The Colonie football team locked up the Liberty Division’s No. 3 seed for the upcoming class AA playoffs with a dominating 34-14 victory over Niskayuna Friday.
We talked before the game about how we have control of everything, and we don’t want someone else to do the job for us, said Colonie coach Mike Ambrosio. `The kids came out, stepped up and took care of business.`
Joe Poleto and Jim Kehrer ran the ball effectively for the Garnet Raiders (4-2 division, 4-2 overall). Poleto carried the ball 18 times for 152 yards, while Kehrer complemented Poleto’s efforts with 92 yards on 11 carries. Together, they accounted for four of Colonie’s five touchdowns.
`He’s a tough, physically strong young man ` probably pound for pound one of the strongest guys on the team,` Ambrosio said of Poleto. `When we need a big play, we know Joe’s going to deliver for us.`
`The (offensive) line was opening up huge holes for us today, and with Jim (Kehrer) in the backfield, he’s another player that can run the ball just as good,` said Poleto. `Coach (Ambrosio) told us before the game that we needed to come out hard, and we definitely did.`
Poleto got the Garnet Raiders on the scoreboard with a 1-yard touchdown run less than five minutes into the first quarter, capping a nine-play, 69-yard drive. Niskayuna (1-4, 1-5) blocked James DeVoe’s extra point attempt, though, leaving Colonie with a 6-0 lead.
Brian Sleasman recovered a Jesse McNeal fumble on the ensuing kickoff, giving Colonie the ball at Niskayuna’s 35-yard line. Four plays later, Poleto scampered up the left sideline from 16 yards out for the Garnet Raiders’ second touchdown. Niskayuna stopped the two-point conversion, which made the score 12-0.
Kehrer capped Colonie’s third scoring drive of the first quarter with an 11-yard touchdown run off a pitch from quarterback Tom Duff. Poleto added a two-point conversion run, which put the Garnet Raiders up 20-0.
Another key special teams play gave Colonie good field position in the second quarter. Eric Smith blocked a Niskayuna punt, which placed the Garnet Raiders on the Silver Warriors’ 44-yard line. Two plays later, Duff faked a handoff and connected with Matt June on a 43-yard touchdown pass. DeVoe’s extra point made it 27-0.
Colonie scored its final points in the third quarter. Poleto ran the ball four times for 75 yards during a 10-play, 94-yard drive ` capping it with a 2-yard touchdown run that made the score 34-0.
Niskayuna’s spread offense ` which had been stymied by Colonie’s defense in the first half ` finally got going late in the second half. Justin McShane scored touchdowns of 17 and 21 yards to get the Silver Warriors on the scoreboard. McShane finished with 105 yards on 11 carries, while quarterback Danny Peters was limited to 82 passing yards.
The loss crippled Niskayuna’s playoff hopes. The Silver Warriors would need a victory over winless Columbia Friday and a Shaker victory over Schenectady to forge a three-way tie for fourth place in the Liberty Division. Shaker (1-4, 1-5) was already eliminated from playoff contention following last week’s 31-28 loss to Colonie.
Another team still searching for a class AA playoff berth is Christian Brothers Academy. The Brothers lost to Ballston Spa 21-16 Friday to remain in a three-way tie for fourth place with Bethlehem and Saratoga in the Empire Division.
The Brothers (2-4) took a 16-14 lead against Ballston Spa on Andrew Vivian’s 11-yard touchdown pass to Justin Marini late in the second quarter, but Dan Decker’s 2-yard scoring run in the third quarter put the Scotties (5-1) ahead for good.
CBA will try to claim the final playoff berth in the Empire Division when it visits Bethlehem Friday. A Brothers victory coupled with a Saratoga loss gives CBA sole possession of fourth place and an opening-round game against either Troy or LaSalle.“