SECTION IV FOOTBALL: TIOGA SEALS 32-14 WIN OVER NEWARK VALLEY WITH PAIR OF LATE TDs (24 PHOTOS) (2024-10-12)
By TIM BIRNEYValley Sports ReportNEWARK VALLEY — Tioga scored two TDs in 15 seconds late in the fourth quarter to put away a pesky Newark Valley in a 32-14 win here Saturday afternoon in Section IV, Division V football action.
“Any time you come here and get a win on this field against this program, it’s a good win,” said Tioga coach Nick Aiello.
The Tigers led 19-7 at the half, but gave up a big play on the first play of the third quarter, then turned the ball over three times — once on downs, and two via fumbles — deep in Newark Valley territory before putting the game away.
“It’s one of those things,” said Aiello. “We kind of did the same thing at SVEC … those are things you have to shore up.
“We had a lot of penalties today,” he noted. “Up until today, we really haven’t penalized much, so that was kind of odd.
“But, sometimes when guys are trying harder, and coaches are getting on them in practice, maybe that’s when the hands come out — and we got called for a lot of holding penalties,” Aiello added.
Tioga opened the game with a nine-play, 84-yard drive that included a 23-yard run by sophomore Shane Platukis, a 21-yard pass from junior Jayden Duncanson to senior Lukas Nichols, and a 14-yard run by junior Connor Streeter.
Duncanson capped the drive with a 6-yard TD pass to junior Dominic Palmer with 7:12 remaining in the first quarter. Junior James Miller’s PAT kick made it 7-0.
The Cardinals answered with a six play, 72-yard drive, which including runs of 14 and 8 yards by Logan Rhodes, who capped the drive with a scintillating 36-yard TD run with 3:57 remaining in the first quarter. Josh Benjamin’s PAT kick tied the game at 7-7.
Newark Valley recorded three first downs on the possession, but only picked up one more the remainder of the game.
Tioga’s defense allowed 148 rushing yards on 30 carries, but 104 of those yards came on two plays.
“We had to get a little creative after losing Brennan (Sindoni) last week in the middle,” said Aiello.
“We had to go back and look at how our guys were playing, and decided we needed to come up with something to make them play faster,” he noted. “We felt they were thinking a little too much out there.
“We had five days to rep, so hopefully they’re starting to settle in a little on defense,” Aiello added.
On the flip side, Tioga ran for 312 yards on 46 carries, led by senior Jake Browne, who had 157 yards and two TDs on 23 carries.
“We didn’t run a whole lot of our plays. We kind of stuck to a couple that we thought were there,” said Aiello. “As long as we were moving the ball, we stuck with them.
“We executed quite a few things we worked on this week, and that was nice to see,” he added.
Duncanson, who rushed for 59 yards on eight carries, completed 7 of 13 passes for 66 yards, and one TD.
“We threw it pretty well … that’s something else we’ve been working on,” said Aiello.
“These guys are still young … there are times when we have four sophomores and a bunch of juniors out there at our skill positions,” Aiello noted.
“At the varsity level, it’s a different game, it’s a different speed, and you’re facing different schemes.
“You can’t just line up and play anymore, so I think it’s taken a little while to get that into the game,” added Aiello. “Guys seem to be picking up on some of the little things you need to do in the pass game.”
After Newark Valley forced a quick Tioga punt, the Tigers returned the favor, and forced the Cardinals to punt into a stiff breeze early in the second quarter.
The resulting punt went 7 yards, and Tioga took over at the NV 32.
Senior Shea Bailey ripped off a 21-yard run on the Tigers’ first play, and two plays later, Browne scored on an 8-yard run to make it 13-7 with 10:29 remaining in the half.
After another NV 3-and-out, the Tigers took over at the Cardinal 44.
Tioga needed 11 plays, including an 11-yard pass to junior Kadin Cole, and a 9-yard run by Duncanson on fourth-and-5.
Browne capped the drive with a 15-yard TD run to make it 19-7 with 2:04 remaining in the half.
The Cardinals made it interesting on the first play of the second half when Jackson Hoover busted loose on a QB sneak for a 68-yard TD run. Benjamin’s kick closed the gap to 19-14 with 11:43 remaining in the third quarter.
On the ensuing possession, Tioga ripped off eight running play that moved the ball from the Tiger 32 to the NV 2, but a pair of penalties — the first nullifying a TD run by Browne — put Tioga in a first-and-goal hole at the 17.
The Tigers turned the ball over on downs at the NV 12.
After an exchange of punts, Newark Valley turned the ball over on down at its 45 with 13 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Two plays later, Tioga fumbled the ball away at the NV 18.
Tioga got the ball back quickly after an NV 3-and-out, but fumbled it away again at the Cardinal 16.
Another 3-and-out saw the Cardinals punting from their own end zone, Tioga took over at the NV 33.
Six plays later, Bailey scored on a 3-yard run with 4:30 remaining in the game. Miller’s PAT kick made it 26-14.
The Tigers put the game away on the first play of NV’s next possession when Browne, at middle linebacker, stepped in front of a Hoover pass at the Cardinal 40 and raced untouched into the end zone to make it 32-14.
Platukis ran for 37 yards on seven carries, while Streeter had 35 yards on four carries, and Bailey added 24 yards and one TD on four carries.
Cole led Tioga with three receptions 21 yards, while Palmer had two catches for 21 yards, and one TD, Nichols had one catch for 21 yards, and junior Gavin Albrecht had one grab for 13 yards.
Rhodes led Newark Valley with 80 yards and one TD on 13 carries, and Hoover added 58 yards and one TD on seven carries.
Hoover completed 2 of 5 passes for 5 yards, with Gabe Merrill hauling in both receptions.
Tioga, now 4-2, hosts Waverly, ranked No. 1 in Class C, next Saturday night at Haggerty Field.
“As our schedule is unfolding and you’re seeing who we’re playing, we have a pretty rugged schedule,” said Aiello. “Waverly is our last real test against a bigger school, and they are what they are — they’re frickin’ good.
“There are mismatches all over the place for us, especially being banged up.
“What it comes down is coming out and representing our program,” noted Aiello. “I don’t think we did that at Chenango Forks; that’s going to be the message next week.
“I don’t know if we can beat them, but I do know if we don’t play well, we don’t have any chance at all,” added Aiello. “We have to come out and represent our program, and play our brand of football, which is tough and physical against a very, very good Waverly team.”
————————
IN PHOTO 1: Tioga’s Jake Browne. IN TOP PHOTO:Tioga’s Lukas Nichols. … PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.
Print Friendly Version
