boards from both schools met on Oct. 20, 2009 and decided to remain separate.

"I don't think it's the right thing to do, but we're going to go over there and we're going to play the game," said Rapp.

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When it came to my attention this weekend that the Class B Reinfurt Division No. 3 and 4 seeds would come down to a quarterpoint tiebreaker and that Cairo-Durham had not kept track of or reported the quarter scores from its home games, I have to admit I was a little bit flabbergasted. The Class C North Division tiebreaker between Mechanicville, Tamarac and Granville was also not clear and left everyone wondering who would get in until the Section II coaches' meeting on Sunday morning.

Class AA and Class B have the same postseason seeding rules, but Class A's are different from Class C's, which are different from Class D. Does that make any sense to you? You can read the rules online here, but good luck making sense of them, since there are so many fuzzy details to sort out in terms of teams with unbalanced schedules and when certain tiebreakers trump another.

Should Section II impose a transparent, section-wide rule structure for the postseason seeds?

One option is taking the approach that basketball and baseball and softball use. League chairpersons and a committee of experienced and respected former coaches and athletic directors could meet and debate the merits of each team and seed them one through eight regardless of division or overall won-loss records. It would be controversial, as the basketball and baseball seeds always are, but the good teams are going to rise to the top anyway, right? In a seven-week regular season where many teams are playing one if not two games outside their divisions, doesn't a system that takes those games into account make more sense?

Better yet, like Class D, there could be just one division in Classes AA, A, B and D (C has too many teams for a one-division structure) and the top eight teams in order - or the top four after an eight-week regular season - play off. No. 1 would host No. 8, No. 2 hosts No. 7 and so on. Schools could hold on to one or two rivalry games and flip-fop the rest of the schedule every other year so that the schedules remain balanced. Then, decide tiebreakers by head-to-head outcomes when possible and use quarterpoints as a last resort. Obviously, not all of the teams would get a chance to play one another, but at least every game would count toward the postseason unless there were an odd number of teams. What is the point of having Class B and A teams play the first two weeks against teams from the opposite division if those games ultimately do not count for anything?

Since so many teams jump between classifications from year to year, it is hard to come up with a set of rules that could be set in stone. Some years a certain class may have an even number of teams and some years the number may be odd, meaning teams will have to play teams from other classes or other sections to round out a seven-week regular season.

Relying on foggy quarterpoint tiebreakers when opposing coaches claim different outcomes immediately after games. Tamarac's Erick Roadcap correctly stated that his Bengals would be No. 4 and Mechanicville would be No. 3 after Friday's double overtime loss to Mechanicville. Red Raiders head coach Kevin Collins said they would have to wait and see what happened with the tiebreaker, but claimed the Raiders were definitely in. Granville head coach Mario Torres told the Post Star he had told him team “win and you're in.” They did and they'll be playing a crossover game this weekend. That doesn't seem right that there was so much confusion on the interpretation of the rules.

The easiest way – and to me, the most entertaining – would be to leave the seeding to a super committee the Saturday night after the final week of the regular season. Would Ballston Spa still be seeded higher than Niskayuna in the Class AA pairings if a committee took the Scotties' Week Seven drubbing at the hands of the Silver Warriors into account? Perhaps the outcome of the game would have been different had the game had any implication on either team's seeding scenarios, which that game did not. Ballston Spa clinched the No. 1 seed in the Empire Division, even with the loss. This solution would make every team want to play all-out all the time every week in an effort to look as impressive as possible.Certainly running up the score would become an issue, but I think the committee would understand when a team put the brakes on and not worry about specific numbers too much.

Now, the only two teams really affected in this whole mess were Cohoes and Granville. If Cohoes had beat Cairo-Durham head-to-head, the Tigers would be in the playoffs. If Granville had defeated Tamarac head-to-head, the Golden Horde would be in the playoffs. To an extent, all of this is a moot point, but it's clear that Section II needs to do something about this problem and clarify its postseason tiebreaker rules or come up with a new system entirely - before this happens again.

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On July 4, 2010, we at The Record explored the hazy world of college recruiting and how local athletes and their families have dealt with the experience.

To read those stories, click here.

Today, ESPN announced it has released an online package targeted at high school-level athletes and offers information on the recruiting process. To view that, click here.

ESPN columnist Gregg Easterbrook wrote a succinct 1,000-word column on the major priorities high school athletes looking for a college scholarship should pursue. To read that column, click here. It's worth the read.

Personally, the most important fact I learned while researching our July 4 project was that not every scholarship is a full ride. In fact, most scholarships offer athletes just a fraction of their tuition costs. Here is an excerpt from my story:

Aside from major basketball and football recruits, most NCAA Division I and Division II scholarship players are not paying for tuition solely with their athletic prowess — a full ride. The average athletic scholarship is in the neighborhood of $10,000, according to a 2008 report in the New York Times. Take out the basketball and football scholarships and that figure drops to $8,707.

Depending on whether a student-athlete attends a private or public university, their scholarship may cover 25% or less of the cost of tuition. That doesn’t even take into account room and board, food, books and travel expenses.

Most college baseball teams have fewer than a dozen scholarships to award, meaning that many players split the value of a full scholarship.

Here are the keys that I uncovered in my investigation, some of which overlaps Easterbrook;s column:

Of all the parents and coaches contacted for this story, many have presented a checklist of priorities that all those beginning to embark on a college scholarship journey should consider. Depending on the source, they go something like this:

1) Develop good study habits and time-management skills in high school.

2) Play for the highest-quality travel team that will accept them and take as many private lessons as the family can afford.

3) Recognize what level of college athletics is best for the student-athlete. (Division III schools cannot offer athletic scholarships, but may be able to award an equal package in academic and financial aid).

4) Pick a school and an academic major that fits the student-athlete in case an injury prematurely ends an athletic career.

5) Make a decision based on the coach after selecting the right school. Coaches are always free to leave, which can leave a player out of luck if the replacement has different ideas on how to run the program.

6) Finally, do not get hung up on the dollar amount offered in scholarships. Which school will give your child the best chance to succeed after graduation?

--
Does anyone have any thoughts or ideas on the college recruitment process? Would you like to join other parents and athletes in a live chat on the blog on the topic? If so, what day and time best for you?

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CLUMS CORNERS — Reed Meehan wears two hats during the fall sports season at Tamarac High School, which is to say sometimes he wears a helmet and sometimes he does not.

A senior captain on the Bengals’ soccer team, Meehan also serves as the place kicker for Tamarac’s football team, which is off to a 4-0 start for the first time since 1983. Meehan booted the game-winning extra point with 1:58 remaining in Saturday’s 13-12 non-division Class C triumph over Watervliet.

Tamarac High School senior Reed Meehan (above) is the place kicker on the Bengals' football team and the captain of the soccer team. (Will Montgomery vidcaps - The Record).

“I’ve been playing soccer my whole life. I know when I come out on the field I have to calm down,” Meehan said of his approach to the all-or-nothing aspect of kicking an extra point. “I calmed down and I made that kick.”

Meehan, a forward on the soccer team, scored three goals in the Bengals’ season-opening victory over Granville. Hoosic Valley, however, defeated Tamarac 2-0 on Oct. 14 to snap the Bengals’ 30-game winning streak in Wasaren League action.

On the football field, he has connected on 11 extra points.

“It’s great. I’ve always been a part of the soccer team and we were always good,” said Meehan. “Now it’s great to see the football team doing good. I’m glad it’s my senior year and I’m glad I’m part of this football team.”

Healing from a broken right wrist, Meehan had his right hand wrapped in a protective foam sheath for Saturday’s game, a necessity since the cast had just been removed.

It’s his right leg, however, that has the Tamarac football players glad that he is part of the team.

