If the Christian Brothers Academy football team hadn’t been in the discussion for being an Empire Division contender before last Friday’s game at Saratoga Springs, it’s entered the discussion now.
The Brothers (2-1 division, 3-1 overall) put on a defensive clinic against the defending Section II Class AA champions as they pulled away for a 27-2 road victory.
CBA forced four Saratoga turnovers and limited the Blue Streaks (2-2, 2-2) to less than 60 rushing yards as it moved within a game of first-place Shenendehowa.
We stepped up big on defense, and we did just enough on offense to win the game, said CBA coach Joe Burke.
`They were just better than us,` said Saratoga coach Terry Jones. `We lost control of the field early with turnovers.`
The tide turned in CBA’s favor late in the second quarter. A short Saratoga punt set the Brothers up at the Blue Streaks’ 41-yard line, and they swiftly moved the ball deep into Saratoga territory. Fullback Nick Antoinette capped the series with a 5-yard touchdown run to give the Brothers a 6-0 lead.
Saratoga got the ball back, but not for long as Elijah Dukes made a leaping interception of Luke Fauler’s pass and returned the ball to Saratoga’s 25-yard line. Several plays later, Dukes made another leaping catch ` this time, it was to haul in Casey Crotty’s 7-yard touchdown pass to the back left corner of the end zone. Trey Williams added a two-point conversion run to give CBA a 14-0 lead.
`Certainly, I thought that was a turning point of the game,` said Burke. `That certainly gave [Saratoga] something to think about at halftime.`
Whatever Saratoga talked about at halftime didn’t help in the third quarter. CBA took the opening kickoff and ran 7:37 off the clock as it methodically ran the ball down the Blue Streaks’ throats. Williams finished the drive with a 15-yard touchdown run to put the Brothers ahead 21-0.
Saratoga tried getting back in the game on its first series of the second half. The Blue Streaks got inside the Brothers’ 5-yard line with the help of a roughing the passer penalty against CBA, a long pass from Fauler to Brian Owen and a nine-yard run by Travis Mooney. CBA’s defense stalled Saratoga’s drive by forcing and recovering a fumble, and though the Blue Streaks got a safety one play later, it wasn’t the seven points they were looking for.
The Brothers sealed the victory late in the fourth quarter. A 28-yard run by Antoinette set up Crotty for a 1-yard touchdown plunge for CBA’s final points.
Williams led a balanced Brothers running game with 74 yards on eight carries. Antoinette gained 49 yards on six carries, and Zappone added 27 yards.
`It was a combination of things,` said Crotty. `Our [offensive] line played so well, and our backs did a great job of running the ball.`
`It’s similar to last week’s game against Guilderland [a 33-21 win],` said Burke. `We softened them up enough to move the ball on the ground.`
CBA can put itself in position to win the Empire Division Friday when it hosts Shen. A victory over the Plainsmen could create a three-way tie for first between CBA, Shen and Ballston Spa (3-1, 3-1).
Shen remained undefeated with last Friday’s 35-21 cross-divisional victory over Schenectady.
Tailback Bronson Greene staked the Plains-men to an early lead with a 9-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Running back Tony Fusco then capped Shen’s next series with a 1-yard scoring run to put Shen ahead 14-0.
Greene added his second touchdown of the game in the second quarter before Shen’s first unit defense allowed its first touchdown of the season ` a 2-yard scoring run by Schenectady’s Kirieme Pitts. Still, the Plainsmen had a 21-7 halftime lead, and they never looked back.
Greene finished with 177 yards and three touchdowns, while Fusco added 155 yards and two touchdowns for Shen.
Ballston Spa kept pace with a 35-6 Empire Division victory over Bethlehem last Friday.
The Scotties spotted the Eagles (1-3, 1-3) a 6-0 lead before getting on the scoreboard in the second quarter on quarterback Troy Gargiulo’s 11-yard touchdown run. Gargiulo then broke the game open in the third quarter with scoring runs of 35 and 78 yards.
Ballston Spa travels to Guilderland Friday for an Empire Division game.
In Class A action, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake jumped out to a 28-0 halftime lead and cruised to a 41-0 Northwest Division victory over Gloversville last Friday.
Tailback Brandon Beatty scored the Spartans’ first three touchdowns and finished with nearly 140 rushing yards. Evan Nus-baum, Jack Guba and Mark Fialkowski also reached the end zone.
BH-BL (2-0, 4-0) begins a two-game homestand Friday when it hosts Glens Falls.“
