Several Wasaren runners ran well over the 5000 meter course, at the New York State Cross Country Championships at Chenengo Forks State Park on Saturday.
On a raw, wet, Saturday afternoon, Greenwich used a dominant ground attack, and an opportunistic defense, to earn the Section II Class D football championship with a 31-7 decision over Stillwater, on the turf in Schuylerville.
The Witches, went up tempo on the game’s opening drive and mixed a trio of ball carriers in Colin Hughes, Aiden McPhail, and quarterback Jesse Kuzmich to methodically march the ball down the field for points, when Hughes plowed in from the two, and with the Declan Kelleher point after, led 7-0, just four minutes in.
On Stillwater’s first offensive series, Greenwich forced a Warrior punt, but the Maroon and White quickly regained possession when Trevor Cowin intercepted a deep ball from Kuzmich and returned it to the Greenwich 33-yard line.
Later in the drive, facing a 4th and four at the Greenwich 15, Colby Paffin found an open Jaxson Mueller who made a leaping grab at the two, setting up first and goal. One play later, Mueller took the snap out of the Wildcat and pushed the pile in for the score and the Liam Brady tack on, evened things at 7-7 with 1:08 remaining in the frame.
On Greenwich’s ensuing drive the Witches used 25 penalty yards from Stillwater, a 19-yard keeper by Kuzmich and a pair of steamroller runs by sophomore Matt Conlin, the second a 12-yard touchdown tote, to take a 14-7 advantage.
After the Greenwich “D” forced Stillwater’s second punt of the day, the Witches took over on their own 41 and again cashed in for points.
Four Conlin carries moved the ball to the Warrior 41, when Kumich, working out of the pistol, took the snap, delayed, and accelerated through the middle, breaking a tackle at the 20, and outrunning everyone to the left pylon, to give the Witches a two score cushion at 21-7.
A Parker Jamieson pick quickly gave the ball back to Greenwich, but the Stillwater defense held and took over on downs at their own 20 yard line with 3:30 left in the half.
Warrior running back CJ McNeil mixed a pair of inside runs, with two toss sweeps, and coupled with a 15-yard penalty on Greenwich, Stillwater was set up at the Witches 34.
But Greenwich stiffened, sacking Paffen for a five yard loss, and stopping McNeil on a fourth and short to end the scoring threat, sending the squads to the halftime intermission.
After the break, Stillwater’s initial drive moved the ball to the Greenwich 48, but stalled there and the Warriors were forced to punt.
Taking over on their own 20, the Witches consumed clock, and yards on the series, courtesy of the powerful Conlin.
The 235 pound back carried eight times for 65 yards in the 7:30 drive, including runs of 21, 16 and 15 yards, setting up a 30-yard field goal from Kelleher, giving Greenwich 24-7 lead with 1:23 left in the third.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Jamieson came up with his second pick of the contest, running it back to the Stillwater 30, and two plays later, with thunder in the distance, play was stopped for a weather delay.
After the stoppage, facing a fourth and one, a Kuzmich sneak took the ball to the Warrior 15 yard line, and on the next play it was Conlin, breaking three tackles, and scoring on a 16-yard foray, extending the Witches advantage to 31-7 and leaving no doubt that the championship belonged to Greenwich.
Conlin finished with 160 yards on 21 carries to lead the Witches attack, and McNeil paced the Warriors with a 119 yard effort carrying 26 times.
Greenwich, (10-0), advances to regional play and will face Tuckahoe, next Friday night in Mechanicville.
After Stillwater and Greenwich met in week two of the regular season, a game won by Greenwich 27-19, most felt the two squads would face off again at some point in the post season. Neither has lost since that matchup on 9/17, clearly establishing themselves as the top two teams in Section II Class D. Both units handled their business on Saturday, posting semifinals “W’s”, and will indeed meet, in a much anticipated title game on Saturday, in Schuylerville at 1:00.
Greenwich 48 Chatham 20: Despite losing their leading rusher to injury on Saturday, the Witches held a 14-0 lead after a quarter of play, and a 28-6 advantage at the half, in posting the Class D semifinal win over Chatham, in Schuylerville.