“He holds his own in practice and he’ll go and make a play when he needs to,” said junior quarterback Nick Casale (pictured, above). “He’s got a golden leg and we’re just going to keep that going.”

“He comes out and gives us his all,” said senior wide receiver Nick Newell, pictured below. “He gave us touchbacks today. It’s just amazing. He has a golden leg. It’s incredible.”

Major matchups in Week Five: In a season that has been defined by blowouts, Week Five should provide Section II football fans with plenty of exciting and important games.

In Class AA, Christian Brothers Academy (2-1, 3-1) plays host to Shenendehowa (3-0, 4-0) in an Empire Division showdown Friday at 7 p.m. Troy (4-0, 4-0) heads to the Spa City for a non-division game Friday against Saratoga Springs (2-2, 2-2). The Flying Horses have outscored opponents 188-0 through four games.

Averill Park (2-0, 3-1) will host Lansingburgh (1-0, 3-1) Friday in a Class A Southeast Division game with the winner likely to wind up division champion.

Tamarac (3-0, 4-0) heads to traditional Wasaren League rival Greenwich (3-1, 3-1) in a Class C North Division matchup Friday night. Both teams are chasing Hoosick Falls (4-0, 4-0), which Saturday heads to Hoosic Valley (0-3, 0-4), the only team in Section II yet to score a single point. Stillwater (1-2, 2-2) will take the short trip to Mechanicville (1-2, 1-3) for the annual battle for the Indian Bowl, this time under the lights Friday night.

Last but not least, in what looks like a Section II Class D Super Bowl preview, Rensselaer (3-0, 3-0) plays host to Cambridge (3-0, 3-0) Friday at 7 p.m.

The Record's power polls

Class AA
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Troy High, 4-0, 4-0, 1
The Flying Horses have outscored opponents 188-0 through four games. Troy posted five straight shutouts during the 2009 season. This week, Troy travels to Saratoga Springs, which scored just two points in a 27-2 loss against CBA.
2, Shaker, 3-0, 4-0, 2
The Blue Bison haven’t blown out their opponents like Troy, but Shaker keeps finding a way to win under first-year head coach Greg Sheeler. Shaker hosts La Salle in a must-win game for the Cadets Friday night at 7 p.m.
3, Shenendehowa, 3-0, 4-0, 3
The Plainsmen are cruising toward an Empire Division title, but Friday’s game at CBA will go a long way in the division’s playoff seeding. Bronson Greene and Tony Fusco have proven to be a potent two-headed attack out of the backfield.
4, Ballston Spa, 3-1, 3-1, 4
The Scotties thumped up Bethlehem on Friday night, 35-6. Ballston Spa plays Empire Division games the next two weeks before playing Nisky of the Liberty Division in a crossover game in Week Seven.
5, Christian Brothers Academy, 2-1, 3-1, NR
The Brothers made a pretty big statement on Friday night, holding defending Section II Class AA champion Saratoga Springs to two points in a 27-2 victory. CBA isn’t afraid to spread the wealth on offense, as at least five players receive regular carries out of the backfield.

Class A
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Burnt Hills, 2-0, 4-0, 1
The Spartans traveled to head coach Matt Shell’s alma mater, Gloversville, Friday night and posted a 41-0 decision over the Huskies. Brandon Beatty and Evan Nusbaum ran for at least 100 yards apiece.
2, Lansingburgh, 1-0, 3-1, 2
The Knights didn’t exactly light up the scoreboard last week against Scotia-Glenville, but a 21-0 final score was good enough for a Southeast Division triumph. The division title will likely be on the line Friday night in Averill Park.
3, Amsterdam, 2-0, 4-0, 3
The Rugged Rams have been perfect so far in 2010 following a down year in 2009. Amsterdam gets a test when it hosts Queensbury on Friday.
4, Averill Park, 2-0, 3-1, 5
The Warriors have bounced back well from a 42-0 defeat at Burnt Hills in Week Two and are 2-0 in a pair of Southeast Division games. Can Tyler Dunworth run wild Friday night on the Lansingburgh defense?
5, Queensbury, 1-1, 3-1, NR
Like Averill Park, Queensbury also responded well after being shut out by Burnt Hills, beating South Glens Falls 26-14 in Week Two.

Class B
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Albany Academy, 2-0, 4-0, 1
The Cadets fared well in their first full game without quarterback Hunter McCarthy, defeating Cairo-Durham 47-8, Zay Richardson added 240 rushing yards to become the first Section II back to break the 1,000-yard mark in 2010.
2, Schalmont, 2-0, 4-0, 2
The Sabres have outscored opponents 199-26 through four games. That’s an average final score of 50-7. Joe Paskevich has added a passing attack to the offense that Schalmont did not have in 2009.
3, Schuylerville, 2-0, 4-0, 3
The Black Horses have proved their worth in their first season in Class B, vaulting into a first-place tie with Schalmont in the West Division. Those teams appear set for a title-game showdown in Schuylerville in Week Seven.
4, Ravena, 2-0, 4-0, 4
The Indians are still undefeated after four weeks, but they’ll face a tough Reinfurt Division challenge at home from Hudson High Friday night.
5, Hudson, 0-1, 2-2, NR
The Bluehawks lit up the scoreboard in a 47-31 victory over Class A’s Mohonasen on Friday night. That type of win could propel Hudson to a hot streak at the end of the regular season in the Reinfurt Division.

Class C
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Hoosick Falls, 4-0, 4-0, 1
Tanner Williams caught seven passes for 77 yards and ran the ball six times for 66 yards in Hoosick Falls’ 34-6 victory over Granville in Week Four. Senior QB Mike Brewster added 115 passing yards for the defending Section II champs.
2, Chatham, 4-0, 4-0, 2
The Panthers received 309 rushing yards and five touchdowns from Josh Keyes in a 42-13 victory over Voorheesville one of the preseason favorites in Class C, Friday night.
3, Fonda-Fultonville, 3-1, 3-1, 4
The Braves blanked Canajoharie 19-0 in Week Four, looking to keep pace with Chatham in the South Division. Fonda makes the trek to the Collar City Friday night for a South Division game against Catholic Central.
4, Tamarac, 3-0, 4-0, 5
The Bengals are 4-0 for the first time since 1983, thanks in large part to junior quarterback Nick Casale, who has completed 38-of-73 passes for 779 yards and five touchdowns. Tamarac travels to Greenwich Friday night in a Wasaren League…make that North Division…clash.
5, Greenwich, 3-1, 3-1, NR
The Witches’ only loss this season came at the hands of North Division leader Hoosick Falls. Greenwich blanked Mechanicvile in Week Four, using 183 rushing yards from Tyler Pruiksma in the win.

Class D
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Rensselaer, 3-0, 3-0, 1
Timmy Foust passed for four touchdowns and Tyler Bishop ran for a score in Rensselaer’s 33-0 victory over winless Salem on Saturday. Senior running back Phil Sayers added 145 rushing yards in the triumph.
2, Cambridge, 3-0, 3-0, 2
The Indians will get their first real test on the Class D level since dropping down from Class C this Friday at Rensselaer in what could be a Section II Super Bowl preview. Matt Best ran for 262 yards in Saturday’s romp over Fort Edward.
3, Whitehall, 2-1, 2-1, NR
The Railroaders move into the Class D polls after Fort Edward lost at Cambridge in Week Four, 49-8.

