High School Fridays: Shenendehowa @ CBA (10/6/23)

 It is said that familiarity breeds contempt. By the time tonight's game between Shenendehowa and Christian Brothers Academy was over, that was certainly true.

Both teams had this game circled on their calendars when schedules came out before the season. The Plainsmen were seeking to avenge a loss in last year's Class AA Super Bowl. Both teams were undefeated and state-ranked entering play tonight.

It was also Homecoming at CBA and Hall of Fame night.

Shen won the coin toss, and elected to take the opening kickoff. After an exchange of punts, Shen's Anthony Diaz thought he had broken off a big one, but CBA's Donald Jones chased him down, and forced a fumble. The Brothers soon cashed in, as Archie Jones, Donald's brother and a sophomore, hit Aiden Goode with a 59 yard bomb to give CBA an early 7-0 lead. Nearly 3 1/2 minutes later, Donald Jones ran it in from 12 yards out to make it 14-0 after the 1st quarter.

It was all Shen after that.

Just 44 seconds into the 2nd quarter, Shen's Ihsaan Aloize broke off a 73 yard touchdown run to cut the lead in half, and it was still 14-7 CBA at the break.

What did in the Brothers on this night were the same things that plagued coach Bob Burns at Troy. Untimely penalties, and a defense that suddenly couldn't close holes. Two more touchdown passes to Goode were called back due to penalties, and the Brothers also had turnover issues. Each of the 3 CBA QB's---the Jones brothers and Jake Iaccobaccio---were intercepted at critical times. Blake (Have You Ever Been) Mello had 2 picks, and, after Aloize caught a game-tying pass from Michael Whatley, Mello put the Plainsmen up for good with a 1 yard plunge after Aloize was ruled out of bounds at the CBA 1.

Less than 2 minutes into the 4th quarter, Aloize closed the scoring with another long TD run, this one for 89 yards. Ballgame. Shen's defense stifled the CBA run game, and the Plainsmen are now all alone in 1st place in Class AA at 5-0 with a 28-14 win. CBA drops to 4-1, and travels to Guilderland next week, while Shen will play Saratoga.

Other action:

Stillwater 20, Canajoharie-Fort Plain 12.

Fonda-Fultonville 53, Taconic Hills 7.

Averill Park 49, Amsterdam 6.

Men's soccer:

Adirondack League:

Corinth 10, North Warren 0.

Hartford 6, Granville 0.

Bolton-Warrensburg 1, Lake George 0.

Colonial Council:

Ichabod Crane 5, Albany Academy 2.

Voorheesville 4, LaSalle 0.

Schalmont 10, Lansingburgh 0.

Patroon Conference:

Germantown 2, Doane Stuart-Rensselaer 0.

Greenville 4, Coxsackie-Athens 1.

Cairo-Durham 2, Chatham 0.

Suburban Council:

Burnt Hills 9, Schenectady 1.

Wasaren League:

Waterford 5, Cambridge-Salem 0.

Western Athletic Conference:

Galway 3, Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons 1.

Mayfield 1, Northville 0.

Non-league:

Guilderland 2, Mohonasen 0.