Football
with Pete Tobey

2010 Section II schedule thoughts

Saturday, February 6th, 2010

The 2010 Section II high school football schedule was released by the Section II Football Committee on Thursday night, and James Allen of the Times-Union has the entire schedule posted here on his blog.

So for a change, I’m going to break down the schedules for the Glens Falls-area teams, and offer a few comments. Feel free to post your comments here, as well.

The 2010 season is scheduled to kick off on the weekend of Sept. 3-4. The Section II championship games are set for the weekend of Nov. 5-6, and the state finals at the Carrier Dome are scheduled for Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. 26-28.

I’m sure some of the home and away sites for these games are not set in stone — for instance, I noticed that Salem has five home games — so while the schedule may be set, don’t expect the dates and sites to be finalized for while.

Here are the seven-game regular-season schedules, in order, for each area team. As we get closer to the season, I’ll post complete area schedules with dates, etc.:

CLASS AA

Saratoga Springs — vs. Guilderland, at Ballston Spa, vs. Albany, vs. CBA, vs. Troy, at Bethlehem, at Shenendehowa.

Ballston Spa — vs. Albany, vs. Saratoga, at Shenendehowa, vs. Bethlehem, at Guilderland, at CBA, vs. Niskayuna.

CLASS A

Glens Falls — vs. Hudson Falls, at Bishop Maginn, vs. Gloversville, vs. Amsterdam, at Burnt Hills, at South Glens Falls, vs. Queensbury.

Queensbury — at Scotia, vs. Mohonasen, vs. Burnt Hills, at South Glens Falls, at Amsterdam, vs. Gloversville, at Glens Falls.

South Glens Falls — at Bishop Maginn, vs. Scotia, at Amsterdam, vs. Queensbury, at Gloversville, vs. Glens Falls, vs. Burnt Hills.

CLASS B

Hudson Falls — at Glens Falls, at Albany Academy, vs. Johnstown, vs. Cobleskill, vs. Schuylerville, at Schalmont, at Broadalbin-Perth.

Schuylerville — at Cairo-Durham, vs. Cohoes, vs. Cobleskill, at Broadalbin-Perth, at Hudson Falls, at Johnstown, vs. Schalmont.

CLASS C

Corinth — at Hoosick Falls, at Lake George, vs. Mechanicville, at Stillwater, vs. Coxsackie-Athens, vs. Tamarac, vs. Granville.

Granville — vs. Stillwater, vs. Greenwich, vs. Tamarac, at Hoosick Falls, at Lake George, at Stillwater, at Corinth.

Greenwich — vs. Hoosic Valley, at Greenwich, vs. Hoosick Falls, at Mechanicville, vs. Tamarac, at Stillwater, vs. Chatham.

Hoosick Falls — vs. Corinth, at Mechanicville, at Greenwich, vs. Granville, at Hoosic Valley, at Fonda, vs. Lake George.

Hoosic Valley — at Greenwich, vs. Tamarac, vs. Catholic Central, vs. Lake George, vs. Hoosick Falls, at Granville, at Stillwater.

Lake George — at Tamarac, vs. Corinth, vs. Stillwater, at Hoosic Valley, vs. Granville, at Mechanicville, at Hoosick Falls.

Mechanicville — at Voorheesville, vs. Hoosick Falls, at Corinth, vs. Greenwich, vs. Stillwater, vs. Lake George, at Tamarac.

Stillwater — at Granville, vs. Ichabod Crane, at Lake George, vs. Corinth, at Mechanicville, vs. Greenwich, vs. Hoosic Valley.

CLASS D

Cambridge — vs. Bishop Gibbons, at Whitehall, vs. Saratoga Catholic, vs. Fort Edward, at Rensselaer, at Salem, vs. Warrensburg.

Fort Edward — at Warrensburg, at Rensselaer, vs. Salem, at Cambridge, vs. Whitehall, vs. Saratoga Catholic, vs. Bishop Gibbons.

Salem — at Whitehall, vs. Warrensburg, at Fort Edward, vs. Rensselaer, vs. Bishop Gibbons, vs. Cambridge, vs. Saratoga Catholic.

Saratoga Catholic — vs. Rensselaer, at Bishop Gibbons, at Cambridge, vs. Whitehall, vs. Warrensburg, at Fort Edward, at Salem.

Warrensburg — vs. Fort Edward, at Salem, vs. Rensselaer, vs. Bishop Gibbons, at Saratoga Catholic, at Whitehall, at Cambridge.

