MORIAH FINISHES #2 IN STATE, FALLING TO MAPLE GROVE


Moriah’s Ron Schofield (23) shakes off the attempted tackle of Maple Grove’s Antoine Aronson.  (Eric Foote photo) 
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Moriah’s Nathan Gilbo wraps up the ball carrier Maple Grove’s Joe Caporale (17) around the ankles to bring him down.

MAPLE GROVE 55, MORIAH 7
The Moriah Vikings' charmed football season -- the best n the school's history -- came to an end quickly in the New York State Class D championship at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse.  Carrying a 12-0 record into the game, the Vikings were unable to hold on Maple Grove's first drive.  Then a pair of costly fumbles, followed by a blocked punt, all on Moriah's first three possession of the game, allowed Maple Grover to dominate the first ten minutes of the game and grab a 28-0 lead.  While Moriah dominated the time of possession 35:38 to 12:22, the quick-strike Red Dragons rolled up four rushing touchdowns, before quarter-back and MVP Chris Secki unloaded three touchdown bombs for 63, 62 and 48 yards to Joe Caporale.  Secki was 8-for-9 passing for 214 yards and had two rushing TDs.  Ron Schofield scored the Vikings lone touchdown on a ten-yard scamper in the fourth quarter.  Schofield led the Vikings with 103 yards rushing.  Jake Larson led Maple Grove with 63 yard rushing.
 

 MORIAH IS HEADED FOR THE DOME, BEATING TUCKAHOE 21-6


Moriah's Jim Carlson (28) flies end-over-end after a first-down pickup, as he is tacked by the Tuckahoe defense.  The Moriah Vikings punched their ticket to the New York State Class C Football title game in Syracuse for Thanksgiving weekend by scoring on their second and third drives of the game, opening a 14-0 lead, then fending off the Tuckahoe Tigers for a 21-6 victory in the East Region final at Dietz Stadium in Kingston, NY.  (Steve Besaw photo) Game Gallery  Listen to NCSN Broadcast

Moriah's Nathan Gilbo (10) gets a piece of the extra-point kick
for Tuckahoe and the ball missed the uprights.

MORIAH 21, TUCKAHOE 6
The Moriah Vikings punched their ticket to the New York State Class C Football title game in Syracuse for Thanksgiving weekend by scoring on their second and third drives of the game, opening a 14-0 lead, then fending off the Tuckahoe Tigers for a 21-6 victory in the East Region final at Dietz Stadium in Kingston, NY. Tyler Blaise opened the scoring with a 12-yard run through the middle to open a 6-0 lead. The extra point kick failed for a 6-0 lead. After holding Tuckahoe on the ensuring drive, Jim Carlson rambled for an elusive 47-yard scramble that broke tackles and scooted between defenders along the right sideline all the way to paydirt, punctuated by a dive around a final defender at the goal line. Blaise flipped a quick pass to Carlson in the end one for a 14-0 lead. The Tigers repeatedly knocked at the door, but it wasn’t until the final three minutes of the half that they were finally able to dent the end zone on a three-yard run by Jared Sommer. The score lifted the Tigers before the intermission, but the Vikings’ defense returned from the locker room with obviously further resolve to shut down the Tiger attack. The biggest play for the Vikes came in the third quarter when the defense stopped Tuckahoe on 4th-and-10 from 17 yards out. Carlson put the game our of reach with 4:22 to go when he jetted 14 yards to paydirt to pump the lead to 21-0. Moriah improved to 12-0. It will mark their first trip to the State Championship since the title format was created in 1993. Moriah will play Maple Grove, who stunned defending Class D Champion Walton 48-14 in the West Region Final. The game will be played Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse.
 

