Sunday, August 27, 2006
EFL Post Game Press Coverage August 27th
Partain, defense lift Ice Storm to victory
August 27, 2006
COLCHESTER -- Austin Partain hauled in four catches for 115 yards, including two for touchdowns, as the Vermont Ice Storm powered past the Ottawa Demon Decons 20-0 in Empire Football League action Saturday night at Colchester High School.
The Ice Storm (6-2) took a 7-0 lead into halftime on Jason Young's 10-yard scoring run.
Brad Ruderman hooked up with Partain on two scoring passes in the second half, from 27 and 11 yards.
Ruderman completed 14 of 28 passes for 255 yards and one interception.
Young finished with 32 yards rushing on eight carries while Troy
Chris Coppins led the Ice Storm defense with 12 tackles and a sack while Kevin Fournier added 10 tackles and a sack. Brad Lamell added seven tackles and an interception while Tom Kleefisch and Joe Barnier each had five tackles and an interception.
Eagles handed 33-0 defeat by Tri-State
STAFF REPORT
The
But the offense did not improve in its second try against the Bulldogs, dropping a 33-0 decision in their Empire Football League game at Scranton Memorial Stadium.
The first time the teams met, Tri-State rolled up a 70-0 victory at home, but a defense led by George Romiti (14 tackles) and Lati Woodruff (six) kept the Bulldogs from scoring as often this time around.
Jovan Garcia still found creases in the Eagles’ defense, scoring three touchdowns to help Tri-State (5-3) take a 27-0 halftime lead.
Garcia scored three different ways — a 70-yard punt return and a 12-yard run in the first quarter, and a 19-yard touchdown catch from Jared Tillitteri in the second quarter.
Paul Reed caught a 34-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter while Dwayne Allen closed the scoring with a three-yard run in the third quarter.
Rasheed Nelson paced the Eagles ground game with 13 carries for 57 yards. Quarterback John Kennedy hit just seven of 20 passes for 41 yards. The leading receiver was Louis Verdetto with two catches for 22 yards.
The Eagles (1-5-1) have a bye next week, then play road games at
Contact the writer: sports@timesshamrock.com
Stars strike early
By: KEITH KANE
Staff Writer
August 27, 2006
The Stars, however, put that to rest on the first drive of the game as Eddie Castine hooked up with James Blocker on a 6-yard touchdown pass.
"Two really good things came out of this game tonight," McCallister said. "We got the win and we didn't sustain any injuries.
"That's one down. This was the first round of our playoff system."
The Stars looked to be well on their way to an easy victory when the St. Lawrence Valley punter fumbled a snap in the end zone and Earl Parks tackled a Trailblazer player to record a safety, giving Lake City a 9-0 lead.
The score jumped to 16-0 when Heath Geiser took the handoff from Castine and bounced to the left sideline for a 6-yard touchdown run.
The Stars made a huge mistake late in the second quarter, however. Castine and a
After a Don Tambini sack moved the Trailblazers back to the 12, quarterback
"I think there was definitely a lack of focus a lot of the times tonight," McCallister said. "The offense had a lot of false starts and unfortunately that is bound to happen coming off of a bye week.
"I thought the defense did a tremendous job in the first half. (The Trailblazers) only scored once after our offense made a mistake. St. Lawrence Valley always plays very hard games against us — I don't really know what it is."
New quarterback Johnny LaPlante appeared to have Matt St. Clair for a 20-yard touchdown pass, but Roberson face-guarded St. Clair and was whistled for pass interference.
On the next play, Jed Randall bowled through the line for a 1-yard touchdown, increasing the
St. Lawrence Valley didn't give up, though. After a Cory Lawyer sack set the Trailblazers up at their own 26-yard line, Lane continued to scramble around in the backfield to buy time for his receivers to get open. Lane hooked up with Chris Tom on two consecutive plays, one for 30 and the other for 13. On the very next play, Lane found Joe Hutchinson, who made a difficult catch over the cornerback in the right side of the end zone for a 26-yard touchdown. Lane then found Roberson for the 2-point conversion.
The Trailblazers would get no closer, however, as the Stars put them away when Brandon Keleher bowled in for a 1-yard touchdown with 3:34 left in the fourth quarter.
"We made some substitutions in the second half," McCallister said. "But, guys have to realize that they need to step up and make plays when they get in there. It isn't like our backups are slouches, but tonight they didn't take advantage of their playing time.
"St. Lawrence took advantage and they didn't quit. My hat's off to them. Lane has really stepped up and played a strong quarterback for them. It is very hard to play at this level and they have struggled this season, but they still come to play hard despite being 0-8 — they never laid down."