Section II high school football standings, 2010

Class AA, League, Overall
Empire Division, W-L, W-L, PF, PA, QP
Shenendehowa, 3-0, 4-0, 117, 31, 21
Ballston Spa, 3-1, 3-1, 106, 40, 17.5
Christian Bros. Acad., 2-1, 3-1, 110, 55, 15.5
Saratoga Springs, 2-2, 2-2, 70, 60, 17
Bethlehem, 1-2, 1-3, 48, 121, 5.5
Guilderland, 1-2, 2-2, 95, 100, 7.5
Albany, 0-4, 0-4, 33, 141, 0
Liberty Division
Troy, 4-0, 4-0, 188, 0, 28
Shaker, 3-0, 4-0, 118, 49, 18
Niskayuna, 2-2, 2-2, 102, 102, 14.5
Colonie, 2-2, 2-2, 41, 95, 11.5
La Salle, 1-2, 1-3, 35, 125, 5
Columbia, 0-3, 0-4, 56, 145, 4
Schenectady, 0-3, 0-4, 70, 135, 3

Class A
Northwest Division
Amsterdam, 2-0, 4-0, 144, 53, 12
Burnt Hills, 2-0, 4-0, 156, 15, 14
Gloversville, 1-1, 1-3, 95, 147, 5.5
Queensbury, 1-1, 3-1, 97, 81, 7
Glens Falls, 0-2, 2-2, 135, 110, 2.5
South Glens Falls, 0-2, 1-3, 73, 89, 1
Southeast Division
Averill Park, 2-0, 3-1, 121, 101, 13.5
Lansingburgh, 1-0, 3-1, 129, 59, 7
Bishop Maginn, 1-1, 2-2, 111, 122, 6.5
Mohonasen, 0-1, 0-4, 69, 149, 1
Scotia-Glenville, 0-2, 0-4, 6, 105, 0

Class B
Reinfurt Division
Albany Academy, 2-0, 4-0, 204, 59, 14
Ravena, 2-0, 4-0, 152, 59, 14
Cohoes, 0-1, 0-4, 26, 183, 0
Hudson, 0-1, 2-2, 96, 102, 0
Cairo-Durham, 0-2, 0-4, 34, 179, 0
West Division
Schalmont, 2-0, 4-0, 199, 26, 14
Schuylerville, 2-0, 4-0, 169, 32, 14
Cobleskill, 1-1, 2-2, 101, 81, 5
Hudson Falls, 1-1, 1-3, 108, 122, 9
Broadalbin-Perth, 0-2, 0-4, 37, 229, 0
Johnstown, 0-2, 0-4, 20, 179, 0
Independent
Ichabod Crane, 0-0, 1-3, 72, 119, 0

Class C
North Division
Hoosick Falls, 4-0, 4-0, 144, 26, 27.5
Tamarac, 3-0, 4-0, 111, 52, 17.5
Greenwich, 3-1, 3-1, 123, 35, 21.5
Lake George, 3-1, 3-1, 115, 48, 18
Mechanicville, 1-2, 1-3, 35, 101, 7
Stillwater, 1-2, 2-2, 82, 121, 7
Granville, 1-3, 1-3, 86, 114, 10
Hoosic Valley, 0-3, 0-4, 0, 156, 0.5
Corinth, 0-4, 0-4, 63, 132, 3
South Division
Chatham, 4-0, 4-0, 147, 61, 27
Watervliet, 3-0, 3-1, 125, 32, 20.5
Fonda-Fultonville, 3-1, 3-1, 119, 71, 21.5
Coxsackie-Athens, 1-2, 2-2, 120, 86, 2
Taconic Hills, 1-2, 1-3, 62, 130, 7
Voorheesville, 1-2, 2-2, 75, 99, 5
Canajoharie, 0-3, 1-3, 48, 93, 0.5
Catholic Central, 0-3, 1-3, 55, 106, 0.5

Class D
Cambridge, 3-0, 3-0, 110, 23, 18
Rensselaer, 3-0, 3-0, 94, 29, 19
Whitehall, 2-1, 2-1, 73, 61, 14.5
Fort Edward, 2-2, 2-2, 128, 111, 13.5
Bishop Gibbons, 1-2, 1-2, 35, 62, 8
Warrensburg, 1-3, 1-3, 52, 111, 9
Salem, 0-4, 0-4, 35, 130, 1.5

Week Five Schedule

Fri., Oct. 1
Class AA
Empire Division
Ballston Spa at Guilderland, 7 p.m.
Bethlehem at Albany. 7 p.m.
Shenendehowa at Christian Brothers Academy, 7 p.m.
Liberty Division
Columbia at Schenectady, 7 p.m.
La Salle at Shaker, 7 p.m.
Niskayuna at Colonie, 7 p.m.
Non-division
Troy at Saratoga Springs, 7 p.m.
Class A
Southeast Division
Mohonasen at Scotia-Glenville, 7 p.m.
Lansingburgh at Averill Park, 7 p.m.
Northwest Division
South Glens Falls at Gloversville, 7 p.m.
Queensbury at Amsterdam, 7 p.m.
Glens Falls at Burnt Hills, 7 p.m.
Class B
Reinfurt Division
Hudson at Ravena, 7 p.m.
West Division
Johnstown at Broadalbin-Perth, 7 p.m.
Schalmont at Cobleskill-Richmondville, 7 p.m.
Class C
South Division
Fonda-Fultonville at Catholic Central, 7 p.m.
Watervliet at Chatham, 7 p.m.
Taconic Hills at Canajoharie, 7 p.m.
North Division
Stillwater at Mechanicville, 7 p.m.
Tamarac at Greenwich, 7 p.m.
Granville at Lake George, 7 p.m.
Non-division
Coxsackie-Athens at Corinth, 7 p.m.
Class D
Cambridge at Rensselaer, 7 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 2
Class A
Non-division
Bishop Maginn at Albany Academy, 1:30 p.m.
Class B
West Division
Schuylerville at Hudson Falls, 1 p.m.
Reinfurt Division
Cohoes at Cairo-Durham, 1:30 p.m.
Non-division
Ichabod Crane at Voorheesville, 1:30 p.m.
Class C
North Division
Hoosick Falls at Hoosic Valley, 1 p.m.
Non-division
Ichabod Crane at Voorheesville, 1 p.m.
Class D
Salem at Bishop Gibbons, 1 p.m.
Whitehall at Fort Edward, 1 p.m.

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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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Zay it ain’t so!
Academy’s Richardson averaging over 20 yards per carry – and has scored 11 touchdowns – through two games


ALBANY — Albany Academy senior running back Zay Richardson is having a season to remember and he’s only played two games so far in 2010.

Richardson ran for 297 yards and five touchdowns – on five attempts! – in a 67-12 Week One victory over Broadalbin-Perth.

In Week Two, Richardson tied his head coach, Tony Fruscio, on the Section II all-time scoring list with 256 points. Richardson needed 36 points to reach 256 and Fruscio, in all seriousness, told Richardson prior to Saturday’s Class B non-division game against Hudson Falls that history was safe for at least one more week.

Richardson promptly went out and ran for 262 yards on 20 attempts, scoring six touchdowns in a 55-32 victory for the Cadets.

So far this season, Richardson has gained 559 yards on 25 attempts – an average of 22.4 yards per carry – and has scored 11 touchdowns.

Zay Richardson roams the practice field during 2009 training camp at Albany Academy. (Record file photo).

This week, Richardson will take on the Hudson High School defense in a Thursday night, Reinfurt Division special (7 p.m.) on the big stage on University Field at the University at Albany.

Richardson is just one of Section II’s running backs that have a mix of big-play ability and a workhorse attitude. Shenendehowa’s Bronson Greene, Hoosick Falls’ Brad Burns, Chatham’s Josh Keyes, Cambridge’s Matt Best and Averill Park’s Tyler Dunworth are among the running backs one can count on to carry the ball about 20 times for at least 100 yards per game.

As successful as Richardson has been this season – he owes a great deal, of course, to his offensive line and the passing game led by junior quarterback Hunter McCarthy – some defensive coordinator in Class B will devise a plan to at least slow him down. The Cadets, consequently, will have to find a balance on offense to move the ball in another way.

