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2007 Chenango Forks Varsity Football

Game 1 vs Maine-Endwell

Blue Devils blank Maine-Endwell 21-0!
Win is tenth straight season opening victory!

21-0

Articles courtesy of the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin
Place mouse over photos to read captions
Photo credits Thomas Labarbera - Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin

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to Game 2 - Corning West


Forks shows no signs of slipping

Blue Devils grind out win against M-E

By Mike Mangan
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin

TOWN OF CHENANGO -- Chenango Forks football coach Kelsey Green described his team's performance against Maine-Endwell as 'workmanlike.'
 
It was a fitting word, as there was nothing flashy about the Blue Devils on Saturday, just a good, solid effort in a 21-0 victory over the Spartans in the season-opener for both teams.
 
Nathan Reynolds of Maine-Endwell puts the stop on Jake Reynolds of Chenango Forks in the third quarterJake Reynolds both ran and passed for a touchdown for Forks, who served notice that ending its six-year reign as Section 4 Class B champion won't be easy.
 
"The first week, we're really happy with the outcome of the offense and the defense," Green said. "We didn't turn it over ... and we played intelligent defense, which has been our trademark for years.
 
"We stayed with that and made the plays when we had to."
 
For Reynolds, it was an impressive debut as starting quarterback for the Blue Devils, as he figured predominantly in all three scoring drives.
 
On Forks' opening drive, an 11-play, 81-yard drive that chewed up just over six minutes, Reynolds hit Garret Cade for a 29-yard completion on a third-and-9 play from the Forks 34-yard line. He later added a 20-yard run before scoring on a 1-yard run to put Forks up 6-0 with 2:47 remaining in the first quarter.
 
In the opening drive of the second half, Reynolds' 22-yard run highlighted a nine-play, 65-yardGarret Cade of Chenango Forks wins the football in the end zone for a two-point conversion from Tom Connolly of Maine-Endwell in the third quarter drive culminated by a 3-yard touchdown run by Nick Stephens and two-point conversion pass from Reynolds to Cade (photo right) that made it 14-0 with 6:36 left in the third quarter.
 
Finally, in the fourth quarter, Reynolds ended any comeback hopes M-E had when, on fourth-and-7 at the Spartans' 36-yard line, he lofted perfect pass near the left sideline to Cade near the goal line that Cade hauled in for a 36-yard touchdown that made it 21-0 with 8:35 left.
 
"There are always nerves involved, but I knew we had a solid team," said Reynolds, who completed 2 of 3 passes and led the Blue Devils in rushing with 78 yards. "I was nervous, but I knew these guys were behind me all the way."
 
Forks' defense, meanwhile, also did its part, limiting M-E to 200 yards of offense.
 
And when M-E did move the ball, Forks bent but didn't break, in particular late in the second quarter when the Spartans appeared primed to tie or take the lead just before halftime.
 
Starting on its 27 with 8:20 left in the second quarter, M-E drove to the Forks' 7-yard line, where it faced a fourth-and-4 play with two minutes left.
 
Tim Zdimal of Chenango Forks wraps around Dan Reynolds of Maine-Endwell in the second quarter M-E quarterback Joe Battaglini -- who had completed his first four passes on the drive for 41 yards -- couldn't make it 5-for-5, as his pass to John Connolly near the front left side of the end zone was batted down by Cade.
 
"That was a key play for us," Green said. "We're expecting big things from (Cade) on both sides of the ball this season. He played very well."
 
M-E drove once more into Forks territory in the second half, reaching the 34-yard line early in the fourth quarter down 14-0, but Battaglini was tripped up for a 5-yard loss on a fourth-and-1 play.
 
Minutes later, Reynolds tossed his touchdown pass to Cade to ice it for the Blue Devils.
 
"We talked about it at halftime, how (Forks) adjusts, and the process for them to win," M-E coach Kevin Wagstaff said. "They come out in the second half with the expectation that they're going to put you on your back early, and they did.
 
"Defensively, we had two or three breakdowns, but defensively I thought we played pretty well. We'll make adjustments offensively and move on."

Place mouse over photos to read captions
Photo credits Thomas Labarbera - Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin


01 02 03 04   Tot
Chenango Forks 6 0 8 7 - 21
Maine-Endwell 0 0 0 0 - 0
  • CF - Jake Reynolds 1 run  (kick failed)
  • CF - Nick Stephens run (Garret Cade pass from Reynolds)
  • CF - Cade 36 pass from Reynolds (Rob Lumsden kick)

TEAM STATISTICS 

M-E CF
First Downs 12 11
Rushes-Yards 36-126 45-189
Passing Yards 74 65
Comp-Att-Int 8-15-2 2-3-0
Total Offense 51-200 48-254
Punts-Ave yards 2-20.5 2-26.0
Fumbles-Lost 1-0 0-0
Penalties-Yards 4-25 6-50
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INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Maine-Endwell rushing

  • Jordan Argueta: 1-1
  • Joe Battaglini: 12-13
  • Dan Reynolds: 6-17
  • Nathan Reynolds: 11-74
  • Spencer Smith: 1-4
  • Mitch Tallon: 5-17

Chenango Forks rushing

  • Joe Aston 6-18
  • Shane Baron 1-4
  • Ryan Freije 1-0
  • Mike Jeske 1-0
  • Jake Reynolds 11-78, 1 TD
  • Nick Stephens 16-57, 1 TD
  • Jesse Villella 1-4
  • Tim Zdimal 5-28

Maine-Endwell passing

  • Joe Battaglini 8-for-15, 74y, 2 int.

Chenango Forks passing

  • Reynolds 2-for-3, 65y, 0 int.

Maine-Endwell receiving

  • John Connolly 3-40
  • Kyle Dahm 1-5
  • Nathan Reynolds 1-9
  • Spencer Smith 3-20

Chenango Forks receiving:  

  • Garret Cade 2-65, 1 TD

JV Score: Maine-Endwell 28, Chenango Forks 0


Preview Tidbit: 

CF/M-E snippet from the overall weekend football preview article...

By Kevin Stevens
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin

Chenango Forks' six-time defending Class B champions will play the first of three in a row against Class A competition when Maine-Endwell pays a visit at 1:30 Saturday. To follow will be Corning West at home, followed by a trip to Corning East.
 
"We've had a good three weeks (of preseason), we've seen progress," Forks coach Kelsey Green said. "Like every squad, we've got a mix of old and young and the goal the first three weeks is to blend them together. It's been OK on that end, and we've been pretty injury-free."
 
In last year's opener, the Blue Devils needed a last-play field goal to put away M-E, 19-16.
 
"I expect the same type of thing," Green said of the close encounter. "This is the third year we've played them and we know they've got a heck of a group."
 

Post-game Article:    

Fifth Quarter:

Published Tuesdays in the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin

From staff reports

Forks QB shines

Jake Reynolds earned passing marks in his debut as Chenango Forks' starting quarterback.

The senior, the Blue Devils' fourth starting quarterback in four years, ran for a touchdown and passed for another in Forks' season-opening 21-0 victory over Maine-Endwell on Saturday.

Reynolds rushed for a team-high 78 yards and completed two of three passes for 65 yards, including a 36-yard touchdown pass to Garret Cade midway through the fourth quarter that sealed the victory.

"He ran the offense very well, and made good throws when he had to," Forks coach Kelsey Green said. "They had a lot of guys swarming us, so it's not always easy to get the read.

"But he did very well thinking on his feet. It was a good effort."
 

 


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