Whitehall — vs. Salem, vs. Cambridge, vs. Bishop Gibbons, at Saratoga Catholic, at Fort Edward, vs. Warrensburg, at Rensselaer.

 

A few comments:

– This is the second Section II football schedule the committee had to come up with. The first had to be scrapped when the NYSPHSAA Executive Committee approved new enrollment cutoff numbers, causing some teams to shift classes.

– Kudos to Section II for getting Glens Falls and Hudson Falls back together for the first Jug Game since 2004. Long-suffering local fans have missed this traditional rivalry that dates back to World War I — with The Jug trophy since 1967. By the way, Glens Falls won the last seven Jug Games — Hudson Falls last won it in 1997, although the Tigers also defeated Glens Falls in the 2000 Section II Class B championship game.

– There are crossover games between Class A and B this season, in addition to Glens Falls and Hudson Falls. For instance, Amsterdam and Broadalbin-Perth meet for the first time ever this season. Other interesting matchups pit Bishop Maginn against Albany Academy, and Averill Park against Ravena in an old Capital Conference clash.

– Weird seeing Schuylerville moved up to Class B, although with the growth in the vicinity it was probably inevitable. We’ll see a first-ever meeting between the Black Horses and Hudson Falls.

– After a brief sojourn in Class D, Greenwich and Lake George move back up to Class C. The Witches are coming off a runner-up finish in Class D last season.

Cambridge has lost enrollment and drops back down to Class D. The nice thing about Class D — everyone plays everyone this year in an eight-team league. After two years of unpopular schedules (the divisional-game front-loaded schedule of 2007, and last year’s nine-team schedule where teams missed one or two league opponents) there are no excuses – all seven games are league games.

– I saw someone on the TU blog complain about the lack of a Cambridge-Hoosick Falls rivalry game this year. It would be impossible to put them together this season because of classification play. Sure they just established a Ken Baker Jug trophy to commemorate the game, but Cambridge going to Class D again leaves it on the sideline. The Indians have dropped to Class D before and not played Hoosick Falls. From what I have been told, Cambridge may not move back up to Class C again.

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About the author: Pete Tobey - tobey@poststar.com A Saratoga Springs native, Pete Tobey has been at The Post-Star since 2001 and has covered Section II football and wrestling since 1989. He and his wife have three children.

Schuylerville passes turf

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

Schuylerville will have artificial turf on its football field this season, after residents approved its construction in a special vote held Tuesday, Feb. 2.

Check out Thomas Dimopoulos’ article  from Wednesday’s edition of The Post-Star.

The turf field was added to the school’s expansion project, which is ongoing. Construction is scheduled to begin in April and be completed by August.

The current field was last improved in 1999 with the addition of lights. In addition to football games, the field hosts some soccer and field hockey games in the fall, and will be able to handle more with an artificial surface.

“It really was a space issue,” Schuylerville head football coach Greg O’Connor said. “Between modified, JV and varsity football, soccer and field hockey all sharing space on 2 1/2 fields. And we get some bad weather like we did this fall, the field was in terrible shape. With the turf, it can handle a lot of use, the phys ed classes can be out there longer in the fall and sooner in the spring.”

Schuylerville joins Stillwater and Glens Falls as the only area schools with artificial turf fields. Thanks to new enrollment cutoff numbers for football, Black Horses are bumping up to Class B this season and will play in a division with Hudson Falls, Broadalbin-Perth, Cobleskill, Johnstown and Schalmont.

“The kids are extremely excited to play on turf,” O’Connor said. “We’re not a very big team, but if we have some speed, we can take advantage on the turf. Going up to Class B, we’ll certainly be one of smaller B teams.”

The P0st-Star article did not specifically state that Schuylerville’s field would be FieldTurf, but did say it would be similar to the Stillwater and Glens Falls fields, both of which are FieldTurf. FieldTurf is a popular brand of crumb-rubber infill artificial turf.

Other schools with artificial turf fields in Section II are Amsterdam, Broadalbin-Perth, Columbia, Johnstown, Schenectady and Shenendehowa. All were constructed since 2004. Stillwater and Shen opened their new fields last year.

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About the author: Pete Tobey - tobey@poststar.com A Saratoga Springs native, Pete Tobey has been at The Post-Star since 2001 and has covered Section II football and wrestling since 1989. He and his wife have three children.

Upstate vs. Downstate game

Sunday, January 31st, 2010

An Upstate vs. Downstate New York all-star football game is slated to become a reality this spring.

