Thursday, October 21, 2010

Homecoming on hold: Hoosick Falls hosts 'Vliet Friday night

Hoosick Falls linemen Erick Mulready (58) and Jeremy Barss (78) take a breather during a game against Mechanicville earlier this season. (Photos by Mike McMahon - The Record).

HOOSICK FALLS — Tonight’s game at Hoosick Falls is going be meaningful for plenty of reasons, few of which will actually have to do with the action on the gridiron.

The Panthers (6-0, 7-0), the No. 1 seed in Class C’s North Division, host South Division No. 4 seed Watervliet (4-2, 4-3) at 7 p.m. in a quarterfinal round contest. Hoosick Falls received a bye last week when Lake George could not field a roster of at least 16 healthy players (a New York State Public High School Athletic Association rule) and was forced to postpone a number of homecoming and senior day activities.

Hoosick Falls will honor its seniors prior to tonight’s game, although pregame ceremonies are traditionally taboo in the postseason. The Panthers have only played two home games this season because of the Lake George forfeit, so Watervliet head coach Erick Bernard and the Section II football committee OK’d the pomp and circumstance without a second thought.

Hoosick Falls senior quarterback Mike Brewster, seen here looking to pass against Mechanicville earlier this season, will be one of 11 seniors honored prior to Friday's game against Watervliet.

Mike Brewster is among the 11 seniors that will be recognized in the ceremony. Hoosick Falls’ starting quarterback and outside linebacker, has completed 52-of-80 passes for 753 yards, throwing nine touchdowns against two interceptions.

Steve Colvin, John Crucetti, Garrett Foster, Nick Frazier, Ryan Hand, Chris Marshall, Connor Martin, Erick Mulready, Quinn Rasmus and Jordan Telford, will also be recognized.

Hoosick Falls, the No. 4 ranked Class C team in the latest New York State Sportswriters Association poll, has outscored opponents 217 to 39. The Panthers’ starting defense has allowed just two touchdowns in six games.

Hoosick Falls sophomore Brad Burns attempts to tackle Mechanicville's David Funaro during a game at Mechanicville earlier this season.

The unexpected bye week allowed that defense to get even tighter, as Hoosick Falls head coach Ron Jones was able to delve into his patented situation-based practices that helped his 2009 team reach the New York State Class C semifinals.

“We had a surprisingly good week of practice,” Jones said. “I was very happy with that. We worked on situations. We always work on the two-minute offense, but we also got into passing situations offensively and defensively and overtime scenarios. We broke up practice that way and changed the format around.”

Hoosick Falls sophomore Brad Burns runs with the ball at Mechanicville earlier this season.

A season ago, the Panthers relied heavily on senior running back Alex Hansen, a first team all-area selection who rushed for 1,606 yards on 214 attempts, scoring 26 touchdowns. This year, sophomore Brad Burns (56 atts., 469 yds., 6 TD) and junior Tanner Williams (48 atts., 339 yds., 9 TD) have split the duties.

Williams is also a major receiving threat, having gained 267 yards on 17 catches. Four were touchdowns.

“We’re a little more diverse this year, but we’re not as big and strong,” said Jones. “I don’t know which one is better. I couldn’t tell right now.”

Tanner Williams, a junior running back and safety for the Hoosick Falls football team, is a dual threat as a running back and a receiver.

Watervliet, on the other hand, has been reeling since losing senior running back and defensive back Ryan Manning to a season-ending shoulder injury in a Week Four game at Tamarac. The Cannoneers have gone 1-2 in their last three games and were outscored 60-16 over that stretch.

In 2008, however, an underdog Watervliet team, on the road, upset Hoosick Falls in the first round of the Class C playoffs en route to a Section II Super Bowl title.

The Hoosick Falls sports marketing class taught by Steve Kenna, who credited his students with coming up with all of the ideas, will be conducting a number of breast cancer awareness activities as part of a Coaches vs. Cancer fundraiser tonight. Both endzones on Ken Baker Field will be painted pink and a pink ribbon decal will be applied to the helmet of every player on both teams.

T-shirts will also be on sale for $15 and pin-up placards will also be available for purchase. They will be displayed on the fence ringing the field. All proceeds, of course, go to charity.


Hoosick Falls' David Couch (51) looks to make a tackle at Mechanicville earlier this season.

Class C playoff glance

(S4) Watervliet (4-2, 4-3) 
at (N1) Hoosick Falls (6-0, 7-0)
Fri., 7 p.m.
Class C quarterfinals
Notable: The Cannoneers scored an upset first round victory at Hoosick Falls on Oct. 24, 2008, winning 22-19 en route to a Section II Class C Super Bowl title. The teams did not meet in 2009.


(N3) Mechanicville (4-2, 4-3)
at (S2) Fonda-Fultonville (5-1, 5-2)
Sat., 1 p.m.
Class C quarterfinals




Notable: These teams have not met on the gridiron in recent memory. Mechanicville is making its first playoff appearance since 2006.Fonda has qualified for the playoffs every season since 1996.


(N4) Tamarac (4-2, 5-2)
at (S1) Chatham (5-0, 7-0)
Fri., 7 p.m.
Class C quarterfinals




Notable: Tamarac is making its third postseason appearance in program history. The team also played in the playoffs in 2008 and 1983, the year of its one and only Section II title. Chatham, which appeared in the Section II Class C Super Bowl last season, has qualified for the postseason every year since 2002.


(S3) Voorheesville (3-2, 5-2)
at (N2) Greenwich (5-1, 5-2)
Fri., 7 p.m.
Class C quarterfinals


Notable: Greenwich played in the Class D Super Bowl last season and has successfully made the jump to Class C in 2010. Voorheesville last won a Section II Class C Super Bowl in 1998, having defeated Greenwich in the semifinals.

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Thursday, September 30, 2010

State police release Tamarac vs. 'Vliet robbery suspect photos

CLUMS CORNERS -- State Police have released surveillance photographs of three men they believe stole belongings from visiting Watervliet High School football players during a weekend game at Tamarac High School.






Several iPods, a wallet, cash and other personal items were taken from the visiting locker room during the game, which was played early Saturday afternoon on the fields of the school on Route 2.

