by Ryan Mosher
The Hoosick Falls football team stamped its ticket to a third straight Class C Super Bowl on Saturday, overcoming injuries to put away Watervliet 34-8 in the semifinal game at Stillwater High School. The Panthers will now take on Fonda in the Class C Super Bowl on Saturday night at 7 pm at Stillwater.
As always, the Panthers struck first, scoring on their first possession. Tanner Williams ran for a 25 yard touchdown to put them up 6-0. The tough Cannoneers kept the Panthers from scoring on their next drive but failed to do so themselves and had to punt the ball away. On this possession Williams again scored, this time turning a short pass
into a 50 yard touchdown reception. Executing the two point conversion made the score 14-0.
Watervliet did not give up though. The Cannoneers moved the ball up the field before Jordan Gleason out jumped two Panther defenders to come down with a 20 yard touchdown pass. They also added on their two point conversion, making it 14-8. On the next Panther possession, the Cannoneers recovered a fumble at midfield and seemed to have momentum swinging their way.
Brad Burns, already limping from twisting his ankle early in the game, stepped up and put an end to the momentum for the time being. Burns’ hit on the Cannoneers’ running back sent the ball to the ground where the Panthers’ Ryan Hyde recovered the fumble.
On the opening drive of the second half, Billy Pine ran for a 21 yard score, making it 21-8. The Cannoneers still did not give up, and marched the ball down the field on their next possession. Again the Panthers would put an end to it, this time with an interception by Randy Tutunjian. The Panthers capitalized on that turnover with a touchdown by Burns, giving them the 27-8 lead.
The Cannoneers finally thought they caught a break in the fourth quarter. With Pine back to punt for Hoosick Falls, the snap went high and Watervliet ended up with the ball on the twenty yard line. Once again the Panthers answered; this time on the very next play when Pine intercepted a pass in the end zone. Brandon Hodges added a 31 yard touchdown run for Hoosick Falls to give them the 34-8 victory.
Despite limping from the injured ankle, Burns rushed for 183 yards and a touchdown, along with his tough defensive play. Tanner Williams left early in the third quarter with an injury and did not return, yet he still racked up 137 yards rushing along with his two touchdowns.