Geiser led the Star rushing attack with 66 yards while Keleher finished with 40.
Castine completed two passes for 23 yards and a touchdown, and LaPlante completed two passes for 17 yards. Blocker led the receiving corps with two catches for 21 yards and a touchdown.
The Stars defense accounted for five sacks, led by Brindise with one and a half. Tambini, Cory Lawyer and Matt King each finished with one while Mike Thwaits added half a sack.
Lane completed 5-of-16 passes for the Trailblazers for 97 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Tom hauled in two passes for 48 yards while
St. Lawrence Valley's rushing attack was held to minus-10 yards by the Stars defense.
"The main thing tonight is that we got the win," McCallister said. "I am not really going to concern myself with the points against because our destiny is in our own hands.
"We have another bye week this week and then we are back at it in
Lake City 30, St. Lawrence Valley 14
St. Lawrence Valley 0 6 8 0 — 14
Scoring summary
Mallers Slay Dragons 31-0
By John Ginder - jginder@capitalregionsports.com
August 26, 2006
The Albany Metro Mallers and their high powered offense put their 6-0 regular season record on the line against the Broome County Dragons and their stingy defense, in a match up of divisional opponents last night at the Mallers home field in
It wouldn’t take long to see who had the upper hand in this one. The Dragons would win the coin toss and take the ball to start the game. After a kickoff out of the endzone by the Mallers Vinnie Cirrincione, the Dragons would start things off at the 20-yard line. The Mallers defense led by linebacker Greg Woodward, made the Dragons look overmatched in the first series forcing them to go three and out.
The Mallers moved the ball with ease on their first possession, with the hard-nosed running of the Empire Football Leagues leading rusher Sylvester Cooperwood, the well timed throws by the EFL’s leading passer Scott Lawson, and the skilled hands of receiver Culture Branch.
It would be Lawson and Branch who opened the scoring for the Mallers. On a play that looked as if it were dead, Lawson would scramble to the right to buy himself more time and find a wide open Branch who was practically standing still in the endzone for a 34 yard touchdown pass. “The initial play was not there, Scotty did a great job eluding the rush” Coach Luke Posniewski said in a post game interview “They are on the same page those two, and Scotty pushes him to get there” Posniewski said of Lawson and Branch.
The Mallers would continue to suffocate the Dragons offense forcing them to go to the screen pass on just about every down due to the lack of time Dragons QB Ty Fish had to throw the ball. It would be Woodward again who would pester the Dragons all game. “He makes the difference and I am not afraid to say it” Posniewski said of Woodward “Not taking anything away from the defensive line, but when you have Woody in the middle its goodnight”.
Sylvester Cooperwood would get on the score sheet when he pounded the ball up the middle and scamper in from 11 yards out. That play was setup after a 3 and 29 conversion by a Lawson bomb to Branch. The team was clicking on both sides of the ball.
After a couple of fourth down stops by the Mallers defense and a few failed drives on offense, it would be kicker Vinnie C. who would get in the scoring next by kicking an impressive 50 yard field goal with eleven seconds remaining in the half, to bring the score to 17-0 in favor of the Mallers.
It wouldn’t be much different in the second half for the Dragons. They still couldn’t penetrate the Mallers defense, and still could stop the Mallers offense. That makes for a long night.
The Mallers would open the scoring in the second half when Lawson hooked up with Branch (who seemed to be in single coverage most of the night) for the second time in the game on a 36 yard touchdown pass after a fumble recovery by Greg Woodward.
It wouldn’t be long for Cooperwood to hear his name called over the PA again. Coop again, pounded his way through the Dragons defensive line on fourth and one and galloped fourteen yards for his second score of the night bringing his season total to 10 touchdowns.
The Dragons would finally have some success moving the ball in the third quarter. But all good things come to an end after an interception by Jeff Turman ending any hope of the deflated Dragons scoring in this game.
“That was our best game by far” Posniewski said after the 31-0 win “Our team played smart football”.
When there is a game when a running back rushes for two touchdowns, a receiver catches two touchdown passes, a quarterback throws two touchdown passes, and a linebacker is in on just about every tackle, it is hard to come up with the player of the game. So, I decided to seek assistance from one of the aforementioned players, Sylvester Cooperwood. “Scotty, any time a quarterback comes in and wins he is always the player of the game” Cooperwood said. So there you have it. CapitalRegionSports.com player of the game is quarterback Scott Lawson.