The photos released Thursday, taken from surveillance cameras outside the school, depict three white males police believe are in their early 20s exiting the building. State Police urged residents to note the clothing they are wearing: one appears to be wearing a red t-shirt, another a white one and the third a grey short-sleeved shirt.

"They don’t appear to be students," Trooper Maureen Tuffey said. "Not recent ones, at least."
The visiting locker room was not locked during the game, which the Tamarac Bengals won 13-12 in a come-from-behind victory.

"It was insult to injury, I guess," Watervliet coach Erick Bernard said of the thefts. "You lose a game and then you get robbed."

Bernard said six or seven athletes discovered some of their belongings had been stolen, including at least five iPods.

To make matters worse, he noted the team’s running back, Ryan Manning, broke his clavicle during Saturday’s game and is out injured.

"It was kind of a tough day, overall," Bernard said.

He doesn’t imagine the athletes will get their items back, but he said catching the culprits will bring some resolution to the issue.

Anyone who recognizes the men pictured or has other knowledge of the larcenies is asked to contact the State Police Loudonville barracks at 783-3211.

- Story by Dave Canfield, The Record
 
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Saturday, September 25, 2010

Cardiac Cats strike again; Tamarac tops 'Vliet, 13-12

Tamarac junior quarterback Nick Casale looks for running room during Saturday's 13-12 victory over Watervliet. Casale passed for 274 yards and ran for 58 more as the Bengals started a season 4-0 for the first time since 1983. (Photos by Mike McMahon - The Record).

CLUMS CORNERS — Pick a hero, any hero, because plenty of players stepped up and embodied the Tamarac High School football team’s motto – find a way - Saturday afternoon for the Bengals in an historic and thrilling 13-12 Section II Class C non-division victory over the Watervliet Cannoneers.

Tamarac junior quarterback Nick Casale completed 16-of-29 passes for 274 yards, passed and ran for a touchdown and led the team in rushing with 58 yards on 13 attempts. Nick Newell caught eight of those passes for 126 yards.

Junior lineman Joe Hulsebosch blocked a Watervliet punt early in the fourth quarter that helped the Bengals win the field position battle at the end of the game.

Sophomore linebacker Sam Burden made 13 tackles and broke up a Watervliet pass attempt on the Cannoneers’ last-minute drive.

Freshman David Newell made a shoestring tackle of Watervliet’s Antonio Lind with just over one minute to play, saving what would have been the go-ahead touchdown for the Cannoneers.

Reed Meehan, who also serves as the captain of the Tamarac soccer team and whose right hand was cradled in a wrap of foam padding – he recently broke his wrist – kicked the game-winning extra point after Casale ran for the tying touchdown with 1:58 to play.

Tamarac senior Reed Meehan kicked the game-winning extra point in the fourth quarter. He also serves as a team captain on the Bengals' soccer team. (Will Montgomery vidcap - The Record).

All of that added up to lift Tamarac (3-0, 4-0) to an undefeated start through four games for the first time sine 1983, which was the last time the Bengals won a Section II title.

“Our whole mindset was play through everything, no matter what,” said Casale. “Fumbles, turnovers, penalties, anything. You have to keep your head up. We just had to play through it and that’s what we did. No matter if they scored touchdowns, we came right back and showed them who’s boss.”

Watervliet (3-0, 3-1) limited Section II’s leading receiver, Tamarac junior Tyler Larvie, to one reception for one yard. Larvie fumbled and lost the ball to Watervliet’s Sean Daley on the play. With the Cannoneers blanketing Larvie in double coverage, up stepped Nick Newell, Mark Morine and Joe Motzer in his place.


Morine grabbed four passes for 81 yards and Motzer, who was hung out to dry on one high pass from Casale - Watervliet's Pat Ebenhoch delivered a crushing blow - caught four balls for 76 yards.

"Tyler had been carrying the load, but they had a safety over the top and you had (Ryan) Manning on him early in the game," said Tamarac head coach Erick Roadcap. "Manning is one of the best athletes in Section II among the small schools. It wasn't happening. They took that away and that’s where we needed the other guys to step up. And I’ll tell you, they did.

"Newell, I harp on him and I’m always riding him," Roadcap continued. "I tell him, I’m ridning you because I like you. I’ll take 25 of you any day of the week"

Tamarac gained at least 100 yards rushing on the ground for the fourth straight game, doing it for the second straight game without senior captain Nick Feldmaier, who is out with what head coach Erick Roadcap called a fractured fibula. Casale ran for 58 yards and Mark Morine added 42 yards on 12 carries.

Casale took a massive hit from Watervliet's Josh Veshia late in the third quarter. Casale tried to walk off the field, but crumbled to the turf and yelled, "oh, my leg," before hobbling off to the sidelines. He missed just one play before returning to lead the Bengals to the come-from-behind victory.

"I’ve felt that ever since Feldmaier went down, I’ve had to carry this team," Casale said. "I could only come out for a play, though, I knew I had to go back in no matter how bad my leg hurt. I had to stay tough mentally and I went back in and we finished this game out strong, the whole team."

Tamarac, which closed the 2009 season on a three-game run, has won seven straight.

Tamarac's Nick Newell is tackled by Watervliet's Ryan Manning during the first quarter of Saturday's game. Newell finished with eight receptions for 126 yards in the victory.

“Tyler is leading Section II and they took him as a threat and left me open,” Newell said. “I just took advantage of it and saw beautiful passes all day. The line gave him time in the pocket and it all came together.”

Newell, in fact, was sporting a spiffy Mohawk haircut, which he got in Watervliet. His conversation with the barber led to a bet between them for Saturday's game.

"I made a bet with Jose the barber at Who’s Next in Watervliet. That’s where I got my Mohawk," he said. "I’ll be going down there to get my free Mohawk"

The team also gained inspiration from Phil Arnold prior to the game. Arnold was a feisty senior running back and linebacker on Tamarac's 2008 team, which also started the season 3-0 and finished with a 5-4 record.

"We had leaders step up," Newell said. "We had a talk with Phil Arnold right before the game and he said every inch counts. When I caught the ball for the first touchdown, that’s all I was thinking. Every inch counts. I just pounded it in there and barely got it in. Every inch counts and that’s what you have to do."

