Troy High's Luis Lind (left) puts the pressure on Niskayuna quarterback Kyle Bayly (8) during a Week Six game at Niskayuna. The Flying Horses are going to need pressure like that all game Saturday to keep pace with the Silver Warriors' passing attack. (Photo by J.S. Carras - The Record).

TROY — The close calls have been few and far between for the Troy High School football team in 2010, as the Flying Horses have outscored opponents 333 to 61 through eight weeks.

But Troy’s biggest scare of the season, a 35-28 overtime victory at Niskayuna in Week Six, has given the team confidence this week as it prepares to host the Silver Warriors, the Liberty Division’s No. 3 seed, in a Section II Class AA semifinal contest Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

“Our coaches mention all the time that we’re happy we came that close to them in overtime the first time,” said senior running back and defensive back Jordan Canzeri, at left. “If we just played them for the first time now, we’d say, ‘oh, they’re 5-3 and they lost to La Salle and Columbia in overtime. We wouldn’t think that much of them.

“But we’re really happy they stepped up their game and we both went into overtime. We’re not going to let down at all this week.”

Troy (8-0), the Liberty Division’s No. 1 seed and the No. 7 ranked Class AA team in the latest New York State Sportswriters Association poll, was pushed to the brink by Niskayuna’s passing game in their first meeting between the teams.

Kyle Bayly, Niskayuna’s senior quarterback, completed 20-of-37 passes for 336 yards and one touchdown in Week Six. He threw for 420 yards in an upset victory at Ballston Spa in Week Seven and passed for 221 yards and four touchdowns last week in a Class AA quarterfinal upset at Saratoga Springs.

The leading passer in Section II, Bayly, who plays out of the shotgun set and has a rocket right arm, has completed 109-of-207 passes for 1,631 yards and thrown 12 touchdowns against seven interceptions.

Troy’s defensive secondary, Canzeri and fellow seniors Evan Vadney, Dan Danahy and Ian Blair, pictured at right, know that they’ll have their hands full Saturday afternoon, but they believe they’re ready for the challenge.

“We start off on Monday with a scout look and coach goes through their defense and what they’re going to show us and then their offense, with what they’re going to show us,” Vadney, at left, said. “Then they give us scout sheets a couple of pages thick. Tuesday and Wednesday are all-out. Tuesday is offense and Wednesday is defense. All-out practice. It kind of slows down toward the end of the week, but it’s just getting after it all week.”

Bayly’s main target is senior Nick Schuler, Section II’s leading receiver, who has caught 34 passes for 652 yards and seven touchdowns. Josh Callahan, a junior wide receiver with 26 receptions for 383 yards and two touchdowns, is also a threat for the Silver Warriors.

“The first time we faced them, we weren’t really ready for how much they passed,” said Canzeri. “Every week, once you see a team and see how they play and see what their adjustments are, we just go into practice fix all of what we need to do. We make new plays and all we do is practice, practice, practice.”

Troy’s offense, which has averaged 41.6 points per game, has been potent as well, but the Flying Horses tend to get it done on the ground. Canzeri has rushed for 1,203 yards on 144 attempts this season. Senior Shatiek Lewis, who has been limited by an injured ankle each of the past four weeks, has gained 569 yards on 53 attempts.

Shenendehowa (6-2), the Empire Division’s No. 3 seed, travels to Empire No. 1 Ballston Spa (6-2) in the other Section II Class AA semifinal game. Semifinal winners meet in the Super Bowl on Fri., Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. at South Colonie High School.

Niskayuna has not appeared in a Section II Super Bowl since 1996. Troy won that Class A game, 38-6, en route to a New York State title.

“The bottom line is we have to play Troy football,” Danahy, at right, said. “If we do that, we’ll be fine.”

Bishop Maginn (5-3, No. 3 seed, Southeast) 

at Lansingburgh (7-1, No. 1, Southeast)

Fri., 7 p.m.

Class A semifinals

About Maginn: The Griffins upset Northwest Division No. 2 Amsterdam on the road last week behind 148 rushing yards from Matthias McKinnon.
About ‘Burgh: Last week, the Knights came from behind to defeat Gloversville - for the second time this season – in a Class A quarterfinals. Marcus Little rushed for 78 yards and Anthony Fogarty added a kick return touchdown to spark the Knights. Lansingburgh has won seven straight since losing to Burnt Hills, 25-15, in Week One.
Notable: Lansingburgh defeated Maginn in Troy, 20-14, on Oct. 15 in the regular season finale. The Knights trailed 14-13 in the fourth quarter, but rallied for the victory.

Albany Academy (6-2, No. 2, Reinfurt) 

at Schalmont (8-0, No. 1 seed, West)

Fri., 7 p.m.

Class B semifinals

About Academy: The Cadets rallied for a 21-17 victory over Schuylerville in the quarterfinals last week. Senior running back Zay Richardson ran for 152 yards on 27 attempts, scoring twice in the second half.
About Schalmont: The Sabres, who have outscored opponents 311 to 38 this season, posted a humongous 53-6 victory over Cairo-Durham in the quarterfinals last week. Schalmont, which won its first Section II Super Bowl in school history in 2009 thanks to the running of quarterback Vince Gallo, have turned to the passing skills of quarterback Joe Paskevich (44-of-74 for 804 yds., 12 TD, 2 INT) in 2010.
Notable: These teams did not meet this season. In 2009, Academy won the first meeting, 35-18, but Schalmont posted a 32-12 victory over the Cadets in the Class B quarterfinal round.

 Hoosick Falls (8-0, No. 1 seed North Division) vs. Fonda

(6-2, No. 2 seed, South Division) 

at Stillwater High School

Sat., 7 p.m.

Class C semifinals

About Fonda: The Braves have leaned on workhorse running back Wally Kowlaski this season. Kowalski has rushed for 994 yards on 170 attempts, an average of 5.8 yards per carry.
About Hoosick Falls: The Panthers have relied on a number of offensive weapons this season, including sophomore running back Brad Burns (65 atts., 608 yds., eight TDs) and junior Tanner Williams, who has gained 712 all-purpose offensive yards and scored 14 touchdowns as a runner or receiver. Hoosick Falls went 3-0 on the artificial turf at Stillwater in postseason games in 2009.
Notable: The Panthers won a non-division game in Fonda on Oct. 9, 21-6.

Rensselaer (5-2, No. 2 seed) vs. Whitehall (5-2, No. 2 seed)

at Schuylerville High School

Sat., 1 p.m.

Class D semifinals

About Whitehall: Running back Josh Hoagland has rushed 137 times for 1,172 yards and 18 touchdowns this season. Hoagland is also a threat to throw the football, as he has completed five-of-20 passes for 139 yards and three touchdowns.
About Rensselaer: Rensselaer clinched the No. 2 seed with an 18-6 victory over the Railroaders on Oct. 15 and played Canajoharie, a non-playoff Class C team, in a bye game last week. Canajoharie won, 16-0. Rensselaer has won two straight Section II Class D Super Bowl titles and has lost to Moriah (Section VII) in the regional round two years running as well.
Notable: Whitehall topped No. 6 Warrensburg in Class D quarterfinal action last week, 40-20.

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Of the 10 semifinal football games on the schedule in Section II this weekend, eight are rematches of regular season games. The Record takes a look at what happened the first time and what fans can expect to see the second time around with Super Bowl berths on the line.

Class AA semifinals

Liberty Div. No. 3 Niskayuna (5-3) 

at Liberty Div. No. 1 Troy (8-0)

Saturday, 1:30 p.m.

First game: Troy outlasted Nisky, 35-28, in overtime on Oct. 8. Jordan Canzeri returned the game's opening kickoff for a touchdown, scored the go-ahead touchdown in overtime and finished with 145 rushing yards on 23 attempts.
Niskayuna quarterback Kyle Bayly completed 20-of-37 passes for 336 yards. He passed for 420 in Week Seven and leads all of Section II with 1,631 passing yards.
Semifinal outlook: Troy, which posted four straight shutouts to open the season, has faced been challenged in three of the past four weeks but found a way to win its games.
Niskayuna, which won on the road Friday night, upsetting Saratoga Springs, is one of the hottest teams in Section II and will play with the confidence that it knows it can hang in a competitive game with Troy.

Empire Div. No. 3 Shenendehowa (6-2) 

at Empire Div. No. 1 Ballston Spa (6-2)

Friday, 7 p.m.

First game: The Plainsmen posted a 7-0 victory on Sept. 17, Shen's only victory at Steuerwald Stadium this season.
Semifinal outlook: Shen, 5-0 on the road this season, heads across Saratoga County to take on a Scotties team that lost to Nisky in the final week of the regular season but rebounded with a 27-21 victory over Schenectady Friday night.
The Plainsmen will rely on senior running back Bronson Greene, while the Scotties count on a number of weapons in their traditional option-based rushing attack.

