Ron Moshier - Sports

Moshier: Smith's block good "no call"

2010-02-09T21:16:00.001-08:00

When it happened, we heard very little, if anything, about the block thrown by Utica’s Will Smith in Super Bowl XLIV, the one that helped spring New Orleans Saints teammate Tracy Porter free on his 74-yard interception return. But in the days following the Saints’ 31-17 upset of the Indianapolis Colts, the legality of Smith’s block has been questioned by more than a few on TV, radio, and the Internet, including the talking heads on ESPN’s “First Take” and “Pardon the Interruption.”

NBC’s game day announcers Jim Nantz and Phil Simms never suggested Smith should have been flagged for an illegal block in the back on Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, and Porter (of course) later called it “a great block.”

Upon much further review, I’d say it was neither. To me, it looked like Manning saw Smith coming his way, turned his back, and ran for cover – so much so, that Smith’s “block” was more of a simple shove. And no replay shows Manning begging for a “block in the back” penalty.

Still, many have found it necessary to question whether or not Smith and the Saints benefited from a “no call” that should have been called, including NBCsports.com’s “PFT” or “Pro Football Talk.”

You can check it out for yourself, but (keeping in mind Will Smith is from Utica) here are some of the responses I agree with:

“Peyton was not even trying to make the tackle. … He was just flailing around, saving his behind from taking a big hit.”

“The blocking player’s helmet must be clearly BEHIND the blocked player, not on the side.”

“If it had been a foul, Manning would have let us know.”

“Manning went down and ducked his shoulder in front of Will Smith. Smith pushed him from the side, not the back, as Peyton was going down.”

“Didn’t see Manning complaining about it afterwards so I wonder how hard of a shove it really was.”

“The right call was no call.”

“Peyton overran the play and (Smith) shoved him in the direction his momentum was already taking him.”

“No flag, no penalty. Get over it. You lost.”

“It’s not a penalty. … I’m shocked they did not throw a flag, simply because it was the Colts and Peyton Manning.”

“Peyton turned when he realized Will Smith was going to pancake him and Will pulled up. …”

“And besides, do you really think Peyton would’ve actually made that tackle?”

“Smith gets his hands on Manning’s shoulder, turns him, and knocks him mostly on his side. He definitely didn’t blast Manning square in the back. …”

“What kind of league would this be if you could get a block in the back call by turning your back every time you see a blocker coming your way?”

That last entry may be my favorite. Of course, many other responses to the NBCsports.com question come from those who saw it differently, including a sarcastic, “Will Smith did get a great block, right between the one and the eight and right below the word Manning.”

Sour grapes? Maybe. You can make the call. We all can. I’m just glad the officials didn’t – not just for Will Smith’s sake, but because making no call was the right call.

Moshier: "Freak" sudden-death OT game remembered

2010-02-05T12:10:00.001-08:00

That five-overtime game the Ilion and Mohawk boys basketball teams played last week sure brought back memories.

One of them was that Central Oneida League game between Utica Free Academy and Thomas R. Proctor High School played 36 years ago, another quintuple-overtime thriller that UFA won 70-68 at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.

All that reminiscing also reminded Notre Dame High School graduate Anthony Scalzo of another memorable COL matchup played Jan. 20, 1961 at Proctor that was most likely the area’s first (and hopefully the last) boys basketball game decided by a sudden death OT.

The 66-year-old Scalzo, an East Utica native now living in Muskego, Wisc., played on that very first Notre Dame team, and the unbeaten Jugglers – then coached by Chuck Stevesky -- were trailing Proctor 45-28 at halftime. Notre Dame center Steve Remis finally tied it with his only basket, a hook shot with two seconds left in regulation. Scalzo said a fight broke out in the stands late in the second overtime. That’s when the coaches and referees, concerned about the safety of players and fans, decided the game would end in sudden death, with the first team leading by two points getting the win.

“I think the refs proposed that and the coaches said OK,” Scalzo said. “The tension was just so high and there was such close quarters (in Proctor’s old gym). …”

Notre Dame junior Art “Butch” Williams, who later starred at Utica College and eventually was inducted into the Greater Utica Sports Hall of Fame, scored the game-winning points from the foul line as the Jugglers prevailed, 84-82. Williams made 8 of 8 free throws, converting four 1-and-1 chances, in the overtimes.

John Pendergast scored 28 points and Mike Brown had 21 for Notre Dame. Pomp DelMonte led Proctor with 33 points.

“It was a freak thing,” Scalzo said of the sudden-death ending. “They didn’t just want to stop the game. I don’t think there’s ever been another sudden-death overtime.”

Let’s hope not.

Moshier: Boys basketball scene blurry at best

2010-01-22T12:37:00.001-08:00

It’s getting more and more difficult to figure out this boys basketball season.

Around these Section III parts, there are only a few sure things: Class D New York Mills and Class C West Canada Valley, unbeaten and ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the state, respectively, are for real, and Thomas R. Proctor High School’s Raiders remain one of the many Section III title contenders in a wide-open Class AA race.

After that, it’s hard to determine who’s up and who’s down. There were more examples of that over the past week or two.

