While it wasn't spoken publicly, one goal the administration at LaSalle had in mind when they hired former Union College coach John Audino six months ago had to be to reclaim the Collar City Cup from Troy High.
Easier said than done, of course.
Troy opened the season losing to Schalmont from Class B, snapping a 26 game winning streak.
Troy's response?
They collected a nearly 3 year old receipt on Amsterdam, 25-14, and started a new streak.
One thing was certain heading into Troy's home opener. This wasn't going to be a one-sided affair like it was the last two years. The Cadets, as far as those returning from last season were concerned, especially QB Christian Luizzi, had revenge on their minds. Luizzi's season ended with a broken leg last year at Sutton Field in a 55-7 loss, and so he was the one most hungry for revenge.
LaSalle won the opening coin toss, electing to defer to the second half. Bad idea.
On the first play from scrimmage, sophomore tailback Xavier Leigh went the distance, and just 26 seconds into the game, Troy was up, 7-0, after an extra point by Max Ellis.
Later in the first quarter, coach Bob Burns reached into his bag of tricks, and Leigh, on the halfback option, found a wide open Makai Cruel for a 58 yard scoring play. It was 14-0 after the quarter.
In the second quarter, Luizzi put LaSalle on the board, punching it in himself from 2 yards out. However, Jake Carberg's extra point sailed wide left, after he'd gone wide right on a field goal try in the first quarter, and it was 14-6 at the break.
LaSalle's defense shut down Leigh and the Troy running game the rest of the night, allowing mostly minimal gains. In the third quarter, Luizzi scored again, but Carberg missed the extra point again, leaving the score at 14-12. Those failed PAT's would haunt Audino and the Cadets the rest of the night. Keyshawn McMorris gave Troy some breathing room in the fourth quarter with a long touchdown run, but Ellis missed the extra point, giving Troy an 8 point lead at 20-12.
Back came LaSalle. Luizzi hit James Palmer with a touchdown pass, but guess what? Luizzi's 2-point conversion attempt went nowhere, and it was a 2 point game again at 20-18. The Cadets had one last chance after blocking an Ellis punt with just over 90 seconds left. However, the Cadet defense couldn't hang on to the ball, and Troy recovered. Wolfe took a knee three times to run out the clock, and Troy retains the Collar City Cup, 20-18. It wasn't pretty, but it was competitive.
Next for Troy is a trip to historic Bleecker Stadium in Albany next week to play Green Tech, which occupies the basement in the Class A Capital Division after getting hammered, 42-0, by Averill Park. The Warriors share first place with surprising Columbia, which mauled Amsterdam, 55-17.
It's not going to be easy this year. No one ever said it would be.
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