Empire Football League

By MIKE ZUMMO, The Leader-Herald

POSTED: September 7, 2008

AMSTERDAM - The Amsterdam Zephyrs were in the red zone three times and were inside the 30-yard line two other times, but managed only 10 points in Saturday's Empire Football League game against the Vermont Ice Storm.

The Zephyrs, who gave up 62 points when they faced the Ice Storm last month, tightened up the defense and limited the league's highest-scoring offense to 20 points, but couldn't get their own offense across the goal line in a 20-10 loss.

Some minor injuries didn't help, as Elijah White, who ran for 113 yards on 13 carries in the first half, tweaked a groin muscle at the end of the second quarter and was a non-factor in the second half.

"Elijah went in the second half with a slight pull and that made a world of difference with him hitting the hole as quickly as he usually does," Zephyrs coach Tom Manny said. "He still gained yardage. It wasn't the same as the first half. If he was OK, it would have been a different game."

Quarterback Ken Schaefer also took a big hit on a five-yard first down run and had to leave for a play before returning to the field. The Zephyrs also were hurt by several dropped passes, one by White in the second half and five by Cedrick Pearman.

"There were a lot of drops and Kenny was not right either after that hit," Manny said. "He could not step into his throws. That's part of the game. You've got to play hurt."

With a 7-6 halftime lead, the Zephyrs received the ball and went three-and-out. Then on third-and-11, Vermont quarterback Brad Ruderman hit Austin Pertain across the middle, who took the 15-yard pass and ran the ball the rest of the way for a 71-yard touchdown catch. Ruderman then hit Jason Young in the end zone for the two-point conversion giving the Ice Storm a 14-7 lead.

The Zephyrs brought the ball to the Ice Storm's 10-yard line on their next drive after Issmal Green's 42-yard kick return. After White ran the ball for 4 yards, Schaefer connected with Green for a 21-yard completion.

However, Pearman dropped Schaefer's pass in the end zone and after White lost 3 yards and Schaefer's incompletion, Brian Barrett drilled a 30-yard field goal.

Vermont ran five minutes off the clock on their next drive, but Green picked off Ruderman in the end zone, but ran it out and after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, the Zephyrs were stuck on their own 5-yard line.

"We had a couple of drives too that we went down the field and we didn't score," Vermont coach Doug Perez said. "That's what I told our guys, if we get all those yards, let's get them across the goal line."

Ruderman capped off the scoring for the Ice Storm with 1:53 left in the third quarter when he connected with Akeem Williams for a 3-yard scoring completion.

The Zephyrs' scoring troubles started early in the game. After forcing the Ice Storm (7-0) to punt after a three-and out, the Zephyrs took over on their own 6-yard line and brought the ball to the Ice Storm's 3.

White gained 10 yards on two runs and Schaefer hit Green with a 22-yard screen pass and then hit Josh Newborn over the middle bringing the ball to midfield. On second down, White pummeled the Ice Storm's defense for a 24-yard run and Schaefer connected with Cedrick Pearman for a 17-yard slant pass.

After White brought the ball to the 3-yard line, the Ice Storm intercepted Schaefer in the end zone.

The Zephyrs (2-4) got to the Ice Storm 25-yard line on their next drive, but John Totzack's 41-yard field goal attempt was short and wide to the left, once again keeping Amsterdam off the board.

"They played their hearts out and made a couple of key mistakes," Manny said. "That interception down on that first drive didn't help us. That broke our backs. Missing a field goal didn't help us. We did everything we wanted, we just didn't close the plays."

The Ice Storm took a 6-0 lead when Ruderman threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to Mike Jabour, but the Zephyrs blocked the extra-point holding the Ice Storm to six points.

The Zephyrs responded on their next drive with White's 1-yard touchdown run with 44 seconds left in the second quarter. Barrett's extra point kick gave them a 7-6 lead.

"We've got plenty of talent to do the job," Manny said. "I've said it all year long. Now we got Quebec coming in next week. That's more than a doable situation. If we beat Quebec, we should finish out strong and run about 6-4."

Vermont 20, Amsterdam 10

Vermont 0 6 14 0 - 20

Amsterdam 0 7 3 0 - 10

Second Quarter

V - Jabour 31 pass from Ruderman (kick blocked), 4:44

A - White 1 run (Barrett kick), :44

Third Quarter

V - Partain 71 pass from Ruderman (Young pass from Ruderman)

A - FG Barrett 30, 8:32

V - Williams 3 pass from Ruderman (pass failed)

EMPIRE FOOTBALL LEAGUE

OTTAWA 13, WATERTOWN 6

Antonio Alexander scored on an 80-yard kickoff return in the fourth quarter, but the Red and Black (1-6) fell to the Deacon Demons at Ottawa.

Ottawa (3-4) scored touchdowns in the first and fourth quarters.

PLATTSBURGH 47, MASSENA 0

The North Stars scored on their first play from scrimmage when Kellen Nolan completed a 52-yard pass to his brother, Kyle, and things got worse from there for Massena (0-7), which gave up 496 yards in Plattsburgh.

Nolan finished 10-of-11 passing for 173 yards with three touchdowns, and he also rushed for 52 yards for Plattsburgh (5-2). Massena has been outscored 351-21 this season.