Newell scored on an 18-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter to give Tamarac the first lead. Meehan’s extra point attempt was blocked.

“He could have had a cup of tea back there and then threw the ball,” laughed Tamarac head coach Erick Roadcap. “The line did an unbelievable job.”

Watervliet responded in the third quarter as Brandon Legault, who passed for 212 yards on a 12-of-29 performance, tossed touchdown strikes to Pat Ebenhoch and Kyle Touzin as the Cannoneers claimed the lead with just over 17 minutes remaining in the game.

The Cannoneers threatened on their final possession, advancing to Tamarac’s 35-yard line with 8.8 seconds remaining. Legault dropped back and connected with Antonio Lind, who was tackled on the five-yard line as time expired.

“The big word for us is gut check and heart. Well, that’s two words,” Burden laughed. “It’s been so long and we just had to get it done today. Everybody knew what was going on.”

The Bengals were on the fence of whether to pull Burden up to the varsity squad this season, but he certainly proved his worth Saturday afternoon.

"We were on the bubble with him all year," Roadcap said. "Is it too early to bring him up? He just shut me up. He’s no longer a junior varsity player."

"We had some injures throughout the year and it kind of hurt us but we stuck together as a team and I just got my call, so I went up and played my heart out," Burden said. "That’s all I can do."

Watervliet senior running back and defensive back Ryan Manning returned to the sidelines in the second quarter of Saturday's game but he did not take the field again after injuring his shoulder on the final play of the first quarter.

Ryan Manning, Watervliet’s senior running back, injured his left shoulder on the final play of the first quarter, was carted off the field and did not return. Head coach Erick Bernard said Manning was getting an X-ray after the game and his status for the rest of the season is uncertain.

“Tamarac is back on top,” Casale said. “We’re feeling good about ourselves and we’re going to carry this through the rest of the year.”

"It feels good," Newell said. "I’d like to see this be the first of many with a winning season and just set the precedent for the younger kids and have them keep playing. The two soccer players, they don’t even want to play soccer. They want to play football."

Friday night, Tamarac will face North Division rival Greenwich (3-1, 3-1), which will be yet another test for the Bengals.

“It’s a big rivalry, the same with Hoosick Falls,” Burden said. “It’s going to be tough though. We’re going to have to play twice as hard as this game. You never know.”

Tamarac sophomore Sam Burden made 13 tackles in Saturday's game, including this one on Watervliet's Andre Williams.

TAMARAC 13, WATERVLIET 12
Watervliet (3-0, 3-1) 0 0 12 0 — 12
Tamarac (3-0, 4-0) 0 6 0 7 — 13
First Quarter
No scoring
Second Quarter
T — Nick Newell 18 pass from Nick Casale (Reed Meehan kick blocked) 5:02
Third Quarter
W — Pat Ebenhoch 15 pass from Brandon Legault (Legault kick blocked) 8:37
W — Kyle Touzin 42 pass from Legault (pass failed) 5:12
Fourth Quarter
T — Casale 2 run (Meehan kick) 1:58
Individual Statistics
Rushing: Watervliet (33-102): Williams 15-57, Manning 8-30, Brown 9-29, Ebenhoch 1-(-14). Tamarac (28-102): Casale 13-58, M.Morine 12-42, Broderick 3-2.
Passing: Watervliet: Legault 12-29-212-2-1. Tamarac: Casale 16-29-274-1-1; Larvie 1-1-10-0-0.
Receiving: Watervliet (12-212): Lind 6-83, Touzin 3-71, Ebenhoch 2-25, Williams 1-33. Tamarac (17-284): N.Newell 8-126, M.Morine 4-81, Motzer 4-76, Larvie 1-1.


--
Saturday's schedule
Class A
Northwest Division
Amsterdam 39, Glens Falls 29
Class B
West Division
Cobleskill 34, Hudson Falls 26
Reinfurt Division
Ravena 38, Cohoes 7
Albany Academy 47, Cairo 8
Non-division
Coxsackie-Athens 38, Ichabod Crane 0
Class C
South Division
Fonda-Fultonville 19, Canajoharie 0
Non-division
Tamarac 13, Watervliet 12
Class D
B.Gibbons 16, Warrensburg 12
Cambridge 49, Fort Edward 8
Rensselaer 33, Salem 0

Friday's scores
Class AA
Empire Division
Ballston Spa 35, Bethlehem 6
CBA 27, Saratoga Springs 2
Guilderland 34, Albany 26
Liberty Division
Shaker 21, Niskayuna 14
Colonie 20, La Salle7
Troy 53, Columbia 0
Non-division
Shen 35, Schenectady 21
Class A
Southeast Division
Averill Park 49, Bishop Maginn 20
Lansingburgh 21, Scotia-Glenville 0
Northwest Division
Burnt Hills 41, Gloversville 0
Queensbury 26, South Glens Falls 14
Non-division
Hudson 47, Mohonasen 31
Class B
West Division
Schalmont 56, Johnstown 0
Schuylerville 52, Broadalbin 12
Class C
South Division
Taconic Hills 23, CCHS 13
Chatham 42, Voorheesville 13
North Division
Stillwater 35, Corinth 18
Lake George 41, Hoosic Valley 0
Hoosick Falls 34, Granville 6
Greenwich 32, Mechanicville 0

Section II high school football standings, post Week Four

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

--
Saturday's local roundup:

WATERFORD -- Badreddine Talbi headed the ball from a Wayne Russell corner kick past Waterford-Halfmoon goalkeeper Joe Hilton to lift Troy High School to a 1-0 boys soccer non-league victory Saturday afternoon.
The Flying Horses (5-0, 6-0) spoiled the Fordians’ (4-0, 5-2) homecoming and stayed unbeaten in a non league tilt.
Bobby Strang made two saves to record the shutout for Troy High.
Hilton finished with three saves for the Fordians (4-0, 5-2).
Colonie 3, Shaker 0: Tommy Osipitan tallied two goals to halt Colonie’s two game losing streak at Shaker. Edin Hadjimuratovic added a goal and an assist for the Red Raiders in a Suburban Council match.
Bethlehem 3, Burnt Hills 2: The Eagles rallied from two goals down for a comeback win in a Suburban game. Zack Rockmore provided all the offense for the Eagles, netting three goals. Thomas Nocito and Sean Kenny scored a goal each for the Spartans.
Voorheesville 3, Mechanicville 1: Chris Dimmitt and Evan Campana tallied a goal each for the Blackbirds in a Colonial Council match. Chris McNall scored the Red Raiders lone goal and Caleb Foard finished with 14 saves.
Girls Soccer
Bethlehem 2, Burnt Hills 0: Kristina Maksuti registered a goal and an assist for the Eagles in a Suburban victory. Marjana Maksuti added Bethlehem’s second goal. Florie Comley recorded 15 saves in net for Burnt Hills.
Saratoga Springs 2, Averill Park 0: The Blue Streaks blanked the Warriors in Suburban Council action.
Lake George 3, Waterford-Halfmoon 0: Emma Underwood scored a pair of goals for the Warriors (5-1-1) in a non-league victory over the Lady Fordians (1-4-0, 1-5-0).
Shannon Hastings made 11 saves for Waterford.
Schuylerville 5, Troy 0: The Black Horses (6-0) received two goals apiece from Nicole Senecal and Courtney Pierce in a non-league victory over the Flying Horses (5-4).
Football
Class A
Amsterdam 39, Glens Falls 29: The Rugged Rams improved to 2-0 in the Northwest division and remained undefeated overall (4-0) with a victory over the Indians (0-2, 2-2).
Class B
Ravena 38, Cohoes 7: The Indians (2-0, 4-0) remained undefeated, topping the Tigers (0-1, 0-4) in a Reinfurt Division game on Alumni Field.
Albany Academy 47, Cairo-Durham 8: The Cadets (2-0, 4-0) kept pace in the Reinfurt Division with a big win over the Mustangs (0-2, 0-4).
Senior running back Zay Richardson had his worst game of the season so far, but he still piled up 240 rushing yards and scored four touchdowns. He has run for 1,106 yards and 19 touchdowns through four games.
Cobleskill-Richmondville 34, Hudson Falls 26: The Bulldogs (1-1, 2-2) posted their first West Division victory of the season over the Tigers (1-1, 1-3).
Coxsackie-Athens 38, Ichabod Crane 0: The Indians (1-2, 2-2) posted a non-division victory over the Riders (0-0, 1-3).
Class C
Fonda-Fultonville 19, Canajoharie 0: The Braves (3-1, 3-1) bounced back from last week’s loss at Chatham with a South Division victory over the Cougars (0-3, 1-3).
Class D
Rensselaer 33, Salem 0: The Rams (3-0, 3-0) will be rolling into next week’s game against Cambridge, having blanked the Generals (0-4, 0-4) on the road Saturday afternoon.
Cambridge 49, Fort Edward 8: The Indians (3-0, 3-0) posted a big victory over the Flying Forts (2-2, 2-2).
Bishop Gibbons 16, Warrensburg 12: The Golden Knights (1-2, 1-2) picked up their first victory of the season over the Burghers (1-3, 1-3).
From Friday
Girls Volleyball
CCHS 3, Albany 0: The Crusaders (4-1, 5-2) recorded a Big 10 win by scores of 25-14, 25-16 and 25-16. Ashley Creigton registered two aces, nine digs, five assists and two kills to pace CCHS. Hannah Kutny added five aces, seven digs, two assists and nine kills. The Falcons were led by Emily Thorton’s 17 digs.

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Thursday, September 23, 2010

Everything on the line Saturday afternoon: 'Vliet at Tamarac

Joe Clayton (left) and Taz Messig (right) are two of the reasons why the Tamarac High School football team is off to a 3-0 start. (Video captures by Will Montgomery - The Record).

CLUMS CORNERS -- Tamarac High School junior Tyler Larvie is Section II’s leading wide receiver by a wide margin – with 372 yards on 14 receptions this season, he is 109 yards ahead of his closest competition, Shaker’s Adrian Valentino – but Larive is the first to admit he couldn’t do it without his offensive line.

Just like Larvie’s personal success, everything is on the line this week for the Bengals (3-0, 3-0), who play host to Route 2 rival Watervliet (3-0, 3-0) Saturday afternoon in the first major test for both teams this season. Kickoff time for the non-division game is set for 1 p.m.

With a front five that averages over 225 pounds, Tamarac’s offensive front is adept at both run and pass blocking. Junior quarterback Nick Casale has completed 50% of his passes (22-for-44) for 505 yards and the Bengals have gained at least 100 yards rushing in each of their three games.

"It’s just that O-line," Larvie said. "Nick Casale has time, puts the ball up and I go get it. It all starts on the line pretty much. I credit them for every catch."

"It’s huge and they know it," said head coach Erick Roadcap. "That’s where it all starts. We've gone over 100 yards rushing all three weeks. We have the receivers to do it through the air and we have the O-line to push the rushing yards."

Tyler Larvie corrals a pass during Thursday's practice behind Tamarac High School. (Photo by J.S. Carras - The Record).

Larvie, a 5-foot-8, 140-pound receiver and defensive back, had an historic game one week ago Saturday at Granville, hauling in eight catches for 213 yards and two touchdowns. It was only the 20th time in Section II history that a single receiver had gained at least 200 yards in one game. He tied former Averill Park standout Mike Fil, who went on to play at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and caught seven passes for 213 yards in a 2004 game against Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, for 12th place on Section II’s single-game list.

Larvie’s friendship with Casale has also explained his breakout season.

"He’s been my quarterback since probably third grade, so it’s just chemistry," Larvie said. "That’s pretty much all it is between me and him."

Tamarac has started 3-0, just as it did in 2008. The Bengals played a key game in Week Four that year at Fonda-Fultonville, mustering a dramatic fourth quarter comeback but losing a wild one, 41-39.

"It’s the same thing that happened that year," said senior lineman Wade Hansen. "It comes down to a big game that decides our fate."