Class A semifinals

 

Southeast Div. No. 3 Bishop Maginn (5-3) 

at Southeast Div. No. 1 Lansingburgh (7-1)

Friday, 7 p.m.

First game: Lansingburgh defeated Maginn in Troy, 20-14, on Oct. 15 in the regular season finale. The Knights trailed 14-13 in the fourth quarter, but rallied for the victory.
Semifinal outlook: The Knights have been red-hot – winning seven straight - since losing to Burnt Hills, 25-15, in Week One. Marcus Little, Anthony Fogarty and Jake Luce form a three-headed rushing threat and junior quarterback Carlos Grillo can also throw the ball when asked.
Maginn upset Northwest Division No. 2 Amsterdam on the road last week. Matthias McKinnon is a threat out of the backfield and Isaiah Phillips is a big-play option at wide receiver.

Northwest Div. No. 3 Queensbury (6-2) at Northwest Div. No. 1 Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake (8-0)

Friday, 7 p.m.

First game: Burnt Hills blanked a previously undefeated Queensbury team, 48-0, on Sept. 18.
Semifinal outlook: Burnt Hills will be the heavy favorite in this showdown of the Spartans. BH-BL has won 28 straight games against Section II opponents.

Class C semifinals

North Div. No. 2 Greenwich (6-2) vs. South Div. No. 1 Chatham (8-0) 

at Stillwater High School

Sat., 2 p.m.

First game: Chatham won a non-division game in Greenwich, 48-28, on Oct. 15.
Semifinal outlook: Chatham features senior running back and safety Josh Keyes, who is always a threat for a long run or a punishing tackle.
Greenwich, which appeared in the Class D Super Bowl in 2009, squeaked past Voorheesville in a quarterfinal game, 14-8.

South Div. No. 2 Fonda-Fultonville (6-2) vs. North Div. No. 1 Hoosick Falls (8-0) 

at Stillwater High School

Sat., 7 p.m.

First game: The Panthers won a non-division game in Fonda on Oct. 9, 21-6.
Semifinal outlook: Both Hoosick Falls and Fonda have been renowned for their passing games in recent years, and given dry conditions on Stillwater's artificial turf, these teams could turn to the skies in the semis as well. Hoosick Falls won semifinal, Super Bowl and regional round games at Stillwater last season en route to an appearance in the New York State Class C semifinals.

Class D semifinals

 

No. 3 Whitehall (5-2) 

vs. No. 2 Rensselaer (5-2) 

at Schuylerville High School, Sat., 1 p.m.

First game: Rensselaer clinched the No. 2 seed with an 18-6 victory over the Railroaders on Oct. 15.
Semifinal outlook: The Rams, two-time defending Section II Class D champions, lost a crossover game to Canajoharie last week, 16-0. Whitehall trounced Warrensburg, 40-20, in a Class D quarterfinal game. Can Rensselaer get back on the winning track in the semifinals or will Whitehall advance to a Section II Super Bowl game for the first time since 1989?

No. 4 Fort Edward (4-3) 

vs. No. 1 Cambridge (7-0) 

at Schuylerville High School

Sat., 7 p.m.

First game: Cambridge won a regular season game on Sept. 25, 49-8.
Semifinal outlook: Cambridge's Matt Best ran for 262 yards in the first meeting between these teams and he's been practically unstoppable for the Indians this season. Quarterback Billy Pine threw for 184 yards and three touchdowns in last week's 41-0 crossover victory over Granville, so Cambridge can also get it done through the air.

Class B semifinals

(R2) Albany Academy (6-2) at (W1) Schalmont (8-0), Friday, 7 p.m.
(W2) Hudson Falls (4-4) at (R1) Ravena (7-1) , Friday, 7 p.m.

Crossover games

(Dates, times and sites are TBD for many of these games as of now)

Broadalbin-Perth at Cohoes, Weds., 3:30 p.m.
Shaker at Saratoga Springs, Thurs., 6 p.m.
La Salle at CBA
Schenectady at Guilderland
Bethlehem at Colonie
Columbia at Albany
Scotia-Glenville at Amsterdam
South Glens Falls at Schuylerville
Cobleskill-Richmondville vs. Hudson
Coxsackie-Athens vs. Cairo-Durham
Corinth at Ichabod Crane
Lake George at Warrensburg
Granville at Mechanicville
Tamarac at Voorheesville
Catholic Central at Stillwater

Section II stat pack

Rushing
Player, School, Att., Yds., Avg., TD
Zay Richardson, Albany Academy, 157, 1718, 10.9, 26
Duane Todman, Corinth, 169, 1457, 8.6, 16
Josh Keyes, Chatham, 115, 1336, 11.6, 18
Jordan Canzeri, Troy, 144, 1203, 8.4, 18
Dakota Drake, Hudson Falls, 190, 1190, 6.3, 14
Bronson Greene, Shenendehowa, 168, 1188, 7.1, 15
Josh Hoagland, Whitehall, 137, 1172, 8.6, 18
Troy Garguilo, Ballston Spa, 141, 1041, 7.4, 10
Matt Best, Cambridge, 91, 1033, 11.4, 12
Codi Scribner, 178, 1000, 5.6, 11
Justin White, Fort Edward, 116, 1000, 8.6, 14

Passing
Player, School, Comp., Att., Yds., TD, INT
Kyle Bayly, Niskayuna, 109, 207, 1631, 12, 7
Ryan Smith, Guilderland, 107, 212, 1488, 18, 4
Nick Casale, Tamarac, 58, 125, 1154, 9, 9
Tony Giroux, Greenwich, 45, 88, 1104, 10, 3
Tanner Niles, Chatham, 45, 79, 994, 18, 2
John Stanley, Columbia, 74, 146, 962, 9, 11
Brandon Legault, Watervliet, 76, 168, 960, 7, 12
Mike Brewster, Hoosick Falls, 59, 92, 955, 12, 2
Ryan Duncan, Voorheesville, 75, 130, 953, 7, 1
Jake Guislane, Ichabod Crane, 48, 112, 888, 8, 7

Receiving
Player, School, Rec., Yds., TD
Nick Schuler, Niskayuna, 34, 652, 19.2, 7
Ian McGrath, Chatham, 26, 648, 24.9, 11
Tyler Larvie, Tamarac, 25, 623, 24.9, 8
Ryan McFee, Greenwich, 22, 489, 22.2, 6
Ricky Pallozzi, Ichabod Crane, 26, 447, 17.2, 4
Dylan August, Guilderland, 26, 405, 15.6, 5
Alex Grayson, Mechanicville, 24, 398, 16.6, 1
Dom Litz, Guilderland, 22, 392, 17.8, 4
Adrian Valentino, Shaker, 14, 391, 27.9, 5
Josh Callahan, Niskayuna, 26, 383, 14.7, 2

Kicking
Player, School, PAT, FG, Tot.
Evan Nusbaum, Burnt Hills, 45, 0, 45
Ryan Behrens, Chatham, 39, 0, 39
Joel Agnes, Niskayuna, 25, 3, 34
Matt Best, Cambridge, 32, 0, 32
Matt Beighey, Ballston Spa, 28, 1, 31
J.J. Murphy, Schalmont, 31, 0, 31
Harlan Hoose, Ravena, 20, 3, 29
Jake Shaw, Lansingburgh, 22, 2, 28
Bardo Talbi, Troy, 28, 0, 28
Joshua Sommers, Guilderland, 18, 3, 27

Total scoring
Player, School, TD, PAT, FG, 2-pt., Tot.
Zay Richardson, Albany Academy, 29, 0, 0, 5, 184
Josh Keyes, Chatham, 23, 0, 0, 0, 138
Josh Hoagland, Whitehall, 20, 0, 0, 4, 128
Evan Nusbaum, Burnt Hills, 13, 45, 0, 0, 123
Brandon Beatty, Burnt Hills, 20, 0, 0, 0, 120
Jordan Canzeri, Troy, 20, 0, 0, 0, 120
Duane Todman, Corinth, 20, 0, 0, 0, 120
Justin White, Fort Edward, 16, 2, 0, 11, 120
Tyler Pruiksma, Greenwich, 15, 0, 0, 12, 114
Matt Best, Cambridge, 13, 32, 0, 0, 110

The Record’s Power Polls

Class AA
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Troy High, 8-0, 1
The Flying Horses pulled away in the second half of Saturday's quarterfinal game against CBA. Can they pull away from Niskayuna in the rematch or are they destined for another overtime classic?
2, Niskayuna, 5-3, 2
The Silver Warriors remained red hot as the defense held off a late Saratoga Springs rally in last week's quarterfinal showdown in the Spa City. How will the Nisky passing attack operate on Troy's often slippery and muddy field?
3, Ballston Spa, 5-1, 6-2, 3
The Scotties lost in the final week of the regular season and held on for a 27-21 victory over Schenectady in the Class AA quarterfinals. Will it be another close game against Shen?
4, Shenendehowa, 6-2, NR

Bronson Greene scored five touchdowns in a big 48-6 win at Shaker on Friday night. Will the Plainsmen be able to find any other targets on offense? Ballston Spa will surely be targeting Greene from the get-go.
5, Shaker, 6-2, 4
The Blue Bison enjoyed their finest season in recent memory, but a first round blowout at the hands of Shenendehowa will leave a bitter taste until next year.