The New York State High School Football Classic is a senior all-star game scheduled for Sunday, June 6, at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse.

Two teams made up of seniors from upstate and downstate New York will face each other in this first-time format.

The Upstate team will be chosen from NYSPHSAA Sections II, III, IV, V, VI, VII and X, which represents the Capital District, Central and Western New York, the Southern Tier and the North Country and Adirondacks.

The Downstate team will be chosen from NYSPHSAA Sections I, IX, VIII and XI, representing the Lower Hudson Valley, New York City suburbs and Long Island, and the PSAL and CHSFL (public and Catholic schools) of New York City and vicinity.

Players would be chosen from among senior football players by coaches of the approximately 650 high school football programs in the state. According to the literature I received about this event, any player with a letter of intent from an NCAA Division I or I-AA (FBS or FCS, if you want to go along with the current nomenclature) school is eligible to play in the Classic. (I’m not sure if this rules out Division II or III or junior college players.)

The teams will be coached by Dick Diminuco of Alden (Upstate) and Joe Vito of Roosevelt (Downstate). Athletes would arrive earlier in the week for practices.

The Classic is a week-long event that includes a combine where freshman, sophomore and junior players can be assessed on their athletic skills. Game practices will take place earlier in the week.

The title sponsor for the event is Syracuse-based Empower Federal Credit Union.

The NYS H.S. Football Classic was estblished by the New York State High School Football Coaches Association after the Governors Bowl — the all-star game between New York and New Jersey — was dissolved last year.

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About the author: Pete Tobey - tobey@poststar.com A Saratoga Springs native, Pete Tobey has been at The Post-Star since 2001 and has covered Section II football and wrestling since 1989. He and his wife have three children.

State approves new classification numbers

Sunday, January 24th, 2010

UPDATED: With a breakdown of teams according to the enrollment worksheets the state committee was using.

Be prepared for some changes in the 2010 high school football season.

The Executive Committee of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association approved new enrollment cutoff numbers late last week for football. This will have ramifications for local teams.

The new classification cutoff numbers are:

Class AA: 1,001 and up (was 1,051)
Class A: 601-1,000 (was 626-1,050)
Class B: 401-600 (was 441-625)
Class C: 261-400 (was 276-440)
Class D: 260 and under (was 275)

For Section II, there will now be 14 teams in Class AA, 11 in Class A, 12 in Class B, 17 in Class C and eight in Class D (a total of 62 teams).

This will cause the following changes to area football teams in Section II:

– After being one of the largest schools in Class C, Schuylerville will move up to Class B.

– Instead of dropping to Class B as expected, Glens Falls will remain in Class A.

Greenwich and Lake George move from Class D back up to Class C.

Cambridge drops from Class C to D, but was going to drop anyway under the old numbers.

– Among other moves, Troy and Niskayuna move back up to Class AA after playing Class A last year; Lansingburgh shifts back up to Class A after one year in Class B; and Cairo-Durham moves back up to Class B from Class C.

Ichabod Crane, a second-year program, will reportedly continue to play a Class C schedule, which means there will be 18 teams playing in Class C this season.

– According to reports, the Section II Football Committee had already drawn up schedules for the 2010 season, based on the old numbers. Now, they must be re-done.

– Among the things the Section II committee will have to determine is whether Class C — with 18 teams — will split into two or three divisions for this season.

– With an odd number of teams in both Class A and B (11 teams each) there will be crossover games between them. Perhaps a Glens Falls-Hudson Falls Jug Game again?

Here’s the breakdown of teams in Section II, in descending order of enrollment, plus private schools, which are placed by the section:

Class AA — Shenendehowa, Schenectady, Albany, Saratoga Springs, Shaker, Colonie, Guilderland, Bethlehem, Columbia, Ballston Spa, Niskayuna, Troy, La Salle, CBA.

Class A — Amsterdam, Queensbury, Burnt Hills, Mohonasen, Averill Park, South Glens Falls, Gloversville, Scotia, Glens Falls, Lansingburgh, Bishop Maginn.

Class B — Ichabod Crane (playing in Class C), Hudson Falls, Schalmont, Cohoes, Broadalbin-Perth, Ravena, Johnstown, Cobleskill, Hudson, Schuylerville, Cairo-Durham, Albany Academy.

Class C — Coxsackie-Athens, Taconic Hills, Granville, Tamarac, Fonda, Chatham, Corinth, Watervliet, Mechanicville, Stillwater, Hoosic Valley, Catholic Central, Hoosick Falls, Voorheesville, Canajoharie, Lake George, Greenwich.

