High School Fridays: All over but the shouting (Green Tech @ Troy, 9/27/19)

In boxing, an overmatched opponent is referred to as a tomato can when facing a title contender. The same thing applies in college football and basketball as the elite teams pad their stats to impress pollsters.

In high school football lately, there are plenty of tomato cans, but for all the wrong reasons. For example, as has been documented, Lansingburgh is operating without a band, cheerleaders, and a junior varsity team in football. Hence, one blowout loss after another since last season.

Green Tech started the season with a 16-6 win over Albany, a Class AA team playing a Class A schedule, and playing, it seems, like a Class C team. However, the Eagles have been blown out in each of their last two games heading into tonight's game vs. Troy High, scoring just 12 points in the two losses. Troy, meanwhile, was coming off a heartbreaking loss to CBA last week. And with Green Tech coming in for Homecoming, they were eyeing the Eagles as if they were something else altogether.

Sacrificial lambs.

As has been the case the last two weeks, Troy won the toss, and elected to receive the opening kickoff. Alex Wolfe, back after missing last week's game with a wrist injury, put the hosts on the board with a 27 yard scoring strike to Tyrell Penalba. However, a 2 point conversion attempt failed when Makai Cruel, on an option pass, was picked off in the end zone.

Three-plus minutes later, after a Green Tech fumble, Troy struck again, as Xavier Ward punched it in from 5 yards out. This time, Xavier Leigh scored on the 2 point conversion, and Troy led, 14-0.

For the second consecutive possession, Green Tech coughed up the football, as Pharoah Clark fumbled, Leigh scooped up the loose ball, and raced in from 31 yards out. Jonah Griswold kicked the extra point, and Troy led, 21-0, after the first quarter.

After Troy had a touchdown taken away by offsetting fouls on a punt, they forced Green Tech to rekick. One play later, Wolfe hit Nasir Dawud-Soto in stride for a 60 yard catch & run. Less than two minutes later, Green Tech punter Na'zaire Turner had his second punt blocked on the evening. Connor Dwyer corraled the loose ball in the end zone, and Troy went into the break with a comfortable 35-0 lead.

With roughly 2 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter, coach Bob Burns began lifting his starters, and inserted Austin Francis at quarterback, giving Wolfe the rest of the night off. The sophomore wasn't quite the deer in the headlights he was last week vs. CBA, but then, he was given a cushion to work with. In the fourth quarter, after a scoreless third frame, Troy's newest offensive weapon had his coming out party. Imagine the headline:

Avvon calling!

Avvon Smith, that is. The junior tailback replaced Leigh and closed the scoring with a 5 yard scamper, and for the third straight week, Green Tech's defense gave up more than 40 points, as Troy pitched a shutout, 42-0.

Troy travels to Averill Park, which beat Green Tech last week, to open a two game road trip next week. Just like last year, this game could decide the Capital Division. Green Tech, meanwhile, plays Amsterdam next week.
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At halftime, the Homecoming Court was introduced to the raucous crowd, as all six candidates got equal cheers from the partisans. Grace Collins, one of four members of the women's soccer team nominated, was crowned Homecoming Queen.

The shouting I was referring to in the headline refers to some escalating tensions near the gate as some of the students were preparing to leave for the evening, right at the start of the third quarter. Resource officers had to repeatedly send students back to their seats as they lingered along the fence in the bleacher seats. After the game, as ye scribe was heading home, three police vehicles were en route to Troy High, as things apparently escalated yet again. Once I reached downtown, a fourth cruiser was apparently either headed there or on another call. We'll see if the local press picks up any of this.
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In fairness to the women's soccer team, having the Homecoming Queen and three Princesses puts some sparkle back into a season that has quickly gone downhill. The Lady Horses dropped a 2-1 decision to Columbia on Thursday night after being shut out by Niskayuna on Tuesday. The boys' soccer team played to a 1-1 draw at Columbia after absorbing a 2-0 loss to the Silver Warriors.