GUILDERLAND CENTER — Christian Brothers Academy quarterback Donald Jones added to his impressive high school resume Friday night, leading the Brothers to a convincing 21-0 win over Shenendehowa to claim a second straight Section II Class AA football title.
Jones ran for 184 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries, and the Brothers added two more scores through the air for the win at Guilderland High School.
“Coach [Bobby Burns] breaks down defenses really well for us and his game plan got us the win last week,” Jones said. “Everyone came through tonight, the defense, the special teams to get this.”
Earlier this season Jones torched Shenendehowa for 258 yards on 23 carries and threw for 150 yards in a 41-25 win. Friday night started as a successful sequel for the Brothers.
Jones ran the ball four times for 51 yards before Jahmir Pitcher threw a short toss over the Shenendehowa line and in front of the secondary to Jake Marra, who ran 25 yards for the score.
After a Plainsmen three-and-out, Jones ran the ball seven times, testing out four different gaps in the line, and around the end, before hitting Pitcher for a 15-yard gain. Next up was another short toss over the top to junior varsity call-up Donnie Brundige for an 18-yard score with less than a minute left in the first quarter.
Jones called his own number in the closing seconds of the first half, scoring from two yards out and securing the 21-0 halftime lead.
“We made some big plays when we needed to so I’m happy for my kids,” CBA head coach Bobby Burns said.
CBA advanced to its second straight Section II Class AA title game under Burns after a 10-0 win against Saratoga Springs, a win that he said could have been more complete.
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“They’re a good team, they’ve got some players,” Burns said. “I thought our game plan was really good and our kids executed. I just challenged them to play hard — make a choice. How bad do you want to win and then at the end of the day, you can look back and if you busted your hump for 48 minutes, then good things happen.”
Shenendehowa managed a long drive to open the second half, but that ended with a tackle for a loss on a fourth down.
Shenendehowa’s fans got to their feet late in the fourth quarter when Henry Picard appeared to put the Plainsmen on the board with a 69-yard touchdown run in front of the Shenendehowa sideline, but the play was called back for a block in the back. The next four pass plays from the CBA 40-yard line fell incomplete.
For Burns, it was his fourth Class AA title as a coach, and the second time he’s done won titles in back-to-back years. He led Troy to the 2016 and 2017 titles, and has led CBA to the top in each of his first two seasons with the Brothers.
“I’ve been fortunate to win a few of them but it’s always great to see how some of the kids react that have never done this before,” Burns said at midfield as his players celebrated. “That’s the special part. You know this stuff that’s going on here and the bus ride home will be eventful too. I’m proud of my kids, proud of my coaching staff. They work so hard. It’s just it’s just nice to cap it off.”
CBA will host the Section V runner-up Friday, Nov. 18 at Guilderland in the East Regional.
Shenendehowa 0 0 0 0 — 0
CBA 14 7 0 0 — 0
CBA — Marra 18 pass from Pitcher (Leto kick)
CBA — Brundidge 18 pass from Jones (Leto kick)
CBA — Jones 2 run (Leto kick)
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CLASS C
In its first season as a merged program, Warrensburg/Lake George/North Warren brought home a Section II championship as the Wolverines defeated defending champion Schuylerville, 20-7, in the Class C Super Bowl at Lansingburgh High School.
Schuylerville (8-3) took the early lead on a first-quarter touchdown run by Lukas Sherman, but Tristen Hitchcock’s touchdown run got Warrensburg/Lake George/North Warren (11-0) within 7-6 at halftime. Hitchcock’s second touchdown of the day and Brody McCabe’s 2-point conversion made it 14-7 midway through the third quarter, and Landon Olden added a late insurance touchdown in the fourth.
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