Class D — Rensselaer, Cambridge, Warrensburg, Whitehall, Salem, Bishop Gibbons, Fort Edward, Saratoga Catholic.

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About the author: Pete Tobey - tobey@poststar.com A Saratoga Springs native, Pete Tobey has been at The Post-Star since 2001 and has covered Section II football and wrestling since 1989. He and his wife have three children.

possible classification revisions?

Monday, January 18th, 2010

The New York State Public High School Athletic Association executive committee may vote Thursday on proposed new enrollment cutoff numbers to balance out the classes for football and other sports.

According to John Moriello’s blog, here are the proposed cutoff numbers:

Class AA: 1,001 and up (was 1,051)
Class A: 601-1,000 (was 626-1,050)
Class B: 401-600 (was 441-625)
Class C: 261-400 (was 276-440)
Class D: 260 and under (was 275)

While it my balance out numbers state-wide, it would reduce the number of Section II teams in Class D to eight and shuffle around several other teams, including local teams.

According to the most recent BEDS numbers, Rensselaer, Cambridge, Warrensburg, Whitehall, Salem, Fort Edward, Bishop Gibbons and Saratoga Catholic would be the only Class D teams left in the section.

 Troy and Niskayuna would move back up to Class AA, Glens Falls would remain in Class A instead of moving down to Class B, and Lansingburgh would move back up to Class A.

Also, Schuylerville would move up to Class B, and Greenwich and Lake George would move back to Class C.

This certainly bears watching over the next couple of weeks…

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About the author: Pete Tobey - tobey@poststar.com A Saratoga Springs native, Pete Tobey has been at The Post-Star since 2001 and has covered Section II football and wrestling since 1989. He and his wife have three children.

All-state teams — Class AA and A

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

Three Saratoga Springs football players were named to the New York State Sportswriters Association all-state Class AA third team. All seniors, they are running back/kick returner Tony DeLoatch, as an all-purpose player on offense; placekicker Nick Daley on offense; and linebacker Eric Hayden on defense.

Ballston Spa offensive lineman Nick Gallo made the all-state Class AA third team, while defensive back Mark Seager made the fourth team.

No area football players made the Class A all-state teams, but Burnt Hills defensive back Tyler Paluba was named to the first-team defense, while defensive linemen Zach Morton and Jacob Meyers made the second-team defense.

Here are the links to the complete Class AA and Class A all-state teams.

In Class AA, the top Section II players were second-teamers Lou DiNovo, a receiver from La Salle, and Austin Lane, an offensive lineman from Shenendehowa (definitely NOT the same Austin Lane that runs cross country for Greenwich).

The Co-Players of the Year in Class AA were Holy Trinity running back Anthony Brunetti and Monroe-Woodbury QB Dan Scalo.

In Class A, the Co-Players of the Year were QB Pat McMahon and receiver D.J. Nettles, both of state champion Sweet Home.

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About the author: Pete Tobey - tobey@poststar.com A Saratoga Springs native, Pete Tobey has been at The Post-Star since 2001 and has covered Section II football and wrestling since 1989. He and his wife have three children.

Plaques are available

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

Plaques for The Post-Star Football All-Star First Team players are available at Big Uglies in Glens Falls. Please call ahead to have Big Uglies put the finishing touches on your plaque.

Please note this is for first-team selections and Player of the Year only.

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About the author: Pete Tobey - tobey@poststar.com A Saratoga Springs native, Pete Tobey has been at The Post-Star since 2001 and has covered Section II football and wrestling since 1989. He and his wife have three children.

All-state football — Class B, C, D

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

A quartet of area football players received first-team all-state recognition by the New York State Sportswriters Association. The NYSSWA released its all-state teams for Class B, C and D on Wednesday.

For the entire teams, check here for Class B, Class C and Class D.

Named first-team all-state offense in Class C were Corinth senior Jordon Charbonneau as an all-purpose player, and Cambridge junior Jesse Lybert at wide receiver. Schuylerville senior Austin Bateman made the first-team Class C defense as a defensive back.

Greenwich senior lineman Ben Barbur was named to the first-team all-state offense in Class D.

Hudson Falls junior offensive lineman Luke Albrecht made the third-team offense in Class B.

Also making the Class D all-state teams were Lake George senior running back Caleb Meroski and Saratoga Catholic junior kicker Tim Pompa, second-team offense; and Greenwich junior receiver Ryan McFee, third-team offense.