That was a concern of Fruscio’s in training camp, so Albany Academy has already been considering the idea of scoring points without Richardson. Still, expect the Cadets to ride him when he’s hot for as long as it lasts, which could well be all season long in Class B.

Other teams in the area, however, have been quicker to spread the ball to as many players as possible on offense.

In Troy High’s 40-0 victory over Colonie Saturday afternoon, the Flying Horses gave the ball to five different players on the first five snaps, gaining 51 yards on four runs and one pass.

No Troy rushers finished with more than 73 yards, but the Flying Horses top four runners each gained at least 58 yards on the ground.

In Tamarac’s 46-0 victory over Hoosic Valley – in which the Bengals turned the ball over four times and still posted a shutout - Mark Morine ran for 150 yards on 19 attempts, but most of those came in the second half. The Bengals also spread the ball around to senior Nick Feldmaier (19 yards, two touchdowns), Nick Casale (26 yards), Rick Roden (20 yards) and freshman David Newell (25 yards).

It’s true that all these figures have to be taken with a grain of salt in what has been a quirky 2010 season in Section II. 65% of the games (39 of 60) have been decided by 20 or more points.

One of the great thrills in anticipating high school football matchups every week is the differing coaching philosophies used by each team. Some local high schools are content to put all their eggs in one basket – albeit it a really good basket – and others are interested in diversifying their options.

All eyes will be on Academy’s Richardson the rest of the season, as fans look to see if he can compile another 200-plus yard, five-plus touchdown spectacle. The Cadets, however, enjoy the luxury of having a stockpile of offensive weapons and do not appear to be a one-trick pony in 2010, although it seems that way through two weeks.

Zay Richardson looks for running room during a 2009 game against Lansingburgh. (Photo by J.S. Carras - The Record).

Section II high school football standings, 2010

(I'm missing quarterpoints on the Coxsackie-Taconic game from Week Two - quarter scores were never reported).

Class AA, League, Overall
Empire Division, W-L, W-L, PF, PA, QP
Ballston Spa, 2-0, 2-0, 71, 27, 11.5
Shenendehowa, 2-0, 2-0, 75, 10, 14
Bethlehem, 1-1, 1-1, 28, 51, 4.5
Saratoga Springs, 1-1, 1-1, 48, 33, 9.5
Christian Bros. Acad., 0-1, 1-1, 50, 32, 2.5
Guilderland, 0-1, 1-1, 40, 41, 0
Albany, 0-2, 0-2, 7, 87, 0
Liberty Division
Niskayuna, 2-0, 2-0, 66, 56, 10.5
Shaker, 2-0, 2-0, 62, 21, 12
Troy, 2-0, 2-0, 95, 0, 14
Columbia, 0-1, 0-2, 42, 71, 2.5
La Salle, 0-1, 0-2, 13, 83, 0
Colonie, 0-2, 0-2, 0, 74, 0
Schenectady, 0-2, 0-2, 49, 60, 3

Class A
Northwest Division
Amsterdam, 0-0, 2-0, 83, 12, 0
Burnt Hills, 0-0, 2-0, 67, 15, 0
Glens Falls, 0-0, 2-0, 73, 37, 0
Queensbury, 0-0, 2-0, 71, 19, 0
South Glens Falls, 0-0, 1-1, 47, 41, 0
Gloversville, 0-0, 0-2, 61, 73, 0
Southeast Division
Averill Park, 0-0, 1-1, 38, 75, 0
Bishop Maginn, 0-0, 1-1, 72, 66, 0
Lansingburgh, 0-0, 1-1, 50, 53, 0
Mohonasen, 0-0, 0-2, 31, 83, 0
Scotia-Glenville, 0-0, 0-2, 0, 50, 0


Class B
Reinfurt Division
Albany Academy, 0-0, 2-0, 122, 44, 0
Ravena, 0-0, 2-0, 65, 32, 0
Hudson, 0-0, 1-1, 42, 36, 0
Cairo-Durham, 0-0, 0-2, 6, 82, 0
Cohoes, 0-0, 0-2, 13, 88, 0
West Division
Schalmont, 0-0, 2-0, 81, 13, 0
Schuylerville, 0-0, 2-0, 83, 13, 0
Cobleskill, 0-0, 1-1, 60, 21, 0
Broadalbin-Perth, 0-0, 0-2, 12, 115, 0
Hudson Falls, 0-0, 0-2, 38, 82, 0
Johnstown, 0-0, 0-2, 14, 79, 0
Independent
Ichabod Crane, 0-0, 0-2, 36, 69, 0

Class C
North Division
Greenwich, 2-0, 2-0, 97, 15, 14
Hoosick Falls, 2-0, 2-0, 90, 20, 14
Tamarac, 2-0, 2-0, 74, 18, 13.5
Granville, 1-1, 1-1, 58, 56, 7
Lake George, 1-1, 1-1, 32, 41, 4
Mechanicville, 0-1, 0-2, 0, 63, 0
Stillwater, 0-1, 1-1, 40, 61, 0
Corinth, 0-2, 0-2, 33, 62, 3
Hoosic Valley, 0-2, 0-2, 0, 100, 0.5
South Division
Chatham, 2-0, 2-0, 70, 20, 14
Fonda-Fultonville, 2-0, 2-0, 72, 36, 14
Watervliet, 2-0, 2-0, 85, 13, 13.5
Coxsackie-Athens, 1-1, 1-1, 58, 59, 0
Canajoharie, 0-1, 1-1, 42, 46, 0
Voorheesville, 0-1, 1-1, 35, 33, 0
Catholic Central, 0-2, 0-2, 27, 82, 0.5
Taconic Hills, 0-2, 0-2, 26, 81, 0

Class D
Cambridge, 2-0, 2-0, 61, 15, 11.5
Rensselaer, 1-0, 1-0, 34, 22, 7
Fort Edward, 1-1, 1-1, 76, 49, 6
Warrensburg, 1-1, 1-1, 33, 68, 6.5
Whitehall, 1-1, 1-1, 43, 49, 7.5
Bishop Gibbons, 0-1, 0-1, 7, 20, 1.5
Salem, 0-2, 0-2, 22, 53, 1.5

The Record's Week Two Power Polls

Class AA
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Troy High, 2-0, 2-0, 1
The Flying Horses have posted two straight shutouts to open the 2010 season, but they have a long way to go to match what the 2009 team did. A season ago, Troy High posted 24 consecutive scoreless quarters during a streak of five straight shutouts.
2, Shaker High, 2-0, 2-0, 2
The Blue Bison refuse to lose under first-year head coach Greg Sheeler, mounting a fourth-quarter comeback against Schenectady in Week Two. They’ve done it so far without starting running back Conor Alund, who is injured and sitting on the sidelines so far.
3, Ballston Spa, 2-0, 2-0, 4
The Scotties used a blocked extra point in the waning minutes of their 21-20 Week Two victory over archrival Saratoga Springs. This week’s game against Shenendehowa looms even larger as control of the Empire Division hangs in the balance.
4, Shenendehowa, 2-0, 2-0, 5
The Plainsmen have beefed up their record in Saturday games against Bethlehem and Albany so far this year, but the Plainsmen get a big test in their home opener Friday night against Ballston Spa.
5, Niskayuna, 2-0, 2-0, NR
The Silver Warriors needed overtime to defeat Columbia in Week Two, keeping pace with Troy and Shaker in the Liberty Division. Nisky hosts La Salle this Friday night.

