The good news for the Colonie football team is that it’s one step closer to a Section II, Class AA title.
The bad news is the Garnet Raiders will have to carry on without one of their best weapons.
Colonie (6-2) defeated Troy 35-15 in last Saturday’s class AA quarterfinal game to set up a rematch with Saratoga in Friday’s semifinal.
But in the process of beating the Flying Horses, the Garnet Raiders lost wide receiver Jim Kehrer to a broken ankle in the second quarter. Kehrer played a big role in Colonie’s 27-21 overtime victory over Saratoga in Week 1 with a long touchdown reception.
Losing Jim is going to be a big hit, but I think we’ve got guys who are ready to step up, said Colonie coach Mike Ambrosio.
Kehrer got the Garnet Raiders on the scoreboard against Troy with a 9-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter. Tyler Moffatt added the extra point for a 7-0 lead.
Colonie took advantage of a fortuitous bounce later in the quarter. Tailback Heath Furbeck fumbled the ball on a long run, but wide receiver Matt June was there to pick it up and race the remaining 22 yards for another Garnet Raider touchdown. Tom Duff added a two-point conversion pass to Marcus Malkiewicz for a 15-0 lead.
`I guess that’s the Colonie version of the hook and ladder,` Ambrosio said. `(June) was in the right place at the right time.`
Troy (5-3) made things interesting in the second quarter when Zach Dolan connected with Jared Walker on a 28-yard touchdown pass and a two-point conversion, but Colonie took the momentum back at the start of the third quarter. The Garnet Raiders fooled Troy with an onsides kick to start the period, and Brian Sleasman recovered the ball for Colonie. On the next play from scrimmage, Furbeck took the handoff and raced 44 yards for a touchdown to put the Garnet Raiders ahead 22-8.
`That was a major turning point, and then the other major turning point was when Nick Cady got the (defensive) stop on fourth-and-goal,` said Ambrosio.
Cady’s key tackle came at the end of a long Troy drive that ate up the remaining time in the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth quarter. Cady stopped Anthony Valenti at the Garnet Raiders’ 2-yard line to force the Flying Horses to turn the ball over on downs.
Colonie wasted little time in taking advantage of the goal line stand. Duff connected with June on a 74-yard touchdown pass, and Moffatt added the extra point to put the Garnet Raiders ahead 29-8.
Mike Krogh pulled Troy within two touchdowns with an 18-yard scoring run, but Furbeck sealed the victory with a 19-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter.
Furbeck rushed for 142 yards, and Duff completed 8 of 13 passes for 133 yards for Colonie, which will try to mimic its 2002 playoff run by earning road victories at Troy and Saratoga.“