Named to the Class C all-state teams were Hoosick Falls quarterback Mike Brewster and linebacker Hutton Rasmus, second team; Hoosick Falls running back Alex Hansen and offensive lineman Jake Colliano, third team; and Granville linebacker Walter Foster and Hoosick Falls linebacker Kevin McMahon, fourth team.

Other Section II players making all-state first teams were Bishop Gibbons quarterback Derrick Pitts, and linebacker Nate Butler and defensive back Mico De Los Santos of Rensselaer in Class D; and in Class B, lineman Shawn Schellenger and defensive back Vince Gallo of Schalmont, and Lansingburgh running back Tyrone Nichols.

All-state players of the year were Hornell running back Austin Dwyer (Class B), quarterback Zack Sopak and lineman Jasen Carlson of Southwestern (Class C), and Maple Grove quarterback Chris Secky (Class D).

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About the author: Pete Tobey - tobey@poststar.com A Saratoga Springs native, Pete Tobey has been at The Post-Star since 2001 and has covered Section II football and wrestling since 1989. He and his wife have three children.

Jeff Aurelia’s passing

Tuesday, January 5th, 2010

The area football community was shocked by the sudden death of Queensbury assistant football coach Jeff Aurelia on Thursday, Dec. 31. A sixth-grade English teacher at Queensbury Middle School and a former football standout at Glens Falls, he was 35.  

Jeff was one of those people I looked forward to saying hello to at Queensbury football games – he was always ready with a big smile and “Hey, how’re you doing?”

I was stunned to learn of Jeff’s death and offer my heartfelt prayers and condolences to his family, friends, students and athletes. He was a special man, coach and teacher, and will be missed tremendously by the entire community.

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About the author: Pete Tobey - tobey@poststar.com A Saratoga Springs native, Pete Tobey has been at The Post-Star since 2001 and has covered Section II football and wrestling since 1989. He and his wife have three children.

Post-Star Football Team of the Decade

Thursday, December 31st, 2009

It’s hard to believe, but the first decade of the millenium is almost in the books — one more day left in the… what do we call this decade? The OO’s? The Oughts? The Naughts? The Single Digits?

Whatever we call it, the years from 2000 through 2009 constitute a very interesting decade indeed, and a pretty exciting one for high school football fans in the Glens Falls area. Every team in The Post-Star’s coverage area had something – often a few things – to be proud of in the last 10 football seasons.

Now I’m going to do something special to celebrate the end of this decade — a look back at the top teams and events, and since I have been here in Glens Falls for nine of those 10 seasons, my very own Post-Star All-Decade Football Team.

Only players who were Post-Star first-team all-stars in the last 10 seasons are eligible for this Team of the Decade, so it truly is a team of the best.

The Post-Star Football Team of the Decade:

Coach of the Decade:

Doug Luke, Cambridge: In the 10-season span from 2000-09, all Luke did was coach the Indians to a 92-18 record and led them to three trips to the Carrier Dome — they were state runners-up in 2001, ‘03 and ‘05. Cambridge won five Section II titles (Class C in 2001, ‘02 and ‘07, Class D in 2003 and ‘05) and reached the sectional finals in 2000 and 2004. This doesn’t even count Cambridge’s state Class D championship in 1999 and Section II finals berth in 1998, both also under Luke, who has an overall career record of 111-21 at Cambridge.

OFFENSE

Quarterback

Zack Luke, Cambridge: From 2001-04, there were few quarterbacks in Section II as accomplished as Zack Luke. A pure pocket passer with remarkable accuracy and field vision, Zack Luke (nephew of coach Doug Luke) finished his four-year varsity career with 7,290 yards, the second-most yards in state history, and passed for a whopping 80 touchdowns. The two-time Post-Star Player of the Year (in 2003 and co-POY in ‘04) helped the Indians reach the state finals twice (Class C in 2001, Class D in 2003), win three straight Section II titles and achieve a 43-5 overall record in a four-year span.

Honorable mention QBs — Ryan Carpenter, Fort Edward (3,566 passing yards and 34 TD passes in 2005-06 seasons); Denny Wilhelm, Glens Falls (2005-06); Spencer Luke, Cambridge (2005-06); Rory Pedrick, Saratoga Springs (2003); Kyle Lauver, Cambridge (1999-2000); Chris Cameron, Warrensburg (2001-04); Mike Schreiner, Greenwich (2005-06).