Class A
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Burnt Hills, 0-0, 2-0, 1
The Spartans won their 22nd consecutive Section II game Friday, blanking Averill Park, 42-0. They’ll be challenged on the road this Saturday at Queensbury in an all-Spartans showdown.
2, Queensbury, 0-0, 2-0, 2
Queensbury has outscored opponents 71-19 through the first two weeks, but expect that to change Saturday when Northwest Division play opens against Burnt Hills.
3, Glens Falls, 0-0, 2-0, NR
The Indians posted a huge 46-31 victory over Bishop Maginn Friday night at Bleecker Stadium. Glens Falls, however, can’t expect to win shootouts every night in the Northwest Division, not with Amsterdam and Burnt Hills looming on the schedule.
4, Lansingburgh, 0-0, 1-1, 5
The Knights made it interesting late Friday night in Gloversville, almost letting a 21-0 halftime lead slip away. With newcomers Carlos Grillo and Anthony Fogarty leading the way on offense, the Lansingburgh offense can only improve as they learn the system.
5, Amsterdam, 0-0, 2-0, NR
The Rugged Rams have outscored opponents by 71 points through two weeks, but one of those games was against Class B rival Broadalbin-Perth. Can Amsterdam bounce back in 2010 after missing the playoffs in 2009?

Class B
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Albany Academy, 0-0, 2-0, 1
The Cadets begin Reinfurt Division play Thursday night against Hudson High at UAlbany. Can Albany Academy, which traditionally plays its home games on Saturday afternoons, also shine under the lights?
2, Schalmont, 0-0, 2-0, 2
The Sabres have picked up where they left off in 2009 – Schalmont won its first Section II Super Bowl a season ago – with Jaren Ramundo and Joe Paskevich playing like adequate replacements for the graduated Vince Gallo.
3, Schuylerville, 0-0, 2-0, 3
The Black Horses continue to roll on the Class B level, having posted a 41-7 victory over Cohoes in Week Two in their first game on the new artificial turf surface in Schuylerville.
4, Ravena, 0-0, 2-0, NR
The Indians squeaked by Cobleskill in Week One by a single point but exploded for a 44-12 victory over Johnstown in Week Two.
5, Hudson, 0-0, 1-1, 4
The Bluehawks fell back to earth following a 34-7 defeat against Schalmont in Week Two and the defensive assignment gets even tougher this week: stop Albany Academy’s Zay Richardson this Thursday night.

Class C
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Hoosick Falls, 2-0, 2-0, 1
The Panthers cleaned up the defensive effort in Week Two, shutting out Mechanicville a week after allowing 20 points to Corinth. Tanner Williams has emerged as a rushing and receiving threat for Hoosick Falls in his junior season.
2, Chatham, 2-0, 2-0, 2
The Panthers are on the prowl again in 2010, having shut out Canajoharie, 28-0, in Week Two. Chatham hosts Fonda this week in critical South Division showdown.
3, Watervliet, 2-0, 2-0, 4
The Cannoneers played a close game against Catholic Central last week…for about one quarter. Quarterback Brandon Legault passed for 199 yards in the 40-7 victory.
4, Greenwich, 2-0, 2-0, NR
The Witches have done nothing but impress this season in Class C – they played in the Class D Super Bowl a season ago – and face a big test Friday night, playing host to traditional Wasaren League rival Hoosick Falls in a battle for control of the North Division.
5, Fonda-Fultonville, 2-0, 2-0, NR
The Braves made a major impression Saturday afternoon in defeating Voorheesville, vaulting into a three-way tie for first place in the South Division with Chatham and Watervliet.

Class D
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Rensselaer, 1-0, 1-0, 1
The Rams opened the 2010 season a week behind every other team, posting a 34-22 victory over Fort Edward. When Spa Catholic dropped its program over the summer, Rensselaer was awarded a Week One bye.
2, Cambridge, 2-0, 2-0, 2
The Indians have had no trouble adjusting to Class D in 2010, having outscored opponents 61-15 so far this season.
3, Fort Edward, 1-1, 1-1, 3
The Flying Forts scored 54 points in a come-from-behind rout of Warrensburg in Week One but dropped a road game in Rensselaer last Friday night.

WEEK THREE SCHEDULE

Thurs., Sept. 16
Class B
Reinfurt Division
Hudson vs. Albany Academy at UAlbany, 7 p.m.

Fri., Sept. 17
Class AA
Empire Division
Albany at Saratoga Springs, 7 p.m.
Ballston Spa at Shenendehowa, 7 p.m.
Christian Brothers at Guilderland, 7 p.m.
Liberty Division
Columbia at Colonie, 7 p.m.
LaSalle Institute at Niskayuna, 7 p.m.
Non-division
Bethlehem at Shaker, 7 p.m.

Class A
Southeast Division
Averill Park at Scotia-Glenville, 7 p.m.
Mohonasen at Bishop Maginn, 7 p.m.
Northwest Division
South Glens Falls at Amsterdam, 7 p.m.

Class B
West Division
Cairo-Durham at Ravena, 7 p.m.
Broadalbin-Perth at Schalmont, 7 p.m.
Cobleskill-Richmondville at Schuylerville, 7 p.m.
Non-division
Taconic Hills at Ichabod Crane, 7 p.m.

Class C
South Division
Fonda-Fultonville at Chatham, 7 p.m.
North Division
Stillwater at Lake George, 7 p.m.
Hoosick Falls at Greenwich, 7 p.m.
Mechanicville at Corinth, 7 p.m.

Sat., Sept. 18
Class AA
Liberty Division
Schenectady at Troy, 1:30 p.m.

Class A
Northwest Division
Gloversville at Glens Falls, 7 p.m.
Burnt Hills at Queensbury, 1:30 p.m.
Non-division
Lansingburgh at Cohoes, 1:30 p.m.

Class B
West Division
Johnstown at Hudson Falls, 1 p.m.

Class C
North Division
Tamarac at Granville, 1 p.m.
Hoosick Falls at Greenwich, 1 p.m.
South Division
Canajoharie at Watervliet, 1 p.m.
Coxsackie-Athens at Voorheesville, 1 p.m.
Non-division
Catholic Central at Hoosic Valley, 1 p.m.

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

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Week One gets blown out
First week of the Section II schedule features 22 games decided by 20 points or more

TROY — Excitement for the 2010 high school football season had been brewing in weight rooms and on practice fields around the Capital Region ever since the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Spartans fell short in the New York State Class A championship game last November.

Week One of the Section II schedule, however, was a dud.

Only six of the 30 games played were decided by 10 points or fewer. Niskayuna edged county rival Schenectady by four points, Averill Park won a nail-biter over Gloversville and Ravena came from behind to beat Cobleskill-Richmondville, 21-20.

Nearly every other game was all but over at the half.

An astounding 22 games – 73.3% of the Week One schedule - featured a margin of victory of at least 20 points for the winning team.

Blowouts are an intrinsic and awkward part of the game. It was also understandable that every team was shaking off the rust, adjusting to a new coaching staff or running a brand-new offense for the first time in Week One, reasons that may explain a few of the lopsided scores.

Does Section II have a crisis of blowout games?

On one hand, the section took a big step in shifting to a classification-based system in 2004 that has prevented schools with a giant base student population from beating up on teams with many fewer student-athletes to choose from in the hallways. (All of the private schools in Section II appear to be responsibly placed in a classification that also keeps the spirit of competitive balance alive).

Another factor must be the cyclical nature of high school football teams. Many players arrive on the varsity as juniors, play for two years, don a cap and gown and head for greener pastures beyond high school. It’s hard to build any sort of consistency on a team when coaches have to replace approximately half their teams each season and are allowed just 16 practices to prepare for the first game.

Yet, in Troy High’s 55-0 victory over La Salle Friday night on Sutton Field, Flying Horses head coach Jack Burger played it by the book and used his starters for one series in the third quarter before playing second-string players exclusively. The game officials used a running clock throughout most of the fourth quarter.

While blowout games provide an opportunity to get in the game for the second-team players who work just as hard in practice as their starting teammates, they also increase the risk of injury for players that do not have a solid grasp on form tackling or awareness of their surroundings.

