Any talk about the Class AA playoffs following last Friday’s Colonie-Shaker football game was premature.
Both teams still have a chance to make Sectionals, though one team’s chances are more remote than the other team’s chances.
Colonie (2-2 division, 3-3 overall) has the upper hand, thanks to last Friday’s 27-19 Liberty Division victory over Shaker. All that the Garnet Raiders need is a win Saturday at Bethlehem to secure their spot in Sectionals.
Coincidentally, Shaker (0-4, 1-5) needs Colonie to beat Bethlehem and a victory of its own against Columbia Friday in East Greenbush to force a three-way tie for fourth place in the division, which would result in using quarter points to determine who makes Sectionals Shaker, Columbia or Bethlehem. And Colonie could fall out of the playoffs if it loses to Bethlehem (1-3, 2-4) and Columbia (1-3, 1-5) beats Shaker, which would create a three-way tie for third place.
We can’t pack our bags to the playoffs just yet. We have to see what happens this weekend,` said Colonie coach Mike Ambrosio. `If we take care of business Saturday, then we have nothing to worry about.`
`It’s a long shot, but it’s still a shot,` said Shaker coach Dennis Bender. `It’s nice to have that feeling that we still have a shot.`
Shaker had a shot to beat Colonie ` several shots, in fact. The Blue Bison couldn’t convert on a fourth-and-goal at Colonie’s 1-yard line in the third quarter, and a bid for a touchdown in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter ended on an interception in the end zone.
`We left a couple of scores off the board,` said Bender. `What it came down to is we still had a chance to tie the game at the end.`
`We always wind up having a battle,` said Ambrosio. `It’s entertaining for the fans, but it’s nerve wracking for the coaches.`
Shaker looked strong in the first quarter. Tailback Conor Alund scored on a 25-yard run to get the Blue Bison on the scoreboard first. Davion Brink capped Colonie’s first offensive series with a 6-yard touchdown run to tie the game, but fullback Derek Gardella scored on a 3-yard run on Shaker’s ensuing drive to put the Blue Bison ahead 13-7.
The momentum shifted in Colonie’s favor in the second quarter. Wide receiver Nick Colello made a leaping catch to haul in Mike Branche’s 6-yard touchdown pass, and Kyle Robustiano added the extra point to put the Garnet Raiders ahead 14-13. Tailback Jose Martinez then scored on a 2-yard run before halftime to increase Colonie’s lead to eight points.
Shaker tried to get the momentum back in the third quarter. The Blue Bison drove deep into Colonie territory before being stopped on two tries at the end zone from one yard out.
`That goal line stand was amazing,` said Ambrosio.
The Garnet Raiders looked like they had secured the victory when Branche and Colello connected again for a fourth-quarter touchdown pass to make the score 27-13, but the Blue Bison didn’t go away. Alund scored his second touchdown of the game with four minutes left in the fourth quarter to get Shaker within eight points again. The Blue Bison drove deep into Colonie territory again in the final minute before Nick DeFlorio intercepted a Ben Capeless pass to end the comeback bid.
Alund finished with 224 rushing yards and two touchdowns to lead Shaker’s offense, while tailback Matt Hamilton had 94 yards on 28 carries for Colonie.
`It was like back and forth with two hammers with Hamilton and Alund,` said Bender.
In other Class AA football action last weekend, Christian Brothers Academy (0-4, 0-6) remained winless with a 34-0 Empire Division loss at Shenendehowa.
The Plainsmen (3-1, 5-1) scored three touchdowns in the first quarter and cruised from there to give head coach Brent Steuerwald his 300th career victory.
Bronson Greene rushed for 304 yards and four touchdowns for Shen, which moved into a tie with Ballston Spa for second place in the Empire Division, one game behind Saratoga Springs. Elijah Dukes had 11 tackles for CBA.
The Brothers look to end the regular season on a positive note when they visit winless Albany Saturday at Bleecker Stadium.“