In the Tri Valley League: East Division leader Notre Dame lost its first league game of the season to Whitesboro (59-56), Camden ended an 83-game TVL losing streak with a win over Clinton (53-51), and then Clinton turned around and beat New Hartford (52-48).

In the Center State Conference: Little Falls’ Mounties may be last in the Division I standings and 0-14 overall, but in their last three CSC I games they have lost to Frankfort-Schuyler 74-72 in overtime, lost to league-leading Dolgeville 59-55, and lost to 13-1 Mohawk 54-50 in overtime.

And two CSC rematches I thought would be worth watching turned out to be mismatches: Division II leader Mount Markham avenged a 56-53 loss with a 65-50 romp over Sauquoit Valley that wasn’t nearly as close as that final score might indicate and Division III leader West Canada Valley cruised to a 63-37 win over Westmoreland, whose Bulldogs had won nine straight and were hoping to avenge their only loss.

What does all of this parity (some might say, mediocrity) mean? It means that New York Mills and West Canada Valley are the only area teams you can really count on playing for a Section III title when the Utica Memorial Auditorium hosts the boys’ championships March 5-7.

Moshier: NY Mills boys basketball No. 1 in the state

2010-01-13T12:36:00.001-08:00

Defending Section III Class D boys basketball champion New York Mills (11-0) is the new No. 1 in the New York State Sports Writers Association’s weekly state rankings.

Coach Mike Adey’s Marauders had been ranked second behind defending state champion South Kortright of Section IV, but the Rams’ 33-game winning streak was snapped last week when Davenport beat them 55-52.

Davenport (8-0) is ranked second this week, followed by South Kortright and Maple Grove. Watertown’s Immaculate Heart Central (9-1) of Section III is No. 7 and Sackets Harbor is No. 12.

Thomas R. Proctor High School’s boys, meanwhile, haves cracked the Class AA state rankings for the first time this season. Coach Norm Stamboly’s Raiders, 9-1 and riding a nine-game winning streak, and ranked No. 24 in this week’s Top 25 poll. Proctor is the only Section III team ranked in Class AA. Cicero-North Syracuse, Fayetteville-Manlius, Liverpool, Syracuse’s Christian Brothers Academy, and Corcoran are honorable mentions.

Proctor, a 64-34 winner over visiting Rome Free Academy on Tuesday, has three tough road games coming up, including Friday’s trip to Liverpool and visits to Henninger and Cicero-North Syracuse next week.

Two-time defending state champion Jamesville-DeWitt remains No. 1 in the Class A poll, with Utica’s Notre Dame High School moving up three spots to No. 10. Westhill is No. 10 and Bishop Grimes is No. 13 in Class B.

Unbeaten West Canada Valley has climbed to No. 3 in the Class C rankings, behind Marion of Section V and Buffalo Middle College of Section VI. Tully is ranked 14th in Class C.

Moshier: Randall's Spartans impress

2010-01-13T12:20:00.000-08:00

Win or lose, you have to be impressed with the job New Hartford High School head coach John Randall has done with his boys basketball team this year.

Despite losing starting point guard Trevor Callahan (broken wrist) for the season, and despite another injury to guard Robert Broccoli, Randall and assistant coach Andy Goodelle have their Spartans playing hard and playing well.

Led by sophomore Derek German, seniors Ammar Kaashmiri and A.J. Wolfanger, and juniors Vinny Servadio and Ben Zalewski, New Hartford – just 6-15 last season – is a surprising 8-3 overall. The Spartans improved to 6-2 in the Tri Valley League on Tuesday night, Wolfanger scoring 19 points and German adding 14 en route to a 60-56 victory over TVL West Division leader Oneida. The Spartans made 11 3-pointers, with Wolfanger, German and Kaashmiri finishing with three apiece.

Last Friday night, New Hartford led TVL East rival Whitesboro by 10 in the third quarter, but the Warriors scored the game-winner with two seconds left and won 52-50.

Don’t be surprised if Randall’s Spartans put TVL East leader Notre Dame to the test next Friday when they host the state-ranked Jugglers.

Moshier: McGwire not Hall worthy

2010-01-12T20:29:00.001-08:00

Mark McGwire wasn’t Hall of Fame worthy before this week’s admission.

Before coming “clean,” he was a one-dimensional, .260 hitter. Now, he’s a one-dimensional, .260 hitter who cheated.

That should be more than enough to keep him out of Cooperstown. Let’s hope so.

Moshier: "Moore" class by Holland Patent coach

2010-01-12T20:20:00.001-08:00

Notre Dame High School senior Pat Moore, a class act on and off the basketball court, became the Jugglers’ all-time scoring leader when he scored 27 points in Tuesday night’s 79-70 Tri Valley League win at Holland Patent.

Opposing coach Jon Snyder of Holland Patent showed a lot of class, too, when he used a full timeout to stop the game in the third quarter to pay special tribute to Moore and his record-breaking accomplishment. Snyder later presented Moore with the game ball.

“I didn’t want to make a huge production out of it, but rarely do we have this opportunity to note something like this,” Snyder said after the game. “Pat’s a great kid and a tough competitor. I just wanted to recognize that.”

What Pat Moore has done at Notre Dame, no doubt, deserves to be recognized. So does Snyder’s class act. In a close game, on a night when Class C Holland Patent has a shot at upsetting state-ranked, Class A power Notre Dame, he did the right thing.