Matt Conlin, Greenwich’s sophomore back, ran for 56 yards and a touchdown, before he suffered an injury mid-way through the second period and did not return.
Deontae Bennett got Greenwich on the board at the 8:51 mark of the first, scoring on a 6-yard run, and later in the quarter Jesse Kuzmich added a 72-yard scoring scamper for a 14-0 cushion.
Seconds into the second frame, Conlin rumbled in from three yards out to put Greenwich in control at 21-0.
Midway through the period, Chatham quarterback Tyler Kneller scored on a 20-yard run trimming the lead to 21-6, but before the break it was Kuzmich again, this time scoring on a 2-yard carry, extending the Witches halftime lead to 28-6.
Two minutes into the third, Greenwich put the game away when Colin Hughes broke out for a 74 yard TD run and a commanding 34-6 advantage.
Hughes and Aiden MacPhail added rushing touchdowns later in the half to round out the Witches scoring.
On the defensive side of the ball Greenwich picked off the Chatham signal-caller Kneller, four times in the contest.
Stillwater 31 Warrensburg 12: After a back and forth, first half that ended with the teams knotted 12-12, Stillwater scored 19 unanswered after the break, to pull away, notching the Class D semifinal “W” over Warrensburg.
Tim Kelley opened the scoring for Warrensburg at the 7:36 mark of the first, on a 6-yard carry, and a 6-0 Burgher lead.
Stillwater answered quickly with Colby Paffen finding Jaxson Mueller for a 9-yard touchdown connection, pulling the Warriors even at 6-6.
In the second, Warrensburg jumped back in front, taking a 12-6 advantage on a 28-yard touchdown tote by Dylan Winchell with 4:21 remaining in the half.
But Stillwater cashed in on their last drive of the half when Mueller rumbled in from three yards out, sending the teams into the break deadlocked at 12-12.
The Warriors Gavin Baker scored the only points points of the third frame on a 10-yard TD run at the 6:07 mark, giving Stillwater their first lead of the day at 18-12, and one they wouldn’t give back.
Stillwater closed things out with a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns on a 66-yard fumble return by Caleb Dyer, and a 33-yard scoring run by C.J. McNeil, while the Warriors defense shut the door on the Burgher attack.
McNeil finished with 107 rushing yards on 20 carries, while Paffen hit on 7 of 10 attempts for 103 yards through the air for Stillwater.
Fonda 20 Hoosick Falls/Tamarac 14: Fonda used a late, fourth quarter touchdown run to get past Hoosick Falls/Tamarac in a Class C semifinal on Friday.
The Wildcats trailed 12-0 entering the final frame, before Jake Sparks found James Blake with a 21 yard scoring strike, and with the point after HF/Tam trailed 12-7.
Midway through the period, Blake gave the Wildcats the lead, taking a 25 yard interception return to the house for a 14-12 HF/Tam advantage, before Fonda punched in the late TD for the victory.
Hoosick Falls/Tamarac finishes the year with a 7-2 mark.
Cambridge/Salem 61 Watervliet 22: Cam/Salem ran out to a 27-o lead, and put the game away with a 21 point third period in a Class C crossover game Friday night.
Eli Danno scored four touchdowns, Brice Burr threw for three scores and Clifford Lewis added a pair of rushing TD’s to lead the attack for Cambridge /Salem who wrap their season with a 5-4 mark.
Schoharie 3 Waterford 2: In a see-saw battle between #1 Waterford and #2 Schoharie in Mechanicville Tuesday night, the second-seeded Indians twice, took a one goal lead, only to see Waterford quickly erase the cushion. The third time was the charm.
Schoharie’s Katie Krohn connected with 12:00 remaining for a 3-2 advantage and the Indians defense kept the Fordians off the board the rest of the way, to seal the victory and earn the Class C girls soccer championship.
Haley Drinon opened the scoring in the match, 10 minutes in, taking a feed from Krohn and finding the back of the net for a 1-0 Indian lead.