Class A
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Burnt Hills, 8-0, 1
The Spartans have won 28 straight games against Section II opponents. They get Queensbury in the semis, a team BH-BL defeated 48-0 in the regular season.
2, Lansingburgh, 7-1, 2
The Knights have won seven straight since losing to BH-BL in Week One, but they've had their share of close games. Expect another Friday night when 'Burgh plays host to Bishop Maginn.
3, Queensbury, 6-2, 5

The Spartans upset Averill Park on the road last week, earning a semifinal date at Burnt Hills, the No. 3 ranked Class A team in New York State.

4, Bishop Maginn, 5-3, NR

The Griffins shocked Amsterdam on the road last week, but beside Burnt Hills' dominance, it has been an unpredictable year in Class A. Can Maginn earn a 2008 Super Bowl rematch against Burnt Hills?

5, Averill Park, 5-3, 4

The Warriors improved by leaps and bounds in 2010 under second-year head coach Zach Gobel and they'll certainly miss a big group of talented seniors in 2011.

Class B
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Schalmont, 8-0, 1
The Sabres cruised to a 59-6 quarterfinal victory over Cairo-Durham Friday night. Can Joe Paskevich carry Schalmont to where Vince Gallo took them in 2009 – a Section II Class B Super Bowl title?
2, Ravena, 7-1, 2
The Indians have won every game against Class B competition in 2010. Their one loss came in a non-division game at Averill Park.
3, Albany Academy, 6-2, 3
The Cadets held off a tough Schuylerville team in the quarterfinals, but does Zay Richardson and the rest of the Academy team have what it takes to upset Schalmont on the road?
4, Hudson Falls, 4-4, 4
The Tigers rolled to an easy home quarterfinal victory over Hudson High. Don't expect the ball to be thrown too many times when Hudson Falls plays at Ravena in a semifinal game this week.
5, Schuylerville, 5-3, 5
The Black Horses successfully made the leap from Class C to Class B this year, even though their Super Bowl dreams came up short.

Class C
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Hoosick Falls, 8-0, 1
The Panthers blanked Watervliet at home in the quarterfinals, 42-0. Hoosick Falls' starting defense has allowed just two touchdowns through eight games.
2, Chatham, 8-0, 2
The Panthers crushed Tamarac in a quarterfinal game, 48-20. Josh Keyes rushed for 162 yards on just 12 attempts and Ian McGrath snared four touchdown passes from quarterback Tanner Niles.
3, Fonda-Fultonville, 6-2, 3
The Braves are one win away from their first Section II Super Bowl appearance since 1999, but Hoosick Falls, which defeated Fonda two weeks ago in a regular season game, will have something to say about that in Saturday's semifinal.
4, Greenwich, 6-2, 4
The Witches barely held on against Voorheesville in a quarterfinal game and saw star running back Tyler Pruiksma banged up in the process. Will Greenwich be ready to go against Chatham?
5, Mechanicville, 4-4, 5
The Red Raiders squeaked into the playoffs as the North Division's No. 4 seed, making something out of a season that looked dismal after a 1-3 start.

Class D
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Cambridge, 7-0, 1
Just how good are the Indians? In a crossover game against Class C Granville last week, Cambridge won 41-0. Cambridge will play Fort Edward in the semis as its quest for its first Section II title since 2007 continues.
2, Rensselaer, 5-2, 2
The Rams take to the turf Saturday against Whitehall in a Class D semifinal a week after losing 16-0 to Canajoharie in a crossover bye game.
3, Whitehall, 5-2, 3

Running back Josh Hoagland, who has rushed for 18 touchdowns and 1,172 yards this season, is averaging 8.6 yards per carry.

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Shenendehowa (4-2, 5-2) 

at Shaker (5-1, 6-1)

Fri., 7 p.m.

Class AA quarterfinals

About Shen: Just two weeks ago, the Plainsmen looked like a lock for the No. 1 seed in the Empire Division with a head-to-head victory over Ballston Spa and destiny in their hands with a Week Seven home game against archrival Saratoga Springs. Shen lost a shocker to Guilderland and dropped a 14-12 decision to the Blue Streaks, dropping to No. 3 in the division in the process. Senior running back Bronson Greene (146 atts., 1017 yds., 11 TD) is one of six running backs with at least 1,000 yards on the ground this season.
About Shaker: The Blue Bison laid an egg last Saturday at Troy High, losing 34-0 in their regular season finale. Shaker has not appeared in the postseason since 2005 and is making just its fifth trip to the playoffs in program history. Kyle Bernard (93 atts., 534 yds., 6 TD) and Conor Alund (53 atts., 484 yds., 5 TD) have split the duties out of the backfield this season.
Notable: This is just the third meeting between these schools in the last seven seasons. Shen won games in 2004 and 2009 by a combined score of 48-14.

Gloversville (2-3, 2-5) 

at Lansingburgh (4-0, 6-1)

Fri., 7 p.m.

Class A quarterfinals

About G’ville: The Huskies closed out the regular season with a loss to Amsterdam, sliding to the No. 4 seed in the Northwest Division. Gloversville has lost three of its last four games, including twice by shutout.
About ‘Burgh: The Knights have won six straight games since losing to Burnt Hills by 10 points in Week One. Marcus Little (91 atts., 682 yds., 6 TD) leads the team in rushing, although Anthony Fogarty (55 atts., 498 yds., 7 TD) and Jake Luce (40 atts., 305 yds., 8 TD) have contributed to Lansingburgh’s triple-threat backfield.
Notable: These teams last met during the 2007 regular season, a game Lansingburgh won, 34-21. The Knights appeared in the New York State Class A championship game later that season.

Queensbury (3-2, 5-2) 

at Averill Park (3-1, 5-2)

Fri., 7 p.m.

Class A quarterfinals

About Q’bury: The Spartans have been competitive in four straight games since losing to Burnt Hills 48-0 in Week Three. Queensbury has defeated South Glens Falls, Gloversville and Glens Falls and lost a 19-17 heartbreaker to Amsterdam two weeks ago. A run-first team, the Spartans are led by Thomas Shelvin (83 atts., 500 yds., 6 TD) on the ground.
About AP: Like Queensbury, the Warriors have suffered a blowout loss to BH-BL (42-0) and a tough two-point division defeat (36-34 to Lansingburgh). Averill Park’s option-based rushing attack has been bolstered this season by the return of a healthy Chris Miller, a speedster on the outside, and the elusive Matt Joe, who is also a threat for a punt or kick return for a touchdown.
Notable: Queensbury won regular season games against Averill Park each of the past two seasons by a combined score of 82-21. Averill Park last defeated Queensbury in 2005 in a Class A quarterfinal game in Averill Park, 38-24.

Christian Brothers Academy (3-3, 4-3) 

at Troy (6-0, 7-0)

Sat., 1:30 p.m.

Class AA quarterfinals

About CBA: The Brothers shut out Albany High last week to clinch their first playoff berth since the 2007 season. First-year head coach Joe Burke has used a multi-faceted attack on offense all season long, spreading out the rushing responsibilities among a number of ballcarriers. Trey Williams (71 atts., 445 yds., 7 TD) has rushed for over 100 yards just once this season, but still leads the team on the ground.
About Troy: The Flying Horses made a statement in the final week of the regular season by shutting out a previously undefeated Shaker team, 34-0, clinching the Liberty Division’s No. 1 seed in the process. Jordan Canzeri has thrived in the absence of fellow senior running back Shatiek Lewis, running for at least 145 yards in each of his last three games.
Notable: These two teams have not met since 2006. CBA won regular season games against the Flying Horses in 2006 and 2005 by a combined score of 32-14. Troy last defeated the Brothers in a 2004 regular season game, 12-0.