SENTINELS BURN JACKS ON TURNOVERS IN SEMIFINAL WIN

TICONDEROGA 41, TUPPER LAKE 7
It was a nightmarish Halloween for the Lumberjacks. Tupper Lake suffered two critical first-quarter turnovers and Ticonderoga immediately cashed them in, plus scored two more offensive touchdowns in a disastrous first quarter for the Lumberjacks in the Northern Football Conference Class D semifinals. Bryant Austin (58 yards rushing) took the Sentinels for drive to the house on a two-yard plunge for a 7-0 lead. But Steve Lenhart scooped up a bad snap that sailed over the kicker’s head and ran it for a touchdown to jump the lead to 14-0. After Ticonderoga fumbled, Lenhart got it back on the very next play when he intercepted on the very next Tupper Lake play and flew into the end zone. Austin then hit a slot and scooted 41 yards to paydirt to boost the Sentinels to a 28-0 lead just 9:45 into the game. The Halloween script did not get any better for the Jacks in the second quarter as Lenhart plunged into the end zone from a yard out. To start the second half, Jake Taylor took the opening kickoff 75 yards to the house to pound out a 41-0 lead. Tupper’s only satisfaction came midway through the fourth quarter when Ian Smetanick (51 yards rushing) hauled in a 65-yard pass from QB Zach Meade (6-for-19, 105 yards passing) to score. Ticonderoga advanced to play Moriah in the Class D final. Tupper Lake finished its season at 4-5.
 

MORIAH SHUTS DOWN SETON KNIGHTS IN CLASS D SEMIS

MORIAH 33, SETON CATHOLIC 0
Nine in a row and counting for Moriah. The Vikings hammered out 26 first-quarter points then cruised to a 34-0 win over the Seton Catholic Knights in the Northern Football Conference Class D semifinals. Jim Carlson took the opening kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown just 0:13 into the game and the Vikings were in charge from the get-go. The Vikes put 26 on the board in the first quarter as Steve Owens added a one-yard TD run, Ron Schofield jetted a 50-yard score and Tyler Blaise lofted a six-yard TD strike to Ryan Huchro and a 51-yarder Schofield, all before the half for a 33-0 lead. Seton quarterback Kaleb Gohlke went 5-for-8 for 83 passing yards. The Knigths finished their season at 1-8. Top-seeded Moriah hosts defending Class D Champion and state runnerup Ticonderoga, the #2 seed, in this year’s N.F.C. title game.
 

 MORIAH CAPS CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON IN 15-14 THRILLER

MORIAH 15, TICONDEROGA 14
In a game down to the final seconds, the Moriah Vikings polished off a perfect 10-0 Northern Football Conference season, but not before Ticonderoga pushed them to the brink in a 15-14 outcome. When Ticonderoga missed a field goal with 94 seconds remaining, it appeared Moriah would kneel and run out the clock. It took a blocked kick as time expired to finally knock out the defending state runnerup and send Moriah against a Section II opponent in the New York State quarterfinals next week. Moriah opened the scoring just 5:07 into the game on a one-yard quarterback sneak from Tyler Blaise for the only scoring before intermission. Josh Huestis broke through from the seven-yard line and, along with his extra-point kick, put the Sentinels ahead in the game at 8-7 with less than five minutes remaining in the third quarter. Jim Carlson, who ran for 102 yards, notched the game-winning score from the 11-yard line, muscling into the end zone with just seven second left in the third quarter to restore the Moriah lead 15-8. Ticonderoga’s Bryant Austin jetted 30 yards along the left sideline brought the Vikings within a point, but the conversion failed. The Vikings had to give the ball up on downs and punted away, but Ticonderoga edged close enough for a final field goal attempt to win, but the kick was tipped.
 

 MORIAH WINS STATE Q-FINAL IN SHUTOUT VS. RENSSELAER

MORIAH 19, RENSSELAER 0
Moriah running back Jim Carlson scored three touchdowns and racked up a game-best 193 yards as the Vikings shut down Section II Champion Rensselaer in the New York State Class D Region II Championship contest (and State Quarterfinal). The Vikings had serious control at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, forcing the Rams to work again a fleeting clock. Moriah grabbed the lead 13-0, scoring on two of its first three possessions. Carlson received handoffs on four straight plays across 35 yards and a 16-yard touchdown to break into the lead 7-0 with just under two minutes remaining in the second quarter. After forcing the Rams into a turnover-fumble, Carlson capitalized with a three-yard touchdown scramble to boost the lead to 13-0 at the half. Carlson rolled for a five- yard touchdown on the opening drive of the third quarter to jack up a 19-0 score. The Rams best drive advanced to the Vikings two-yard line, but was stood up on a goal-line stand to virtually end their chances of a comeback. Moriah advances to the East Region Final (state semifinal) against Tuckahoe, to be played Friday at 4:00 p.m. at Dietz Stadium in Kingston, NY, with the winner to advance to the New York State Class D championship at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse over Thanksgiving weekend.
 

