By TIM BIRNEYValley Sports Report
NEWARK VALLEY — Longtime Tioga football fans may have had flashbacks to the days of legendary coach Jim Haggerty here Friday night as the Tigers used a punishing ground game to post a 37-14 win over arch-rival Newark Valley in Section IV, Division VII action.
First-year Tioga coach Jake Howland was pleased to see his team execute its game plan. The Tigers scored on all five of its full possessions — the only misfire being the final 35-second possession of the first half.
"It just goes to show you what happens if you put in the work at practice and these guys truly did," he said. "We always tell them you play like you practice and everything they do throughout the week translates in the game, I couldn't be happier for them and more proud of them.
"I like when this happens because they see we're not full of it," noted Howland. "When we tell them the things we do at practice, and then they can see it happen in the game, that feels really good, and it feels good for us coaches. It feels good for them.
The Tigers pounded out 310 yards on the ground, led by seniors Max Stauder and Shane Platukis, who both had 100-yard games, behind their big and physical line.
Tioga's senior QB Jackson Bombard heaped praise on the offensive line.
"That was an awesome performance," he said. "I mean the line was remarkable.
"We needed to come out and make a statement that we have a running game," noted Bombard. "We struggled to run the ball under center, and the big boys came out and they put their cleats in the ground and we just dug it out. We grinded it out.
Stauder led the Tioga ground game with 132 yards and one TD on 19 carries, and Platukis had a breakout game and punched would-be tacklers with 120 yards and two TDs on 13 carries.
Bombard also lauded Platukis' performance.
"The coaches really worked really hard with him this week, and he finally stepped up, and he broke out," said Bombard. "He played awesome.
Howland and Bombard were both pleased to win at Newark Valley, a place that has perennially given the Tigers fits.
"It's a lot of fun playing these guys," said Howland. "No matter the year, no matter the team that they have or we have, it's always scrappy.
"I've said it before, their coaches, it's an amazing staff," he noted. "They're always ready for us, and they were again tonight, but we just out-executed them.
"It's always a hard game, especially coming into Newark Valley," said Bombard. "They're super well-coached, I respect every player on their team.
"It's always fun to come in here," he noted. "We know it's going to be a four-quarter game, and it's going to be a dog fight.
Newark Valley opened the game with the ball, but the Tioga defense forced a punt after three plays.
Tioga took over at its 21 following a Cardinal punt, and put together a 13-play scoring drive, overcoming a holding call in the process, to take the early lead.
Stauder had 36 yard on five carries, and Platukis added 27 yards on three carries during the possession.
Bombard completed his only pass attempt in the drive, an 11-yard toss to junior Josh Rought.
Bombard capped the 6 1/2-minute drive with a 3-yard TD run, then booted the extra point to make it 7-0 with 3:55 left in the first quarter.
After another three-and-out by the Cardinals, Tioga marched 87 yards on nine plays in a drive that bridged the first two quarters.
The Tigers benefited from a roughing-the-quarterback call early in the drive, and moved the ball to midfield on a 14-yard run by Platukis.
Three plays later, Bombard scampered for 13 yards to the NV 27, then Platukis finished off the drive with runs of 18 and 9 yards with 9:37 remaining in the half. Bombard's PAT kick made it 14-0.
The Cardinals picked up their initial first down of the game on their next possession, but junior Brendan Clark intercepted a Nolan Dougherty pass at the Tioga 49.
The Tigers needed just seven plays to add to their lead.
On third-and-13 at the NV 42, Bombard connected with a 14-yard pass to freshman Carson LaBour. Two plays later, Platukis barreled 12 yards to the Cardinal 13 to set up Bombard's 13-yard TD run with 3:48 remaining in the half. Bombard's PAT kick made it 21-0.
Newark Valley answered with a nine-play, 57-yard scoring drive, capped by Dougherty's 2-yard TD run with 35 seconds remaining in the half to close the gap to 21-6.
After the ensuing kickoff sailed into the end zone, Tioga took over at its 20, and Bombard with a 13-yard pass to freshman Jonah Palmer, and passes of 15 and 12 yards to LaBour quickly moved the ball across midfield, but the Tigers ran out of time.
Tioga started the second half in the same fashion it played the first half, with a 12-play — 11 runs, 62-yard drive to paydirt.
Platukis had five carries for 32 yards, including a 3-yard TD run with 6:09 left in the third quarter, and Stauder had 27 yards on five carries.
Bombard's pass to LaBour for the conversion made it 29-7.
Newark Valley answered with another scoring drive — nine plays for 60 yards, capped by Dougherty's 1-yard TD run with 46 seconds left in the third quarter. Josh Benjamin's run for conversion closed the gap to 29-14.
Tioga coughed up the ball on the ensuing kickoff, and the Cardinals recovered at the Tigers 31.
The Tioga defense stepped up and held on fourth-and-8 to get the ball back at its 26.
Howland acknowledged the defensive stop was crucial to staying control of the game.
"Again, with the little things, kind of the bend, but don't break mentality, keeping your composure, keeping cool heads, and you can see what happens," said Howland.
The Tigers took possession and drove 74 yards on nine plays to extend their lead.
Bombard started the drive with an 11-yard run, and Platukis added an 8-yard run, but it was Stauder who did the rest of the damage with five carries for 56 yards, including a 14-yard TD run with 6:55 remaining in the game.
Bombard's pass to Palmer for the conversion provided the final margin.
Bombard completed 6 of 12 passed for 77 yards, with LaBour hauling in three for 41 yards, Palmer two for 25 yards, and Rought one for 11 yards.
Bombard also ran for 43 yards and two TDs on six carries, and senior Caden Bradley added 16 yards on five carries.
Tioga, now 3-2, plays at Schuyler next Saturday, and hosts Groton Oct. 16 in key divisional games.
"We've been watching a lot of film on them already. We've got a couple games on them," said Howland. "We do look forward to and the guys understand the challenges ahead of them.
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IN PHOTO 1: Tioga's Max Stauder. IN TOP PHOTO: Tioga's Shane Platukis. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.
