On a perfect mid-September night for football, Hoosic Valley and Mechanicville ran onto Ted Weagle Memorial Field with both squads looking for their first win of the season.  At night’s end it was Mechanicville that hung a number in the win column.

After a scoreless opening period the Red Raiders took control with three second quarter touchdowns and cruised to the 35-12 victory over the Indians from Schaghticoke.

After nearly 20 minutes of football with defense taking center stage, Mechanicville changed the defensive theme, scoring three times in the final five minutes of the half.

The first Raider points came on a 22 scoring run by sophomore back Russell DeLosSantos and with the Jake LaFountain’s  point after Mechanicville led 7-0 at the 4:35 mark of the second.

On the ensuing Hoosic Valley series, defensive back Luciano D’Ambro stepped in front of a Gavin Giordano pass and high stepped into the end zone for a 27 yard interception return.

DeLosSantos rounded out the first half scoring with :16 remaining, powering in from two yards out and when LaFountain split the uprights with the point after, the Raiders went to the break holding a 21-0 advantage.

Three minutes into the third D’Ambro scored again, this time from his quarterback position, keeping it for six points on an eight yard scamper and LaFountain drilled his fourth PAT of the night for the commanding 28-0 lead.

The Mechanicville defense, after allowing the Indians some yardage through the air early in the game, dominated play for much of the contest, generating a consistent pass rush throughout.

A big play finally got the Indians on the board with 4:25 remaining in the third, when Valley QB Giordano connected with Dylan Hart on a 65 yard scoring strike, hitting Hart in stride at the 50 yard line with the speedy wideout doing the rest, outrunning Mechanicville defenders to the end zone.

At 28-6 the Valley “D” needed a three and out if an Indians comeback was to be.  It wasn’t.

Less than two minutes later junior running back Cameron Napier capped off a Mechanicville scoring drive with a five yard run and with the automatic right leg of LaFountain the Raiders led 35-6.

Hoosic Valley added a fourth quarter touchdown when Giordano found tight end Joe Leichenauer on an 11-yard throw and catch at the 9:21 mark of the fourth, for the final points of the night.

With the win Mechanicville evens their mark at 2-2 and will travel to Fonda next Friday to take on the Braves.

Hoosic Valley slips to 0-2 with the loss and things don’t get any easier for the Indians as they’ll host Cambridge-Salem next Friday night in Schaghticoke.