RLM Sports High School Football

Syracuse, NY- All hail the Maine Endwell Spartans, Class B State Champs. Tested early, Maine Endwell broke open a close game in the second half to roll to it's second straight NYS high school football title, this time in Class B, beating Glens Falls 42-12. Quarterback Kyle Gallagher was named the game's MVP, leading the team with 2 running touchdowns and handing off to Justin Jacoby (3 td's)and Luis Uceda (1 td). Jacoby and Jake Haddock took home Awards as MVP Offensive Back and Lineman respectively  while David Zielewicz was named the game's MVP as Defensive Lineman. Last season the Spartans claimed the Class A crown. It's the third State title for M-E, it's first recorded in 2004.

Corning NY- You may call it an upset, but don't say it too loud around the Elmira football train. Cliche or not, the Express "stopped" in Corning Friday night enroute to it's anticipated goal, a chance to play for Section 4 Gold. After forty eight minutes of dominating every facet of the game, punched their own ticket for the Title game with a convincing 45-25 win over the Hawks. Kevin Snyder got things started with a 19 yard run and 2 point coversion six minutes into the game. Following a 25 yard field goal by Corning's JM Tokar, Snyder answered one minute later in the second quarter with his second TD and conversion to make it 16-3 Elmira. From that point it was all Express...a 90 yard  interception by Rasean Brooks, a Josh Goetz pass to Jerry McPeak, his first of 2 scores, and a 41 yard sideline trek to paydirt. Elmira dominated on the ground with McPeak and Eric Williams gathering the most real estate. Corning did make an effort late in the game, trailing 45-9 with five minutes left  as QB Connor Jacobs found Jordan Crusha and Trent Ray in the open for scores, but, by then, it was too late. Corning finishes the season 6-3 while Elmira improves 5-4 and will meet Binghamton, a 62-8 winner over Ithaca,  Saturday November 3 for the AA Championship.

Week # 8 proved to be exciting for two of three home teams and 1 visiting squad followed by RLM Sports. The marque game of the week had to be the showdown of two unbeaten-NYS-ranked teams, #1 Maine Endwell in Class B and the #6 Class A Union Endicott. Over four thousand fans packed the Spartan football complex for a much anticipated meeting of nearby communities. M-E set the tone early as Nick Sorrenti and Justin Jacoby each scored twice, carrying their lead into the fourth quarter before allowing a Tiger TD enroute to a 28-7 victory. That win extended M-E's streak to 20 straight over several seasons.

Elsewhere, Jerry McPeak rattled off 4 long runs, including a 72 yard jaunt, as the Elmira Express punished Susquehanna Valley 51-20.

Rounding out local play, the Corning Hawks hit the road for a neighborhood visit to Horseheads looking to get back into the win column following last week's loss to Union-Endicott. The Defense for both teams was more than ready as fans witnessed a scoreless first quarter and eight minutes into the second. Horseheads scored first, a 9 yard pass from Trevor Dickinson to Bailey Bourgeois to make it 6-0 Raiders. Meanwhile, Hawks QB Connor Jacobs would launch the first of three strikes, the first 2 with 43 seconds remaining in the first half to give Corning the lead . Both teams scored twice in the second half, but it was Corning that left the contest with a hard fought 28-18 win.

Ithaca, NY - Corning built a 31-0 halftime lead and rolled to a 38-12 win over Ithaca High School Friday evening at Joe Moresco Field. Zack Bush opened the scoring with a 10-yard run three minutes into the game; Ithaca's Jaedon Henderson fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and Ty Timmerman picked up the ball and ran it in for a touchdown just 11 seconds after its previous score. With 7:14 left in the second quarter, Austin Cates scampered 15 yards for a TD, putting the Hawks up 21-0. A mere 33 seconds later, Trentton Ray intercepted a pass from IHS quarterback Julian Tino and ran it 48 yards for a score. Jon Michael Tokar, who went 5-5 on extra point attempts, drilled a 30-yard field goal in the first half's final minute of play for the 31-0 halftime score. Timmerman's second touchdown on the game was sandwiched around two Ithaca scores for the 38-12 verdict.

Vestal, NY- Junior running back Jerry McPeak single handedly took the controls and ran through the Vestal defense, scoring all 5 Elmira touchdowns enroute to a 32-20 victory. Not since the season opener  has the Express enjoyed the sweet taste of victory. Elmira led 14-0 with a little over 5 minutes left in the first half before Vestal got on the board, thanks to a Zach Cook five yard run to paydirt. With Elmira driving toward the goal with 40 seconds left in the half, Mike Furminger picked off a Josh Goetz pass at the five and raced 95 yards for another Vestal score. The PAT was good and the teams played out the final seconds tied at 14-14. McPeak scored three more times to put the game out of reach, and, despite a 6 yard run by Vestal's Marshall Case with 25 seconds remaining,  Elmira wins 32-20. Elmira will host Ithaca next Saturday in a key division showdown.

Maine Endwell and Union Endicott scored early and often to remain undefeated after three weeks of football in Section IV. Kyle Gallagher and Luis Uceta scored twice followed by five other Spartan team members enroute to a 60-0 win over Owego. M-E will try to make it four in a row this season when it hosts Johnson City next Saturday. Meanwhile, in Endicott, it was showtime as the Davis brothers, Dan and Sammy, jump started the Union Endicott offense with a pair of dazzling moves to the end zone each to help the Tigers stop Horseheads 50-13 and stay unbeaten at 3-0. U-E will take it's perfect record on the road Saturday meeting the Elmira Express. Horseheads, meanwhile, will host Ithaca Saturday in a game that finds both teams seeking elusive first game wins.

Vestal, NY- The last time the Corning Hawks visited Vestal they fell to Binghamton in the Sectional title game. Friday night it was a regular season meeting with the home-standing Vestal Bears. Maybe it was Hoover Stadium jitters, or the thoughts of last year's loss to the Patriots, as the Hawks stumbled early, giving up two fumbles before putting things in order. After a scoreless first quarter, Ty Timmerman crossed the goal to give Corning a 6-0 lead. John Michael Tokar's two point convesion made it 8-0. Before time expired in the half David Smith added another Corning touchdown. Smith came back to frost the cake late in the game with his second score of the game. Vestal fans were treated to an exciting 80 yard jaunt off tackle by Luke Wright midway through the third quarter. The extra point was good, making it 14-7 in Corning's favor. Rain arrived in the fourth quarter to help seal the deal as Vestal was unable to mount a serious threat. Hawks QB Connor Jacobs took a knee to run out the clock giving Corning a 21-7 victory . Corning improves to 3-0 while Vestal drops to 2-1.