Leading off today: Archbishop Stepinac, the state's No. 2 Class AA football team a year ago, opened its 2015 campaign Friday with
a 31-0 win over a Newburgh Free Academy squad coming off a huge Week 1 win.
Junior Devante Reid made six grabs for 94 yards in his varsity debut, including a 29-yard grab on the first series of the game, as Stepinac dominated the non-league showdown in Newburgh. Tyquell Fields, who started the night 7-for-7 over two scoring drives, completed 13 of 23 attempts for 187 yards and two scores.
"I'm finally playing varsity. I grew up watching this school since I was in fifth grade," Reid told The Journal News. "Now I'm finally here playing on the big stage and catching touchdowns from my teammates."
Newburgh was limited to 69 yards of total offense a week after routing Syracuse Henninger 64-0 at the Carrier Dome.
"It was like a wall of white out there," Stepinac coach Mike O'Donnell said of the defense. "It seemed like we had 20 guys out there at times."
Section 2 progress: Shaker moved out to a 21-14 lead in the first quarter and pulled away from defending Section 2 Class AA champ Shenendehowa 35-21.
"We're very excited to be in this position, but we know we have a long season ahead of us," Blue Bison coach Greg Sheeler told The Times Union. "We knew it was going to be a physical game. Shenendehowa football has not changed; they might throw the football a little more, but it is still a physical game any time you play these guys."
Shaker struck early, scoring on its second play from scrimmage when Wahid Nabi spotted Brendan MacPhee alone on the right sideline. The senior went 64 yards for the touchdown.
On the next possession, Ronel Forde (11 carries, 95 yards) took a handoff 40 yards for a touchdown to give Shaker a 14-0 lead with 6:30 left in the first quarter.
Nabi (9-for-12, 193 yards) connected with MacPhee on the first play of the fourth quarter for a 28-yard touchdown to put the Bison up 35-14.
Milestone: Gary VanDerzee collected his 200th win in Ravena's 35-7 victory vs. Hudson Falls. Steve Kross rushed for 217 yards and two first-quarter touchdowns.
New yardage leader: Unatego's Josh Feyerabend became the all-time Section 4 leader for passing yards, but freshman Darren Smith came up with a 305-yard performance that lifted Sidney to a 48-28 win.
Feyerabend went 27-for-37 for 319 yards to reach 4,786 yards for his career. The previous sectional mark of 4,574 yards by 1999 Windsor graduate Aaron Klumpp.
You can see the complete state career passing yardage list on our RoadToSyracuse.com site.
Also noteworthy: Joe King intercepted three passes for Alden in a 20-7 win over Albion.
Will Griffen scored six touchdowns and ran 13 times for 142 yards to lead Schuylerville to a 66-7 win over Broadalbin-Perth.
Defense? What's that? What's likely to go into the books as the craziest football game of the entire season was