SARANAC LAKE DEFEATED BY CROTON-HARMON IN N.Y. SEMIS


Saranac Lake's Forrest Morgan (20) latches onto the ball and tries to pry it loose from Croton-Harmon Tigers' ball carrier Dan Luntz.  The Red Storm erased a 7-6 halftime deficit to take a 14-7 lead on Jon Barge's 19-yard touchdown scamper.  However, the Tigers bounced back to score 16 unanswered points in the last 16 minutes of the contest.  Croton-Harmon eliminated Saranac Lake 23-14 in the New York State Class C Semifinal.   Game Gallery  Listen to NCSN Game Broadcast

Saranac Lake's Sean Ryan (44) was naked the Red Storm's defensive player of the game for his tackling and stops.

CROTON-HUDSON 23, SARANAC LAKE 14
Saranac Lake posted leads of 6-0 in the first quarter and 14-7 late in the third, but were unable to "Hold that Tiger" in the game's final 16 minutes.  Croton-Harmon scored 16 unanswered points to rebound for a 23-14 win in the New York State Class C Semifinals in Kingston, NY on a cold Saturday.  Stephen Burpoe's 67-yard touchdown streak -- first along the sideline, then across the grain and back into the middle -- pumped up the Red Storm to a 6-0 advantage.  Surprisingly, at that point, Croton-Harmon had dominated the plays and the line of scrimmage for 17 plays to just five for the Red Storm.  Overall the Tiger offense was on the field for nearly three quarters of the game.  But the Red Storm held tough.  After Tuckahoe took the lead on Tyler Dorien's eight-yard touchdown catch just before the half.  Saranac Lake hung in, stopping two offensive drives, before Jon Barge emerged for a 50-yard kickoff return, then settled the drive with a 21-yard touchdown reception from Brandon Patraw and a 14-7 lead after a two point conversion. Dorien booted the go-ahead 32-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter that slipped Croton-Hudson ahead for good at 16-14.  The Storm's best final chance brought the ball to the 24-yard line, before the turned it over on downs and Tuckahoe ground more than four minutes off the game clock. Dorian later sealed the win by intercepting Patraw on the Storm's final offensive drive.  Jon Barge led the Red Storm with 104 yards rushing and 21 more receiving while Burpoe ran for total 84 yards.  Saranac Lake finished its season at 10-2, including its first appearance in the New York State Final Four in 10 years.
 

SARANAC LAKE REBOUNDS TO BEAT WATERVLIET IN O.T. 14-7


For the win, Saranac Lake Red Storm receiver Steve Burpoe cradles the winning touchdown pass from QB Brandon Patraw during the overtime period in the New York State Class Quarterfinals at Plattsburgh High School.  After scoring, the Red Storm defense secured the win with a Jon Barge sack of Watervliet QB Chris Hughes on fourth down to end the game and seal a 14-7 win.  Burpoe scored both touchdowns for the Storm.  (Ferguson photo)   Game Gallery   NCSN Broadcast

Watervliet QB Chris Hughes (11) still arms and fights past the Red Storm defensive line for first-down yardage.

Red Storm senior Travis DeFuria (80) slips past a diving Dom Diaz (5) for a big first-down conversion during fourth quarter.