Section II stat pack

Rushing

Player, School, Att., Yds., Avg., TD
Zay Richardson, Albany Academy, 130, 1566, 12.0, 24
Duane Todman, Corinth, 133, 1230, 9.2, 13
Josh Keyes, Chatham, 103, 1174, 11.4, 16
Dakota Drake, Hudson Falls, 171, 1127, 6.6, 12
Jordan Canzeri, Troy, 119, 1081, 9.1, 16
Bronson Greene, Shenendehowa, 146, 1017, 7.0, 11
Josh Hoagland, Whitehall, 122, 990, 8.1, 15
Codi Scribner, Granville, 158, 955, 6.0, 11
Matt Best, Cambridge, 80, 938, 11.7, 10
Wally Kowalski, Fonda-Fultonville, 151, 897, 5.9, 9

Troy High senior running back Jordan Canzeri stiff arms Shaker senior defensive back Brendan Kisselback during Saturday's 34-0 victory for the Flying Horses. Canzeri is one of Section II's top rushers and scoring threats this season. (Photo by J.S. Carras - The Record).

Passing

Player, School, Comp., Att., Yds., TD, INT
Kyle Bayly, Niskayuna, 99, 186, 1410, 8, 6
Ryan Smith, Guilderland, 97, 191, 1345, 17, 4
Nick Casale, Tamarac, 46, 99, 985, 7, 8
John Stanley, Columbia, 74, 146, 962, 9, 11
Brandon Legault, Watervliet, 68, 149, 886, 7, 10
Tony Giroux, Greenwich, 34, 65, 878, 10, 2
Ryan Duncan, Voorheesville, 64, 105, 831, 7, 1
Cullan Hanna, Cobleskill, 64, 133, 799, 11, 6
Tanner Niles, Chatham, 37, 71, 792, 13, 2
Garrett Delory, La Salle, 68, 154, 781, 5, 4

NFL QB ratings (minimum 700 yards passing)

Tony Giroux, Greenwich - 124.5

Mike Brewster, Hoosick Falls - 122.6

Tanner Niles, Chatham - 119.8 

Bobby Noto, Amsterdam - 118.2

Ryan Duncan, Voorheesville - 104.1

Ryan Smith, Guilderland - 94.7

Kyle Bayly, Niskayuna - 78.9

Cullan Hanna, Cobleskill-Richmondville - 76.0

Nick Casale, Tamarac - 72.2 

Jake Gulisane, Ichabod Crane - 68.0 

John Stanley, Columbia - 60.9
Garrett Delory, La Salle - 60.0
Brandon Legault, Watervliet - 52.6
Jonathan Rumpf, Corinth - 41.9

Receiving

Player, School, Rec., Yds., TD
Tyler Larvie, Tamarac, 23, 572, 24.9, 7
Nick Schuler, Niskayuna, 32, 572, 17.9, 6
Ian McGrath, Chatham, 21, 491, 23.4, 7
Ricky Pallozzi, Ichabod Crane, 24, 421, 17.5, 4
Adrian Valentino, Shaker, 14, 391, 27.9, 5
Ryan McFee, Greenwich, 16, 389, 24.3, 6
Dom Litz, Guilderland, 21, 381, 18.1, 4
Corey Gibson, Columbia, 29, 376, 13.0, 5
Josh Callahan, Niskayuna, 25, 376, 15.0, 1
Alex Grayson, Mechanicville, 21, 370, 17.6, 1

Kicking

Player, School, PAT, FG, Tot.
Evan Nusbaum, Burnt Hills, 38, 0, 38
Ryan Behrens, Chatham, 33, 0, 33
Joel Agnes, Niskayuna, 21, 3, 30
Harlan Hoose, Ravena, 19, 3, 28
Matt Beighey, Ballston Spa, 25, 1, 28
Matt Best, Cambridge, 27, 0, 27
J.J. Murphy, Schalmont, 26, 0, 26
Joshua Sommers, Guilderland, 17, 3, 26
Bardo Talbi, Troy High, 23, 0, 23
Ryan Griffin, Shaker, 23, 0, 23

Total scoring

Player, School, TD, PAT, FG, 2-pt., Tot.
Zay Richardson, Albany Academy, 27, 0, 0, 4, 170
Josh Keyes, Chatham, 21, 0, 0, 0, 126
Justin White, Fort Edward, 15, 1, 0, 10, 111
Brandon Beatty, Burnt Hills, 18, 0, 0, 0, 108
Jordan Canzeri, Troy, 18, 0, 0, 0, 108
Josh Hoagland, Whitehall, 17, 0, 0, 3, 108
Tyler Pruiksma, Greenwich, 14, 0, 0, 11, 106
Evan Nusbaum, Burnt Hills, 10, 38, 0, 0, 98
Rob Hilweh, Niskayuna, 16, 0, 0, 0, 96
Duane Todman, Corinth, 16, 0, 0, 0, 96

Lansingburgh junior quarterback Carlos Grillo drops back to look for a receiver during last Friday's victory over Bishop Maginn. The Knights are ranked No. 2 in The Record's weekly Class A power poll. (J.S. Carras photo - The Record).

The Record’s Power Polls

Class AA
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Troy High, 6-0, 7-0, 1
The Flying Horses survived a pair of scares in Weeks Five and Six, drubbing an undefeated Shaker team 34-0 in Week Seven. Can the defense keep up the pace against CBA this Saturday afternoon?
2, Niskayuna, 3-3, 4-3, 5
Led by senior quarterback Kyle Bayly, the Silver Warriors have proven to be one of Section II's most pass-happy teams. Nisky nearly upset Troy in Week Six and beat Empire Division champ Ballston Spa in a non-division game in Week Seven. The Silver Warriors are the hottest squad in Class AA, so consider them a postseason sleeper team.
3, Ballston Spa, 5-1, 5-2, 2
The Scotties lost big to Niskayuna last week, but the game didn't mean much at all to them. Ballston Spa clinched the Empire Division's No. 1 seed when Saratoga Springs defeated Shenendehowa, so the Scotties could possibly play a pair of home games before making an appearance in the Section II Super Bowl.
4, Shaker, 5-1, 6-1, 2
The Blue Bison are enjoying their finest season in recent memory, but lost the Liberty Division finale on the road at Troy last Saturday, 34-0. Shaker will host Shen Friday night in one of the most intriguing first round matchups on the docket.
5, Saratoga Springs, 4-2, 4-3, NR
The good news? The Blue Streaks earned a home playoff game by defeating archrival Shenendehowa 14-12 in Clifton Park last weekend. The bad news? Saratoga plays host to Niskayuna, which ended the regular season with a string of strong performances.

Class A
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Burnt Hills, 5-0, 7-0, 1
The Spartans scored 70 points in the regular season finale victory over South Glens Falls. Next up is Glens Falls in the opening round of the playoffs.
2, Lansingburgh, 4-0, 6-1, 2
The Knights clinched the Southeast Division title with a 20-14 victory over Bishop Maginn last week. 'Burgh hosts common sectional opponent Gloversville in the opening round of the postseason Friday night.
3, Amsterdam, 4-1, 6-1, 3
The Rugged Rams doubled up Gloversville last weekend, 42-21, to secure the No. 2 seed in the Northwest Division.
4, Averill Park, 3-1, 5-2, 4
The Warriors clinched a home playoff game with a victory over Mohonasen last week. Averill Park hosts Queensbury Friday night. A season ago, Queensbury defeated Averill Park 48-14 in Week Two.
5, Queensbury, 3-2, 5-2, 5
The Spartans have not scored a ton of points this season (156 scored through seven games, an average of 22.3 per game) but the defense has been even better (108 allowed, 15.4 per game, which includes a 48-0 loss to Burnt Hills).

Class B
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Schalmont, 5-0, 7-0, 1
The Sabres clinched the West Division title with a hard-fought 13-0 victory at Schuylerville last week. With a deadly balance of rushing and passing aptitude on the offensive side of the ball, Schalmont is the favorite to win the Section II title, which would be the school's second straight.
2, Ravena, 3-0, 5-1, 3
The Indians' defense met the challenge last week, holding Albany Academy's Zay Richardson – Section II's leading rusher – to one touchdown in a 21-6 victory. Can they stop Schalmont should they meet in the Super Bowl?
3, Albany Academy, 3-0, 5-1, 2
The Cadets not only lost the No. 1 seed by losing at Ravena Friday night, they found out they'll have to host West Division No. 3 Schuylerville Saturday afternoon in the opening round. The Black Horses will be an awfully tough test for the Cadets.
4, Hudson Falls, 3-2, 3-4, 4
The Tigers scored 61 points on Broadalbin-Perth last week in a Week Seven tuneup. One of the hardest-running teams in Section II, the Tigers are always a tough draw in the postseason, especially when the temperature drops.
5, Schuylerville, 3-2, 5-2, 5
The Black Horses lost the chance to host a playoff game by losing to Schalmont last week, but Schuylerville surrendered just 13 points to Class B's most prolific offense. Can the Black Horses' offense get back on track Saturday at Academy?

