Three games into the season, Schalmont seems primed to make another long postseason run.
The Sabres ran through, over and around Broadalbin-Perth defenders for 48 minutes Friday night, winning their Class B West Division opener, 60-13. The win left the Sabres 3-0, and looking like they’re serious about a third straight Section II title and clearing the final hurdle after a loss in the 2010 state championship game.
“The goal every year is a state title,” said senior quarterback Niko Nicoletti. “This was a good start, winning the first game in our division.”
Nicoletti has the best view in the house as he watched sophomore Devon Willis and senior Alex Hildebrand both run for around 150 yards and account for five of the Sabres’ seven rushing touchdowns.
“The line did a great job,” said Hildebrand. “We were getting to the second level, which means they were really opening up some holes for us.”
“We came into this game wanting to execute every play. We wanted to run the ball. We did what we had to do,” said Willis, who had 137 yards and three touchdowns to help the Sabres take a 32-0 lead at the half. “I really have to give a lot of credit to the offensive line. Without them, the offense doesn’t work.”
Schalmont scored on all five of its possessions in the first half, and was up, 39-0, after one possession in the third period before turning the ball over the next two times.
No matter. Schalmont added three more TDs, including a 70-yard run by Hildebrand and a 48-yarder by JV callup Kyle Strube. Nicoletti, who threw a pair of TD passes, also contributed a 23-yard scoring run, and was the closest player to Hildebrand on the senior’s long scoring run.
Schalmont had outscored its three opponents by 140-26 as it heads into the heart of its divisional schedule.
“We look at the first two games as our preseason, then the third game is the regular season,” said Schalmont coach Joe Whipple. “We don’t want to lose those two games, but we want to continue to progress.
“We did some good things tonight, but we have a lot to work on. Our goals are set — to win our division and another sectional championship.”
“The first two games, we were working things out. This was the day we had to be ready, the third game,” said Hildebrand. “We played to win the first two games, but we wanted everything to be ready when we started playing teams in our division.”
The biggest scare Whipple had Friday was when Willis twisted his knee when he was dropped for a loss in the third quarter.
“I just tweaked it a little bit, nothing too serious,” said Willis, who had just two carries the rest of the way, a product of both the injury and the score of the game. He now has 11 touchdowns.
“He’s a special kid,” said Whipple, whose team had nearly 600 yards of offense. “Our offense works around what the kids see on the field, how the defense is playing. We’re fortunate to have an athlete like that, and even more fortunate in that he’s only a sophomore.
“He a great kid. He works hard. Even after he hurt his knee, he wanted to get back in there.”
Broadalbin, which fell to 0-3 overall, scored on a 24-yard pass from R.J. Pingitore to Percy Steele and a one-yard run by Nick Coveney.
“We lost to a great football team,” said Jim Pelneau, in his first year as the Patriots’ head coach. “They beat us in every phase of the game.
“My message to the kids is that we’re just 0-1 in our division, and our goal is still to get back to sectionals.”
“They’re tough kids, and a good team,” said Whipple of Broadalbin-Perth. “They played a lot tougher than the score.”
Schalmont 14 18 14 14 — 60
Broad.-Perth 0 0 6 7 — 13
S — Willis 34 run (Zalewski pass from Nicoletti)
S — Hildebrand 20 run (kick failed).
S — Willis 4 run (pass failed).
S — Kalil 22 pass from Nicoletti (Mattick kick).
S — Willis 5 run (pass failed).
S — Higgins 42 pass from Nicoletti (Mattick kick).
BP — Steele 24 pass from Pingitore (pass failed).
S — Nicoletti 23 run ( Mattick kick).
BP — Coveney 1 run (Pingitore kick).
S — Hildebrand 70 run (Mattick kick).
S — Strube 48 run (Mattick kick).
GAZETTE COVERAGE
Ensure access to everything we do, today and every day, check out our subscribe page at DailyGazette.com/SubscribeMore from The Daily Gazette:
Shenendehowa manufactures Game 3 victory, completing comeback over Saratoga Springs for Class AA bas...
Duanesburg falls to Chatham in Section 2 Class C/CC playoff
Three things to know about Game 3 of the Section 2 baseball Class AA championship series
Schuylerville defends Class D boys' lacrosse title, topping Stillwater/Mechanicville
Shenendehowa defeats Saratoga Springs to force Game 3 of Class AA baseball championship series
Categories: High School Sports