Later in that 2008 season, the Bengals lost another heartbreaker, 26-21, at Watervliet. The Cannoneers went on to win the Section II Class C Super Bowl and Fonda played in the semifinals, facts that head coach Erick Roadcap has used as motivation for his 2010 squad.

"Like the ‘08 group - except for being deeper - they’re just like the ‘08 group in the fact that they’re a team," Rodacap said. "They really are a team and they back each other up. They’re behind each other, they’re helping each other. They’re talking on defense. They’re talking on offense. They’re talking in the hallways."

Watervliet is led by senior running back Ryan Manning, who has gained 312 rushing yards on 49 attempts. He’s also a kick and punt return threat. His 56 points scored (nine touchdowns, one two-point conversion) are second in Section II behind only Albany Academy’s Zay Richardson, who has scored 94 points.

Tamarac's offensive line gets ready before a play in practice Thursday afternoon. The Bengals play host to Watervliet Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. (Carras photo - The Record).

The Cannoneers, a South Division team, are the group with a long legacy of winning seasons and Section II and state championship plaques. The Bengals, from the North Division, are the team that nearly lost their program in 2002 due to a lack of numbers. Saturday’s game will not factor in either team’s playoff seeding, but it will certainly go a long way in how both state their case for Section II postseason legitimacy.

"We’re both undefeated, so the team that wins makes a statement for themselves," Hansen said. "We’re both second or third place in the North or the South and you’ll just make a name for yourself in your division."

"They’re excited," Roadcap said. "They’re up for it. It’s a non-league game, but it will matter for sectional seeding. It might not matter for getting there, but it matters for sectionals. It matters to be one of the last three undefeated teams in the Cs. Eventually you have to play each other whether you're in the North or the South. If you make it, you’re going to see one of those southern teams. It does matter. It matters a lot."


Tamarac senior lineman Wade Hansen (left) and junior wide receiver Tyler Larvie (right) were all smiles after practice Thursday afternoon. (Montgomery photo).

Watervliet vs. Tamarac: recent history
Oct. 18, 2008 – 'Vliet 26, Tamarac 21
Aug. 31, 2007 – 'Vliet 26, Tamarac 6
Sept. 21, 2006 – 'Vliet 28, Tamarac 26
Sept. 25, 2004 – 'Vliet 39, Tamarac 0


For Wednesday's post with Week Four game capsules, standings and the schedule, click here.

Be sure to check out The Record on Friday for the full story on Tamarac as well as our staff picks for the big games in Week Four.

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Friday, September 17, 2010

'Vliet native catches A-Rod's home run No. 608 in Baltimore

BALTIMORE, Md. -- Sgt. Mark Spain, a Watervliet police officer, caught Alex Rodriguez’s go-ahead three-run home run in the ninth inning of Friday's American League East baseball game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The New York Yankees won the game over the Baltimore Orioles, 4-3.

The Record's Mike Cioffi was able to reach Spain minutes after he caught the ball and here were the quotes he gathered:

"We have tickets for Saturday night’s game but a few friends from Watervliet were going to tonight’s game, so we got tickets from them in Section 388. Late in the game, they cleared the section out for fireworks so they moved everyone down a level and we ended up 15 rows up in left field," Spain said. 

"A-Rod was up to bat and we saw the ball headed for us. I said to my son, 'It's coming right at us and I took two steps to my right and put my hand up and caught it," Spain explained. "There were other people in the row above us trying to catch it."

"My son is super-psyched and my wife is crying. She can’t believe it. It’s an unbelievable feeling. Everyone is coming up to us and taking pictures like I hit the home run. My phone has been blowing up since and I’m still in the park watching the fireworks."


ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 10: Third baseman Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees celebrates with designated hitter Marcus Thames after Thames scored against the Texas Rangers on September 10, 2010 at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images). Watervliet native Mark Spain caught A-Rod's career home run No. 608 in Baltimore Friday night.

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Friday, September 10, 2010

Panthers turn the lights out in Mechanicville; 'Vliet romps at CCHS; Section II high school football scoreboard, Sept. 10

Panthers spoil the party
Hoosick Falls shuts out Mechanicville in Red Raiders’ first night game in nine years

MECHANICVILLE -- An hour before Friday’s game, David Couch prowled around the football field at Mechanicville High School, eyes squinted and fists clenched, ready for action.

During the playing of the national anthem, Couch, a junior offensive guard and inside linebacker, had to excuse himself from the Hoosick Falls sidelines. He was dry-heaving and crouched down behind the Panthers bench to get his breath.

Yet on the first play of the game, Couch buried Mechanicville running back David Funaro with a thunderous hit at the line of scrimmage that set the tone for the rest of the game. The Hoosick Falls defense held the Red Raiders to 32 total yards and senior quarterback Mike Brewster passed for 146 yards and three touchdowns in a 42-0 Class C North Division victory on Coach Ted Weigle Memorial Field.

"I get kind of nervous before every game," Couch grinned. "I get too excited, I get too wound up and I get myself all choked up. Just about every game I do that. But after I get that first hit out of the way, it’s all downhill from there."

Hoosick Falls junior David Couch (51_ looks to make a tackle as a Mechanicville lineman bears down for a block during Friday's game at Mechanicville. (Photo by Mike McMahon - The Record).

Hoosick Falls (2-0, 2-0) forced Mechanicville to punt after three plays on its first drive and Brewster connected with Randy Tutunjian on a 22-yard scoring strike on the fourth play of the Panthers’ ensuing drive.

After forcing another three-and-out, Hoosick Falls scored on the first play of its second offensive drive, as Brad Burns scampered 57 yards to the end zone.

Brad Burns (35) looks for running room as Garrett Foster (53) blocks a would-be Mechanicville tackler during Friday's game. (McMahon photo - The Record).

"I try to make the first hit on the first play of the game so I’m ready to go for the whole game," Couch said. "I don’t want to be gagging up on the field at all."

On the Panthers’ third drive of the first quarter, Tanner Williams ran 11 yards for a touchdown on the fourth play after Hoosick Falls had forced another Mechanicville three-and-out.

Hoosick Falls senior quarterback Mike Brewster eludes a would-be Mechanicville tackler during Friday's game. (McMahon photo - The Record).

