Game 11 - 2005 Chenango Forks Varsity Football

2005 Chenango Forks Varsity Football

Game 11 vs Homer

CF rolls Homer 34-7 to advance to state semis!

26-9 21-7 28-14 52-7 48-7 21-14

47-6 41-14 42-8 25-13 34-7

Articles courtesy of the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin and the Syracuse Post-Standard
Place mouse over photos to read caption & photo credit

Forks' execution flawless

Blue Devils stop Homer in state 'B' quarterfinal

by Kevin Stevens
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin

ENDICOTT _ Domeward-bound, for an astonishing fifth consecutive football season, is Chenango Forks. The record shows 11 victories against zero defeats, and a developing pattern suggests that very, very good is getting much, much better_ with impeccable timing.

Homer became the latest victim, beaten up Friday afternoon 34-7 in a Class B state quarterfinal at Union-Endicott's Ty Cobb Stadium. It was the Trojans' misfortune to bump into a Blue Devils squad playing its most complete football game of the season.

Forks showed a mostly jab-and-move style on its way to a 14-0 halftime lead, then turned to the haymaker _ twice, four offensive snaps apart _ to lock up the program's 37th consecutive victory and a semifinal berth.

All the while, the red hats' defense ruled, unlike it has against a quality opponent previously this autumn.

Chenango Forks' Dylan Rittenburg, right, tries to intercept a pass intended for Homer's Mike Carboine in the second quarter of Friday's state Class B quarterfinal at Ty Cobb Stadium.- DIOGENES AGCAOILI JR. / Press & Sun-Bulletin

Chenango Forks' Dylan Rittenburg, right, tries to intercept a pass intended for Homer's Mike Carboine in the second quarter of Friday's state Class B quarterfinal at Ty Cobb Stadium.- DIOGENES AGCAOILI JR. / Press & Sun-Bulletin

Ahead, at 4 p.m. a week from today in Syracuse's Carrier Dome, the Devils will oppose either Lackawanna or Hornell. Those teams play a semifinal at 4 p.m. Sunday at the University of Rochester.

Tyler Spencer rushed for 126 yards and a touchdown, Joe Nicholson for 123 yards and two more, and the Blue Devils as a whole 52 times for 448 yards. Nary a forward pass was attempted by the winners.

"We just came out full-blast right from the beginning, fired up, and didn't let up on them at all," said Spencer, a 222-pound senior whose 98-yard rush for a third-quarter score made it a lights-out four-TD difference.

"It was very obvious we didn't play our best game of the season, which is what you have to do to beat a Chenango Forks," said Gary Podsiedlik, coach of a Homer squad that finished 9-2.

What had been sensibly billed as a ballgame that might go either way gave way to a 14-0 Forks lead at the midway point, in part due to the Devils' opportunism.

A botched Homer punt attempt _ low snap from center the cause _ set up Forks at the Trojans' 18-yard line midway through the first quarter.

Three plays later, Nicholson rushed in from 8½ yards out for a 6-0 edge.

(Memo to future Forks foes: Gift-wrapped opportunities are no way to dethrone two-time defending state champions.)

The Devils' next possession, which began at Homer's 34-yard line after a punt, ended with failure to convert on fourth-and-6 from Homer's 7-yard line. Quarterback Rick Mirabito was denied a TD when he slipped to the turf at the 4.

But Forks' defense held, forced a punt, and a textbook quick scoring march followed.

Starting from its 28-yard line, Forks picked up 10 yards when Mirabito ducked inside on an option keeper. Spencer then gained 4 yards, and Mirabito went 51 yards on the next play to Homer's 17. Mirabito kept for 4 more, and Jim Nicholson finished for a touchdown courtesy of a stupendous, last-second option pitch from Mirabito, who flicked the ball just before getting smashed by nose guard Elijah Vaber.