Some states have imposed a rule that enforces a running clock if a team is leading by 35 or 40 points at the beginning of the second half. The rule, of course, essentially prevents the already slim chance that the trailing team could mount the comeback of the century, which is why it has its detractors.

Connecticut’s Interscholastic Athletic Conference drafted a score management rule in 2006 that led to the suspension of any coach whose team won a game by 50 points or more. In the first two years the rule was in place, 50-point blowouts, of which there was an average of 27 per year in Connecticut, dropped to a rate of 1.5 per season.

Section II featured three such 50-point blowouts in Week One alone. There was no evidence of coaches running up the score in any of those instances. Rather, the schedule featured an unusually high number of games where one team was seriously overmatched.

The New York State Public High School Athletic Association or Section II need not impose any drastic regulations, but if coaches and officials can come to classy and sensible solutions like those at last week’s Troy-La Salle game, it will lessen the dread felt by our local players and fans on both sides in those awkward situations.

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The Record's Week One power polls
Class AA
Team, League, Overall
1, Troy High, 1-0, 1-0
The Flying Horses ran wild on La Salle in Week One – 55-0 - and return to action Saturday afternoon at home against Colonie, which dropped a 34-0 decision to Shaker in Week One.
2, Shaker, 1-0, 1-0
The Blue Bison defeated Colonie to give first-year head coach Greg Sheeler his first Section II victory. Athletic Director Ed Dopp presented Sheeler with the game ball, which was signed by all members of the team.
3, Saratoga Springs, 1-0, 1-0
The Blue Streaks opened their Section II Class AA title defense with a 28-12 victory over Guilderland. Look for the Blue Streaks to be in the mix in 2010 as well.
4, Ballston Spa, 1-0, 1-0
The Scotties, playing for the first time since losing to Saratoga Springs in the 2009 Class AA Super Bowl, routed Albany High, 50-7. Ballston Spa hosts Saratoga this week in a big-time rivalry game.
5, Shenendehowa, 1-0, 1-0
The Plainsmen defeated Bethlehem on Saturday and will play Albany High in Week Two, all of which leads up to a Week Three matchup in Steuerwald Stadium against Ballston Spa.

Class A
Team, League, Overall
1, Burnt Hills, 0-0, 1-0
The Spartans won their 21st consecutive Section II game Friday, beating Lansingburgh, 25-15. Burnt Hills plays host to Averill Park this Friday.
2, Queensbury, 0-0, 1-0
Posting a shutout (23-0) over Scotia-Glenville, the Spartans will certainly factor in the tight Northwest Division race with Burnt Hills, Amsterdam and Glens Falls.
3, Averill Park, 0-0, 1-0
The Warriors opened the 2010 season with a high-scoring victory over Gloversville. Averill Park has now won its first game of the season three years in a row.
4, Bishop Maginn, 0-0, 1-0
The Griffins handled South Glens Falls in Week One and the Griffins’ multi-faceted running attack will fare them well in 2010.
5, Lansingburgh, 0-0, 0-1
The Knights lost a tough game to Burnt Hills in Week One, but showed that they can compete in Class A after having spent a season in Class B.

Class B
Team, League, Overall
1, Albany Academy, 0-0, 1-0
The Cadets posted a huge 67-12 victory at Broadalbin-Perth behind 297 rushing yards and five touchdowns from Zay Richardson.
2 ,Schalmont, 0-0, 1-0
The Sabres, reining Section II Class B champions, lost star quarterback Vince Gallo to graduation but started the 2010 campaign at Union College with a 47-6 victory over Cohoes.
3, Schuylerville, 0-0, 1-0
The Black Horses made a statement in Week One with a 42-6 victory over Cairo-Durham. Can Schuylerville hang with the best of the best in Class B?
4, Hudson, 0-0, 1-0
The Bluehawks’ defense shone in Week One, holding Johnstown to two points in a 35-2 victory.
5, Hudson Falls, 0-0, 0-1
The Tigers faced Class A rival Glens Falls in Week One, losing 26-7. Look for Hudson Falls to rebound once the team resumes its Class B schedule.

Class C
Team, League, Overall
1, Hoosick Falls, 1-0, 1-0
The Panthers are still putting points on the board and year after advancing to the New York State Class C semifinals, beating Corinth 48-20 in Week One.
2, Chatham, 1-0, 1-0
Senior running back Josh Keyes ran wild in a 42-20 victory over Catholic Central in Week One, but he may be most dangerous for his physical skills on defense.
3, Voorheesville, 0-0, 1-0
The Blackbirds blanked Mechanicville, 21-0, on Saturday afternoon in a non-division game. Voorheesville travels to Fonda-Fultonville for another test this Saturday.
4, Watervliet, 1-0, 1-0
The Cannoneers opened yet another season with a bang, topping Taconic Hills, 45-6. A long-time grudge match happen Friday night when Watervliet travels to Lansingburgh to take on Catholic Central.
5, Granville, 1-0, 1-0
Codi Scribner ran for 112 yards in Granville’s 43-13 victory over Stillwater in Week One. The Golden Horde host Wasaren League rival Greenwich Saturday afternoon in a matchup of early-season unbeatens.

Class D
Team, League, Overall
1, Rensselaer, 0-0, 0-0
The Rams received a bye week thanks to Saratoga Central Catholic’s decision to drop its program this summer. Rensselaer kicks off the 2010 season Friday night at home against Fort Edward.
2, Cambridge, 1-0, 1-0
The Indians are back in Class D after spending 2009 as a Class C team and wasted no time climbing the standings. Cambridge used 168 rushing yards from Matt Best to defeat Bishop Gibbons 20-7.
3, Fort Edward, 1-0, 1-0
The Flying Forts scored 54 points in a come-from-behind rout of Warrensburg in Week One.

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Section II high school football standings, 2010

Class AA, League, Overall
Empire Division, W-L, W-L, PF, PA, QP
Ballston Spa, 1-0, 1-0, 50, 7, 7
Saratoga Springs, 1-0, 1-0, 28, 12, 7
Shenendehowa, 1-0, 1-0, 38, 10, 7
Christian Bros. Acad., 0-0, 1-0, 37, 14, 0
Albany, 0-1, 0-1, 7, 50, 0
Bethlehem, 0-1, 0-1, 10, 38, 0
Guilderland, 0-1, 0-1, 12, 28, 0
Liberty Division
Niskayuna, 1-0, 1-0, 32, 28, 6
Shaker, 1-0, 1-0, 34, 0, 7
Troy, 1-0, 1-0, 55, 0, 7
Columbia, 0-0, 0-1, 14, 37, 0
Colonie, 0-1, 0-1, 14, 37, 0
La Salle, 0-1, 0-1, 0, 55, 0
Schenectady, 0-1, 0-1, 28, 32, 1

Class A
Northwest Division
Amsterdam, 0-0, 1-0, 35, 12, 0
Burnt Hills, 0-0, 1-0, 25, 15, 0
Glens Falls, 0-0, 1-0, 27, 6, 0
Queensbury, 0-0, 1-0, 23, 0, 0
Gloversville, 0-0, 0-1, 33, 38, 0
South Glens Falls, 0-0, 0-1, 20, 41, 0
Southeast Division
Averill Park, 0-0, 1-0, 38, 33, 0
Bishop Maginn, 0-0, 1-0, 41, 20, 0
Lansingburgh, 0-0, 0-1, 15, 25, 0
Mohonasen, 0-0, 0-1, 12, 35, 0
Scotia-Glenville, 0-0, 0-1, 0, 23, 0

