SECTION IV FOOTBALL: DELHI EDGES TIOGA, 22-21, IN OVERTIME; SNAPS TIGERS' SIX-YEAR RUN AT TOP OF CLASS D (24 PHOTOS) (2024-11-15)
By TIM BIRNEYValley Sports ReportJOHNSON CITY — Ian Johnson's run for a two-point conversion in overtime erased Tioga's epic comeback, and lifted Delhi to a 22-21 win here Saturday night in the Section IV, Class D championship game.
"I think getting here with all the injuries we had, and the schedule we faced was an accomplishment," said Tioga coach Nick Aiello.
"I'm proud of my coaching staff, they've put in a lot of time and effort.
"I'm proud of my players for sticking with it, even the younger guys," noted Aiello. "We had to fold the JV team because of injuries, but the young guys were at every single practice.
"It was a total program effort for us, and that's why even though it was a tough year for us, we were able to play in the Section championship game, and we were on play away from winning it," added Aiello.
The loss snaps Tioga's six-year run of Class D titles, and it's three-year run as state champs.
Delhi coach Phil Newman, whose team lost this game to Tioga in each of the last two years, directed the Bulldogs to their first Section IV title since 2006.
"It feels good," he said. "Anytime you can beat a three-time defending state champ, it's a big win.
"They are so well-coached, and they're so big up front — a lot bigger than us, but our kids have heart, and toughness.
"The kids give 110 percent every play," added Newman. "We may not win every play, but we're going to win the next one; that's been our mantra all season."
After the Tigers had a TD nullified on the first possession of the game, Delhi dominated the remainder of the first half, and led 14-0 at the intermission.
"I thought we were playing good defense," said Aiello. "I actually felt good being down just 14-0 at the half, it seemed like they had the ball the entire first half."
The Tigers had 65 yards on its first possession, but after senior Lukas Nichols' scramble for a 15-yard TD on fourth down was waived off by an illegal procedure call, they turned the ball over on downs. Their next three possessions ended in punts.
"We weren't getting off the ball in the first half, and that was the talk at halftime," said Aiello. "It wasn't a rah-rah thing, we showed them the play, showed them who stopping it, and told them we needed to get on blocks.
"It was just one of those games, it was a tale of two halves," added Aiello. "We played well in the second half, but you have to play for four quarters in these types of games."
The Bulldogs scored a pair of TDs in the second quarter — the first on a 39-yard pass from Zach Cornell to Johnson with 7:34 remaining, and the second on a 6-yard run by Adam Cook with 2:51 left.
Looking for the knockout punch, Delhi moved the ball to the Tioga 36 on its opening possession of the second half, but an errant pitch hit the ground, and Tioga senior lineman Garrett Godfrey pounced on the loose ball to the end the threat.
Four plays later, Tioga turned the ball over on downs at its 48.
The Bulldogs picked up a quick first down, but penalties soon put them in a third-and-25 predicament. After a 21-yard pass from Cornell to Luke Neal's gave them a manageable fourth-and-4, Tioga senior Tate MaCauley pressured Cornell into an incompletion and a turnover on downs.
"I probably should have done a better job with the clock, and run the clock a little more in the third quarter," said Newman. "I probably went to the pass a little too soon.
"I told the kids at half, let's put together a long drive, and scored to go up 21-0, and their heads will start going down.
"We moved it past midfield, but fumbled. We got a stop, and penalties stalled our next drive," added Newman.
Tioga took over at its 32, and on its second play, junior Gage Hopkins ripped off a 45-yard run to the Delhi 33.
Two plays later, sophomore Shane Platukis went off the left side, and bolted 24 yards for a score with 1:06 remaining in the third quarter. Junior James Miller's PAT kick closed the gap to 14-7.
After the ensuing kickoff rolled out-of-bounds, Delhi picked up a pair of first downs to the Tioga 43, but a holding call stalled the drive, and Bulldogs downed their punt at the Tioga 19.
On the first play, Platukis broke loose off the left side of the offensive line, picked up a block down field from junior Gavin Albrecht, and raced 81 yards to paydirt with 7:52 left in the game. Miller's PAT kick tied the game at 14-14.
Delhi began the ensuing possession at its own 29 after a shoestring tackle by Tioga junior Logan Bellis, and moved the ball to the Tiger 36 on nine consecutive run plays.
Back-to-back penalties left Delhi in a 3rd-and-26 hole, but a defensive holding call against the Tigers made it 3rd-and-16.
A 10-yard pass from Cornell to Rocco Schnable gave the Bulldogs a manageable fourth-and-6, but a dropped pass gave the Tigers the ball at their 36 with 2:00 left in regulation.
Tioga picked up a pair of first downs, but time expired with the Tigers at the Bulldog 32.
Delhi won the toss to start overtime, and Tioga took possession of the ball at the Delhi 20.
The Tigers took the lead on runs of 6 and 14 yards by Platukis. Miller's kick made it 21-14.
Delhi began its overtime possession with back-to-back incompletions, but an 8-yard run by Cook, and a 2-yard run by Johnson gave the Bulldogs first-and-goal at the 10.
Three plays later, Cook bulled in from the 1 to trim the deficit to 21-20.
After an offsides call against the Tigers on the conversion moved the ball inside the 2, Johnson scored the conversion for the win.
"(Tioga) was getting the momentum, and maybe wearing us down a little bit.
"I knew we were going for two because I didn't know how long we could hold up against Tioga's size," said Newman.
Aiello said the Tigers played better up front in the second half.
"We found some plays we thought would work, and we were executing.
"Shane (Platukis) stepped in and was able to rip off some long runs," said Aiello. "He's a good running back, but he kind of got out of the mix because he was out for three or four weeks."
Of course, Platukis got his opportunity when senior Jake Browne, who topped 1,500-yard rushing for the season on Tioga's first possession of the game, was injured on the opening possession of the second half.
"That's kind of how the whole year was," said Aiello in reference to Browne's injury.
"I feel bad for Jake (Browne), he was really excited for this game.
"His back has been bothering him since the B-G game ... we've been resting him a ton, he really hasn't practiced much, but he just couldn't go," Aiello.
Delhi had a 323-305 edge in total offense in the game, and had a 67-37 advantage in offensive plays from scrimmage.
Platukis led Tioga with 137 yards and three TDs on eight carries, and Browne added 76 yards on six carries.
Tioga completed just 1 of 7 passes for 10 yards.
Aiello said his senior class will be missed.
"If you look at Tate MaCauley and Garrett Godfrey, they've been with me since their freshman year, and they went on one hell of a ride the last four years.
"Jackson Clark really came on for us his last two years, and really played outstanding," said Aiello.
"Guys like Jake Browne and Lukas Nichols really stepped up this year.
"Not having Shea Bailey and Brennan Sindoni out there with us tonight was tough," noted Aiello.
"At the end of the day, it was really a great ride for most of that senior group," he added.
Aiello also hopes his underclassmen learn a valuable lesson from the loss.
"It's going to sting for a while," he said. "I hope the young understand you just don't walk on the field and win.
"There is so much of the extra stuff that people don't realize," noted Aiello. "If you look at the teams the last three years, they always did the extra stuff — they were in the weight room, they were watching film, they showed up to practice and worked.
"It's not that our young guys didn't do that, but hopefully they understand now how you have to take it to the next level.
"Our seniors, especially the ones who have been part of the success, understood that, and they did a great job of leading this team through everything we've faced this year.
"Getting to this point was really on senior leadership," added Aiello.
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IN PHOTO 1 and TOP PHOTO: Tioga's Shane Platukis. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.
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