Mirabito tacked on the two-point run, lunging across the goal line with hips perpendicular to the ground, and it was 14-0 with 5:55 left in the half.

Then came the second half_ first a staggering blow, then the knockout delivery, with a smooth defensive stand in the interim.

On the first play from scrimmage of the third quarter, Joe Nicholson took a handoff inside, bounced to his right and traveled 71 yards to Homer's 2. On third-and-goal, Nicholson was rewarded with a 1-yard TD rush over the right side. Dylan Warner's PAT kick made it 21-0.

But this was a Homer squad featuring a tailback, Dustin Morris, who had gained more than 1,900 yards through 10 games. Potential, it appeared, was there for a rally.

Homer took its next possession from its 41 to Forks' 10. But on fourth down, Forks' Rick Mirabito and Joe Nicholson put a stop to the progress of Homer's Dustin Morris in the second quarter of Saturday's Class B state quarterfinal at Ty Cobb Stadiumin Endicott. - DIOGENES AGCAOILI JR. / Press & Sun-Bulletin

Forks' Rick Mirabito and Joe Nicholson put a stop to the progress of Homer's Dustin Morris in the second quarter of Saturday's Class B state quarterfinal at Ty Cobb Stadiumin Endicott. - DIOGENES AGCAOILI JR. / Press & Sun-Bulletin

the Devils' Dylan Rittenburg chased Mark Brenchley out of bounds at the 5-yard line, a link-and-a-half of the chain short of first-down yardage.

Forks was backed up to the 2½ by an offside penalty, then called Tight Bone, Fullback Lead Left. Spencer accepted the handoff inside, detected a little something to his left, made his way to the sideline and sprinted 97½ yards for the longest run of his life.

"It was a good feeling," he said. "I saw a hole on the outside, just broke outside and took it," adding that Jim Nicholson's block on the edge cleared what remained of defensive resistance.

Jarred Wells added a 17-yard rush for a score on the opening play of the final quarter, and Homer averted the shutout when Morris ran in from the 7-yard line against Forks' second-unit defense with 3:44 remaining.

Of his team's game-long defensive dominance, Forks coach Kelsey Green said, "Film it, use it as a teaching tool. That's how good we played up front today.

"Defensively, Chick (assistant coach Dave Chickanosky) put a plan together that was just perfect. The kids followed it to a T."

Place mouse over photos to read caption & photo credit

Unbeaten Chenango Forks ends Homer’s season

Saturday, November 12, 2005

By Michael Licker
Contributing writer - Syracuse Post-Standard

Endicott- They wore Mohawk haircuts as a sign of team unity. They believed that just maybe - after enjoying the most successful season in Homer football history - they could be the team to end Chenango Forks' 36-game winning streak.

And why not? Just last week, the Trojans won their first sectional title since 1986. Early on though, it became apparent that Chenango Forks is the defending back-to-back Class B State Champion for a reason.

Just as the Blue Devils have done throughout their now 37-game winning streak, they used a powerful offensive line and a dominant running game to defeat Homer 34-7 Friday in a Class B state quarterfinal game at Ty Cobb Stadium.

With the loss, Homer's season ends at 9-2 while undefeated Chenango Forks advances to the state semifinals next weekend at the Carrier Dome.

"They took advantage of some big plays," said Homer coach Gary Podsiedlik. "We put ourselves in position a couple of times. Giving up big plays really hurt us."

Indeed big plays and a few narrowly missed opportunities doomed the Trojans. Punter Brian McDermott mishandled an early first quarter snap. Though he recovered the fumble, Homer turned the ball over on downs, handing an explosive running attack good field position.

Starting at the Trojans 18-yard-line, Chenango Forks needed just four plays for Joe Nicholson to score from eight yards out.

When the Blue Devils finally made a mistake, a mishandled option at the end of the first half, Homer couldn't convert on the recovered fumble. The Trojans gained possession on the Blue Devils' 39-yard-line, but turned the ball over on downs after four plays.