Running Backs

Joe McMurry, Hudson Falls: From 2006-08, the amazingly durable Joe McMurry was the Tigers’ featured back and finished his career as one of the best rushers in Section II history. The swift and elusive McMurry finished No. 3 on the Section II all-time rushing list with 5,194 yards and scored 424 points in his career (fifth most all-time). As a senior in 2008, McMurry rushed for 2,563 yards — second-most in Section II history — on 350 carries, and scored 34 touchdowns as he led the Tigers to a Section II Class B title and a berth in the state semifinals. He also had a 435-yard game — second-most in Section II history — in a playoff win over Albany Academy in 2007.

Will Groff, Queensbury: The most punishing back of the decade had to be Will Groff, a 5-foot-10, 165-pounder who was built like a brick — with speed. As a senior in 2002, Groff had the best season ever for any Spartan back, rushing for 1,513 yards and 21 touchdowns. He was named The Post-Star Player of the Year in 2002 — and was also the paper’s Baseball Player of the Year in both 2002 and ‘03.

Phil Jarvis, Schuylerville: Combining slashing moves with speed and benefitting from a great O-line, Jarvis was the engine that made the Black Horses go in 2004, as he rushed for 1,607 yards and scored 15 touchdowns. He helped Schuylerville go 11-1, win the Section II Class C title and reach the state semifinals — and earned Post-Star Co-Player of the Year honors with Cambridge QB Zack Luke. Jarvis finished his 2002-04 varsity career with 2,896 yards (including 1,141 and 19 TDs in 2003) and scored 39 total touchdowns.

Honorable mention running backs — Dan Smith, Fort Edward (1999-2001); Tom Gipson, Lake George (1999-01); Brandon Seeley, Cambridge (2001-02); Lucas Maciariello, Schuylerville (2000-02); Bob West, Warrensburg (2003-04); Sam Luke, Cambridge (2005-06); Tom Jackson, Granville (2005-06); Zac Kozersky, Schuylerville (2006); Dan Morrison, Glens Falls (2007-08); Tyler Carpenter, Fort Edward (2006-08); Paul O’Brien, Whitehall (2005-06); Cole Rocque, Whitehall (2006-07); Leejay Pollacchi, Saratoga Springs (2007-08); Caleb Meroski, Lake George (2007-09); Tony DeLoatch, Saratoga Springs (2008-09).

Receivers

Jimmer Fredette, Glens Falls: The current BYU basketball sensation played one full season of varsity football at Glens Falls — as a junior in 2005 – but it was enough to earn Fredette Post-Star Player of the Year honors. A tremendous athlete with deceptive speed, the 6-foot-2 Fredette doubled as a wide receiver and kick returner for the Indians, catching a whopping 43 passes for 910 yards and scoring 15 total touchdowns, some on kick returns. He was an outstanding linebacker, as well.

Matt Thibodeau, Fort Edward: One of the most productive receivers in the area, Thibodeau was an outstanding weapon for the Flying Forts from 2005-07, catching 78 passes for 2,044 yards and scoring 29 total  TDs, allowing QBs Ryan Carpenter and Damian Tyler to rack up a lot of yards. Thibodeau was a star in the secondary at cornerback, too.

Justin Alexander, Cambridge: Catching passes from Zack Luke for two seasons (2001-02), Alexander proved to be one of the best in a long line of great Cambridge receivers. Alexander finished with 59 receptions for 1,163 yards and scored 14 TDs in two seasons.

HM receivers — Dean Spitzer, Lake George (1999-2001); Chris Doody, Hudson Falls (2003-04); Tyler Herrington, Cambridge (2004-05); Alec Conover, Glens Falls (2005-06); Cameron Herrington, Cambridge (2006-07); Jesse Lybert, Cambridge (2008-09); Ryan McFee, Greenwich (2009).

Tight ends

Blake Thomas, Schuylerville: Not a commonly used position in the area, so there have been fewer standout tight ends over the years. However, the Black Horses had one of the area’s best in 2004-05. The rangy, athletic Thomas helped the Black Horses win back-to-back Section II Class C titles and go 21-3 in that span with two trips to the state semifinals.

HM tight ends — Ben Stanton, Hudson Falls (2001-02); Nick Mylott, Fort Edward (2002-04); Casey Strader, Queensbury (2004-05); Isaiah Thomas, Hudson Falls (2007-08).

