If the local press had any real imagination at all in re.: Troy High, you might've seen these headlines earlier this week, in preparation for tonight's home opener vs. defending Section II Class A champ Queensbury:
Prepare for Germ Warfare
Or:
Return of the Prodigal Sons
Both of these unused headlines refer to Troy quarterback John Germinerio, who'd returned to THS after playing last year at LaSalle. The second one also refers to coach Bob (The Builder) Burns, who returned after a year away to take his first head coaching job. Burns spent 12 seasons as defensive coordinator under Jack Burger. A case could be made that the school opted for one of his former players, Mike Hurteau, over Burns last year. The result? 4-5. Hurteau stepped down in January to spend more time with his family. Burns was hired soon after.
Anyway, I got there way early, well before most fans did. Decent size crowd at Picken Memorial Field on the Dudley Van Arnam memorial campus that covers both Troy High and Troy Middle School. Queensbury takes the opening kickoff------and fumbles! Troy, however, can't do anything, and turns it over on downs. On the 2nd possession of the 1st quarter, Germinerio takes it himself and runs 45 yards for the first score of the game. 2-point conversion fails. Next possession, after a Queensbury punt, Germinerio hit Tavin Moore for his first TD pass of the game. Troy led, 13-0, at halftime.
Things got dicey in the 3rd quarter. Germinerio, looking for style points perhaps, hurdles a defender, but is caught from behind and fumbles. Queensbury recovers. Brett Rodriguez runs it in from about 40. 13-6, Troy, after 3. In the 4th, Germinerio limps off the field after a run. Joe Casale takes over at QB after an interception earlier on defense. However, on 4th down. Germinerio, channeling perhaps Kirk Gibson and Willis Reed, hobbles back in, and finds Dajuan Hudson in the corner of the end zone, for the last score of the game. Germinerio would not return after that. Troy takes down the defending champs, 20-6.
One local paper projected Troy finishing 5-2. Dare we think they could run the table? Except for the lapse in the 3rd that netted Queensbury their only points, they shut down the defending champions, providing a blueprint for the rest of Section II. Up next for Troy is a 2-game road trip vs. Foothills Council schools Scotia & Amsterdam before returning to play Bishop Maginn at home on 9/25. It doesn't seem fair that Troy has just 3 home games this year, barring the playoffs, but then, if tonight was any barometer, it may not matter after all.
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