"We didn't capitalize on their mistakes and turnovers and they capitalized on ours," Podsiedlik said. "They only had one legit drive in the first half. We had taken their punches and done fine."

Even when Chenango Forks scored on its first drive after halftime, Homer responded with a long drive of its own, led by bruising halfback Dustin Morris. After driving from its own 41-yard-line to the Blue Devils' 10, Homer faced a fourth-and-5.

With the loss, Homer's season ends at 9-2 while undefeated Chenango Forks advances to the state semifinals next weekend at the Carrier Dome.

"They took advantage of some big plays," said Homer coach Gary Podsiedlik. "We put ourselves in position a couple of times. Giving up big plays really hurt us."

Indeed big plays and a few narrowly missed opportunities doomed the Trojans. Punter Brian McDermott mishandled an early first quarter snap. Though he recovered the fumble, Homer turned the ball over on downs, handing an explosive running attack good field position.

Starting at the Trojans 18-yard-line, Chenango Forks needed just four plays for Joe Nicholson to score from eight yards out.

When the Blue Devils finally made a mistake, a mishandled option at the end of the first half, Homer couldn't convert on the recovered fumble. The Trojans gained possession on the Blue Devils' 39-yard-line, but turned the ball over on downs after four plays.

"We didn't capitalize on their mistakes and turnovers and they capitalized on ours," Podsiedlik said. "They only had one legit drive in the first half. We had taken their punches and done fine."

Even when Chenango Forks scored on its first drive after halftime, Homer responded with a long drive of its own, led by bruising halfback Dustin Morris. After driving from its own 41-yard-line to the Blue Devils' 10, Homer faced a fourth-and-5.

"With the style of our offense, we try to spread it and distribute the ball to all of our options," Blue Devils coach Kelsey Green said.

Spencer finished with 130 yards on just 10 carries. Nicholson added 117 and two touchdowns on 10 carriers. Nicholson's older brother, Jim, had 53 yards and a touchdown on just five carriers, and Jared Wells tallied 37 yards and a touchdown on six carries.

"We knew our D had to step up," Morris said. "They have big boys up front. We didn't show up like we should've. We have days where no one can run on us."

Despite struggling to find holes at times, Morris still finished with 139 yards on 28 carries, becoming the first Homer player to break the 2,000-yard mark in one season. He also set the school record with his 22nd touchdown of the season.

"That feels good, but there's not a better feeling than winning," Morris said. "Records don't mean as much as wins."

	1	2	3	4		Tot
Chenango Forks	06	08	14	06	-	34
Homer	0	0	0	7	-	7

CF - Joe Nicholson 9 run (kick failed)

CF - Jim Nicholson 13 run (Rick Mirabito run)

CF - Joe Nicholson 1 run (Dylan Warner kick)

CF - Tyler Spencer 97.5 run ((Warner kick)

CF - Jarred Wells 17 run (kick failed)

H - Dustin Morris 7 run (Mike Dugan kick)

TEAM STATISTICS

	Homer	CF
First Downs	10	18
Rushes-Yards	41-173	52-448
Passing Yards	18	0
Comp-Att-Int	3-11-1	0-0-0
Total Offense	52-191	52-448
Punts-Ave yards	5-34.8	2-28.5
Fumbles-Lost	3-0	4-2
Penalties-Yards	4-46	5-37.5

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Homer rushing:

Morris 27-138
Brian McDermott 8-15
Mark Brenchley 3-11
Steve Park 1-6
Zach McMullin 2-3

Chenango Forks rushing:

Spencer 9-126, 1 TD
Joe Nicholson 11-123, 2 TDs
Mirabito 11-66
Jim Nicholson 5-53
Wells 5-42, 1 TD
Alex Sabo 3-13
Dylan Rittenburg 2-11
Justin Allen 1-6
Ray Lord 2-4
Warner 1-3
Tom Miller 1-1
Bryan Lance 1-(-2)

Homer passing

Vincent Seibel 2-for-5, 11 yards, 0 TD, 1 int.
Tristan Hartnett 1-for-5, 7 yards, 0 TD, 0 int.
Brenchley 0-for-1, 0 int.

