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John Moriello's NYSSWA blog
Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008 (football edition): Millbrook's Finger runs for 485 yards, eight TDs
   Leading off today: Nick Finger piled up 485 rushing yards and scored eight touchdowns yesterday -- and Millbrook needed every bit of his 41-carry effort to fend off host Tri-Valley.

   The senior running back also ran in five two-point conversions to set a state single-game scoring record during the 66-57 victory during which Millbrook rushed for 615 yards.

   His 58 points -- just one more than the Tri-Valley team -- broke the mark of 54 by Homer Geoffrion of Buffalo Lafayette in 1929, Don Dougherty of Eastern Military Academy in 1957 and Jason Gwaltney of North Babylon in 2004. Dougherty and Gwaltney hold the record of nine TDs in a game; Finger is at least the 12th player to score eight times in a game.

   The yardage output ranks second in state history to Dale Ross (30 carries for 569 yards) of Westhill a year ago and marks the second straight week that a New Yorker has had a monster game. Maryvale senior Brooks Estarfaa ran for a Section 6-record 463 yards on 20 carries and scored seven touchdowns Sept. 27.

   Finger, who had a 337-yard game last month, is at 1,364 rushing yards through five games.

   Neither Millbrook nor Tri-Valley punted in the game. Millbrook forced three turnovers. Dan Byrne led Tri-Valley with 16 carries for 148 yards and scored four times.

   Sayville tumbles: Sean Russell's fourth TD of the game, a two-yard run in overtime, gave Kings Park a 41-35 victory against Sayville, ranked No. 10 in Class A by the New York State Sportswriters Association.

   Russell forced the OT by recovering a fumbled Sayville exchange from center on fourth down and returning it 30 yards for a TD on the final play of regulation. Joe Capobianco converted the two-point attempt to tie the score at 35.

   "It was just unbelievable," Kings Park coach Mark O'Brien told Newsday. "I couldn't even try to explain what was happening -- but it was."

   In overtime, Kings Park's Will Harris deflected a pass and linebacker Connor Kelly made the interception. Capobianco completed a 16-yard pass to Kelly on fourth-and-eight to set up Russell's winning run.

   Carey still rolling: Greg D'Arienzo hit Joe Gregorio for a 29-yard TD on a halfback option early in the second quarter to spark Class A No. 15 Carey to a 24-6 home win over No. 24 Calhoun.

   Quarterback Luke Zahradka hit Rob Braun for a 23-yard TD pass with 4:25 left in the second quarter and again for a 32-yard score 41 seconds before the half.

   Braun made seven catches for 82 yards and also picked off a pass. D'Arienzo finished with 18 carries for 79 yards for Carey, and the defense held Calhoun to two first downs in the first half.

   Dobbs Ferry wins big: With Devonte Brailsford unavailable due to an injury, Dobbs Ferry moved QB Timmy Gardner to fullback and brought in Sam Connett to run the offense. The new supporting cast didn't make a difference to senior back Rob Alexander, who rushed for 193 yards and four TDs as Dobbs Ferry beat Tuckahoe, 41-14, for its 65th straight win against Section 1 opponents.

   Alexander also made seven tackles for Dobbs Ferry, ranked No. 2 in Class C; Tuckahoe is fourth in Class D.

   Dobbs Ferry went on a 22-0 run in the final 10 minutes to put the game away and finished the day with six sacks.

   A clicking combination: Junior Jake Meek threw for a school-record 325 yards and classmate Blair Roberts set a school mark of 249 yards receiving as Bishop Kearney routed Cardinal O'Hara, 48-12.

   Meek fired three touchdown passes and was 10-of-15 passing. Roberts made seven catches, three for scores. He also brought back an interception 70 yards for a score in the third quarteron one of six O'Hara turnovers.

   Ossining still rolling: Justin Kreamer caught a touchdown in the first half and engineered two fourth-quarter TD drives as No. 2 Ossining downed No. 14 Nyack, 20-7, in a key Section 1 Class A matchup.

   The two-year starter threw for 127 yards and ran for 43 and a touchdown.

  
   "This is a huge win for us," Kreamer told The Journal News. "We need to come out the next two weeks and take care of business. Then we get the league championship and home field for the playoffs."