"We’ve had a lot of big plays and when we start playing some really good teams, we’re going to have to develop longer drives," Brewster said. "It’s something we’re going to have to keep working on in practice and keep up the pace."

Erick Mulready provided two sacks for the Panthers and Steve Colvin added one sack.

Erick Mulready climbs on board Mechanicville quarterback Sal Cimino for a sack during Friday's game. (McMahon photo - The Record).

Mechanicville (0-1, 0-2), which was hosting its first Friday night game in nine years – the Red Raiders have played home games on Saturday afternoons in recent times – made just three first downs in Friday’s game. One came via a Hoosick Falls penalty. The Red Raiders, who fell 21-0 to Voorheesville in Week One, have yet to score a point in the 2010 season.

John Abele paced Mechanicville with a team-high 37 rushing yards on nine attempts.


For Hoosick Falls, Brad Burns led the way on the ground with 95 rushing yards on 11 attempts. Junior Tanner Williams, primarily a receiving threat a season ago, added 121 all-purpose yards (96 receiving, 25 rushing) for the Panthers.

"It’s a lot more pounding you take, but our line is doing a good job this year and we’re getting yards, getting big plays and breaking them," Williams said.

Tanner Williams looks for running room during Friday night's game against Mechanicville. (McMahon photo - The Record).

Hoosick Falls began its Section II Class C Super Bowl title defense with a 48-20 victory over Corinth in Week One, but the Panthers took a major step forward Friday night, especially with their discipline on defense.

"We just asked them to play within themselves tonight," said head coach Ron Jones. "They did. Our defense was just amazing.

"Last week they were trying to make everything a big hit," Jones continued. "Tonight, let’s make everything a tackle. That’s what I asked them to do before the game and I think they did a great job of that."

HOOSICK FALLS 42, MECHANICVILLE 0
Hoosick Falls (2-0, 2-0) 21 7 7 7 - 42
Mechanicville (0-1, 0-2) 0 0 0 0 - 0

First Quarter
HF - Randy Tutunjian 22 pass from Mike Brewster (Quinn Rasmus kick) 8:20
HF - Brad Burns 57 run (Rasmus kick wide left) 5:45
HF - Tanner Williams 11 run (Williams run) 2:23
Second Quarter
HF - Williams 49 pass from Brewster (Rasmus kick) 11:01
Third Quarter
HF -
Williams 32 pass from Brewster (Rasmus kick) 6:53
Fourth Quarter
HF -
Mike Mattat 3 run (Rasmus kick) 5:10
Individual Statistics
Rushing: Hoosick Falls (33-216): Burns 11-95, Williams 4-25, Brewster 4-11, Brogue 7-44, Sargood 2-18, Mattat 5-23. Mechanicville (32-25) Funaro 11-12, Abele 9-37, Dunn 5-5, Cimino 5-(-23), Williams 2-(-6).
Passing: Hoosick Falls: Brewster 6-9-146-2-0. Mechanicville: Cimino 2-10-7-0-0.
Receiving: Hoosick Falls (6-146): Williams 4-96, Tutunjian 1-22, Burns 1-28. Mechanicville (2-7): Funaro 1-7, Grayson 1-0.

--
In Lansingburgh, Brien Bouyea covered the Watervliet/Catholic Central game for us. Here is an excerpt from his story.

TROY -- Ryan Manning says the Watervliet High School foot¬ball team has a simple approach on the gridiron.

"We bleed garnet and we sweat gray," Manning, a senior captain, said in reference to his team’s colors. "When you play for Watervliet you are expected to leave everything you have on the field. That’s what we are all about. We don’t want to leave the field with the feeling that we didn’t play to our potential."

Watervliet senior running back Ryan Manning (32) looks for running room against the Catholic Central defense Friday night. (McMahon photo - The Record).

It took the Cannoneers some time to rise to their talent level on Friday night, but once they did Catholic Central had no answers. Manning scored three touchdowns, junior quarterback Brandon Legault passed for a pair of TDs and Watervliet’s defense registered four interceptions en route to a 40-7 Class C South Division drubbing of the Crusaders at Carley Field.

Watervliet's Eric Clemons gets his hands on Catholic Central quarterback Mike Sunkes during Friday's game. (McMahon photo - The Record).

Manning scored on a 19-yard pass from Legault in the first quarter and then found the end zone on runs of 6 yards and 1 yard in the second quarter to stake the Cannoneers (2-0, 2-0) to a 21-7 lead at the half.

Watervliet's Pat Ebenhoch (7) makes a tackle on CCHS quarterback Mike Sunkes during Friday's game. (McMahon photo - The Record).

"It took us some time to get rolling, but we made some big plays and did what we needed to do," said Manning, who rushed for 68 yards on 11 carries and hauled in four passes for 82 yards. "It all started up front with our line. Those guys really wore them down and did all the dirty work for us. They deserve a lot of credit."

Watervliet players (left) and Catholic Central players (right) meet in a scrum on the field Friday night. (McMahon photo - The Record).

WATERVLIET 40, CATHOLIC CENTRAL 7
Watervliet (2-0, 2-0)......................................7 14 7 13 - 40
Catholic Central (0-2, 0-2)............................7 0 0 0 - 7
First Quarter
W - Ryan Manning 19 pass from Brandon Legault (Shevon Sneith kick), 7:08.
C - Tyler McLeod 33 pass from Mike Sunkes (Sunkes kick), 0:16.
Second Quarter
W - Manning 6 run (Sneith kick), 6:46.
W - Manning 1 run (Sneith kick), 1:01.
Third Quarter
W - Andre Williams 7 run (Sneith kick), 3:54.
Fourth Quarter
W - Pat Ebenhoch 3 pass from Legault (kick failed), 9:47.
W - Sean Daley 48 interception return (run failed), 2:25.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: W - Ryan Manning 11-68, Andre Williams 11-55, Brandon Legault 1-(-11), Nick Brown 5-51; C - Ryan Gratton 4-(-13), Anthony Marchese 2-7, Tyler Gaston 6-30, Mike Sunkes 7-(-5), Tyler Gagnon 1-0, Tyler McLeod 1-(-4).
PASSING: W - Brandon Legault 12-20-0-199; C - Mike Sunkes 6-15-3-85, Tyler Gaston 2-5-1-14.
RECEIVING: W - Antonio Lind 2-39, Ryan Manning 4-82, Pat Ebenhoch 3-17, Tom Sczepanski 2-33, Andre Williams 1-28; C - Ryan Gratton 4-46, Tyler McLeod 4-53.