Waterford answered on a Cassidy McClement tally and the two squads went to the break knotted at 1-1.
Three minutes after intermission, Krohn connected off a feed from Drinon, giving Schoharie the 2-1 advantage.
But again Waterford answered, when Natalie Rich cashed in a McClement find to deadlock things midway through the half.
With 12 minutes left in regulation, Krohn delivered the game-winner, her second of the match and 67th goal of the year, and the Indians defense nursed the one goal cushion to the “W”, securing the championship, and sending Schoharie onto regional play where they’ll face Ausable Valley from Section VII on Saturday.
The young Fordians close out an exceptional season with an 18-1 mark.
Greenville 2 Mechanicville 1: In a low scoring match at Colonie on Monday afternoon, Greenville’s Jack Motta tallied with 30:00 remaining in regulation, breaking a 1-1 deadlock, and the Spartans held on the rest of the way to earn the Class B Boys soccer championship.
In match between a pair of unbeaten squads Greenville broke on top when Liam Bowden found the range with a curling shot, midway through the first half, giving the Spartans a 1-0 advanatge.
With 11:00 minutes left in the half, Ryan Grimmick set up Colin McNutt, who finished and the match went to the break knotted at 1-1, setting up Motta’s second half strike that proved to be just enough in a classic battle between outstanding teams.
Mechanicville finishes the year with a sterling 19-1-1 mark, while Greenville moves to 20-0 with the win and onto regional play later this week.
Waterford 6 Bolton/Warrensburg 1: Waterford built a 2-0 advantage at the break, and put the game away with four second half scores, notching the Class C semifinal win, and punching their ticket to the Section II title match on Tuesday.
Sophomore Addyson Galuski led the way with four scoring strikes, while sophomore Cassidy McClement added two goals and a pair of assists for Waterford, who remain perfect, at 17-0 on the year.
Fordian keeper Maddy Atwood saved nine shots in the victory, which sends Waterford to a final’s matchup with Schoharie, Tuesday night in Mechanicville.
Waterford will makes it’s first trip to a sectional final since 2013, and will be seeking it’s first sectional championship in girls soccer.
Football
Stillwater 20 Cambridge/Salem 0: Stillwater used a dominant ground game and a lockdown defense, in posting the shutout over Cambridge on Saturday.
CJ McNeil rushed for two touchdowns and 114 yards , while Caleb Dyer added 108 yards on the ground and caught a four yard TD pass from Colby Paffen, to pace the Warriors attack.
Stillwater, (6-1), will face Warrensburg next weekend in a Class D semifinal in Schuylerville.
Hoosick Falls/Tamarac 47 Hudson 12: The Wildcats used a 27-0 second period to take control, on their way to the Class C quarterfinal “W” over Hudson Friday night.
HF/Tam quarterback Jake Sparks spearheaded the second quarter explosion, scoring on a 36-yard run, and throwing three touchdown passes, finding James Blake on a 58-yard connection, and Dillion Grogan twice with strikes of 26 and 13 yards.
Michael D’Agostino added a 34-yard touchdown pass, connecting with Richie Stifter in the third period to round out the scoring for the Wildcats.
Sparks finished the night with 92 yards rushing, and 181 yards through the air and five touchdowns.
With the win the Wildcats advance to the Class C semi’s next weekend.
Greenwich 41 Granville 0: Matthew Conlin ran for 146 yards and three scores to lead the Witches past Granville in a crossover game, Friday night in Greenwich.
Greenwich quarterback Jesse Kuzmich threw for 181 yards and a TD, finding Deonte Bennett with a 55-yard strike to open the scoring.
Greenwich will meet Chatham next weekend in the Class D semifinals.
Schalmont 4 Mechanicville 1: The Raiders held a 1-0 lead at the break on an Ally Kenyon tally, but Schalmont responded with a dominant second half, led by Gianna Viscusi who connected for three goals, leading the Sabres past Mechanicville in the girls Class B championship soccer match.
The Raiders finish an outstanding season with a mark of 12-3-3
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