"When you think you've got all the answers, I change the questions!"---Roddy Piper.
The Braves of Fonda-Fultonville came to Watervliet for a Class C 1st round playoff tonight, facing a Cannoneer team riding a 7 game winning streak. Fonda-Fultonville hadn't won a road game going in, carrying a 5-3 record into the contest.
Just to show how studying the game films of prospective opponents can come into play, the Braves were prepared for virtually anything Ryan Job's club threw at them. Special teams was a problem for Watervliet, as P-WR Amel Conway was victimized by one bad snap after another. As a result, the Braves spent most of the night camped on the Watervliet side of the field.
But, we're getting ahead of ourselves.
Fonda-Fultonville QB Jackson Cusack got the scoring started in the first quarter for the visitors, as he ran it in himself from 14 yards out. Connor Weaver added the extra point, and the Braves led, 7-0, after the quarter.
Fonda-Fultonville put the game away in the second quarter. Giovani DiCaprio finished a drive that started at the end of the first quarter, running it in from 2 yards out. A couple of minutes later, after a muffed punt, Cusack scored for the second time, again from 14 yards. On the ensuing Watervliet possession, Owen Hicks picked off QB Jamel Ward, and returned it to the house, 32 yards on the pick 6. And so it went.
With Watervliet's special teams continuing to make things easy for their offense, Fonda took advantage of the charity. Jonathan Cranker punched one in from a yard. On the next Watervliet possession, Hicks recovered a muffed punt, and effectively ended any chance the Cannoneers had of recovering. DiCaprio added a 2 point conversion to make up for two failed PAT's. As if that wasn't enough, Cusack hooked up with DiCaprio with under 2 minutes to go, and DiCaprio pulled away from the defense for a 57 yard catch & run.
Fonda had this one already wrapped up at the break, leading 47-0. Job's had this sickening feeling before, coaching the Troy Fighting Irish in blowout losses.
The second half was played mostly with a running clock because of the lopsided score. Fonda's defense, though, continued to apply the pressure, even though Watervliet was trying to make things interesting. Cranker scored again from a yard in, two plays after he nearly scored on a breakaway run. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Cusack, in his last series of the night, connected with DiCaprio again, this one going 83 yards. Fonda coach Sean Thompson pulled his starters after that. Job opted to use the game as a teaching tool for his players, leaving his starters in the game to the end.
Conway made up for his punting woes late in the fourth quarter, with a 6 yard TD toss from Ward. After a 2 point conversion, it was 61-8. Fonda, however, had the last word, as reserve running back Jose Vargas scored from 5 yards out.
Watervliet sees its winning streak snapped in the 68-8 loss. Fonda (6-3) moves on to play Hoosick Falls-Tamarac, which eliminated Hudson, next week.
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