Leading off today: Newark Valley ran for 560 yards to grind out a 49-28 victory over Sidney in a matchup of football teams ranked No. 1 in the state on Saturday.
Sidney tied the score at 28-28 on a 30-yard pass from Darren Smith to Liam Matthews with 1:58 left in the first half, but the Cardinals answered with a 68-yard drive aided by a pass interference call and unsportsmanlike conduct that moved the ball to the 3 with :04.2 left in the half. Hunter Hoffmier then plunged into the end zone for the TD for the defending NYSPHSAA Class C champions.
On its first possession of the second half, Newark Valley drove 15 plays capped by a 2-yard TD run by QB Collen Hills.
"We couldn't stop them," said coach Jeff Matthews of Sidney, ranked No. 1 in Class D. "They're a well-oiled machine and they found what they could run against us, for sure. Once they get rolling, then they get you guessing a bit and everything starts working."
Four Cardinals finished with more than 100 rushing yards, paced by Caden Bennett's 20 carries for 170 yards and Tyler Beebe's 12 for 154.
Busy day on L.I.: Eleventh-ranked Lindenhurst's 21-7 upset of No. 5 William Floyd in Class AA was the signature game of the day on Long Island but hardly the only one that will affect the next set of state rankings.
The Bulldogs stopped William Floyd on a pair of fourth-down attempts in the fourth quarter to preserve a one-score lead, then Ricky Conway tacked on his second touchdown with a 14-yard run following the second turnover on downs.
"We were living in the backfield," said defensive end Jeremy Ruckert, the Ohio State-bound tight end (five catches, 100 yards, one touchdown). "That was the biggest key to this game. We didn't give them any holes."
Also in Class AA, No. 15 Massapequa roared past No. 19 Farmingdale 55-21 as Owen Glascoe had seven catches for 136 yards and two touchdowns, rushed for a score and picked off a pass. Quarterback Kenny Galvin was 16 of 24 passing for 294 yards and five TDs.
Farmingdale romped 56-0 when the teams met in the 2016 Section 8 playoffs.
"It was probably the most embarrassing time I've ever had on a football field in my life," Galvin said. "I hated every second of it. Today we returned the favor. We wanted (to score) 56 but we put up 55."
The stunner in Class A was No. 17 Lawrence's 43-15 rout of third-ranked Wantagh. Christian Fredericks completed 10 of 13 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns and added 13 carries for 101 yards and a score.