   Saturday's rapid recap: Nanuet defeated Pelham, 48-0, to present coach Rich Conklin with his 200th career victory to go along with the more than 200 wins he has in wrestling. Tom Hanney threw for three TDs and ran for two.

   Chris Hughes scored on two 70-plus-yard runs and threw a pair of touchdowns as Watervliet dominated Coxsackie-Athens, 42-12. Watervliet scored four first-quarter TDs, including a 81-yard kick return by Josh Rice.

   Senior Joe McMurray ran 26 times for 252 yards and four touchdowns as Hudson Falls beat Cambridge, 42-28. McMurray scored on runs of 48, 53 and 23 yards in the first half.

   Derrick Pitts set a Bishop Gibbons record with 289 rushing yards to spark a 67-19 victory against Saratoga Catholic. Gibbons outscored Spa Catholic by 53-0 over the final three quarters.

   Alexandria Bay pounded Altmar-Parish-Willingboro, 56-12, by rushing 79 times for 631 yards. Vinnie Hoover (12 carries, 177 yards), Brian Sanford (20 carries, 145 yards) and Cory Davis (16 rushes, 94 yards) led the way.

   Christian Zemaitis rushed 21 times for 274 yards and four TDs for Spencerport to top Churchville-Chili, 42-33. His carries of 60 and 12 yards in the third quarter put the Rangers in command after C-C pulled within 21-20.

   In Class AA, No. 3 Gates Chili tuned up for season-ending games against No. 16 Hilton and No. 21 Marshall by thrashing Pittsford, 49-0. Senior running back Rickey Stevens carried 23 times for 248 yards and scored three TDs. Fullback Elijah Thomas carried eight times for 93 yards.

   Mike Doherty piled up 135 yards rushing and 96 receiving for Kenmore East in a 21-14 win against Williamsville East. QB Jon Anthony Wiltberger was 12-for-21 for 162 yards.

   Bert Smith ran for 240 yards and three TDs, made 10 tackles and led Amherst over Hamburg, 26-7.

   David Fluellen rolled up 310 yards and three TDs and Brynell Middleton intercepted two passes as Lockport beat Williamsville North, 38-14.

   Tottenville senior Tramaine Wilson ran for four scores, caught another and finished with 223 all-purpose yards in a 40-22 triumph against Susan Wagner. Wilson took a handoff on the second play from scrimmage and ran 42 yards for the day's first points.

   Gregg Griffo of Babylon was 4-for-6 with 201 yards and three touchdowns to lead a 38-8 rout of Mount Sinai. Jaquan Pate rushed seven times for 73 yards and compiled a touchdown, an interception and a fumble recovery.

   Cory Gilbert completed 18 of 22 passes for 322 yards and four touchdowns for Stony Brook to overpower Hampton Bays, 42-30. Two of Stony Brook's scores were set up by onside kicks in the second quarter.

   Riverhead, ranked 22nd in Class AA, got 13 carries from senior Miguel Maysonet for 237 yards and three scores in a 45-0 victory against Copiague. He also had a 45-yard interception return for a score.

   West Islip swamped West Babylon, 40-6, as senior Nick Cestaro ran for 162 yards and four first-half touchdowns on 13 carries. Quarterback Scott Mattera went 6-of-7 on passes for 152 yards and a TD and ran 10 times for 42 yards as the winners rolled up 415 yards of total offense.

   Levittown Division sophomore Sean Abbate connected on 13 of 19 throws for 254 yards and five TDs to turn back Roslyn, 35-16.

   No. 11 Byram Hills edged Ardsley, 13-6, in its final tuneup before meeting Class B No. 1 Rye, which is on a 52-game winning streak within the section. Kevin Lenhardt's fumble recovery set up the winners' first score, and Ben Greenberg's recovery set up the other -- a 65-yard reverse by Christopher Esposito with under 2:00 to go.

   Dundee, ranked ninth in Class D, defeated Red Jacket, 89-6. Details are scarce, but the game had "train wreck" written all over it -- Dundee enetered 4-0 with a 184-33 scoring margin. Red Jacket was outscored 188-32 in an 0-4 start.


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