Saturday, November 18, 2017

One step closer to another title (Troy vs. Newburgh, 11/18/17)

If the Goldbacks of Newburgh Free Academy had one goal in mind going into tonight's Class AA semi-final vs. defending champion Troy High, it was to avoid getting blown out of the yard, the memory of last year's 50-27 demolition in the quarters refreshed in their collective memories.

Say this, then, for Newburgh. They came prepared to play to the final whistle.

Troy, though, took the opening kickoff, and marched down the field, culminating in a 5 yard TD toss from Joe Casale to Isaiah Burdette. However, Michael Fazio's extra point attempt was blocked, and Fazio wasn't heard from again the rest of the night, as fullback/linebacker/punter Lorenzo Brammer handled the kickoffs from that point.

Newburgh's first play from scrimmage looked like something out of the Troy playbook, as Jadon Munroe burst up the middle and outran the defense to give the Goldbacks their first lead at 7-6. In the 2nd quarter, Troy reclaimed the lead as Joey Ward raced down the sideline 50 yards to paydirt. The 2 point conversion failed, and Troy held a 12-7 lead at halftime.

Newburgh took the 2nd half kickoff and marched back into the lead. Their 2-point conversion failed as well, leaving the Goldbacks with a 1 point lead, 13-12, headed into the final stanza. With under 2 minutes to go, Dev Holmes put Troy up for good on an 11 yard touchdown run off a double reverse. This time, the 2 point conversion worked, as Ward hit Holmes on the halfback option, giving Troy a 20-13 lead. However, they left enough time on the clock for Newburgh QB Terry Anderson to try to bring his team back.

But, on the first play after the kickoff, Anderson fumbled the snap, and Matt Ashley recovered, putting Troy right back in the red zone with a chance to run out the clock. Troy turned the ball over on downs with less than 30 seconds left. Newburgh was left with time for one play, and the defense bottled up Anderson, sending the Flying Horses back to Syracuse with a shot at repeating as NYS Class AA champions.

Troy will be one of three teams representing Section II in Syracuse next week. Class C champion Holy Trinity beat Burke Catholic, 28-23, earlier today, and, on Friday, Cambridge blew away Millbrook, 56-8. However, Class B champion Glens Falls, which entered the day sharing the state's longest winning streak with Troy at 24, fell to Pleasantville in a rematch of last year's semi-finals, 20-7. No team in Section II has ever repeated as state champs in any classification in football. Cambridge & Troy have a chance to make history, then, while Holy Trinity's Cinderella story conceivably could have the happiest of endings.

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