For that, Jon Snyder should be commended.

Moshier: Preaster gets collegiate shot

2010-01-11T16:04:00.001-08:00

He is probably the most gifted athlete I have had the pleasure of watching in over 30 years of covering high school sports, and now former Thomas R. Proctor High School star Deandre Preaster is making a comeback.

Here’s to hoping his comeback is complete.

The 6-foot-3 Preaster, a two-sport standout at Proctor as a football receiver and basketball forward, failed to make the grade academically after accepting a football scholarship offer from Syracuse University. Now, he is playing college basketball in his hometown for Mohawk Valley Community College’s Hawks.

There are many around here, myself included, who firmly believe this softspoken, humble-almost-to-a-fault, young man can play college basketball at the Division I level. Yes, he is only 6-foot-3, and he’s not a slick ball handler or long-range bomber. But he’s a quick leaper with great hands and a high basketball IQ, and if he can make it academically at MVCC do not be surprised if some day, some where, Utica’s Deandre Preaster is a Division I basketball player.

For his sake, and ours (treat yourself and catch one of his games), I hope so.

Moshier: Winning by 135 points shameful

2010-01-08T15:13:00.001-08:00

Many, many years ago, I was the senior captain of a high school boys basketball team that almost always lost, too many times by very large margins. I know what it feels like.

Those lopsided losses were bad enough, but that senior season would have been worse if not for opposing coaches like the late Dick White of Cooperstown and New York Mills legend Mike Tomassetti. Fortunately for us, they showed some class and called off the dogs.

Greg Wise didn’t, and he wasn’t offering up any apologies after his Yates High School boys basketball team set a Texas scoring record while embarrassing Lee High School 170-35.

Instead, Wise spoke of his defending state championship team – ranked No. 2 in the nation by MaxPreps and No. 5 by ESPN – being “on the national stage.” Maybe that’s at the root of this evil. Do we really need national rankings for high school basketball teams? And if so, should Wise and his team really be rewarded for its (or his) wrongdoing?

Yates, now 14-0 and riding a 39-game winning streak, was leading 100-12 at halftime. Those 100 first-half points, a state record and the second-most ever scored in a boys game, and that 88-point lead apparently weren’t enough. Yates played all 15 players, but reportedly continued to press in the second half.

It’s no wonder Lee coach Jacques Armant thought his team was “disrespected.” It’s a wonder he didn’t throw in the towel and pull his team off the court in a second half that was marred by a third-quarter fight.

Wise said his team is trying to win another state championship, and he told the Houston Chronicle “we can’t get that unless we are continuing to get better and perfect our game.”

But what good can come from a 135-point win? For all the wrong reasons, it should keep Wise and Yates on the “national stage.” Let’s hope so.

Moshier: Giant letdown inexcusable

2010-01-06T18:30:00.001-08:00

For the record, this was not a losing season for New York’s football Giants. Just a lost cause.

“There are 8-8 seasons and there are 8-8 seasons,” president and chief executive John Mara said this past week, long after his Giants (and mine) had inexplicably rolled over and played dead when their playoff lives depended on it, “but this one felt more like 2-14 to me.”

Make that 1-12-1. That was the Giants’ record back in 1966, when I was nine years old and my favorite team was recording only two winning seasons in a particularly dreadful 17-year stretch from 1964-80. The 1966 Giants lost their last eight games – including a 72-41 loss to a Redskins team they had beaten 13-10 earlier in the season – and they allowed 501 points, a franchise record that still stands.

The only reason why I know that is because this year’s Giants gave up 427 points, the second-most in franchise history. They were outscored 85-16 in their last two games, losing 41-9 to Carolina’s Panthers (who had nothing to play for) in their final game at Giants Stadium, a game they needed to win to keep their playoff hopes alive. And they played like there was no tomorrow in last week’s embarrassing 44-7 loss at Minnesota.

OK, so going 8-8 means the Giants now have put together five consecutive seasons of .500 or better football, something they haven’t done since 1954-63. So what? I didn’t expect much from that 1966 team that finished 1-12-1, not with Allie Sherman doing the coaching, not with former Cortland High and Cornell University star Gary Wood and an aging Earl Morrall splitting time at quarterback, not when fullback Chuck Mercein is your leading rusher (327 yards). At least that team had a Pro Bowler (Spider Lockhart) in the secondary.

But this year’s Giants were 5-0, and two wins over the Cowboys and a blowout at Washington gave them a fighting chance. When push came to shove, though, they didn’t put up a fight. That’s what made this year’s 8-8 feel more like 1-12-1.

Moshier: Proctor produces story, athlete, team of the decade

2009-12-28T19:32:00.001-08:00

When I look back at the teams and the athletes from the Greater Mohawk Valley area that I have been fortunate enough to cover over my last 10 years at the Observer-Dispatch, I realize as decades go, 2000-2009 will be hard to top.

I also realize I have Thomas R. Proctor High School’s Raiders to thank for that.

