High School Fridays: Ravena @ Schalmont (football), 9/9/22

 Friday Night Matchup begins its 20th season tonight with a Class B game between two Colonial Council rivals, with Schalmont hosting defending sectional champion Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk. For Ravena coach Gary VanDerzee, he marks a milestone of his own, beginning his 40th season as a coach.

Schalmont coach Joe Whipple admitted before the game that, after a loss to Gloversville last week, his young Sabres squad is learning as they go. Turnovers were a problem, and that had to have the Ravena defense salivating.

Schalmont won the coin toss, but opted to defer to the 2nd half. Ravena marched down the field, capping the drive with Dominick Paljusaj taking it in from 11 yards out. Jack McFerran's extra point was blocked, however, and Ravena had an early 6-0 lead. McFerran, the grandson of coach VanDerzee, was likely told by VanDerzee that "it will soon pass, whatever it is".

Unfortunately, the Sabres were undone, again, by turnovers, as Ravena spent most of the first half camped on the Schalmont side of the field. Following a Sabres fumble, Aiden "Hurt" Lochner, after just missing the end zone on a long pass from Luke Misetich, ran it in from in close. Paljusaj ran in the 2 point conversion, and Ravena led, 14-0, after the 1st quarter.

The Indians opened the 2nd quarter with Misetich taking it in himself on a busted play, and McFerran connected on the point after, extending the lead to 21-0. After another Sabre turnover, Misetich connected with McFerran on a 5 yard scoring pass, but the PAT sailed wide. Four minutes later, McFerran scored again. Robert Dorrance, son of offensive coordinator and longtime Section II official Bob Dorrance, caught the pass for a 2 point conversion. With under a minute to go, Wyatt Algozzine got in on the act, catching a 20 yard pass. With the conversion, Ravena went into the break with a comfortable 42-0 lead.

The Indians' theme song, you'd think, would come from Bobby McFerrin:

Schalmont finally got on the board almost halfway through the 3rd quarter, as Elijah Smith, whose brother, Isaiah, was injured in the 1st half, beat the defense for a 84 yard pass play. The PAT was blocked. Ravena answered right back, as backup QB Caden Potter hit Algozzine with a 54 yard bomb. McFerran's kick was also blocked, his 2nd block of the night, and it would wrap up the scoring, with Ravena winning, 48-6.

Schalmont's problems with turnovers continued in this game. Given coach Whipple's remarks about his players learning as they go, one would think they're sometimes handling the football like it was a certain brand of toilet paper.

While both teams are expected to be in the 4-team playoff tournament in November, only one played like it tonight, and Schalmont played like they practiced to an old Roger Daltrey record, "Under a Raging Moon", which in this case was blood red on the television screen at one point. Ravena will play Glens Falls next week.