Leading off today: Gary Gaeta had 16 carries for 90 yards, including scoring runs of 13 and 5 yards, to lead host Ellenville to a season-opening, 34-14 football win over Pine Plains on Friday.
Pine Plains' week began with the players attending funerals for teammates Gian Paolo Stagnaro and Zach Pruner, killed in a car crash Aug. 29 that also injured two others.
Pine Plains battled to the end vs. Ellenville. Quarterback Matt Moss hit Ryan Coons for a 25-yard touchdown with 11 seconds left in the fourth quarter to make the score a bit closer.
“We really came together as a family today,” said fullback/linebacker Chris Kruzynski, who rushed for a game-tying TD late in the first half. “We knew, win or lose, we’d still be in it. We’ve got a whole season ahead of us. It’s a good journey. Even though it’s a loss, it’s not a bad start. We’re still a family in the end."
Making early noise: Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake began defense of its NYSPHSAA Class A championship in impressive fashion, beating Lansingburgh 69-25. The Spartans scored six touchdowns in a 13-minute span of the first half.
Josh Quesada scored touchdowns on a rush, a kickoff return and a punt return. Converted running back Dan Maynard went 6-for-7 for 113 yards and two TDs in his first start at quarterback.
Meanwhile, traditional small-school force LeRoy had a shockingly easy time en route to a 68-14 win over Hornell, which had its 51-game winning streak snapped last November in the NYSPHSAA Class C final. The Oatkan Knights scored touchdowns on 10 consecutive possessions after an opening three-and-out.
Peter Privitera rushed 18 times for 116 yards and two TDs. Junior quarterback Mike McMullen was 6-for-10 for 174 yards and three TDs. LeROy outgained Hornell 451-125.
Canisius coasts: There's still the matter of a Week 2 game at Aquinas to deal with, but Canisius demonstrated why it is the likely No. 1 team in Class AA when the first New York State Sportswriters Association rankings come out Sept. 17.
Senior running back Qadree Ollison ran 20 times for 195 yards and four TDs to beat McQuaid 42-15. Afterward, Ollison said he had scrapped a planned weekend visit to Penn State ahead of his college announcement on Monday. He is expected to choose between Pittsburgh, Penn State, Rutgers, Syracuse and Wisconsin.
Ollison scored on carries of 8, 16, 29 and 65 yards. He sat out the fourth quarter.
NFA grinds out convincing win: Newburgh Free Academy rushed for almost 500 yards in a 46-21, non-league win over Iona Prep.