Class B
Reinfurt Division
Albany Academy, 0-0, 1-0, 67, 12, 0
Hudson, 0-0, 1-0, 35, 2, 0
Ravena, 0-0, 1-0, 21, 20, 0
Cairo-Durham, 0-0, 0-1, 6, 42, 0
Cohoes, 0-0, 0-1, 6, 47, 0
West Division
Schalmont, 0-0, 1-0, 47, 6, 0
Schuylerville, 0-0, 1-0, 42, 6, 0
Broadalbin-Perth, 0-0, 0-1, 12, 67, 0
Cobleskill, 0-0, 0-1, 20, 21, 0
Hudson Falls, 0-0, 0-1, 6, 27, 0
Johnstown, 0-0, 0-1, 2, 35, 0
Independent
Ichabod Crane, 0-0, 0-1, 2, 35, 0

Class C
North Division
Granville, 1-0, 1-0, 43, 13, 7
Greenwich, 1-0, 1-0, 54, 0, 7
Hoosick Falls, 1-0, 1-0, 48, 20, 7
Tamarac, 1-0, 1-0, 28, 18 7
Mechanicville, 0-0, 0-1, 0, 21, 0
Corinth, 0-1, 0-1, 20, 48, 0
Hoosic Valley, 0-1, 0-1, 0, 54, 0
Lake George, 0-1, 0-1, 18, 28, 0
Stillwater, 0-1, 0-1, 13, 43, 0
South Division
Chatham, 1-0, 1-0, 42, 20, 7
Fonda-Fultonville, 1-0, 1-0, 39, 22, 7
Watervliet, 1-0, 1-0, 45, 6, 7
Canajoharie, 0-0, 1-0, 42, 18, 0
Voorheesville, 0-0, 1-0, 21, 0, 0
Catholic Central, 0-1, 0-1, 20, 42, 0
Coxsackie-Athens, 0-1, 0-1, 22, 39, 0
Taconic Hills, 0-1, 0-1, 6, 45, 0

Class D
Cambridge, 1-0, 1-0, 20, 7, 5.5
Fort Edward, 1-0, 1-0, 54, 15, 6
Whitehall, 1-0, 1-0, 35, 8, 7
Rensselaer, 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0, 0
Bishop Gibbons, 0-1, 0-1, 7, 20, 1.5
Salem, 0-1, 0-1, 8, 35, 0
Warrensburg, 0-1, 0-1, 15, 54, 1

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The New York State Sportswriters Association blogged recently about the amount of media coverage being devoted to high school football this season. Click here to read that post.

Although the NYSSWA did not mention the 48-page preview section The Record will publish on Sept. 2, I did find it an interesting topic.

I'm planning on having a column in the preview section on why we pay more attention to football than the other sports, especially since the rates of state championship-caliber teams and scholarship-caliber athletes are perhaps lower in football than in any other sport in Section II.

What do you think? Am I off-base or did I miss the point? Feel free to sound off in the comments or via email.

Team-by-team training camp reports will resume tomorrow.

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TROY — Some of the finest young athletes in the Capital Region play the quaint old game of rounders, but the area’s most important high school baseball games, even those with perfect weather and free admission, often draw just a few dozen fans at most.

Wrestlers, volleyball players, swimmers and cross country and track and field athletes, to name just a few, must also lament the lack of spectators at their events.

Yet on Friday nights in the fall, our local gladiators go forth onto the gridiron under the lights in front of hundreds, if not thousands, of high school football fans that brave cold temperatures and ever-rising ticket prices.

How has a sport that is so violent and expensive for school districts to maintain (equipment, field maintenance and athletic trainers are a few of the costs) come to dominate the public landscape in such a way that the three or four high school football games played in [insert name of small town here] every fall are the biggest events of the year?

Football played catch-up to baseball through most of the late nineteenth century and nearly fizzled out around 1905, when 18 players died on the field in accidents. One of those players was Union College’s Harold D. Moore, who died in a game against New York University when his unprotected head was struck by the knee of a teammate. A few weeks later, Union’s Athletic Advisory Board “abolished football as now played,” according to a report in the New York Times on January 16, 1906.

(For more on how concussions are affecting today’s game, see pages 23 and 24 in the Kickoff: 2010 section on Thurs., Sept. 2).

Sitting President Theodore Roosevelt publicly called for stricter safety rules for the game and the American Football Rules Committee formed in 1906 allowed the forward pass, changed the distance needed for first downs from five yards to ten and banned gang tackling.

Still, baseball remained in prominence for decades following football’s rule changes. Perhaps it was the untimed nature of the sport, where no deficit is insurmountable if a team can minimize its mistakes and take advantage of opportunities - scoring runs without making outs - that so appealed to an American ideal of infinite possibilities in the era of Manifest Destiny.

These days, football seems a perfect fit for a spectator base with attention deficit disorder. Players wage in five-second bursts of fury before jogging back to the huddle for a 30-second reprieve so the fans can check their cellphones for a text message before consuming another five seconds of carnage.

Is that the reason why the NFL’s Sunday Night and Monday Night Football telecasts are often the most-watched network and cable shows each and every week during the fall months? Is that why sports radio shows dedicate hours of programming to professional and college football talk year-round? And why do people paint their chests and faces and, shirtless, howl at the sight of a touchdown pass, even in sub-zero temperatures?

Furthermore, why is The Record publishing a 48-page section dedicated solely to high school football and not mentioning any of the other fall sports inside the covers? (Part of the reason is that our publisher shot down the idea of expanding the coverage or turning this tabloid into a fall sports preview section. Another is that one reporter only has so many hours to report, write and meet a deadline).

The societal shift toward a culture in which power, cunning and a black and white sense of right-and-wrong are the defining norms on the field of play – thank you, instant replay – has made football more appealing than baseball’s wishy-washy dependence on ever-fallible umpires.

Even so, why are thousands routinely turning out for high school football games at Hoosick Falls High School when barely a dozen watched some of the team’s home games this spring? Start times undoubtedly have something to do with that. More people can open 7 p.m. on a Friday night on their calendars than they can 4 p.m. on a Tuesday afternoon.

While their counterparts in other sports work just as hard and strive for the same glory of winning a single game, a league title, a sectional crown and ultimately, a state championship, football players take a gigantic risk every time they pop the buckles on their helmets.

Common football helmet safety warning:

DO NOT USE FACE MASKS/HELMET SYSTEMS TO BUTT, RAM OR SPEAR AN OPPOSING PLAYER. THIS IS IN VIOLATION OF THE FOOTBALL RULES AND CAN RESULT IN SEVERE HEAD, BRAIN, OR NECK INJURY, PARALYSIS OR DEATH TO YOU, AND POSSIBLE INJURY TO YOUR OPPONENT. THERE IS THE RISK THAT THESE INJURIES MAY ALSO OCCUR AS A RESULT OF ACCIDENTAL CONTACT WITHOUT INTENT TO BUTT, RAM OR SPEAR. NO FACE MASK/HELMET SYSTEM CAN PREVENT ALL SUCH INJURIES.

Baseball pitchers are at the mercy of screaming line drives coming back at them at over 100 miles per hour off the barrel of an aluminum bat. Hockey players certainly take a risk each and every time they step onto the ice.

Still, the biggest crowds flock to football games. They’re not there in the hopes of witnessing an injury, but the risk at every position on every play makes people take notice. There is a sense of danger at a football game that makes it so fascinating, so thrilling, so hard to turn away from, especially as the players get bigger, stronger and faster every offseason.

Witnessing risk makes the fans feel like they’re a part of the game - even if they’re just spectators at the neighborhood coliseum – and that’s why football is unlike any of the other high school sports.

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A recent NYSPHSAA ruling is a step in right direction to protecting athletes from the heat, but it’s not perfect

William Montgomery
The Record

(This column will appear in Monday's edition of The Record).