As far as my football-basketball-hockey-baseball beats are concerned, the “Story of the Decade” has to be Thomas R. Proctor High School star Will Smith going on to star at Ohio State University as a pass-rushing defensive end, and then getting drafted in the first round, No. 18 overall, by the NFL’s New Orleans Saints in 2004. He even made the Pro Bowl in 2006, and as team captain and their sacks leader, he has helped make the Saints Super Bowl contenders.

Will I ever cover another first-round, NFL draft pick or Pro Bowler from the Mohawk Valley? I think not.

Choosing my “Athlete of the Decade” isn’t as easy, but anybody who saw what former Thomas R. Proctor High School superstar Deandre Preaster could do on a football field or basketball court should understand why he is my pick. Smith and Josh Wright, the all-state guard who averaged 33.3 points per game as a senior and set Proctor and Utica city records for points in a game (56), a season (700), and a career (1,944) before moving on to Syracuse University were serious considerations, but Preaster’s overall skill set and his highlight-reel knack for making tacklers miss and making his way to the hoop made him my choice.

Proctor boys hadn’t won a Section III basketball title in 40 years until Preaster led the Raiders to back-to-back Class AA championships as a sophomore and a junior. He led them back to the section final as a senior, and he finished his career with 1,352 points.

Declaring a “Team of the Decade” was even more difficult. Clinton, Whitesboro and New Hartford ice hockey teams won Division II state championships – Clinton’s Warriors even went back-to-back in 2005-2006 – and Dolgeville’s football team capped a 13-0 season by winning a Class D state title in 2000. My “Team of the Decade,” though, has to be the Thomas R. Proctor High School baseball team that captured a Class AA state championship in 2007.

The Raiders were coached by the state’s Coach of the Year Dave Guido, and led by the state’s Player of the Year, outfielder Jason Simone (.598 batting average), and pitchers A.J. Bates (9-2) and Sean Redmond (6-1), Proctor did something no other large-school baseball team from this area had ever done. The Raiders rallied past West Genesee 3-2 in the Section III final and later capped a 23-5 season with 2-1 and 3-2 victories over perennial downstate powers Massapequa and North Rockland on a “Final Four” Saturday in Binghamton.

To Will Smith, Deandre Preaster, the 2007 Thomas R. Proctor baseball team, and countless other student athletes and high school teams from the Mohawk Valley that I have had the privilege of covering, thanks for the memories. You made 2000-2009 a decade for the ages, and I’m glad I wasn’t too old to enjoy it.

Moshier: Defense doesn't win soccer championships

2009-12-18T13:38:00.001-08:00

Defense wins championships? Yeah, right.

Try convincing a University of Akron men’s soccer team that pitched five straight shutouts in the recent NCAA Tournament and still didn’t win a national championship.

Soccer fan or not (OK, so I’m not), isn’t there something wrong with that picture?

Akron’s top-seeded Zips, 23-0-1 entering the NCAA championship game, played Virginia to a scoreless tie through 110 minutes before losing a penalty-kick shootout, 3-2.

“It’s tough to lose that way,” Akron coach Caleb Porter said. “What makes this one even more tough is that we didn’t give up a goal in the entire NCAA Tournament, and yet we don’t go home with any hardware.”

What a way to go is right. The Zips tied the NCAA single-season record with their 23-game winning streak, and set school records for wins, shutouts (19), fewest goals allowed (7) and lowest goals-against average (0.27). The only thing they didn’t do was win their first national championship. What a game? More like, what a shame.

The final ended in a tie, but the NCAA’s policy – exclusive for national championship games – requires that a winner be declared for all purposes. So previously-unbeaten Akron, despite not allowing a single goal in the tournament, finished a 23-1-1 season as a “loser.”

If playing 110 minutes of soccer isn’t enough, then declaring co-champions would have been a better way to go. If a winner is a must, then take a day off and let the two finalists go at it again.

When it comes to a championship game, there’s got to be a better way than an overtime penalty-kick shootout to determine a winner and a loser. Soccer fan or not, I would hope so.

Moshier: Unbeaten Orange a joy to watch

2009-12-12T17:30:00.001-08:00

OK, so now we know for sure that this Syracuse University men’s basketball team is for real. We also know why.

This year’s Orange may be missing its usual superstar or two (for now, let’s just call Wes Johnson a “rising” star), but this team is even more fun to watch and even more dangerous come tournament time because of that.

If you believe in the importance of team chemistry, a high basketball I.Q., a deeper bench, and most importantly, an all-for-one willingness to do what is best for the team, then it is easy to believe in this SU team.

No matter what happens from here on out, win or lose, it is how this particular Syracuse team plays the game that is a joy to watch.

Moshier: Jugglers' star shines on, off court

2009-12-10T14:04:00.001-08:00

What Notre Dame High School’s Pat Moore did to help his basketball team beat Tri Valley League rival Whitesboro 62-53 this week – scoring 15 of his season-high 34 points in the fourth quarter -- was impressive enough.

Most impressive, though, was how the Colgate University recruit reacted to what some might have considered a hostile “Warrior Dome” environment.

Moore, a Notre Dame senior from Whitesboro who has attended the school since the seventh grade, wasn’t the least bit fazed by a vocal Whitesboro student section that at one time chanted, “Traitor. … Traitor. … Traitor. …” and another time labeled the all-state forward “Overrated.”

