High School Fridays: Beached in The Dark (CBA @ Shenendehowa, 10/11/19)

With Troy High having played last night, our attention turns again to Spectrum News' Friday Night Matchup, and a Class AA bout between Christian Brothers Academy and Shenendehowa. Last year, the Plainsmen blew away CBA, 55-7. Would tonight be any different?

Um, no, not really.

CBA took the opening kickoff, but Fred Smith, a late sub at QB to start the game, couldn't move the offense very far. Shen's first possession started deep in CBA territory, and just three plays later, Billy Beach burst through the middle and raced 11 yards for the score. After the extra point, Shen had a 7-0 lead.

Less than a minute later, Smith was intercepted by Shen's Duncan Hill, who found an opening and sprinted 18 yards to paydirt. Shen led, 14-0, after the first frame.

On CBA's next possession, sophomore Andrew Pemrick, who was supposed to start, relieved Smith, but lost two fumbles in as many possessions, and, as the second quarter began, coach Joe Burke went back to Smith, who got the Brothers on the board with a 9 yard toss to Dylan Jones. Owen Naith added the extra point, and the Plainsmen's lead was sheared in half at 14-7, going into the break. Shen could've added another score before halftime, but Tyler Fort, no longer in the QB mix after getting concussed vs. Troy three weeks ago, picked off Brady Vincenzi near the goal line.

The third quarter was all Shen.

Beach started the scoring again, just two plays into the frame, with a 60 yard gallop that extended the lead to 21-7. Just 70 seconds later, Smith was picked off again, this time by Davonte Terrelonge, who went 19 yards to the end zone. However, the PAT was no good, and Shen was suddenly up, 27-7.

Five minutes later, it was Pemrick's turn to give up a pick-6, as Brandon Fahr picked him off, and rumbled 26 yards for a score, making it 34-7. Beach could've had a third score, but it was taken away by a combination of a holding penalty and an unsportsmanlike conduct call, both on Shen, and it seemed as though the latter was on Beach for taunting. With just over a minute left in the quarter, Trevon Joyner put the game away with a 49 yard run, giving Shen a 41-7 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

On Shen's first possession of the fourth quarter, Michael Decker took over at QB, but Michael DiRenzo fumbled, and Dylan Jones scooped it up in stride to pick up his second touchdown of the game, going 44 yards to the end zone. With the extra point, the score was now 41-14. With under a minute to go, Jameer Austin scored from three yards out for the last score of the night.

Shen runs its winning streak to five in a row in comfortable fashion, 41-21. Up next for the Plainsmen will be a two game road trip, as this was both Homecoming & Senior Night at Shen, starting at Averill Park, which beat Amsterdam tonight, and then at winless Saratoga. Unfortunately for CBA, now 4-2 overall, they have to play Shaker, which blasted Schenectady, 55-6, then Guilderland, which could move up in the Class AA standings after winning tonight.