SARANAC LAKE 14, WATERVLIET 7
The Saranac Lake Red Storm ducked and dodged, defended and delivered -- delivered the New York State Region II Championship with a 14-7 win in the first overtime under rain and fog that forced much of the game to be played in the trenches. Down 7-0 early in the third quarter and having just been hit with a 58-yard Watervliet passing bomb to their three-yard line, the Red Storm fate needed help fast from a crucial goal-line stand. Earlier, after 23 minutes of scoreless play and Watervliet dominating in rushing yardage 130-8, Dom Diaz had given the Cannoneers a 6-0 lead with 30.9 seconds remaining in the first half when he sliced off the left side of the line and pounded home a two- yard touchdown, followed by the extra-point kick to swing the momentum 7-0 going into the intermission. After the Red Storm’s opening drive of the second half fizzled, Watervliet set up shop on the three-yard line with a promising drive that could have been a clincher. Diaz again got the carry, turned the corner and was wide open for paydirt – until John Mauler came off the end of the defensive line, grabbed Diaz’s shirttail on the way by and pulled him back to the four-yard line on a touchdown- saving tackle! Two plays later, David Snyder intercepted the ball on a pass to the end zone, ran it back to the 23-yard line and set up the Red Storm to capitalize. Off a pitch, Austin McDonough rolled free to his right and dealt long pass to Steve Burpoe who found daylight toward the sideline, took advantage of two solid blocks along the way and scampered for a 73-yard catch-and-run touchdown for a 6-0 lead. Then another heart-stopping key moment followed when the extra-point snap went high. Mauler reached up and barely settled the ball for Forrest Morgan whose line-drive kick sailed low and just cleared the crossbar by inches to etch a 7-7 tie. With five minutes remaining, Watervliet forced the Red Storm to punt and methodically drove across midfield to set up close enough for a game-winning score – touchdown of even field goal for the lead. In a fourth-down situation, the Cannoneers fired off a sidelines pass that was incomplete, but the officials flagged the Red Storm after a defender kicked the ball high in the air and drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Initially, the officials placed the ball on the Red Storm 10 and gave Watervliet first-and-goal with 45.6 remaining, but Storm Coach Mark Farmer objected claiming that the penalty was after the whistle and that Watervliet had already turned the ball over on downs. After a long huddle over a hugely-crucial call, the officials agreed that the penalty was post-possession, marked off the yardage, but the football belonged to the Red Storm. Saranac Lake ran out the clock and settled for settling the score in overtime. On their 20-yard drive to start overtime, the Red Storm then faced fourth-down from the 19 after a stiff Vliet defense allowed no running room. But Brandon Patraw dialed deep to Burpoe again who was all alone in the end zone, the long lofty pass seemed to take forever to descend before being cradled in Burpoe’s arms for the Storm’s first lead. On Watervliet’s ensuring OT drive, Forrest Morgan knocked down a pass and stuffed a running play short, before Jon Barge sealed the Cannoneers’ fate with a quarterback sack on fourth-and-long. Saranac Lake advances to play Croton-Harmon in the East championship on Saturday at noon at Dietz Stadium in Kingston, NY, with the winner earning a trip to the state finals in the Carrier Dome in Syracuse over Thanksgiving weekend.
 

SARANAC LAKE UPSETS O.F.A. FOR CLASS C CHAMPIONSHIP


In a pivotal interception in the fourth quarter, Saranac Lake's Forrest Morgan (20) leaps and plucks an overthrown ball to stymie a promising Ogdensburg scoring drive.  The Red Storm broke a 21-21 tie in the fourth quarter with a 22-yard touchdown pass to Austin McDonough from Brandon Patraw, then a four-yard touchdown run from Jon Barge to upset the top-seeded O.F.A. Blue Devils 33-21.  Barge had three TD carries to guide the Saranac Lake tile win.  (Greg Ferguson photo)  Game Gallery  Listen to NCSN Broadcast of the Game

Red Storm receiver David Snyder (13) reels in the well-placed pass from QB Brandon Patraw for a 2-pt conversion. The Devils would answer on the very next play when Jorden Brashaw returned the ensuing kickoff for a score.

Red Storm players celebrate the win over the host Blue Devils in the Northern Football Conference Class C Championship game.
 

