They Will Advance To Super Bowl
by Steve Bradley
The Hoosick Falls Panthers were the underdog coming into this game. CambridgeSalem was undefeated and has been the New York state number one team in Class C for the entire season. The Panthers would have to play their best just to stay in the game. The Panthers did play well and were right there until midway through the fourth quarter..
On a cold, wet day that the rain didn’t fall quite as hard as it was supposed to or the wind didn’t blow as hard as everyone thought it would, the Panthers did the best they could. They stayed within reach of the Indians for most of the game. Two second half Panther possesions that ended within two yards of the Indian goal line … well, who knows.
Cambridge-Salem had a typical start when they took the opening kickoff of the game and on their first drive scored with a 43 yard Tommy English run. The extra point kick was good.
Then C-S kicked off to the Panthers. Jeff Vincent tucked the ball away and headed downfield. He stopped when he got to the end zone after a 76 yard run for a score. The two point PAT was good and the Panthers led, 8-7.
That score put Cambridge-Salem in the unfamiliar position of playing from behind, possibly for the only time all season. Not by much, but they were behind.
They handled it well.
The Indians scored 28 unanswered points to take a 35-8 lead. The Panthers final score came at the end of the game.
Hoosick Falls squandered two opportunities when they moved the ball inside C-S’s five yard line twice in the second half. Once was in the third quarter when the score was 21-8 that would have put the Panthers within five to seven points. and once midway through the fourth. On that fourth quarter drive the ball was at the six inch line. Hoosick Falls ran out of downs both times.
The Panthers’ Jeff Vincent ran 27 times for 83 yards, and quarterback Sam Vincent ran ten times for 46 yards. Richard threw 21 times, completing 17, for 158 yards and one touchdown. On the receiving end for the Panthers, Isaac Friel had five catches for 57 yards, Jacob Travis had one for 30 yards and Max Kipp had two for 22.
Cambridge-Salem’s Tommy English rushed 19 times for 262 yards, Tyler Linendoll ran 15 times for 69 yards. Calvin Schneider threw two passes, completing one for to Gabe Sgambettera for a 24 yard touchdown.
Next week Cambridge-Salem plays Chatham in the Sectional Super Bowl. Chatham defeated Holy Trinity 28-18 on Sunday to advance to the game. The game is scheduled to be played at Lansingburgh High School in north Troy on Friday, November 2. Game time is 7 pm.