Stillwater 28   Moriah 20

In a Class D state quarterfinal game that was close throughout, Stillwater used a dominating ground attack and a big defensive play late, to get past Moriah in action at Mechanicville on Saturday.

Moriah of section VII broke on top when Joe Pelkey found Dieter Olcott with a 33-yard scoring strike and a 6-0 lead. 

Stillwater quickly answered with James Cocozzo crashing in from a yard out and with the point after Stillwater led 7-6 after the first period of play.

Stillwater scored the only points of the second quarter when Jaxon Mueller threw his only pass of the game finding Thomas McDonough on a 19-yard TD connection and Stillwater took a 14-6 lead into the break.

Moriah cut the margin with the only third period points on a Logan Gilbo one yard touchdown run, but the two-point conversion attempt failed as the teams headed to the final frame with Stillwater nursing a 14-12 advantage.

With 5:40 remaining Meuller gave Stillwater a two-score cushion on a 13-yard rushing score and with the point after a 21-12 cushion.

That cushion quickly dissolved as Moriah used a three-play drive capped by a Pelkey to Olcott 23-yard touchdown pass and with the two-point conversion Moriah trailed 21-10.

The Vikings then recovered an on-sides kick and were set up at the Stillwater 45 with 4:30 left in regulation.

But Stillwater’s McDonough had other ideas, stepping in front of a Pelkey pass and taking it 63 yards for six, sending the Section II squad to a state semifinal matchup with Haldane (Section I) at Middleton High School on Friday at 3 p.m. 

Lucas Lilac led the Stillwater ground game finishing with 134 yards on 30 carries while Mueller added 80 yards on 18 totes.  Lilac has now run for 1611 yards on the year setting the single season rushing record at Stillwater.