Leading off today: Two-time defending state champion Maine-Endwell kicked off its football season with a hard-fought, 31-7 win over Syracuse Nottingham on Saturday at the Carrier Dome, pushing the Spartans' winning streak to 26 games. (See:
Longest streaks in New York history.)
Maine-Endwell held Nottingham to five first downs and 51 yards. On offense, the Spartans lost QB Kyle Gallagher to concussion-like symptoms less than four minutes into the game. Sophomore Kyle Balmer quarterbacked M-E to 354 yards of offense.
M-E's Trent Story ran six times for 104 yards, all in the second half to help break open a close game. His first carry of the season covered 58 yards and was M-E's second touchdown in a span of three offensive snaps, stretching the lead to 24-7.
Speaking of defending champs: New Rochelle's first outing since winning the 2012 NYSPHSAA Class AA championship provided evidence there's some rebuilding to be done. Roy C. Ketcham broke to a 15-0 lead and went on to a 22-14 victory.
Quarterback Kevin Duke threw for 134 yards and two touchdowns on 13-for-24 accuracy.
“We came out, and we were able to move the ball throughout the game,” Ketcham coach Keevins said. “We felt like we left a lot of points off the board.”
St. Joe's scores big win: Senior Nigel Davis rushed for three touchdowns and 218 yards on 27 carries, scoring all of St. Joseph's points as the Marauders earned a 20-14 home win vs. St. Anthony's.
“The whole offseason we worked hard for this first game,” said Davis, who added six tackles and a sack on defense.
St. Joe’s jumped to a 12-7 lead on Davis touchdown runs of 9 and 75 yards. St in the first quarter, and he tacked on a 9-yard scoring run and conversion catch for a 20-7 lead midway through the fourth quarter.
Emotional win: After practice Thursday, the Harrison team attended the wake of Art Troilo Sr., a former coach and the father of current coach Art Troilo Jr. The Huskies showed up en masse again Saturday, this time at the football field to grind out a 35-24 win over Brewster.
“We really wanted to get this for Coach Troilo, his mother (Karen) and the whole Troilo family,” sophomore QB Brendan Pyne said. “It was great that we were able to come back in the second half.”
Jake Marino rushed for 155 yards and two scores and Mike Amicucci added 90 yards, two touchdowns and a pair of two-point conversions for Harrison, which trailed 12-6 at the half.