Class C
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Hoosick Falls, 6-0, 7-0, 1
The Panthers received a bye week last Friday when Lake George could not field at least a 16-man roster, allowing them to rest up for this week's postseason opener against reeling Watervliet.
2, Chatham, 6-0, 7-0, 2
Chatham posted a significant non-division victory on the road at Greenwich last week, winning 48-28. Senior running back and safety Josh Keyes is one of five Section II backs with at least 1,000 rushing yards.
3, Fonda-Fultonville, 5-1, 5-2, 3
The Braves bounced back from a non-division loss to Hoosick Falls, defeating Taconic Hills to finish one game behind Chatham in the South Division. Could they see Hoosick Falls in a semifinal rematch?
4, Greenwich, 5-1, 5-2, 4
The Witches lost by 20 points to Chatham last week, but may not have been showing their hand too much, feeling a semifinal rematch is in order a week from now.
5, Mechanicville, 4-2, 4-3, 5
The Red Raiders willed themselves to a postseason berth last week, scoring twice in the final 50 seconds of regulation to force overtime at Tamarac. David Funaro caught a 15-yard touchdown pass in the second overtime and scored the game-winning two-point conversion run on the next play. After having missed the postseason with a 5-2 record a season ago, Mechanicville will certainly be fired up to be playing this year.

Class D
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Cambridge, 6-0, 6-0, 1
Running back Matt Best is one of Section II’s best, having gained 938 yards on 80 attempts – with 10 rushing touchdowns – through six regular season games. The Indians play Granville in a crossover tuneup this weekend.
2, Rensselaer, 5-1, 5-1, 2
The Rams clinched a first round bye with a victory over Whitehall Friday night. Rensselaer, which gets a crossover bye game at Canajoharie this week, has won two straight Section II Class D Super Bowl titles.
3, Whitehall, 4-2, 4-2, 3
The Railroaders lost a chance at earning a first round bye by losing at Rensselaer last week, meaning they'll host No. 6 Warrensburg in an opening round game this weekend. If they win, they'll earn a semifinal rematch against Rensselaer in two weeks.

Section II high school football standings, 2010

Class AA, League, Overall
Empire Division, W-L, W-L, PF, PA, QP
1*Ballston Spa, 5-1, 5-2, 186, 120, 30
2*Saratoga Springs, 4-2, 4-3, 138, 118, 31
3*Shenendehowa, 4-2, 5-2, 162, 96, 26
4*Christian Bros. Acad., 3-3, 4-3, 166, 103, 25.5
Guilderland, 3-3, 4-3, 196, 155, 21.5
Bethlehem, 2-4, 2-5, 104, 196, 13
Albany, 0-6, 0-7, 47, 233, 0
Liberty Division
1*Troy, 6-0, 7-0, 290, 40, 41
2*Shaker, 5-1, 6-1, 205, 96, 32
3*Niskayuna, 3-3, 4-3, 210, 154, 22
4*Schenectady, 3-3, 3-4, 155, 164, 22.5
Colonie, 2-4, 3-4, 68, 170, 12
Columbia, 1-5, 1-6, 98, 225, 12
La Salle, 1-5, 1-6, 75, 240, 5.5

Class A
Northwest Division
1*Burnt Hills, 5-0, 7-0, 326, 61, 35
2*Amsterdam, 4-1, 6-1, 232, 149, 23
3*Queensbury, 3-2, 5-2, 156, 108, 22.5
4*Gloversville, 2-3, 2-5, 137, 232, 13.5
5*Glens Falls, 1-4, 3-4, 176, 178, 9
South Glens Falls, 0-5, 1-6, 113, 207, 2
Southeast Division
1*Lansingburgh, 4-0, 6-1, 233, 107, 26.5
2*Averill Park, 3-1, 5-2, 221, 176, 20.5
3*Bishop Maginn, 2-2, 4-3, 201, 192, 13.5
Scotia-Glenville, 1-3, 2-5, 93, 146, 8.5
Mohonasen, 0-4, 0-7, 83, 255, 1

Class B
Reinfurt Division
1*Ravena, 4-0, 6-1, 219, 118, 25
2*Albany Academy, 3-1, 5-2, 276, 122, 21
3*Hudson, 1-3, 3-4, 147, 157, 11
4*Cairo-Durham, 1-3, 1-6, 63, 252, 0
Cohoes, 1-3, 1-6, 74, 255, 6
West Division
1*Schalmont, 5-0, 7-0, 252, 32, 34
2*Hudson Falls, 3-2, 3-4, 207, 184, 23.5
3*Schuylerville, 3-2, 5-2, 240, 77, 21.5
4*Cobleskill, 3-2, 4-3, 162, 121, 19
Broadalbin-Perth, 1-4, 1-6, 110, 350, 7
Johnstown, 0-5, 0-7, 51, 293, 0
Independent
Ichabod Crane, 0-0, 1-6, 93, 215, 0

Class C
North Division
1*Hoosick Falls, 6-0, 7-0, 217, 39, 34.5
2*Greenwich, 5-1, 5-2, 264, 105, 35.5
3*Mechanicville, 4-2, 4-3, 118, 142, 23.5
4*Tamarac, 4-2, 5-2, 164, 148, 24.5
Granville, 4-3, 4-3, 208, 172, 30.5
Lake George, 3-4, 3-4, 141, 87, 20
Stillwater, 2-4, 3-4, 141, 218, 14
Corinth, 0-6, 1-6, 115, 210, 6
Hoosic Valley, 0-6, 0-7, 39, 313, 0.5
South Division
1*Chatham, 5-0, 7-0, 263, 97, 34
2*Fonda-Fultonville, 5-1, 5-2, 188, 117, 34.5
3*Voorheesville, 3-2, 5-2, 174, 108, 18
4*Watervliet, 4-2, 4-3, 141, 92, 27.5
Canajoharie, 3-3, 4-3, 111, 119, 19.5
Coxsackie-Athens, 1-4, 2-5, 150, 135, 3
Taconic Hills, 1-5, 1-6, 83, 209, 8.5
Catholic Central, 0-5, 2-5, 102, 186, 1.5

Class D
1*Cambridge, 6-0, 6-0, 245, 26, 39
2*Rensselaer, 5-1, 5-1, 135, 65, 26
3*Whitehall, 4-2, 4-2, 160, 106, 28.5
4*Fort Edward, 3-3, 3-3, 195, 144, 20.5
5*Bishop Gibbons, 2-4, 2-4, 61, 132, 14.5
6*Warrensburg, 1-5, 1-5, 59, 211, 9
Salem, 0-6, 0-6, 41, 209, 2

QP = quarter points
*=clinched playoff berth

Week Eight schedule

Friday, Oct. 22

CLASS AA
L3 Niskayuna at E2 Saratoga Springs, 7 p.m.
L4 Schenectady at E1 Ballston Spa, 7 p.m.
E3 Shenendehowa at L2 Shaker, 7 p.m.
CLASS A
N5 Glens Falls at N1 Burnt Hills, 7 p.m.
N3 Queensbury at S2 Averill Park, 7 p.m.
S3 Bishop Maginn at N2 Amsterdam, 7 p.m.
N4 Gloversville at S1 Lansingburgh, 7 p.m.
CLASS B
R4 Cairo-Durham at W1 Schalmont, 7 p.m.
W4 Cobleskill at R1 Ravena, 7 p.m.
CLASS C
S4 Watervliet at N1 Hoosick Falls, 7 p.m.
S3 Voorheesville at N2 Greenwich, 7 p.m.
N4 Tamarac at S1 Chatham, 7 p.m.
Class D
No. 6 Warrensburg at No. 3 Whitehall, 7 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 23

Class AA
E4 CBA at L1 Troy, 1:30 p.m.
Class B
W3 Schuylerville at R2 Albany Academy, 1:30 p.m.
R3 Hudson at W2 Hudson Falls, 1:30 p.m.

Class C
N3 Mechanicville at S2 Fonda-Fultonville, 1 p.m.
Class D
No. 5 Bishop Gibbons at No. 4 Fort Edward, 1 p.m.

Crossover games

Thurs., Oct. 21
Broadalbin-Perth at Ichabod Crane, 7 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 22
South Glens Falls at Mohonasen, 7 p.m.
Corinth at Catholic Central, 7 p.m.
Salem at Stillwater, 7 p.m.
Hoosic Valley at Taconic Hills, 7 p.m.
Coxsackie-Athens at Johnstown, 7 p.m.
Guilderland at Colonie, 7 p.m.
Columbia at Bethlehem, 7 p.m.
Albany at La Salle, 7 p.m.
Rensselaer at Canajoharie, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 23
Granville at Cambridge, 1 p.m
Scotia at Cohoes, 1:30 p.m.


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High school football central on www.troyrecord.com

TROY -- High school football playoff berths will be on the line this weekend, the final of the regular season. The Record takes a look at some of the key games on the schedule in Week Seven.