O.F.A. BLUE DEVILS RUN OVER AUSABLE VALLEY IN SEMIS


Ogdensburg rusher Tylor Stevenson (21) jets past AuSable Valley linebacker Shane Lieberth (7) and romps for the touchdown.  Stevenson scored two TDs as top-seeded O.F.A. racked up 41 first-half points and cruised to a 41-6 victory over the #4-seeded Patriots in the Northern Football Conference Class C semifinals.  (Webb photo)  Game Gallery

O.F.A. lineman Kellan Skelly (56) wraps up a Patriots' rusher.

  Ogdensburg quarterback Jared Morrow (13) eludes AuSable Valley's Brad Belanger (4) and dashes for the TD.

OGDENSBURG 41, AUSABLE VALLEY 6
Ogdensburg's Tylor Stevenson snared two touchdown passed and four other ball carriers scored, all in the first half, as the Blue Devils put away AuSable Valley 41-6 in the Northern Football Conference Class C semifinals.  QB Jared Morrow dashed for a seven-yard score.  Zach Giglio and Connor Ives also took it to the house.  And to add further misery for the Patriots, Steve Morrow ran back a fumble recovery for 21 yards and a touchdown in the win.  Larry Coolidge (103 yards rushing) scored a touchdown on a 66-yard run for the lone Patriots score.  AuSable Valley finished its season with an overall record of 1-8.  Ogdensburg advances to host the Class C final vs. Saranac Lake.
 

SARANAC LAKE MAULS WILDCATS IN CLASS C SEMIS


Saranac Lake's Jon Barge (33) slams into Gouverneur defender David Todd (4) and around the outside of the defense to gain first-down yardage.  Barge finished off the drive with a nine-yard touchdown plunge to give the Red Storm a 7-0 lead.  The Red Storm beat the Wildcats 42-14 in the Northern Football Conference Class C semifinals.  (Mark VanBibber photos)  Game Gallery  NCSN Broadcast of Game

Saranac Lake quarterback Brandon Patraw (12) fires off a strike to wide receiver Steven Burpoe for a 42-yard TD to Steven Burpoe open a 14-0 lead in the second quarter.

Jon Barge dives just across the line for a 9-yard touchdown.

SARANAC LAKE 42, GOUVERNEUR 14
When Saranac Lake's Brandon Patraw threw passes, they were on target and on a mission.  His favorite targets were a pair of six-foot-four receivers, Steven Burpoe and Austin McDonough whose assignments were to take advantage of their height to sail over the defense and snare mismatch touchdown passes.  McDonough put the Storm on the board 6-0 when he towered over Wildcat cornerback Marco Carbone in the end zone and outjumped him for the touchdown.  Patraw went 6-for-10 for 160 yards passing, with a pair of precision long-ball air strikes to Burpoe for 42 yards and 90 yards and both for touchdowns.  Gouverneur suffered two first-half interceptions that Saranac Lake made them pay for dearly, pounding out a 28-0 halftime lead.  Jon Barge, the "Thunder" in the Storm's Thunder and Lightning combination with Burpoe, rumbled into the end zone on a nine-yard carry after Gouverneur tuned the ball over with less than two minutes in the half.  Ryan Farmer's five-yard run pumped up the lead to 35-0 midway through the third quarter before Wildcats would realize two scores.  James Zeller rambled 26 yards and quarterback Darren Fuller scampered for four yards to paydirt to ease the deficit at 35-14.  Sean Ryan finished the scoring for the Storm with a 15 yard TD run.  Barge finished with 72 yards rushing.  Gouverneur finished its season at 3-6.  Saranac Lake plays Ogdensburg for the Class C title.

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SARANAC LAKE 33, OGDENSBURG 21
The second-seeded Saranac Lake Red Storm fended off two Ogdensburg comebacks, never let Ogdensburg gain the lead and dished up an Emmy-winning fake on fourth-down in a crucial fourth- quarter drive to turn back the top-seeded Blue Devils 33-21 and claim the 2008 Northern Football Conference Class C Championship. Jon Barge plowed into the end zone on the second try in the first quarter to muscle Saranac Lake into a 7-0 lead. However, Ogde