All-purpose players

Jordon Charbonneau, Corinth: Starting out as a receiver and kick returner in 2007 and ‘08, Charbonneau emerged as a senior in 2009 as an all-around threat for the Tomahawks as their quarterback in the wildcat formation. He turned in one of the best single rushing seasons in area history, scampering for 1,813 yards and scoring 22 total touchdowns in leading Corinth to a 6-3 season. Also an outstanding cornerback on defense, Charbonneau was the 2009 Post-Star Player of the Year.

Zach Coffinger, South Glens Falls: Much like Charbonneau two years later, Coffinger shouldered the bulk of the Bulldogs’ offense in 2007, racking up 1,529 yards total offense as a quarterback and kick returner and scoring 15 touchdowns. Also a standout defensive back, Coffinger was The Post-Star’s Player of the Year in 2007.

Damian Tyler, Fort Edward: A four-year standout for the Flying Forts (2004-07), Tyler first made a splash as a receiver and kick returner, then played quarterback as a senior, helping the Forts to their second straight Class D sectional title in 2007. In his career, he caught 81 passes for 1,520 yards and scored a total of 46 touchdowns.

HM all-purpose: Jeff Caprood, Fort Edward (1999-2000); Brian Harrington, Cambridge (2000-02); Dylan Lynn, Greenwich (2002-03); Mike DeGregory, Schuylerville (2005-06).

Offensive linemen

Justin Tougas, Glens Falls — The 6-foot-8, 275-pound Tougas was one of the area’s most dominant linemen in 2001-03, helping to pave the way for the Indians’ power-running attack of Patrick O’Brien and Dan Girard, as Glens Falls went 26-4 in that span. Tougas was also a state champ and state runner-up in wrestling.

Zack Middleton, Hudson Falls — A three-year starter for the Tigers from 2000-02, the 6-foot-2, 280-pound Middleton helped lead the Tigers to a Section II Class B title in 2000 and reach the sectional final in 2002.

Zack Wilbur, Cambridge — Part of the Indians’ dominant offense from 2001-03, the 285-pound guard helped pave the road for the Indians to reach the Carrier Dome twice in his career, and rack up a 34-4 record in that span.

Adhem Elsawi, Saratoga Springs — A dominant starter on the Blue Streaks’ offensive line from 2006-08, the 6-foot-6, 315-pound Elsawi went on to play Division I football at Campbell University in North Carolina.

O.C. West, Salem — Salem started off the decade with an outstanding run, including a Section II Class D title and state semifinal berth in 2002. West, a two-way standout for the Generals, was a key player in 2001-02, helping Salem go 19-2 over those two seasons.

Honorable Mention OL — Adam Thorpe and Zach Beadle, Queensbury (1998-2000); Kevin Hall, Glens Falls (2001-02); Adam McInerney, Schuylerville (2001-03); Rich Canale, Glens Falls (2002-03); Jake Mender, Glens Falls (2002-04); Kevin Heinzelman, Hudson Falls (2002-04); Jon Barnum, Schuylerville (2003-04); Jeff Duxbury, Greenwich (2003-05); Ryan Sand, Saratoga Springs (2005-06); Ryan Woodward, Hudson Falls (2005-06); Sean Patrick, Schuylerville (2006-07); Tim Hammond, Hudson Falls (2007-08); Greg Peterson, Schuylerville (2007-08); Ben Barbur, Greenwich (2007-09).

 

DEFENSE

Defensive linemen

Shane Larkin, Schuylerville — A dominant defensive end for the Black Horses from 2006-08, Larkin changed many a game plan for Schuylerville opponents. A vicious hitter and relentless pass rusher, Larkin was also an outstanding fullback on offense.

Adam Burr, Cambridge — A standout two-way lineman for the Indians from 1999-2001, the athletic and talented Burr could have excelled at tight end and linebacker for a larger school. Instead, he dominated on both offensive and defensive lines and helped Cambridge make two trips to the Carrier Dome in his career (in ‘99 and ‘01). Burr was The Post-Star Player of the Year in 2001, and is now the Indians’ defensive coordinator.

Corey McCormack, Queensbury — An outstanding defensive lineman for the Spartans in 2000-02, McCormack was also a rugged fullback. He was a key component of one of Queensbury’s more punishing defensive units, as the Spartans went 20-7 in his three-year career.

Dan Randall, Salem — The athletic, 240-pound Randall was a force on the Generals’ offensive line from 2003-05, helping them reach the Section II Class D finals twice in that span. He was a three-time Post-Star All-Star first-teamer.

