Game 9 - 2015 Chenango Forks Varsity Football

2015 Chenango Forks Varsity Football

Game 9 vs Dryden

Chenango Forks 49, Dryden 0
CF advances to program's 20th Section 4 Championship Game

Articles courtesy of the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin

Top-ranked Forks puts it to Dryden early

Kevin Stevens
kstevens@pressconnects.com
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin

Chenango Forks tended to business as expected against an eager opponent from Dryden and came away with a 49-0 win in Saturday’s Section 4 Class C football semifinal.

The entirety of scoring as well as 86 percent of the Blue Devils’ yardage was rung up before halftime at Union-Endicott’s Ty Cobb Stadium, where Dryden chose to take on Forks’ two-time defending state champions.

A dozen Forks ball carriers contributed to a 372-yard rushing total, and the Devils’ first three touchdowns produced on their first five snaps covered an average of 61 yards.

The outcome set up a championship-game matchup of Forks and Newark Valley, each of which will bring an 8-1 record to kickoff noon Saturday at Binghamton Alumni Stadium. Those two placed first and second, respectively, in Division IV.

Dryden (5-4), the third-place Division V squad, stepped into the semifinal as replacement for runner-up Lansing, which, for the second time in a three-weekend span, opted out of opposing Chenango Forks. Lansing officials cited safety concerns as result of depleted personnel.

Cody Lamond scored touchdowns on each of his two carries and intercepted a pass in the first quarter, which concluded with the Blue Devils leading by 28-0. L.J. Watson rushed four times for 112 yards with two scores, and received a pass for another TD.

“I thought we executed very well in all phases of the game,” said Forks coach David Hogan. “We talk about stepping it up this time of the year and I think we did that.”

Dryden failed to cover an onside kick to open the contest, and Forks took full advantage on a possession that began at the Lions’ 49-yard line.

Following a 13-yard, first-down gain by Dylan Studer, Tony Silvanic lofted a pass that Watson ran under and eased in to complete a 36-yard scoring pass. Silvanic, 7-for-7 on PAT kicks in the opening 24 minutes, made it 7-0 with 33 seconds elapsed.

Stu Stahlman opened Dryden’s ensuing possession with a 30-yard rush, and, after a Forks encroachment penalty, the Lions made it two first downs on two snaps when Trevor Gardner connected with a 9-yard pass.

Thereafter, Forks’ defense limited the Lions to 22 yards through the close of the quarter.

Meanwhile, the Devils’ offense got after it.

Their fourth play resulted in a 64-yard touchdown rush by Watson, who maximized Lamond’s block out front and scored 3:04 into the quarter.

A 54-yard punt from Stahlman left Forks the football at its 16-yard line, from which point Lamond accepted a toss and motored 84 yards with Watson providing interference out front.

The difference ballooned to four scores after Lamond’s interception set up the Devils at their 41-yard line. A 14-yard rush by Watson and a 27-yard Silvanic-to-Studer pass were most conspicuous on a drive that ended with Lamond rushing over the right side from 2 yards with 1:51 to play in the quarter.

“It’s how we try to start every game,” Lamond said. “Obviously it hasn’t been like that a lot of this year but today was a good day.”

Good, as in 373 yards worth of first-half offense.

An interception and 22-yard return by Studer left Forks possession at Dryden’s 9 with 71 seconds remaining in the first quarter, and Tim McDonald opened the second by rushing for a 1-yard TD. Silvanic’s kick made it a 35-0 count with 12:03 gone.

With 6:24 of the second quarter expired, Watson took a toss left, broke smoothly to the middle and finished off a 24-yard touchdown run.

Forks’ No. 2 offense took over for its final possession, and went 44 yards on nine plays for points. Kris Borelli’s 18-yard rush on the second play was the biggest gainer, and Seth Bush finished by going over the right side from a yard out on the final play of the half.

Blue Devils reserves handled matters the rest of the way, and quite nicely, collectively sewing up the team’s second shutout of the season_ to the delight of first-unit players lending vocal support.

“It was definitely good to see that. They work their tails off during the week as do the rest of us,” Lamond said. “We’re a family, so we always cheer each other on.”

Hogan said: “It’s so much fun to see that, and our firsts enjoy watching that just as much as (coaches) do. Plus the fact we lost a couple games (to forfeits), it makes it all the more special to get out there. They missed out on some opportunities, so when you get them you’ve got to cherish them.”

Stahlman, a 6-foot-3, 218-pounder, went for 93 rushing yards in his final game in a Dryden football uniform.

	01	02	03	04		Tot
Chenango Forks	28	21	0	0	-	49
Dryden	0	0	0	0	-	0

CF - LJ Watson 36y pass from Tony Silvanic (Silvanic kick)

CF - Watson 64y run (Silvanic kick)

CF - Cody Lamond 84y run (Silvanic kick)

CF - Lamond 2y run (Silvanic kick)

CF - Tim McDonald 1y run (Silvanic kick)

CF - Watson 24y run (Silvanic kick)

CF - Seth Bush 1y run (Silvanic kick)

TEAM STATISTICS

	Dryden	CF
First Downs	10	19
Rushes-Yards	35-96	49-372
Passing Yards	58	63
Comp-Att-Int	10-18-3	2-6-0
Total Offense	53-154	55-435
Punts-Ave yards	4-36	1-35
Fumbles-Lost	2-0	2-1
Penalties-Yards	5-25	3-25

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Dryden rushing

Stu Stahlman 22-93
Matt McHerron 8-2

Wes Stahlman 1-2

Trevor Gardner 4-(-1)

Chenango Forks rushing

LJ Watson 4-112, 2 TDs

Cody Lamond 2-86, 2 TDs

Dylan Studer 6-36

Seth Bush 5-27, 1 TD

Kris Borelli 5-27

Tim McDonald 5-26, 1 TD

Dan Crowningshield 7-23

Tony Silvanic 3-16

Hanna Layton 9-16

Jacob Krupp 1-5

Dylan Frey 1-3

Jacob Flynn 1-(-5)

Dryden passing

Trevor Gardner 10-for-15, 58y, 3 int.
Stu Stahlman 0-for-3

Chenango Forks passing

Tony Silvanic 2-for-6, 63y, 1 TD, 0 int.