Chenango Forks passing:

None

Homer receiving:

McDermott 3-18

Chenango Forks receiving:

None

Preview Articles:

Forks digs in for test on ground

RB leads Homer into today's game

by Kevin Stevens
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin

A Homer squad featuring a 1,900-yard tailback will provide the test for Chenango Forks' five-time defending Section 4 champions when the two collide in a Class B state football quarterfinal at 1 this afternoon at Union-Endicott's Ty Cobb Stadium.

No. 22 on the jersey and No. 1 in terms of play-making ability for once-beaten Homer is 5-foot-9, 175-pound senior Dustin Morris, whose 259 carries have gone for an average gain of 7.4 yards and 19 touchdowns. His work is done in concert with 190-pound fullback Brian McDermott and a line that averages about 230 pounds per man-- the tackles 260 and 265, respectively.

Suffice to say, the Blue Devils have some work to do if they are to prolong a streak of six consecutive state-playoff games in which opponents have failed to put a 10th point on the board.

"He's going to get the ball a bunch of times and we've got to tackle him," Forks coach Kelsey Green said. "He gets up to the line of scrimmage, finds a crack, finds a seam and he accelerates. You hit him and he seems to be falling forward."

Homer brings a bit of defense to the field as well. Since a two-point loss at Solvay on Sept. 30, the Trojans have allowed a 32-point total in five games, with two shutouts thrown in. In last week's Section 3 title game, Homer permitted Cazenovia 18 yards of offense for the opening 20 minutes of the second half before its first-unit defense called it a day.

The first obstacle for Homer's players to overcome may be the name on their opponent's jersey, which has come to stand for sustained excellence-- and some have suggested a touchdown-or-so advantage from the outset.

"They've got tremendous tradition," Trojans coach Gary Podsiedlik said. "There are very few low spots back in history with Forks. You can tell it's a community that eats, drinks and sleeps football."

And of the 2005 Devils, he said, "They're so sound in every part of the game. They don't kid around, don't pretend, they just line up and come at you. And their quarterback is a playmaker, such a great athlete."

That QB is Rick Mirabito, whose 703 yards represent Forks' second-best rushing total behind Jim Nicholson's 726. The last Forks opponent to keep Mirabito out of the end zone was Windsor, in a rainy Oct. 8 contest. He has run for seven touchdowns over the last four games.

'Forks' In Homer's Road

Playoff foe owns 36-game win streak

By Neil Kerr

Staff writer - Syracuse Post-Standard
Friday, November 11, 2005

After Homer captured its first sectional football title since 1986 Saturday at the Carrier Dome, you might expect that 16th-year coach Gary Podsiedlik and the Trojans would spend some time this week celebrating.

No way.

When your next opponent is two-time defending state Class B champion Chenango Forks (10-0), the No. 1 state-ranked team which sports a Section IV-record 36-game winning streak, the idea of spending the week celebrating quickly disappears.

No. 9 Homer will take its biggest test of the season at 1 p.m. today when the Trojans square off with the Blue Devils in a state high school quarterfinal playoff game at Union-Endicott High School, near Binghamton,

"We know all about Chenango Forks," said Podsiedlik, who spent little time celebrating the 41-14 victory over Cazenovia for the Section III title. "They're a lot like us, but they've got somewhat more size in the lines than we do. They like to run the ball just like us, and I think their smallest lineman weighs 232 pounds. Our defense will be in for probably its toughest test of the season."

Boasting the state's longest active win streak, coach Kelsey Green's Blue Devils own a 60-2 record since the start of the 2001 season.

