The last time Shenendehowa and Troy met in a playoff game was 2010. Troy won, and went on to reach the state final, only to fall short of a championship.
The last time the two teams met, prior to tonight, was Week 1 last year, in Troy's home opener. That was the game that started Troy's current winning streak.
Thus, as Brian Clawson brought the Plainsmen back to Troy for a Class AA semi-final game, a berth in the Super Bowl wasn't the only thing on the agenda. A modicum of revenge would be nice.
Unfortunately, Shen went home with some embarrassing parting gifts.
In the first quarter, both teams found the going a little rough, until Troy's Joe Casale found Dev Holmes in the corner of the end zone. Holmes beat two defenders, and Troy had a 7-0 lead. On Shen's next possession, Holmes picked off Plainsmen QB Brandon Belott. On the next play, Casale hit Joey Ward for a 25 yard TD to make it 14-0. Ward was back in the lineup after missing last week's game due to disciplinary issues related more to academics than anything on the field.
Ward ran for two more scores in the 2nd quarter, and had a 3rd called back on a holding penalty. As it was, Troy went into the break with a 28-0 lead. At that point, most of the Troy fans decided to head home, not because they were confident the hosts would win again, but because of the cold weather.
Shen finally got on the board in the 3rd quarter, as Belott found Devon Disonell in the end zone. On the next possession, Casale hurled his 3rd TD pass of the game, this one to Avery Curley, to make it 42-7, headed into the final stanza.
Belott narrowed the margin by tossing a TD strike to James Altenberger to make it 42-14. Unfortunately, after a Troy turnover, Clawson stuck with Belott one series too long, and Troy's defense made him pay for it with interest. Derrick Cipriani picked off Belott at the Shen 1 yard line and took it the distance for a 99 yard pick-six. Michael Fazio then hit Michael Ragone for a 2 point conversion to put a bow on this one, as Troy gallops back to the AA Super Bowl, 50-14.
The next stop for Troy is Bob Ford Field at UAlbany, site of this year's Super Bowl, where they'll face Empire division champ Saratoga, which beat Shaker, 29-22. This will give Troy a fresh matchup, rather than a 4th meeting in 2 years against Shaker. Since returning to Class AA last year, Troy hasn't played Saratoga, but that will change next Friday.
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