“Nah,” the soft-spoken Moore said when asked if that reception bothered him. “It’s part of the game. It’s all fun.”

That’s Pat Moore for you. The same kid who is on track to become Notre Dame’s all-time scoring leader -- rising two more spots Tuesday to No. 6 on that star-studded list with his 1,162 career points, just 29 behind former Syracuse University standout Dale Schackleford’s 1,191 – is a class act off the court, too.

Moshier: Whitesboro lost to state champ

2009-11-28T20:12:00.001-08:00

Yes, it is official: Whitesboro High School’s football season ended with a loss to the Class A state champion.

Section VI (Buffalo area) powerhouse Sweet Home, the team that beat Whitesboro 36-13 in the semifinals of the Class A tournament, successfully defended its New York State Public High School Athletic Association championship Saturday with a 34-7 romp over previously-unbeaten Burnt Hills of Section II (Albany area) at the Carrier Dome.

Sweet Home senior quarterback Pat McMahon was 13 of 20 passing for 297 yards, including a 91-yard touchdown to Jahaan Williams and a 54-yard touchdown to D.J. Nettles. The 6-foot-3, 187-pound Nettles, who is being courted by Syracuse University, was named the game’s MVP. He had seven receptions for 142 yards and he also intercepted two passes.

Sweet Home’s second straight 13-0 season means the Panthers have won 26 consecutive games and 36 of their last 37. They also beat Burnt Hills in last year’s Class A state final.

Section VI teams actually swept all three state championship games played Saturday at the Carrier Dome. Southwestern extended the state’s longest active winning streak to 29 games, capping another 13-0 season with a 40-14 victory over Bronxville in the Class C final. In Class D, Randolph (12-1) rolled over Moriah 41-0.

Moshier: Section III football takes a hit

2009-11-23T20:15:00.001-08:00

In case you didn’t notice, Section III football really took it on the chin these last two weeks.

Getting shut out of this weekend’s state championships at the Carrier Dome is one thing. That’s happened before and it certainly will happen again. It was how their seasons ended that really was an eye opener for Section III’s five class champions.

As it turns out, Class A Whitesboro (10-2) probably had the best chance to move on, even if the Warriors were playing a reigning state champion whose winning streak has grown to 25 games. At least they proved they could play with top-ranked Sweet Home for a while, until four turnovers helped the Panthers pull away for a 36-13 victory in last weekend’s state semifinals.

Here’s how Section III’s other class champions fared:

In Class AA, previously-unbeaten Baldwinsville made it to the state semifinals, but the Bees were buried in a 28-0 halftime hole and lost to North Tonawanda 28-7.

In Class B, previously-unbeaten Westhill was hammered by Hornell 49-7 in the semifinals, with Hornell’s Austin Dwyer rushing for a state playoff-record 400 yards and four touchdowns.

In Class C, previously-unbeaten General Brown lost 27-0 to a Chenango Forks team whose season ended with a 21-0 loss to defending state champ Southwestern in the semifinals.

In Class D, previously-unbeaten Westmoreland lost 40-11 to a Groton team that got run over by Randolph, whose Cardinals rushed for 601 yards in a 61-8 semifinal rout.

Moshier: Westmoreland, Whitesboro football times changed

2009-11-09T10:03:00.001-08:00

The schedule for this weekend’s state quarterfinal football games between Section III and Section IV champions has been changed, and those changes affect both Whitesboro and Westmoreland.

Westmoreland (10-0) plays Groton (9-1) at 6 p.m. in the only Friday night regional game being played at Union-Endicott High School. That game had originally been scheduled for 5 p.m.

Three Central Region finals will be played at Union-Endicott High School on Saturday, with Whitesboro (9-1) facing Corning East (8-2) at noon in the Class A opener. General Brown plays Chenango Forks in Class C at 3 p.m. and Westhill plays Johnson City in Class B at 6 p.m.

The Class AA game between Baldwinsville and Union-Endicott is scheduled for 5 p.m. Saturday at Johnson City.

According to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association’s Web site and football handbook, the Section III-IV Class D and Class A games were to be played at Union-Endicott at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, respectively. Section IV officials, however, made the schedule change and announced the new dates and times late Monday morning.

Tickets are $7 and will be available only at the door.

Moshier: Semifinal football scheduling no treat

2009-10-29T10:08:00.001-07:00

For the average fan, high school sports writer, or both, this should have been the best Section III football weekend of the season.

It would have been if the average fan or sports writer had anything to say about it.

It’s up to Section III’s football committee, though, to determine where and when this weekend’s 10 semifinal games in five classes were to be played. And their choices left much for the average fan and sports writer (and to some extent, the players and the schools and the communities involved) to be desired.

Using only five sites to play five Friday night doubleheaders, with games kicking off at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., may have saved the section some money. But it’s hardly fan-friendly – 5 p.m. games at a neutral site on a work day are tough to make – and for the print media, covering 8 p.m. games the way they deserve to be covered becomes next to impossible because of deadline concerns.

If the average fan and print media coverage of high school football were taken more into consideration, Section III wouldn’t have scheduled all 10 semifinal games on a Friday night. Money, no doubt, is an issue, but there are many fans out there who would choose a Saturday afternoon over a Friday night, and some who would pay to go to both Friday’s and Saturday’s games. Play those games over two days, like we’ve done for years, and you might even see an increase at the gate.