Saratoga Springs track and field athletes take refuge from the sun under an umbrella at Thursday's Section II Class A track and field championships at Shenendehowa High School. (Photos by Mike McMahon - The Record).

When a girls lacrosse game and track and field meet were postponed Wednesday by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association’s recent heat index procedures, my mind flashed back to the morning of August 1, 2001.

The day before, Minnesota Vikings lineman Korey Stinger ran through drills in full pads at training camp as the heat index – a meteorological tool that combines air temperature and relative humidity to explain how hot it really feels – soared to 110 degrees. Stringer died early in the morning of August 1 due to complications from heat stroke and the news sent shockwaves through the athletic community.

Later that day – I was a soon-to-be junior in high school at the time – I went to session No. 3 of a week-long football camp and can still clearly remember the grizzled, tough-guy coaches who were shaken by the story.

Stringer’s death opened the eyes of coaches, athletes and trainers to the importance of hydration and the dangers of holding games and practices in oppressively hot and sunny conditions. At most high schools in the area, coaches, without a second thought, allow players quick breaks for a gulp of water whenever they feel the need during practice.

Yet on May 1, the New York State Public High School Athletic Association passed a heat index procedure (and a wind chill procedure for late autumn events) that prohibits teams from taking the field if the heat index reaches 96 degrees or above, according to accuweather.com.

The NYSPHSAA has three levels of recommendations for coaches if the heat index is 95 degrees or below. Some suggestions include scheduling practices for later in the day when temperatures are lower, removing layers of padding for players and including mandatory water breaks every 15 minutes.

However, if the heat index reaches 96, "no outside activity, practice or contest should be held," reads the official document. "Inside activity should be held only if air-conditioned."

Wednesday, record-setting heat enveloped the Capital Region. The Section II Class A girls track and field meet at Queensbury High School was postponed until Friday after the heat index soared over 100 degrees, based on the zip code entered into accuweather.com.

For track and field, which often lacks ample shade for the hundreds of athletes assembled to compete at a meet, the ruling makes sense. For other sports, however, the hard-and-fast ruling left some scratching their heads.

Three Section II girls lacrosse championship games were schedule on the University at Albany’s John Fallon Field, an artificial turf surface. The first game, which was supposed to start at 3:30 p.m., was postponed until Thursday. The other two games were played as scheduled.

Still, the synthetic rubber crumbs in a FieldTurf surface absorb more heat from the sun and make the field feel much hotter than a dirt or grass field. Checking the University at Albany’s zip code on accuweather.com’s does not give an accurate reflection of the true heat index the athletes must have felt on the scorching plastic field.

For the safety of the athletes, perhaps all of the games should have been postponed by relying on common sense and not just a number on a website.

At the sectional softball games played at Veeder Park in Colonie, athletes were directed to their dugouts around 2:30 p.m. when the heat index reached 96. Ten minutes later, an official refreshed the accuweather.com page and found that the heat index had dropped at least one degree, allowing the players to resume warming up for their games in a moment of bizarre bureaucratic rigidity.

Baseball and softball games provide built-in water breaks between every inning and shaded dugouts. These factors should not be ignored in considering whether or not to postpone a game.

The safety of high school athletes should be paramount on the minds of all coaches and administrators. The NYSPHSAA’s recent ruling, however, is nothing but an arbitrary system that could stand to incorporate sport-by-sport refinements.

Albany High School's University at Albany-bound sprinter Kareem Morris stays hydrated during Thursday's Section II Class A track and field meet at Shenendehowa High School.

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Runners don't just mysteriously pop up on second base in extra innings of softball games, they're placed there by the International Tiebreaker Rule.

I wrote a column for Monday's paper on the International Tiebreaker Rule in softball. You can read it by scrolling beneath the second picture in this post.

First, I wanted to address a number of other softball rules that differentiate the sport from baseball.

Many states have moved the pitcher’s rubber back to 43 feet from its current placement at 40 feet, as has been done in college and international competition. The New York State Public High School Athletic Association, however, has kept the rubber at 40 feet.

The Chicago Tribune reported this week that teams in Illinois have seen an offensive explosion after moving the pitcher back three feet.

Adopting the 43-foot rule would help New York’s college-bound players prepare for the next level. Statistically, it would not likely have much of an effect on the number of extra-inning games, which still leaves the issue of the international tie-breaker rule. Teams will go to extras tied 5-5 rather than 1-1, for example.

To read a story from the Chicago Tribune on the offensive outburst that occurred after moving the pitcher's rubber back three feet, click here.

Softball also uses a 15-run mercy rule, which keeps some games from getting totally out of control.

The reentry rules for softball are similar to those used by high school baseball teams, which allows squads to utilize defensive specialists and courtesy runners.

What do you think? What rule changes would you make to any of the sports played on the high school level?

When you've got a free runner on second base and nobody out, the book says to bunt - and teams certainly do when the International Tiebreaker Rule kicks in.

Sometimes, a high school softball game seems like it can go on forever.

With pitchers hurling the ball at speeds near 60 miles per hour – releasing the ball less than 40 feet from home plate – it’s rarely an equal opportunity game for hitters.

Consequently, after countless extra inning affairs dragged on until one ace finally made a mistake and a winner was determined, the International Tiebreaker Rule was adopted to hurry games to their conclusions.

The rule has its variations depending on the level of play and the governing bodies of different softball organizations, but in Section II, it plays out like this.

If teams have played to a tie score after nine innings (a regulation high school game lasts seven innings, so teams have already played two extra innings) the player who made the last out in the ninth inning heads to second base to begin the tenth. If the visiting team scores thanks to the free runner in scoring position in the top of the inning, the home team has an opportunity to win…or tie the game and prolong it even further.

What often happens is that teams will use their first out to lay down a sacrifice bunt and move the free runner to third base. A base hit, a sacrifice fly, an error in the field or a wild pitch could all score the free runner and potentially end the game.

That was exactly what happened to Cohoes and Columbia in a non-league game earlier this season. The teams scored one run apiece in each half of the 10th and 11th innings. In the 12th, a Columbia hitter ripped a line drive to Cohoes’ second baseman. Since the ball was hit so hard, Cohoes’ first baseman assumed the ball had been caught on the fly when in fact it barely skipped off the infield. She did not get back to cover first base in time and the winning run scored for the Blue Devils.

In the first round of the 2010 Uncle Sam Tournament, Tamarac had played Catholic Central to a 1-1 draw through nine innings. In the bottom of the tenth, Catholic Central’s leadoff hitter Hannah Kutny came to the plate and swiftly singled to left field, driving in the game-winning run.

To be fair, Tamarac had an equal chance to win the game, but the Bengals failed to move their tiebreaker runner across the plate in the top of the tenth.

Still, few coaches seem to be in favor of the rule.

“You get a runner on second, you bunt her over and you hope something happens,” said Cohoes head coach Frank Ryan. “You score and then they have the same scenario. You gave them a run and now we’re going to try to give you a run. It’s not like you really earn the run. I’d rather just play, myself.”

Any tiebreaker runners that score do not count against a pitcher’s earned run average.

Why not let the kids play the game until someone wins? The rule makes sense for in-season tournament play and non-conference games that ultimately do not count beyond pride, but in league games and postseason contests, the players should determine the outcome, not a free runner placed on base to speed up the ending.

Baseball, and by extension, softball, is our national pastime because the victor is always determined by merit. The team that can more effectively make their opponent pile up the outs wins every time. Unlike basketball or soccer teams that can claim to simply have run out of time when the final buzzer sounds, softball games are always won by the better team on any given day unless a free runner figures in determining the outcome.

The International Tiebreaker Rule only serves to turn softball games into late-inning shootouts or sudden death scenarios. What’s the rush? Let the girls play games to completion and determine a winner the old-fashioned way, the way the game was meant to be played.