For the full Section II football playoff scenario post, click here. One major news flash is that Lake George has forfeited its Week Seven game at Hoosick Falls, meaning the Warriors are now out of the equation for the final berth in the North Division, as long as Mechanicville or Granville win their Week Seven games.

Class AA

Shaker (5-0, 6-0) at Troy (5-0, 6-0), Saturday, 2:30 p.m.
The winner secures the No. 1 seed in the Liberty Division and the loser will be No. 2.

Schenectady (2-3, 2-4) at Colonie (2-3, 3-3), Friday, 7 p.m.
Schenectady, winner of two straight, con¬trols its playoff destiny in this elimination game. The winner clinches the No. 4 seed in the Liberty Division and the loser will be playing a crossover game in Week Eight.

Bethlehem (2-3, 2-4) at Guilderland (2-3, 3-3), Friday, 7 p.m.
The winner of this game isn’t assured a postseason berth, but the loser will be eliminated. Both of these teams are chasing Saratoga Springs and Christian Brothers Academy in a race for the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds in the Liberty Division. Ballston Spa and Shenendehowa will likely be No. 1 and No. 2 in some order.

Class A

Amsterdam (3-1, 5-1) at Gloversville, Friday, 7 p.m. and Queensbury (2-2, 4-2) at Glens Falls (1-3, 3-3), Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
All four of these teams are likely to quali¬fy for the postseason behind Northwest Division leader Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake – in a new Class A rule this season, a No. 5 seed from one division can bump out the No. 4 from the other if they have a better overall record – but these two games will determine the order of finish.

Bishop Maginn (2-1, 4-1) at Lansingburgh, Friday, 7 p.m.
The Knights can clinch the Southeast Division title outright with a victory over the Griffins, or Maginn can make the seeding situation a bit murkier with an upset.

Class B

Albany Academy (3-0, 5-1) at Ravena (3-0, 5-1), Friday, 7 p.m.
The winner claims the No. 1 seed in the Reinfurt Division and the loser will be No. 2.

Hudson (1-2, 3-3) at Cohoes (1-3, 1-6), Saturday, 1:30 p.m.

The Bluehawks can eliminate the Tigers with a victory and clinch the No. 3 seed in the Reinfurt Division in the process.

Schalmont (4-0, 6-0) at Schuylerville (3-1, 5-1), Friday, 7 p.m.
The victor will be the No. 1 seed in the West Division and the No. 2 seed goes to the loser. Cobleskill-Richmondville, Hudson Falls and Broadalbin-Perth are all alive for the final two playoff spots in the division behind Schalmont and Schuylerville.

Class C

Mechanicville (3-2, 3-3) at Tamarac (4-1, 5-1), Friday, 7 p.m.
The Red Raiders can vault into the North Division’s No. 3 seed with a victory over the Bengals but run the risk of not even making the playoffs if they lose at Tamarac. Hoosick Falls, which gets a bye in Week Seven since Lake George had to forfeit with just 14 healthy players on the roster after six weeks, is the No. 1 seed in the North, followed by No. 2 Greenwich. Granville is also alive for the No. 4 seed depending on how Mechanicville fares at Tamarac.

Voorheesville (2-2, 4-2) at Watervliet (4-1, 4-1), Saturday, 1 p.m.
The Cannoneers can keep their chances at the South Division’s No. 2 seed and a home playoff game alive with a victory over the Blackbirds. Voorheesville can all but clinch a playoff berth with a win over Watervliet. Canajoharie, Taconic Hills and Coxsackie-Athens all remain in the chase for the fourth and final playoff berth out of the South Division.

Class D

Whitehall (4-1, 4-1) at Rensselaer (4-1, 4-1), Friday, 7 p.m.
The winner of this game clinches the No. 2 seed and a bye until the Class D semifi¬nals. The top two seeds in Class D will play Week Eight crossover game against a non-playoff Class C teams. The loser of this game will be the No. 3 seed and host the No. 6 seed, Warrensburg, in an opening round Class D game in Week Eight.

Bishop Gibbons (2-3, 2-3) at Fort Edward (2-3, 2-3), Saturday, 1 p.m.
The winner clinches the No. 4 seed and will host the loser, which becomes the No. 5 seed, in an opening round playoff game next week.

The Record’s Power Polls

Class AA
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Troy High, 5-0, 6-0, 1
The Flying Horses’ legendary defense didn’t show up against Niskayuna – Kyle Bayly threw for 336 yards against Troy’s secondary – but the Liberty Division leaders still pulled it out in overtime, 35-28.
2, Shaker, 5-0, 6-0, 2
The Blue Bison get their biggest test of the season Saturday afternoon at Troy High with the Liberty Division title on the line. Kickoff for that game has been moved back to 2:30 p.m.
3, Ballston Spa, 5-1, 5-1, 4
The Scotties kept pace in the Empire Division last week, beating CBA in Colonie. Ballston Spa plays hosts to pass-happy Niskayuna in a non-division Week Seven tilt.
4, Shenendehowa, 4-1, 5-1, 3
The Plainsmen lost in shocking fashion last week to Guilderland, 37-13. Is Shenendehowa still one of the favorites in the Section II Class AA race?
5, Niskayuna, 3-3, 3-3, NR
The Silver Warriors made a big statement last Friday, taking Troy High to overtime but ultimately losing by a touchdown. Can Nisky control the tempo of the game against Ballston Spa’s run-first strategy this week?

Class A
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Burnt Hills, 4-0, 6-0, 1
The Spartans rolled over previously unbeaten Amsterdam, clinching the No. 1 seed in the Northwest Division.
2, Lansingburgh, 3-0, 5-1, 2
The Knights posted a big victory over Mohonasen last week, gaining the inside track to the No. 1 seed in the Southeast Division as long as they defeat Bishop Maginn on Friday.
3, Amsterdam, 3-1, 5-1, 3
The Rugged Rams couldn’t hang with Burnt Hills last week, but no team in Section II, aside from Lansingburgh, has done so this season.
4, Averill Park, 2-1, 4-2, 4
The Warriors played a challenging non-conference game last week, handing Class B’s Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk its first loss of the season.
5, Queensbury, 2-2, 4-2, NR
The Spartans defeated Gloversville last week, 30-0, making their claim for postseason positioning in the Northwest Division.

Class B
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Schalmont, 4-0, 6-0, 1
The Sabres have outscored opponents 239-32 this season, but played a close one last week against Hudson Falls, winning 13-6.
2, Albany Academy, 3-0, 5-1, 2
The Cadets got back to their winning ways in Week Six, topping Cohoes 43-7. Senior running back Zay Richardson has gained 1,383 yards on 101 attempts this season.
3, Ravena, 3-0, 5-1, 3
The Indians saw their perfect season dashed last week at Averill Park, but Ravena gets a chance to clinch the Reinfurt Division’s No. 1 seed at home Friday night against Academy.
4, Hudson Falls, 2-2, 2-4, 4
The Tigers didn’t pick up a victory last week, but Hudson Falls was the first team to slow Schalmont’s offense this season, holding the Sabres to 13 points. The problem? Hudson Falls scored just six in the game.
5, Schuylerville, 3-1, 5-1, 5
The Black Horses bounced back from a surprising loss to Hudson Falls with a 56-0 victory over Johnstown in Week Six.

Class C
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Hoosick Falls, 5-0, 6-0, 1
The Panthers earned a bye in Week Seven when they learned Lake George had just 14 healthy players on the roster, two under the New York State minimum.
2, Chatham, 5-0, 6-0, 2
The Panthers close out the regular season schedule with an interesting non-division game at Greenwich. How much will the game mean to either team, especially considering they meet again two weeks from now in the Class C semifinals.
3, Fonda-Fultonville, 4-1, 4-2, 3
The Braves dropped a non-division game to Hoosick Falls last week, 21-6. Fonda can take a big step toward the No. 2 seed with a victory over Taconic Hills this week.
4, Greenwich, 5-1, 5-1, 4
The Witches posted yet another large margin of victory in Week Six, topping Stillwater, 57-10. Can Greenwich play in its second straight Section II Super Bowl? The Witches appeared in the Class D game in 2009.
5, Mechanicville, 3-2, 3-3, 5
Following their Indian Bowl victory over Stillwater in Week Five, the Red Raiders continued their late-season surge with a 21-14 victory over Lake George. Mechanicville plays in a big game Friday night at Tamarac.

Class D
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Cambridge, 5-0, 4-0, 1
Running back Matt Best is one of Section II’s best, having gained 891 yards on 75 attempts through five games in 2010.
2, Rensselaer, 4-1, 4-1, 2
The Rams have a chance to clinch a first round bye with a victory over Whitehall this Friday night. Rensselaer has won two straight Section II Class D Super Bowl titles.
3, Whitehall, 4-1, 4-1, 3
Jason Hoagland, who has gained 930 rushing yards on 104 attempts, scored six total touchdowns in last week’s 48-7 victory over Warrensburg.