Another reason given for no Saturday afternoon semifinal games this year was because Saturday is Halloween, but just last year we played Friday playoff games on Halloween night – without incident.

What the average fan was forced to do this year, unfortunately, was skip out of work early if at all possible or miss a 5 p.m. kickoff, choose one great matchup over another, and hope a quote from the kid who scores the game-winning touchdown in Friday night’s late game makes their edition of the local newspaper.

Unfortunately, for the average fan and a high school sports writer trying to do his or her job, that’s more of a trick than a treat.

Moshier: More C-D playoff teams, more ugliness?

2009-10-16T12:16:00.000-07:00

Brace yourselves, high school football fans.

That vast, not-so-great divide between Section III's haves and the have-nots is almost certain to get even uglier this weekend. Subtracting a week of the regular season and adding another round of the playoffs for Section III's smallest, Class C and Class D schools (now 16 of the 22 teams in each class qualify) could be a recipe for disaster.

A six-game regular season is bad enough. Now, don't be surprised if Week 7's first-round playoff games include some downright woeful mismatches. Unfortunately, it's the price Section III will have to pay for giving more teams a playoff chance, no matter how slim that playoff chance might be.

For instance (with their names withheld to protect the innocent): What we end up with this weekend is a 1-5 "playoff" team that has been outscored 210-24 (97-0 the last two weeks) playing a 6-0 team ranked No. 5 in the state. That can't be good for either team.

Sure, expanding the Class C and Class D playoff picture from eight to 16 teams gives twice as many a chance to win a Section III title. But how many of the Not-so-Elite 8 really stand a chance to win a championship? And doesn't a seventh week of regular-season games, in essence, give those teams a chance to play their way into the playoff picture, not limp into the tournament without a hope or a prayer?

Let's hope no star players from the Elite 8 are injured this week, in a game that is decided in the first quarter or half. Oh, and let's hope the section puts all 10 of our Class B teams in one league, not split them into two five-team divisions. Four games to decide a league title? That's not nearly enough.

Moshier: Section III Football Power Rankings

2009-10-07T21:05:00.001-07:00

Section III Football

Power Rankings – Week 6

CLASS AA

1. Baldwinsville (5-0): Bees trailed Cicero-North Syracuse 7-6 at the half, but they held the Northstars to 99 total yards and got 223 yards and two touchdowns from star running back Malik Burks in a 21-7 win.

2. Liverpool (4-1): Shutting out winless Central Square 21-0 is no big deal; winning at Christian Brothers Academy this week would be.

3. Auburn (4-1): Since opening the season with a 48-21 loss to CBA, the Maroons have averaged 49 points per game during a four-game winning streak. They’ve still got to win at Corcoran, though, to break first-place tie in Class AA-2.

4. Cicero-North Syracuse (3-2): Northstars, who had won three straight before last week’s loss at Baldwinsville, try to rebound against visiting Rome Free Academy.

5. CBA (3-2): Escaping with a 40-36 win over RFA ended a rare two-game skid for the Brothers, sure to be tested again this week when they meet Liverpool at the Carrier Dome.

CLASS A

1. New Hartford (5-0): The Spartans, who had played 12 straight games on artificial turf, were forced to battle the elements and rely on their defense for a change last week. On natural grass, in the rain and wind, they survived a 14-6 scare at Indian River. They will be playing on the Central Square turf this week – a good thing considering they’re up against state-ranked Fulton in a matchup of unbeatens that could very well be a preview of the Section III final at the Carrier Dome.

2. Fulton (5-0): Class A American Division leaders ready to square off against New Hartford. The Spartans ended Fulton’s season last year, rolling to a 35-13 victory in the Section III semifinals.

3. Whitesboro (5-0): Warriors hosting Watertown on Senior Night, and next Friday they should roll into New Hartford a perfect 6-0. Get there early!

4. Indian River (3-2): Former Section X powerhouse has lost to two 5-0 teams, including a one-point, last-minute loss at Whitesboro and last week’s 14-6 loss to New Hartford.

5. East Syracuse-Minoa (4-1): Should finish regular season with wins over Fowler and Nottingham.

CLASS B

1. Westhill (5-0): Struggled a bit while disposing of winless Skaneateles 20-7, and now the Warriors face a nonleague test against Oneida in a rematch of last year’s Section III final won by the Indians 20-0.

2. Marcellus (3-2): Mustangs destined to finish regular season on a five-game winning streak.

3. Oneida (4-1): Indians may not return to the state championship game but they are doing just fine, thank you, without Ryan Kramer & Co. Beating Westhill this week too much to ask?

4. South Jefferson (3-2): Spartans had no problem with winless Phoenix, but they’d better be ready for VVS offense and QB Tyler Mautner, WR Tyler Curtis, and RB Colin Way.

5. Vernon-Verona-Sherrill (4-1): Red Devils rebounded from that loss to Chittenango in a big way. Can they win at South Jefferson this week?

CLASS C

1. General Brown (5-0): Beating previously unbeaten Class D Watertown IHC wasn’t easy. Beating up on Alexandria Bay will be.

