This is what everyone has been waiting for since the season started. For the 3rd time in a shade over a year, Troy High met Shaker, this time in Latham, with first place and possibly also the Liberty Division title at stake.
The two meetings last year, one being the Class AA title game, were both in Troy. Perhaps still feeling insulted in some minor way by being designated the road team for the title game at RPI, Troy, as has often been the case this season, drew first blood, as Joey Ward rambled in for a touchdown in the first quarter. Before that period was over, coach Bob "The Builder" Burns reached into his bag of tricks and should've had his Shaker counterpart, Greg Sheeler, reaching for a volume of Santayana's writings. After a holding penalty forced Troy into a 4th & long situation, Ward faked to Dev Holmes, and found Joe Casale behind the defense for a 47 yard TD to make it 14-0 going into the 2nd period.
Speaking of Holmes, in what has seemingly become a regular occurence, the senior receiver returned a punt 75 yards for a score. However, for whatever reason, Burns decided to go for 2, and failed. He was without ace kicker Jordan Audi, who was injured last week vs. Schenectady, and backup QB Michael Fazio handled the kicking duties this week. Good thing, too, considering that he wasn't going to be lining up at QB for a change. Troy was up, 20-0, at halftime.
Needing a spark, Shaker started the 2nd half with a lengthy drive that took up 2/3 of the period before they broke the ice and cut the lead to 20-7. Troy answered right back, and started the final stanza with Casale hitting Holmes in the end zone. However, the 2 point conversion failed, and this was after Troy was pushed back twice due to penalties.
Back came Shaker. Aided by a questionable call on a catch that should've been an interception for Holmes, Bison QB Connor McHugh got the hosts within 26-15 after a TD pass and subsequent 2 point conversion. Unfortunately for Shaker, that would be the end of their scoring.
An attempt at onside kick was foiled by Isaiah Burdette, and Troy took over. More specifically, Joey Ward took over. Ward scored his 2nd rushing TD of the game. Fazio added the extra point, and suddenly, the Flying Horses put the game away, up 33-15. Shaker's next drive ended with McHugh sacked on 4th down by---wait for it---Ward, who added the cherry on top with his 3rd TD with under 2 minutes to go.
Shaker got the ball one final time, but time ran out before the Blue Bison could get within range of the red zone, and Troy moves a step closer to their 2nd straight Liberty Division title with a 40-15 win.
Let's step inside the numbers for a moment. Going in, Shaker had the lowest Points Against Average (PAA) in the league at 7.2 points per game. After getting lit up for 40 by the defending state champs, that average went up to 12.5 points per game. Troy has only given up 65 points in 6 game, or an average of 10.5, so they moved ahead of Shaker in that regard. Ward finished just shy of 200 yards on the ground, and passed 4,000 yards for his career (2 seasons at Bishop Maginn, 2 at Troy).
Shaker closes on the road at Columbia, a team Troy already beat last month. Meanwhile, former Troy star Eric Rouleau comes to town with Colonie next week for the Flying Horses' Senior Night. The Garnet Raiders may have given Troy the blueprint on how to shred the Shaker D. Thanks to injuries in recent weeks, Shaker's once stout defense has allowed 70 points in their last two games, and that doesn't bode well for the Bison with the playoffs to begin in 2 weeks.
As for Troy, now 28-1 overall in nearly 3 full seasons under Bob Burns, there's only one way to describe their dominant performance this season:
Enough said.
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