Dryden receiving

Trystan Dewey 4-24
Matt McHerron 4-17
Stu Stahlman 1-9

Wes Stahlman 1-8

Chenango Forks receiving:

LJ Watson 1-36, 1 TD
Dylan Studer 1-27

JV Score: Chenango Forks 49, Norwich 20

Preview Article(s)

Dryden to take on defending champion Forks in playoffs

Kevin Stevens
kstevens@pressconnects.com
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin

Thought to have been out of the postseason chase, Dryden instead will take on defending Class C champion Chenango Forks in the Section 4 semifinals on Saturday at Union-Endicott's Ty Cobb Stadium.

Story Highlights

Lansing was forced to withdraw from the Section 4 playoffs due to a slew of injuries
The Dryden-CF winner will meet either Newark Valley or WG/O-M next weekend for the sectional title
Forks' two-quarterback system worked well last weekend in a 43-27 defeat of rival Chenango Valley

Despite losing two of its three divisional games this season and seemingly dropping out of postseason contention, the Dryden football team finds itself headed to the Section 4 Class C playoffs on Saturday.

The reason: Due to a slew of injuries, a young Lansing team was forced last Sunday to bow out of sectionals despite having wrapped up second place in Division V. Coach John Winslow's Bobcats, whose only two victories this season came in division games, had already forfeited its penultimate regular-season game to powerhouse Chenango Forks as it was unable to field the minimum of 16 healthy players as required by state rule.

Lansing was to play those same Blue Devils (7-1) in the first round of sectionals but was just not healthy enough, and now the task of slaying the giants of Section 4 Class C football falls to the Purple Lions (5-3).

Dryden and CF are scheduled to meet at 12:30 p.m. at Union-Endicott's Ty Cobb Stadium in game 1 of a Class C semifinal doubleheader. The other semifinal, slated for 3:30, pits last year's runner-up, Newark Valley (7-1), against upstate Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour (7-1), a first-year merged program. Neither school has claimed a sectional football title in more than 25 years.

Playoffs in the large schools kick off on Friday, with four games in classes AA, A and B. A busy Saturday will feature six postseason matchups, five of them being played in the Binghamton area, with Horseheads (5-3) traveling to top seed and 15th-ranked Elmira (8-0) in the second Class AA semi. Elmira has steamrolled all eight of its opponents, outscoring them by a combined 423-106.

In effect, Dryden's playoffs began last weekend with its 21-14 defeat of Thomas A. Edison in the regular-season finale. Had the Spartans knocked off the Purple Lions, then TAE would have gotten the call when Lansing bowed out of sectionals.

Chenango Forks has dominated Class C in recent years, winning back-to-back state titles and losing only twice in the past two seasons -- both times, to three-time defending Class B state champion Maine-Endwell, author of 59 consecutive victories.

Coach Dave Hogan has begun implementing a two-quarterback system at Forks, ever since L.J. Watson injured his hip in a week 6 victory over Newark Valley. Watson and Tony Silvanic both saw action last week in the Blue Devils' 43-27 defeat of Chenango Valley; Watson switched to halfback in the second quarter and scored three touchdowns over the last nine minutes of the half, including a dazzling 46-yard dash in the final minute.

Newark Valley, which lost to Forks in last year's sectional final, has posted double-digit victories in all but two of its games this season -- a 14-12 squeaker over visiting Greene in week 5, and a 34-21 loss to Forks a week later, also at home. The Cardinals topped Whitney Point in its regular-season finale, 47-6, as Brett Stewart rushed for 86 yards on just five carries, including scoring runs of 16 and 43 yards.

The Seneca Indians rushed for 499 yards in a 60-32 defeat of outmanned Lansing last Saturday night. Ryan Pruitt and Jordan Rappleye combined for 313 of those yards, with Pruitt leading all ballcarriers with 174 yards. He scored on a 75-yard gallop on the first offensive play of the night.

Post-game Midweek Article(s):

Fifth Quarter:
Published Tuesdays .

Kevin Stevens
kstevens@pressconnects.com
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin

Forks catching up

Chenango Forks continues to play its way into peak form in the wake of idle days in Week 5 and Week 7. The Blue Devils made it five consecutive on-field victories with Saturday’s 49-0 Class C semifinal victory over Dryden. The Blue Devils’ off weeks came as results of forfeits by Whitney Point and Lansing.

“There’s definitely still room for improvement, there always is” said Forks senior Cody Lamond, who rushed for 86 yards and two TDs on two carries. “Coaches never let us get too happy. We just go into every week trying to work harder than we did the previous week, and hopefully, it pays off on Saturday.”

Dryden, which stepped into the semi to replace Lansing — which, for the second time in three weeks, chose not to oppose Forks — gained a measure of respect from Forks’ personnel.

“That’s a classy group,” coach David Hogan said. “They never quit, they played hard throughout. Hats off to them, no doubt.”