2. Bishop Ludden (5-0): There was no slip-up at Hannibal; Gaelic Knights rolled, 54-18.

3. Cazenovia (5-0): Lakers have outscored teams 228-28 and can wrap up perfect Class C South season with a win at Mount Markham. The Mustangs are 3-2, with three wins by shutout.

4. Cooperstown (5-0): The Redskins got their revenge, holding off Frankfort-Schuyler 29-26 (Frankfort upset 4-0 Cooperstown last year). Winning Class C East outright, though, will take a win over Herkimer.

5. Holland Patent (4-1): It was a struggle, but Golden Knights avoided back-to-back losses by a foot. Dan Mower kicked field goals as time expired in the first half and the fourth quarter of a 21-18 win at Ilion.

CLASS D

1. Westmoreland (5-0): Another game, another shutout, another blowout. The Bulldogs haven’t allowed a single point since Week 2 and have outscored the opposition 260-18.

2. Watertown IHC (4-1): Even in defeat, the Cavaliers earn some more respect. Losing a nonleague game to state-ranked Class C power General Brown 24-8 (it was 8-8 at halftime) is nothing to be ashamed of.

3. Dolgeville (4-1): Playmakers Zach Goyette, Michael Barnes, Chris Robotham and Alex Snyder led Blue Devils to a 49-7 romp at New York Mills.

4. Weedsport (5-0): Hard to tell just how good the state-ranked Warriors are.

5. Notre Dame (4-1): Jugglers try to end their regular season with a fifth straight victory.

Moshier: Favre has his day (night), for now

2009-10-06T16:54:00.001-07:00

Yes, Brett Favre looked like his old (I mean much younger) self. Yes, the Hall of Fame gunslinger who never seems to know whether he’s coming or going was on target and throwing darts Monday night, for all of us to see.

As impressive as Favre was, though, and as much as he stole the show, most impressive were the Minnesota Vikings as a team. Clearly, Favre made the right choice this time. Not only does he have Adrian Peterson to hand off to and lean on, he’s got an offensive line that treated him as if he were royalty.

With Green Bay’s defense loading up the line of scrimmage, Peterson had an off night, but Favre – unlike the Packers’ Aaron Rodgers, who was knocked around like a piñata and sacked eight times -- had all night to throw the football.

Yes, this was Brett Favre’s night, and this week it will be Peterson running all over the hapless Rams. After that, we’ll see just how complete this Minnesota team is, and just how much Favre has left in the tank when the Vikings host Baltimore in Week 6 and then travel to Pittsburgh and Green Bay.

Moshier: Section III Football Power Rankings-Week 5

2009-10-01T09:23:00.001-07:00

Section III Football

Power Rankings – Week 5

CLASS AA

1. Baldwinsville (4-0): Bees celebrated their 100th year of high school football with a 27-14 home win over previously unbeaten and state-ranked Liverpool last week, and they may soon be celebrating their first section title in 20 years.

2. Liverpool (3-1): Not to worry, Warriors will bounce back in a big way against winless Central Square.

3. Auburn (3-1): Running back Ismail Brooks already has rushed for over 1,000 yards and has scored 19 touchdowns, 17 in the last three games.

4. Cicero-North Syracuse (3-1): Pulling out last week’s 23-16 victory over CBA with just 10 seconds remaining means the Northstars have a three-game winning streak. The bad news? They pay Baldwinsville a Week 5 visit.

5. CBA (2-2): The Brothers have suffered back-to-back Class AA-1 losses to Baldwinsville and CBA, and they are in dire need of a Week 5 home win over Rome Free Academy.

CLASS A

1. New Hartford (4-0): State-ranked No. 4 Spartans, next to unstoppable with Joe Carcone and Anthony Acevedo running wild, unleashed another weapon when junior QB Vinny Servadio completed 12 of 15 passes for 232 yards and five touchdowns in a 42-8 romp over Watertown.

2. Fulton (4-0): Red Raiders rolled over Cortland 57-13, and will roll over Fowler before facing New Hartford in a nonleague matchup of state-ranked powers next week.

3. Whitesboro (4-0): Sharing the load has helped the Warriors average 432 yards rushing in their last three wins.

4. Indian River (3-1): After three straight impressive wins since that one-point, last-minute loss at Whitesboro, the North Country’s Warriors must like their Week 5 upset chances against unbeaten New Hartford.

5. East Syracuse-Minoa (3-1): After suffering rare league loss to American Division rival Fulton, the Spartans rebounded with a 21-18 nonleague win over Carthage.

CLASS B

1. Westhill (4-0): All-state end Dan Ross caught two more touchdown passes and the Warriors beat Homer 28-14.

2. Marcellus (2-2): The Mustangs ended a two-game skid and QB Will Fiacchi threw for 519 yards and three touchdowns in a last-minute, 41-37 win over South Jefferson.

3. South Jefferson (2-2): Spartans will lick their wounds, then take their Week 4 frustrations out on winless Phoenix.

4. Chittenango (2-2): Hard to overlook the Bears, who lost their first two games to Marcellus and Westhill but last week roared back with a 21-point fourth quarter and a 30-19 win over previously-unbeaten Vernon-Verona-Sherrill.