Honorable Mention DL — Will Carpenter, Queensbury (2001-02); Elisha Flint, Hudson Falls (2000-02); Alex Procter, Schuylerville (2003-04); Dan Randall, Salem (2003-05); Jesse Clark, Ticonderoga (2006-08); Jedd Mason, Whitehall (2005-07).

Linebackers

Brian Howard, Hudson Falls — One of the hardest-hitting middle linebackers in the area when he played for the Tigers from 2001-03, Howard was also a big, strong tailback for Hudson Falls.

Dominic Marino, Queensbury — An imposing athlete at 6-foot-2, 230 pounds, Marino was a dominant linebacker and fullback for the Spartans from 2005-07.

Casey Shea, Salem — Shea helped spearhead the Generals’ rock-solid defense in 2001-03, helping Salem to a 26-5 record over that three-year span, which included three straight Section II Class D final appearances and one title. Shea also stood out as a running back.

Patrick O’Brien, Glens Falls — The quiet, unassuming O’Brien was everywhere the ball was for the Indians in 2001-02, leading a stifling defense that helped the Indians go 17-3 in his two varsity seasons. He was also an outstanding running back for Glens Falls, and went on to a fine college career at the University of Rochester.

Jake Nelson, Lake George — Nelson was one of the area’s best all-around players during his 2006-08 varsity career. The strapping 220-pounder was a punishing defender and equally bruising fullback for the Warriors, whom he helped go undefeated at 9-0 in his senior season of 2008.

Other linebackers — Scott Cronin and Bryan Steele, Hudson Falls (1998-2000); Tim Lutgens, Greenwich (1998-2000); Kevin Richards, Glens Falls (2000-01); James Edge, Salem (2001-02); Dan Ehntholt, Granville (2001-02); Josh Matatt, Cambridge (2001-03); Rich Duff, Saratoga Springs (2002-04); Vince Monks, Greenwich (2004-05); James Lenhart, Ticonderoga (2004-06); A.J. Armstrong, Corinth (2005-07); Duke Ekblom, Schuylerville (2006-08); Korey White, Hudson Falls (2008-09).

Defensive backs

Tony Yushak, Salem: A star from 2000-02, Yushak the QB led the Generals to a Section II Class D championship as a senior, but also he made a huge impact in the Salem secondary. An outstanding all-around athlete with speed, Yushak was the Generals’ No. 1 playmaker on both sides of the ball.

Austin Bateman, Schuylerville: Like Hudson Falls’ Brian Howard and Salem’s Dan Randall, Bateman was a three-time Post-Star first-team all-star (2007-09). A four-year starter at both cornerback and quarterback for the Black Horses from 2006-09, Bateman excelled on defense as a shutdown corner and safety, and on offense as a scrambling option quarterback.

Rob Bolen, Lake George: Bolen, who starred for Lake George from 1998-2000, may belong to the ’90s more than this decade. However, the lightning-fast Bolen was a two-way standout for the Warriors as a senior in 2000, as a defensive back, quarterback and tailback.

Matt Ali, Hudson Falls: The Tigers have had quite a few outstanding defenders over the years, but few were as effective in both pass coverage and run stopping as Matt Ali in 2008. He was a key player in the Tigers’ march to a 10-2 season and the state Class B semis.

HM defensive backs — Chad Clark, Cambridge (2000-01); Dan Girard, Glens Falls (2001-02); Jeff Kaier, Queensbury (2002-03); Mike Crimmins, Saratoga Springs (2003-04); Ryan Danaher, Schuylerville (2003-04); Corey Barber, Hudson Falls (2004-05); Jeff Benway, Queensbury (2005-06); C.J. Saunders, Corinth (2006-08); Ethan Bain, Greenwich (2006-07); Ray Pasco, Hudson Falls (2006-07); J.D. DeWaard, Lake George (2006-08); Nick Daley, Saratoga Springs (2007-09, also stood out as a placekicker).

HM kickers and punters — There have been few kickers and punters named Post-Star first-team all-stars over the last 10 years, but that’s because many of them played other positions. Cambridge QB Zack Luke is a perfect example — not only was he a record-setting passer, he was a productive placekicker. Saratoga’s Nick Daley had the strongest leg of any kicker in the area, blasting many kickoffs out of the end zone. Hudson Falls’ Phil Cook (2003-04) certainly belongs in this category as a former first-team all-star who was a kicker and punter.

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About the author: Pete Tobey - tobey@poststar.com A Saratoga Springs native, Pete Tobey has been at The Post-Star since 2001 and has covered Section II football and wrestling since 1989. He and his wife have three children.

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