Friday, September 17, 2021

High School Fridays: Ballston Spa @ LaSalle, 9/17/21

 It's not often in either high school or college that a team's home opener is also Homecoming weekend.

But, as the ongoing COVID pandemic has taught us these last 18 months, nothing is ever normal anymore.

LaSalle Institute had its home opener on Homecoming tonight, with Ballston Spa providing the opposition on Spectrum News 1's Friday Night Matchup. The Scotties came in 2-0, having beaten Class AA opponents Colonie & Bethlehem the last two weeks. Dropping back to their own league in Class A, Ballston Spa coach Matt O'Connor would be forgiven if he was suddenly thinking he was stepping backward in class.

Actually, the Cadets were ready to give him a reality check.


Things were relatively quiet in the first half, save for Scotties QB Andrew Kramer getting intercepted in the end zone by LaSalle's Matt Tobin. The Cadets thought they had the game's first score on a punt return for a touchdown by J. J. Thompson, but the run was called back for a penalty, compounded by Thompson doing some taunting en route to the end zone.

With under three minutes left in the half, the hosts finally got on the board, as senior running back Dominick Nemier ran it in from 6 yards out. Matt Carver added the extra point, and LaSalle led, 7-0, at the break.

After muffing a punt late in the second quarter, which, in turn resulted in the Kramer pick to Tobin, Thompson redeemed himself in the third quarter, moving to tailback with Matt Bott sidelined with a cramp, and scoring from 2 yards out. It was 14-0 after three.

With Kramer having been knocked out of the game on a sack in the third, Ballston Spa's offense began to sputter. Pinned deep in their own end to start the fourth quarter, Blaine Zoller got caught in the end zone, reduced to dog chow by Blessing Jackson for a safety. Eight minutes later, Tobin added a touchdown catch to his resume, as Eddie Yamin found him in the end zone. The pass was actually deflected, but fell literally into Tobin's lap. No truth to the rumor that the post game meal would consist of hot dogs. 

After that touchdown, coach John Audino pulled his starters, and the Scotties avoided the shutout with a meaningless touchdown with one second remaining to make the final score 23-8. LaSalle improves to 1-1, while Ballston Spa drops to 2-1. The Cadets go on the road the next two weeks, first to Albany, then to Columbia, before returning home October 8 to play Queensbury.
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Not a good day for Troy High, but then, that's nothing new this season.

The women's tennis team remains winless after getting shut out by Niskayuna. They're right back on the court tomorrow morning at Averill Park. Meanwhile, karma continues to make life miserable for the Troy football team. John Barber's Flying Horses are still looking for their first points of the season, as Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake gained some payback from the beatdown issued to them five months ago. The Spartans spanked Troy, 49-0. Troy has averaged 42 points allowed per game this season, and it's clear they need to make some adjustments on both sides of the ball before they travel to Averill Park next week.

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