5. Oneida (3-1): Indians saw how Chittenango’s ball-control offense hamstrung VVS. Now, they get their chance to declaw the Bears.

CLASS C

1. General Brown (4-0): The Lions aced what was expected to be their first real test, scoring on eight straight possessions and steamrolling to a 53-12 romp over previously-unbeaten Adirondack.

2. Bishop Ludden (4-0): Gaelic Knights really did take it easy on winless Jordan-Elbridge, scoring all 48 of their points (including 35 in the second quarter) in the first half of a 48-0 victory.

3. Cazenovia (4-0): Lakers have outscored teams 183-28 and now face winless Clinton.

4. Cooperstown (4-0): Redskins fell behind previously-unbeaten Holland Patent 14-0 on the road, then used their running game and fourth-quarter turnovers to rally for an impressive 21-14 win.

5. Holland Patent (3-1): Golden Knights try to bounce back from home loss with a Class C East win at Ilion.

CLASS D

1. Westmoreland (4-0): The ugliness continues as state-ranked No. 1 Bulldogs score 33 points in the first quarter, 47 points in the first half, and blank Morrisville-Eaton 54-0. Westmoreland has now outscored the opposition 210-18. Ouch!

2. Watertown IHC (4-0): After outscoring their first three opponents 112-13, the Cavaliers had to work to turn back North Division rival Sandy Creek 14-7.

3. Waterville (4-0): Losing senior co-captain Garth Curtis, their standout fullback and linebacker, to a broken leg doesn’t help. And QB Donnie March may miss a second straight game with an ankle injury.

4. Dolgeville (3-1): OK, the Blue Devils lost to Notre Dame 12-7, but they have been much more impressive ever since, including a 41-0 romp over Little Falls.

5. Notre Dame (3-1): Class D East leaders have won three straight, but the Jugglers had to come from behind to edge winless Little Falls 21-20 last week.

Moshier: New Hartford now No. 4 in state

2009-09-30T20:14:00.001-07:00

New Hartford High School’s football team moved up a notch in this week’s Class A state rankings, the Spartans (4-0) now No. 4 behind top-ranked Sweet Home, No. 2 Burnt Hills and No. 3 Rochester Aquinas.

New Hartford’s move comes after fourth-ranked Rye High, last year’s Class B state champion, had its 27-game winning streak snapped by a 13-7 loss to No. 10 Eastchester. One of those 27 straight victories for Rye was a 16-12 win over Oneida in last year’s Class B state championship game at the Carrier Dome.

The state’s longest active winning streak is now 20, and it belongs to defending Class C state champion and top-ranked Jamestown Southwestern, a 49-8 winner over perennial Class B power Lackawanna last week! Section III has three ranked “C” teams, including No. 5 Bishop Ludden, No. 8 General Brown and No. 11 Cazenovia.

Fulton (4-0) is No. 16 in the Class A state poll, and the Red Raiders meet No. 4 New Hartford in a nonleague crossover next week. Whitesboro (4-0) remains an “honorable mention” in Class A.

Westmoreland (4-0) is firmly entrenched as the state’s top-ranked Class D team, followed by Dundee of Section V, Delhi of Section IV, and Maple Grove of Section VI. Watertown’s Immaculate Heart Central is No. 6 and Weedsport is No. 11.

Moshier: Holland Patent night football not at first

2009-09-28T19:57:00.001-07:00

The phrase, “believed to be the first,” came in handy again last Friday night when Holland Patent’s Golden Knights played Cooperstown in a Class C East showdown that many believed was the first night-time high school football game ever played at Holland Patent.

By at least one reader’s account, “not so.”

For the record, according to everybody I talked to, it was “believed” to be the first. But according to an email from a Holland Patent reader who seemed to know what he was talking about – unfortunately, phone calls to him were not returned, so I won’t use his name – “Previous to 1952, most home football games were played under the lights at the softball field located in the village of Holland Patent.”

At that time, he wrote, Holland Patent played six-man football.

Once again, thanks to a local reader who has been around a little longer than I have, using “believed to be the first” helped me find out otherwise. And I appreciate it.

Moshier: Showdown with Delhi in Class D football future?

2009-09-23T17:33:00.001-07:00

State-ranked No. 1 Westmoreland has to be the favorite to represent Section III in this year’s Class D state football playoffs.

Section III’s Class D champion, no matter who it is, could very well be up against perennial Southern Tier powerhouse Delhi in the opening round of regionals.

Now up to No. 4 in the Class D poll, Delhi knocked off Section IV rival Walton 14-12 last weekend. Walton slipped from No. 8 to No. 19 in the Class C state rankings. Last year, in a Week 3 nonleague game, Westmoreland beat Delhi 21-14.

Westmoreland is followed in this week’s Class D state poll by Dundee and Avon of Section V.

In Class AA, Baldwinsville rises to No. 8 after edging CBA 30-28 last week. Liverpool is No. 13.

In Class A, New Hartford remains at No. 5 and Fulton is No. 17.

In Class B, Westhill is No. 10 and Vernon-Verona-Sherrill breaks into the rankings at No. 16.

In Class C, Bishop Ludden is No. 6, General Brown is No. 9, and Cazenovia is No. 13.