Saratoga Springs' Landon Moore attempts to tackle a Ballston Spa ballcarrier, but the Scotties won the game, 21-20. (Photo courtesy The Saratogian).

Section II scoreboard
WEEK TWO
TONIGHT
Class AA
Liberty Division
Niskayuna 34, Columbia 28 (OT)
Empire Division
Ballston Spa 21, Saratoga Springs 20
Shaker 28, Schenectady 21
Non-division
Guilderland 28, La Salle 13
Class A
Non-division
Glens Falls 46, Bishop Maginn 31
Amsterdam 48, Broadalbin-Perth 0
S.Glens Falls 27, Scotia-Glenville 0
Burnt Hills 42, Averill Park 0
Lansingburgh 35, Gloversville 28
Class B
Non-division
Cobleskill 40, Cairo-Durham 0
Schuylerville 41, Cohoes 7
Stillwater 27, Ichabod Crane 18
Ravena 44, Johnstown 12
Schalmont 34, Hudson 7

Cohoes's Eric Maxwell attempts to bring down a Schuylerville ballcarrier during Friday's game. Schuylerville won, 41-7. (Photo courtesy The Saratogian).

Class C
North Division
Hoos. Falls 42, Mechanicville 0
South Division
Watervliet 40, CCHS 7
Coxsackie at Taconic Hills 7 p.m.
Chatham 28, Canajoharie 0
Class D
Rensselaer 34, Fort Edward 22

TOMORROW
Sat., Sept. 11
Class AA
Empire Division
CBA at Bethlehem 1:30 p.m.
Liberty Division
Shen at Albany 1:30 p.m.
Colonie at Troy 1:30 p.m.
Class A
Non-division
Mohon at Queensbury 1:30 p.m.
Class B
Non-division
Hudson Falls at 1:30 p.m.
Class C
South Division
Voorheesville at Fonda 1 p.m.
North Division
Greenwich at Granville 1 p.m.
Tamarac at Hoosic Valley 1 p.m.
Class D
Cambridge at Whitehall 1 p.m.
Warrensburg at Salem 1 p.m.

Check back Saturday for more updates, pictures and videos. Also be sure to check out our next live chat Wednesday evening at 7 p.m.

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Thursday, September 9, 2010

CCHS, 'Vliet football teams will play for food

Catholic Central junior lineman Tim Quillinan is taking Friday's game against Watervliet very seriously. The Arsenal City resident has a streak dinner wager on the line with 'Vliet's Ryan Manning. (Video capture by Will Montgomery - The Record).

TROY -- It has not been one of Section II’s most competitive rivalries in recent years - Watervliet High School’s football team has won the last four games it played against Catholic Central by a combined score of 120-15 - but whenever the Cannoneers and the Crusaders meet on the gridiron, it’s a big deal.

Just ask Catholic Central’s junior two-way lineman Tim Quillinan, a Watervliet resident, about his appetite.

"I have a bet with Ryan Manning, the running back from Watervliet, that if we beat them tomorrow, I get a steak dinner," Quillinan said before Thursday’s practice.

Watervliet (1-0, 1-0) travels to Lansingburgh to take on Catholic Central (0-1, 0-1) tonight at 7 p.m. in a Class C South Division showdown.

Catholic Central’s first-year head coach Ray Gaston played his high school football at Watervliet and still heads to work at the Arsenal every day before football practice. Although the football rivalry between the teams is fairly recent - the teams did not play on a regular basis since Section II switched to a classification-based scheduling system in 2004 - the ties between the two communities run deep.

"You hate to play your old school colors, especially when you’re going to be cheering against them," Gaston laughed. "But the fact is I’m here at Catholic High, so I’m going to be cheering for Catholic High."

The Cannoneers romped over Taconic Hills, 45-6, in Week One thanks to three touchdowns from Manning and four forced fumbles by the defense.


Catholic Central, on the other hand, dropped a 42-20 decision to Chatham. Still, the Crusaders were pleased with the effort they put forth against the defending Section II Class C finalist Panthers.

"They had a lot of heart. This team had a lot of heart last week," said Gaston. "The score didn’t reflect it, but there was a lot of heart.

"Only having 18 kids on the field with a couple of injuries right now, they’re playing both ways and spe¬cial teams and when the fourth quarter comes, they’re sucking air," Gaston continued. "And rightfully so. But their hearts are still pumping hard."

This week in practice, Gaston and his assistants have put an additional focus on conditioning knowing that it’s nearly impossible to give any players an extended break during the action following the opening kickoff.
Playing gutsy football in the fourth quarter is something the Crusaders will have to do if they are to clinch their first Section II playoff berth since 1989.

"I know Watervliet is good," Gaston said. "They’re a good team. They have a lot of good players on that team, but we have good players also. It’s a matter of, I think, controlling your controllables, like any coach will tell you, and having the adrenaline to go beyond what your expectations are."

Chatham’s senior standout running back, Josh Keyes, slashed through the CCHS defense for five touchdowns last week, but the Crusaders still took some positive signs from the loss.

"We played pretty good," Quillinan said. "Toward the end we played our hearts out trying to beat those guys."

The task will be doubly tough for the Crusaders this week as they’ll need to stop a rushing attack spearheaded by Manning and a passing game that is led by Watervliet quarterback Brandon Legault, who threw for 115 yards and one touchdown against Taconic Hills.

"We play our game," Gaston said. "We have to make tackles when the opportunity occurs. If we make those tackles, it doesn’t matter who the running back is. If something does happen to come up negative, we have to forget about it. The past hurts. Go on forward. That’s the whole philosophy this year."


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Saturday, September 4, 2010

Cannoneers blast off in 2010, defeat Taconic Hills 45-6

WATERVLIET -- If there was one thing Watervliet High School head coach Erick Bernard was concerned about heading into the 2010 football season, it was his team’s physical toughness.