To keep its win streak intact, the Blue Devils will again rely heavily up their potent rushing attack, which starts with quarterback Rick Mirabito and halfback Jim Nicholson. Both those seniors have rushed for just over 700 yards this fall. Mirabito, who will occasionally throw the ball when opposing defenses start crowding the line of scrimmage, is also a talented lacrosse player who is likely to play that sport at Georgetown University next year.

What makes the Chenango Forks offense so difficult to stop is their college-sized set of linemen. That line features the blocking of all-state tackle Matt Faughnan (6-foot-3, 301 pounds), junior guard Josh Cary (6-5, 288) and senior tackle Josh Preston (6-0, 287).

The Blue Devils' defense, led by the tackling of Faughnan and Cary plus linebacker Jared Wells and end Joe Nicholson, is nearly as powerful as the Forks' offensive attack.

"We've struggled a bit this year to keep the streak going," Green said. "We've been behind in a few of our games."

If Homer is to end the Forks winning streak, the Trojans will need their best game of the season. To spring the upset, another strong outing will be needed from Homer's all-time, one-season rushing leader, 5-foot-9, 175-pound senior Dustin Morris. With 192 yards against Cazenovia at the Carrier Dome, Morris boosted his school record totals to 256 carries for a Section III-leading 1,925 yards.

"Morris worries us," Green said. "I saw him play against Cazenovia in the Dome. He looks very durable and he looks capable of breaking a long run on almost every play."

Offensively, Homer also relies heavily upon the powerful blocking and rushing furnished by fullback Brian McDermott, the passing of quarterback Vince Seibel, and the receiving of Mark Brenchley.

It has been a season on the move for Homer, which played three regular-season home games at nearby Cortland State while synthetic turf was installed at its home field. Nearly 2,000 spectators looked on with delight Oct. 21 as Homer played its first game on the new turf, pounding Holland Patent 44-6 to open sectional tourney play.

Post-game Article:

Fifth Quarter:     Published on Tuesdays

Staff reports
Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin

Forks preps for big-time running back

Blue Devils' defense thrives on challenge

It has become an annual rite of November: The latest in a long line of Chenango Forks' state-playoff opponents features yet another running back with a huge pile of statistics for the Blue Devils' coaches to fret about.

In Friday's Class B state football quarterfinal, that back was Homer's Dustin Morris, who took to Union-Endicott's Ty Cobb Stadium one decent outing shy of a 2,000-yard rushing season.

But when it was over, Forks had a 34-7 victory that extended to 37 games its win streak, and Morris had been handled magnificently by Blue Devils defenders.

A 5-foot-9, 175-pound senior, Morris closed with 138 rushing yards to indeed move past the 2,000-yard mark. But against Forks' first-unit defense, his 22 carries went for an average gain of merely 3.2 yards, and he did not cross the goal line.

"He was a great runner, but we worked hard in practice to key him," said Forks tackle Josh Cary, a 288-pound junior. "Our linebackers and backs, behind a line that got a good push up front ... We were able to contain him."

"Our prep teams have done a great job of doing (Homer's) plays and all that stuff," said senior Tyler Spencer, another member of that defensive front. "(Morris) is a very tough kid, a very good football player. I give a lot of credit to the preppies this week, all the starters will say that."

Against Forks' starters, Morris was limited to one gain of double-digit yardage, that a 10-yarder from the Trojans' 18-yard line in a second-quarter drive that stalled at their 37.

Spencer, in particular, caught the eye of Homer coach Gary Podsiedlik.

"We didn't do a good job of handling their nose guard up front, I really like that boy. No. 32, he played his butt off," Podsiedlik said.

Next up for Chenango Forks is a semifinal against Section 5 champion Hornell (10-1), which has gone 70-15 since the start of the 1998 season. And, yes, the Red Raiders will feature another one of those ballyhooed backs. David Zapata (5-8, 170) has rushed 240 times this season for a single-season school-record 2,015 yards.