Section II high school football standings, 2010

Class AA, League, Overall
Empire Division, W-L, W-L, PF, PA, QP
Ballston Spa, 5-1, 5-1, 169, 78, 30
Shenendehowa, 4-1, 5-1, 150, 82, 26
Saratoga Springs, 3-2, 3-3, 124, 106, 24
Bethlehem, 2-3, 2-4, 97, 163, 12.5
Christian Bros. Acad., 2-3, 3-3, 131, 103, 18.5
Guilderland, 2-3, 3-3, 163, 148, 15
Albany, 0-5, 0-6, 47, 198, 0
Liberty Division
Shaker, 5-0, 6-0, 205, 62, 32
Troy, 5-0, 6-0, 256, 40, 34
Niskayuna, 3-3, 3-3, 168, 137, 22
Colonie, 2-3, 3-3, 62, 147, 12
Schenectady, 2-3, 2-4, 132, 158, 15.5
La Salle, 1-4, 1-5, 55, 214, 5
Columbia, 0-5, 0-6, 72, 205, 5.5

Class A
Northwest Division
Burnt Hills, 4-0, 6-0, 256, 48, 28
Amsterdam, 3-1, 5-1, 190, 128, 17
Gloversville, 2-2, 2-4, 116, 190, 12.5
Queensbury, 2-2, 4-2, 144, 100, 16
Glens Falls, 1-3, 3-3, 168, 166, 8.5
South Glens Falls, 0-4, 1-5, 100, 137, 2
Southeast Division
Lansingburgh, 3-0, 5-1, 213, 93, 21
Averill Park, 2-1, 4-2, 189, 162, 13.5
Bishop Maginn, 2-1, 4-2, 187, 172, 12
Scotia-Glenville, 1-3, 1-5, 59, 146, 8.5
Mohonasen, 0-3, 0-6, 69, 223, 1

Class B
Reinfurt Division
Albany Academy, 3-0, 5-1, 270, 101, 21
Ravena, 3-0, 5-1, 198, 112, 18
Hudson, 1-2, 3-3, 141, 129, 10
Cairo-Durham, 1-3, 1-5, 63, 218, 0
Cohoes, 0-3, 0-6, 46, 249, 0
West Division
Schalmont, 4-0, 6-0, 239, 32, 27.5
Schuylerville, 3-1, 5-1, 240, 64, 21
Cobleskill, 2-2, 3-3, 136, 115, 12
Hudson Falls, 2-2, 2-4, 146, 150, 16.5
Broadalbin-Perth, 1-3, 1-5, 76, 289, 7
Johnstown, 0-4, 0-6, 45, 267, 0
Independent
Ichabod Crane, 0-0, 1-5, 80, 201, 0

Class C
North Division
Hoosick Falls, 5-0, 6-0, 217, 39, 34.5
Greenwich, 5-1, 5-1, 236, 57, 35.5
Tamarac, 4-1, 5-1, 137, 120, 21.5
Mechanicville, 3-2, 3-3, 90, 115, 19.5
Granville, 3-3, 3-3, 160, 152, 23.5
Lake George, 3-4, 3-4, 141, 87, 20
Stillwater, 1-4, 2-4, 92, 212, 7
Corinth, 0-5, 1-5, 95, 162, 6
Hoosic Valley, 0-5, 0-6, 33, 264, 0.5
South Division
Chatham, 5-0, 6-0, 215, 69, 34
Fonda-Fultonville, 4-1, 4-2, 167, 111, 28
Watervliet, 4-1, 4-2, 141, 68, 27.5
Voorheesville, 2-2, 4-2, 150, 108, 11
Canajoharie, 2-3, 3-3, 98, 113, 13.5
Coxsackie-Athens, 1-3, 2-4, 144, 122, 2
Taconic Hills, 1-4, 1-5, 77, 188, 8.5
Catholic Central, 0-5, 1-5, 88, 173, 1.5

Class D
Cambridge, 5-0, 5-0, 193, 26, 32
Rensselaer, 4-1, 4-1, 117, 59, 19
Whitehall, 4-1, 4-1, 154, 88, 28.5
Bishop Gibbons, 2-3, 2-3, 61, 85, 14.5
Fort Edward, 2-3, 2-3, 148, 144, 13.5
Warrensburg, 1-4, 1-4, 59, 159, 9
Salem, 0-6, 0-6, 41, 209, 2

*QP = quarter points

Note: I'll be adding game capsules to this post later in the week. I'll bump it up to the top of the blog as soon as I do that.

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Here are your updated Section II football standings, the Week Five scoreboard and the latest Record Power Polls.

I will have a column on the week that was as well as your statistical leaders here on the blog sometime early next week.

For the first time, I've ordered the standings by the quarterpoint tiebreaker. The first tiebreaker, of course, is winning percentage. If two teams are tied in that category, I've put the team with the higher number of quarterpoints on top.

(Still missing QPs on Coxsackie-Athens-Taconic from Week Two and Cohoes at Cairo-Durham from Week Five)

Section II high school football standings, 2010

Class AA, League, Overall
Empire Division, W-L, W-L, PF, PA, QP
Shenendehowa, 4-0, 5-0, 137, 45, 26
Ballston Spa, 4-1, 4-1, 141, 71, 24
Christian Bros. Acad., 2-2, 3-2, 124, 75, 17.5
Saratoga Springs, 2-2, 2-3, 82, 93, 17
Bethlehem, 2-2, 2-3, 84, 121, 12.5
Guilderland, 1-3, 2-3, 126, 135, 8
Albany, 0-5, 0-5, 33, 177, 0
Liberty Division
Troy, 4-0, 5-0, 221, 12, 28
Shaker, 4-0, 5-0, 158, 56, 25
Niskayuna, 3-2, 3-2, 140, 102, 21
Colonie, 2-3, 2-3, 41, 133, 12
Schenectady, 1-3, 1-4, 83, 145, 8.5
La Salle, 1-3, 1-4, 42, 165, 5
Columbia, 0-4, 0-5, 66, 158, 5.5

Class A
Northwest Division
Burnt Hills, 3-0, 5-0, 198, 21, 21
Amsterdam, 3-0, 5-0, 163, 70, 17
Gloversville, 2-1, 2-3, 116, 160, 12.5
Queensbury, 1-2, 3-2, 114, 100, 9
Glens Falls, 0-3, 2-3, 141, 152, 2.5
South Glens Falls, 0-3, 1-4, 86, 110, 1
Southeast Division
Lansingburgh, 2-0, 4-1, 165, 93, 14
Averill Park, 2-1, 3-2, 155, 137, 13.5
Bishop Maginn, 1-1, 3-2, 146, 145, 6.5
Scotia-Glenville, 1-2, 1-4, 32, 105, 7
Mohonasen, 0-2, 0-5, 69, 175, 1

Class B
Reinfurt Division
Ravena, 3-0, 5-0, 173, 78, 18
Albany Academy, 2-0, 4-1, 227, 94, 14
Cairo-Durham, 1-2, 1-4, 57, 192, 0
Hudson, 0-2, 2-3, 115, 123, 3
Cohoes, 0-2, 0-5, 39, 206, 0
West Division
Schalmont, 3-0, 5-0, 226, 26, 21
Hudson Falls, 2-1, 2-3, 140, 137, 16
Schuylerville, 2-1, 4-1, 184, 64, 14
Broadalbin-Perth, 1-2, 1-4, 69, 254, 7
Cobleskill, 1-2, 2-3, 101, 108, 5
Johnstown, 0-3, 0-5, 45, 211, 0
Independent
Ichabod Crane, 0-0, 1-4, 72, 161, 0

Class C
North Division
Hoosick Falls, 5-0, 5-0, 196, 33, 34.5
Greenwich, 4-1, 4-1, 179, 47, 28.5
Tamarac, 3-1, 4-1, 123, 108, 17.5
Lake George, 3-2, 3-2, 127, 66, 18.5
Mechanicville, 2-2, 2-3, 69, 101, 14
Granville, 2-3, 2-3, 104, 126, 16.5
Stillwater, 1-3, 2-3, 82, 155, 7
Hoosic Valley, 0-4, 0-5, 7, 208, 0.5
Corinth, 0-4, 1-4, 83, 148, 3
South Division
Chatham, 5-0, 5-0, 175, 61, 34
Fonda-Fultonville, 3-1, 3-1, 119, 71, 21.5
Watervliet, 3-1, 3-2, 125, 60, 20.5
Voorheesville, 1-2, 3-2, 117, 99, 5
Coxsackie-Athens, 1-2, 2-3, 136, 106, 2
Taconic Hills, 1-3, 1-4, 68, 155, 7.5
Canajoharie, 1-3, 2-3, 73, 99, 7
Catholic Central, 0-3, 1-3, 55, 106, 0.5