The Cannoneers answered the call – violently - Saturday against Taconic Hills.

Watervliet forced four Taconic Hills fumbles, recovering them all, and Ryan Manning scored three touchdowns in a 45-6 Class C South Division victory on James D. Hayes Field.

"There’s no question about it. We were definitely more physical than we have been," said Watervliet head coach Erick Bernard. "That’s good to see. That you can work with. It’s tough to play football if you don’t have that, so it was good to see."

Watervliet senior James Lockett wraps up Taconic Hills quarterback Dylan Decker for a sack during Saturday's victory. (Photos by J.S. Carras - The Record).

The Cannoneers started the game with a three-and-out drive, but took back the ball on Taconic Hills’ first play when Manning pounced on a loose ball on Taconic Hills’ 25-yard line.

Still sluggish on offense, Watervliet turned the ball over on downs on the ensuing possession without pushing the ball into the red zone. Then, after forcing a Taconic Hills three-and-out, Watervliet’s offense exploded.

Junior quarterback Brandon Legault, who finished the game 9-of-14 for 115 yards, found Antonio Lind on a 33-yard strike during the Cannoneers’ first scoring drive, which was punctuated by a one-yard Sean Daley touchdown run.

Ryan Manning looks for running room during Saturday's game against Taconic Hills.

Manning scored on runs of 63 and 6 yards, respectively, in the second quarter. In the same frame, he also had a 93-yard punt return for a touchdown called back on a holding penalty.

After Taconic Hills mounted a nine-play scoring drive to open the third, Manning got his revenge, taking the following kickoff 86 yards to the end zone.


"We started off slow, but we got a little bit of fire under our belts," said Manning, a senior running back and defensive back. "We knew we could bust a play or two. It was just a matter of time."

Pat Ebenhoch added a four-yard touchdown reception from Legault in the third quarter and Nick Brown scampered for a 33-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to round out the scoring for Watervliet.

Pat Ebenhoch catches a four-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter of Saturday's game against Taconic Hills.

The most exciting play of the game came in the second quarter when Legault connected with Lind on a 31-yard reception on a double reverse flea flicker.

"In the beginning it was a thing where the scheme wasn’t working well, so at halftime we made an adjustment," Manning said. "They didn’t do what we thought they would do, so that kind of got blown up in the beginning."

On the defensive side of the ball, Eric Clemons made two sacks and James Lockett, Justin Oravsky and Robert Graham also contributed in Watervliet’s sack parade. Graham, Zac Morris and Damin Monge added fumble recoveries.

Zac Morris (72) and Robert Graham (64) celebrate Morris' second quarter fumble recovery as a Taconic Hills player gets off the turf in the foreground.

"I thought we could have been a little more physical, but, really, we just wanted to get the other guys in," Oravsky said.

Taconic Hills (0-1, 0-1) was limited to 38 rushing yards on 38 attempts. Junior quarterback Dylan Decker completed 5-of-7 passes for 52 yards.

Watervliet (1-0, 1-0) was balanced on offense, as three quarterbacks combined to throw for 128 yards through the air and six running backs combined for 129 yards on the ground on 23 attempts.
The Cannoneers head to Lansingburgh this Friday for a game against South Division rival Catholic Central (0-1, 0-1). Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Watervliet started the 2009 season with three straight shutouts, but ended with five straight losses, missing the playoffs. This year, the Cannoneers aren’t letting the concept of getting off to a hot start detract them from their ultimate goal.

"We’re taking it one week at a time," Manning said. "We’re not looking ahead and we’re not looking behind. It’s a new season. It’s 2010."

The Watervliet High School football team gathers prior to Saturday's game against Taconic Hills. (Photo by Will Montgomery - The Record).

WATERVLIET 45, TACONIC HILLS 6
Taconic Hills (0-1, 0-1) 0 0 6 0 - 6
Watervliet (1-0, 1-0) 8 23 7 7 - 45
First Quarter

W - Sean Daley 1 run (Ryan Manning run) 1:46
Second Quarter
W -
Manning 63 run (Pat Ebenhoch pass from Daley) 6:38
W - Manning 6 run (Daley run) 3:25
W - Ebenhoch 4 pass from Legault (Shevon Sneith kick) 1:03
Third Quarter
TH -
Chris McKay 4 run (run failed) 6:40
W - Manning 86 kickoff return (Sneith kick) 6:29
Fourth Quarter
W -
Nick Brown 33 run (Sneith kick) 5:40
Individual Statistics
Rushing:
Taconic Hills (38-38): Halstead 6-31, McKay 12-28, Zyryi 5-8, Deruzzio 2-1, Mabb 1-1, Simmons 4-(-1), Decker 8-(-30). Watervliet (23-129): Manning 9-85, Brown 4-45, Williams 3-12, Arrington 3-7, Legault 2-(-4), Daley 2-(-16).
Passing: Taconic Hills: Decker 5-7-52-0-0. Watervliet: Legault 9-14-115-1-0 Donlon 1-1-13-0-0 Daley 0-1-0-0-0.
Receiving: Taconic Hills (5-52): Zyryi 3-47, McKay 2-5. Watervliet (10-128): Lind 2-64, Touzin 3-30, Mosca 1-13, Ebenhoch 2-10, Sczepanski 1-7, Manning 1-4.


Week One Section II scoreboard
Thurs., Sept. 2
Class AA
Liberty Division
Shaker 34, Colonie 0

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

Sat., Sept. 4
Class AA
Empire Division
Shenendehowa 38, Bethlehem 10
Class A
Non-division
Glens Falls 27, Hudson Falls 6
Class B
Non-division
Schuylerville 42, Cairo-Durham 6
Class C
South Division
Watervliet 45, Taconic Hills 6
Fonda-Fultonville 39, Coxsackie-Athens 22
North Division
Granville 43, Stillwater 13
Non-division
Voorheesville 21, Mechanicville 0
Class D
Cambridge 20, Bishop Gibbons 7
Fort Edward 54, Warrensburg 15
Whitehall 35, Salem 8

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

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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