Game 1 - 2010 Chenango Forks Varsity Football

Game 1 vs Windsor
Blue Devils roll Windsor 53-16!
Win is thirteenth straight season opening victory!
53-16

Forks overcomes early hiccup to romp

Blue Devils win 13th straight opener

By Kevin Stevens
Press & Sun-Bulletin

TOWN OF CHENANGO -- It took one series of nothingness for Chenango Forks' offensive unit to warm to the occasion Saturday. Thereafter, it was lights out on Windsor's Black Knights.

The Blue Devils struck for five first-half touchdowns -- four in a second-quarter span of just over eight minutes -- and rolled to a 53-16 victory for the program's 13th consecutive success to open a football season.

The entirety of Forks' 310 yards of offense was produced via the rush, and the ball carriers' 8.4-per tote average was a testament to that group's wealth of talent as well as one fine showing across the line.

Defensively, Forks permitted 2 net yards of offense in the first half, which concluded with the hosts in front by 35-0 and Windsor fairly well stunned by what had just transpired.

All in all, the boys in blue sure did look like a group that might better clear the November calendar for another extended season.

Five Forks players scored touchdowns, with Jimmy Miller and Ethan Cook accounting for two apiece. Not that sophomore reserve Cook is about to crack the first unit on this squad, but those 42 yards worth of zigzagging final-quarter TD certainly did grab the attention of his teammates as well as all remaining in attendance.

Just who were those imposters who took the field for Forks' opening possession is uncertain. But a first-down false start, followed by three plays for minus-1 yard and a punt was found nowhere on the pre-game blueprint.

"It was kid of funny. As we came out, we talked about nerves and making sure we were focused, that we have to have a good start," Forks coach David Hogan said. "That first series was a disaster.

"But right after that, we got it together in a hurry and things started rolling for us."

The lone first-quarter touchdown came courtesy of a 3-yard run by Ryan Lusht, who crossed the goal line standing and with barely a Windsor glove making contact en route.

Windsor gained its initial first down on the second play of the second quarter, only to lose possession of the football two plays later on a fantastic lunging interception by Forks' Phil Hardy at the Black Knights' 32-yard line.

From that point, four of the Devils' next 10 plays would be touchdowns. It was nothing fancy, mind you, rather a perfectly workmanlike 9.2-yard average gain through that 10-play segment.

Lusht took the first play following Hardy's interception 16 yards, and an ensuing penalty for a horse-collar tackle advanced the ball to the 8. Miller then accepted a toss to his left and cut sharply upfield for a score and a 13-0 lead.

Next came a stretch of Windsor stuck in neutral and Forks stomping on the accelerator.

A Black Knights' punt of 21 yards set up the Devils 25 yards from points, and fullback Lukas Aston covered the final 9 on a powerful carry through the middle. Tyler Lusht tacked on a two-point run and it was 21-0 with 6:36 left in the half.

Forks' next possession began at Windsor's 33 following an incomplete fourth-down pass. Quarterback Casey LaNave kept for 24 yards on first down, and two plays later carried in from the 4.

The last TD of the half was a 6-yard rush by Aston that came two plays after Eric Singh smacked Windsor quarterback Lukas Van Zandt and created a fumble that the Devils recovered at the Black Knights' 10.

A check of the arithmetic reveals per-minute gains of 7.5 yards and 1.5 points for Forks before halftime.

"We believe there's all kinds of potential," Hogan said of Forks' offense. "We just talked about how it was a great start but that we want to get better. I think we can get better."

Asked what impressed him most of the defense, Hogan replied, "So many things, and I think it might be even more after we see the film.

"It's a team effort. With our 50 defense, we depend on a lot of people, depend on our reads and our keys. Boy, I think we played well up front, I think we played well at linebacker and I guess I could keep going."

Windsor was led by 76 yards rushing from Garret Gaeta and 75 from Marino Hogan-- son of Black Knights coach Tim, and nephew of Forks boss David.

Ahead for the Blue Devils is a home game Saturday against Norwich, and presumably tougher sledding offensively. The Purple Tornado opened Friday with a 6-0 victory over Whitney Point.