Class D
Cambridge, 4-0, 4-0, 140, 23, 25
Whitehall, 3-1, 3-1, 106, 81, 21.5
Rensselaer, 3-1, 3-1, 94, 59, 19
Bishop Gibbons, 2-2, 2-2, 61, 62, 14.5
Fort Edward, 2-3, 2-3, 148, 144, 13.5
Warrensburg, 1-3, 1-3, 52, 111, 9
Salem, 0-5, 0-5, 35, 156, 2

*QP = quarter points

The Record's Week Five Power Polls

Class AA
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Troy High, 4-0, 5-0, 1
The Flying Horses saw their streak of consecutive shutouts snapped at four games in last week’s 33-12 victory over Saratoga Springs. Troy faces another tough road battle at Niskayuna this Friday.
2, Shaker, 4-0, 5-0, 2
The Blue Bison rolled over La Salle last week, 40-7. The Cadets had won the last five games in the series by a combined score of 165-51.
3, Shenendehowa, 4-0, 5-0, 3
The Plainsmen received 173 rushing yards from Bronson Greene and 97 more from Tony Fusco in a 20-14 victory over CBA last weekend.
4, Ballston Spa, 4-1, 4-1, 4
The Scotties used 242 rushing yards from Tony Gargiulo in a thrilling come-from-behind 35-31 victory over Guilderland in Week Five.
5, Christian Brothers Academy, 2-2, 3-2, 5
The Brothers could have played for overtime against Shen, but CBA gambled in throwing the ball with under two minutes to play in a time game and the Plainsmen turned an interception into a last-minute victory. Still, CBA proved it can play wit the top teams in Class AA.

Class A
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Burnt Hills, 3-0, 5-0, 1
The Spartans rolled to a 42-6 victory over Glens Falls thanks to a kick return touchdown and 96 rushing yards from BRandon Beatty.
2, Lansingburgh, 2-0, 4-1, 2
The Knights came through in the clutch against Averill Park, as a late fourth quarter gamble on fourth-and-one gave Lansingburgh the inside track to the No. 1 seed out of the Southeast Division.
3, Amsterdam, 3-0, 5-0, 3
The Rugged Rams are off to a blazing start one season after missing the postseason. Amsterdam gets a major test Friday night at division rival Burnt Hills.
4, Averill Park, 2-1, 3-2, 4
The Warriors couldn’t pull off a come-from-behind victory over Lansingburgh, but Averill Park hung with one of the preseason favorites until the final minutes. Can AP be a factor in the postseason?
5, Gloversville, 2-1, 2-3, NR
The Huskies received 390 rushing yards from three players in a 21-13 victory over South Glens Falls last Friday night.

Class B
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Schalmont, 3-0, 5-0, 2
The Sabres certainly on the right track to defending their first-ever Section II Super Bowl title in 2009. Schalmont has outscored opponents 226-26 through five games in 2010.
2, Albany Academy, 2-0, 4-1, 1
The Cadets dropped a non-division game to crosstown rival Bishop Maginn on Saturday afternoon, battling injuries to key playters throughout the game. All players are expected to be healthy for Saturday’s game against Cohoes.
3, Ravena, 3-0, 5-0, 4
The Indians squeaked out a 21-19 victory over Hudson last week to maintain their perfect record. Ravena plays a non-divisoion game at Averill Park on Friday night in what should be a good postseason tune-up for both squads.
4, Hudson Falls, 2-1, 2-3, NR
The Tigers shocked Schuylerville on Saturday afternoon and pulled into a tie for second place in the West Division. Since Hudson Falls owns the quarterpoint tie breaker, the Tigers would earn a home playoff game if the season ended today.
5, Schuylerville, 2-1, 4-1, 3
The Black Horses allowed as many points Saturday against Hudson Falls (32) as they had in their previous four games (32).

Class C
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Hoosick Falls, 5-0, 5-0, 1
The Panthers rolled to a big victory over rival Hoosic Valley on Saturday. Senior quarterback and linebacker Mike Brewster threw for three touchdowns and intercepted a pair of passes on defense.
2, Chatham, 5-0, 5-0, 2
The Panthers clinched their fourth straight Section II Class C South Division title with a 28-0 victory over Watervliet Friday night. Josh Keyes ran for 244 yards and three touchdowns (he also caught a TD pass) on 23 attempts.
3, Fonda-Fultonville, 3-1, 3-1, 3
The Braves will play at Catholic Central in a rain make-up game Sunday night at 6 p.m.
4, Greenwich, 4-1, 4-1, 5
The Witches burst Tamarac’s bubble on Friday night, posting an impressive 56-12 victory over the previously unbeaten Bengals.
5, Mechanicville, 2-2, 2-3, NR
The Red Raiders not only won their sixth straight Indian Bowl game over Stillwater, 34-0, but also snuck back into the playoff picture in the North Division. They control their destiny as Mechanicville hosts Lake George, the team it trails in the standings, Friday night.

Class D
Team, League, Overall, Last Week
1, Cambridge, 4-0, 4-0, 2
The Indians made a major statement last week, topping Rensselaer 30-0 on the Rams’ home field. Are those two teams destined to meet again in the Class D Super Bowl?
2, Rensselaer, 3-1, 3-1, 1
The Rams were never able to get anything going offensively in a loss to Cambridge last week. Senior quarterback Tim Foust, who had thrown for over 400 yards in his first three games, was limited to 45 yards by the Indians.
3, Whitehall, 3-1, 3-1, 3
The Railroaders vaulted into a second-place tie with Rensselaer in the Class D standings after defeating Fort Edward. At this point, Whitehall would hold the quarterpoint tiebreaker.

Week Six schedule

Fri., Oct. 8
Class AA
Empire Division
Ballston Spa at Christian Brothers Academy, 7 p.m.
Guilderland at Shenendehowa, 7 p.m.
Liberty Division
La Salle at Schenectady, 7 p.m.
Shaker at Columbia, 7 p.m.
Troy at Niskayuna, 7 p.m.
Class A
Southeast Division
Scotia-Glenville at Bishop Maginn, 7 p.m.
Lansingburgh at Mohonasen, 7 p.m.
Northwest Division
Amsterdam at Burnt Hills, 7 p.m.
Non-division
Ravena at Averill Park, 7 p.m.
Class B
West Division
Broadalbin-Perth at Cobleskill-Richmondville, 7 p.m.
Hudson Falls at Schalmont, 7 p.m.
Schuylerville at Johnstown, 7 p.m.
Reinfurt Division
Cairo-Durham at Hudson, 7 p.m.
Non-division
Chatham at Ichabod Crane, 7 p.m.
Class C
South Division
Catholic Central at Canajoharie, 7 p.m.
Voorheesville at Taconic Hills, 7 p.m.
North Division
Greenwich at Stillwater, 7 p.m.
Tamarac at Corinth, 7 p.m.
Lake George at Mechanicville, 7 p.m.
Non-division
Chatham at Ichabod Crane, 7 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 9
Class AA
Empire Division
Saratoga Springs at Bethlehem, 1:30 p.m.
Non-division
Colonie at Albany, 1:30 p.m.
Class A
Northwest Division
Gloversville at Queensbury, 1:30 p.m.
Glens Falls at South Glens Falls, 1:30 p.m.
Class B
Reinfurt Division
Cohoes at Albany Academy, 1:30 p.m.
Class C
South Division
Watervliet at Coxsackie-Athens, 1 p.m.
North Division
Hoosic Valley at Granville, 1 p.m.
Non-division
Hoosick Falls at Fonda-Fultonville, 1 p.m.
Class D
Cambridge at Salem, 1 p.m.
Rensselaer at Bishop Gibbons, 1 p.m.
Warrensburgh at Whitehall, 1 p.m.

Games to watch in Week Six:

Class AA
Ballston Spa at CBA, Fri., 7 p.m.: Can the Brothers create a log jam behind Shen in the Empire Division standings?

La Salle at Schenectady, Fri., 7 p.m.: Can the Cadets keep their slim playoff hopes alive?

Amsterdam at Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, Fri., 7 p.m.: Both teams enter at 5-0, but just how good is Amsterdam?

Hudson Falls at Schalmont, Fri., 7 p.m.: Can the Tigers make it two upsets in a row?

Lake George at Mechanicville, Fri., 7 p.m.: Can the Red Raiders catch the team in front of them in the North Division standings?

Hoosick Falls at Fonda-Fultonville, Sat., 1 p.m.: This non-division game won't count toward either team's playoff standings, but it will be a great test between potential Class C semifinal opponents.


Rensselaer at Bishop Gibbons, Sat., 1 p.m.: With the Rams reeling and the Golden Knights on a roll, will momentum shift back the other direction?

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