Saturday, the Blue Devils again came back to put 22 second-half points on the board but could not overcome a 27-point halftime deficit as Frankfort-Schuyler held on for a 34-22 Center State Conference Class D victory Saturday afternoon at Bill Bynon Field at Dolgeville High School.
“That was hard to start but we refocused and reenergized,” Dolgeville coach Dan Zilkowski said. “I can’t take anything away from the kids in the second half. They came out and never gave up. They [Frankfort-Schuyler] stopped us on the 1-yard line as time expired. I will give my kids credit and we need to keep getting better every day both defensive and offensively and figure out a way not to be playing from behind. That is three games in a row that we have been playing from behind.”
The Maroon Knights used big plays to open Saturday’s game and quickly put Dolgeville in a 13-0 hole at –
Jeffrey DeSarro and Tyler Rosetti scored on touchdown runs of six and seven yards respectively to put Frankfort-Schuyler up 13-0 at the end of the opening quarter.
The Blue Devils put together a drive at the end of the first quarter moving the ball from their 33-yard line to the Frankfort-Skyler 41 before the Maroon Knights forced and recovered a fumble on their 42 yard line.
Just over a minute into the second quarter DeSarro hit Michael DeRollo with a 26-yard touchdown pass and Nicholas Maneen ran the 2-point conversion in for a 21-0 advantage.
The Knight’s defense held on the Blue Devils drive and with the help of a pass interference call, cashed in with a 2-yard run from Rosati to build a 27-0 halftime lead.
“We didn’t get moving early and they had some big plays,” Zilkowski said. “The hook-and-ladder caught us, and I will give them that. It was a big gain that got them down into scoring territory and then the pass where he tipped it to himself. I don’t know how he caught that but those were big plays. We needed to avoid the big play and we didn’t.”
Dolgeville opened the third quarter on a positive note.
Starting on their 45, the Blue Devils used the combined running attack of Connor Morse and Kyle Getman to drive to the Frankfort three before Morse took the ball the final three yards and Getman ran the 2-point conversion in to cut the lead to 27-8.
The Knights opened the fourth quarter with a 24-yard touchdown strike that was called off for an ineligible receiver downfield. After the penalty, the Dolgeville defense stepped up to stop the Knights and took over on the Dolgeville 16.
The Blue Devils used a reverse with quarterback Greg Gonyea Jr. handing off to Getman who in turn handed the ball to Morse to carry for a 22-yard gain. Five plays later Morse sprinted into the end zone from 23-yards out and ran the ball in for the 2-point conversion and cut the Frankfort-Schuyler lead to 27-16.
The Maroon Knights covered an on-side kick attempt by Dolgeville but could not capitalize on the short field and punted the ball away.
Dolgeville started the drive on its 10 but Frankfort-Schuyler again forced a fumble that Alex Vohid recovered for the Maroon Knights at the Dolgeville 14.
After a 2-yard gain by Maneen, the Blue Devils appeared to stop Rosati for a loss, but the senior running back broke away from the tackle and ran nine yards into the end zone for the touchdown. Dmitry Skorina kicked the extra point for a 34-22 lead.
The Blue Devils went back to work and with Ashton Kluge breaking away for a 50-yard run to set up a 22-yard pass from Gonyea to Jason Potts to put the ball on the 2-yard line. Getman dove into the end zone for the touchdown but Dolgeville could not collect the extra point and trailed 34-22 with 45.3 seconds left to play.
This time the Blue Devils on-side kick attempt was successful as Tyler Scheuyerman recovered the ball on the 30 yard line.
Dolgeville moved the ball deep into Frankfort-Schuyler territory but could not put another score on the board as the Maroon Knights brought Getman down a yard short of the goal line on the final play of the game to secure the 34-22 victory.
Getman finished with 123 rushing yards and a touchdown on 17 attempts, while Morse finished with 106 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 19 attempts to go with three catches for 40 yards and Kluge added 49 yards on three rushing attempts.
Rosati led the Frankfort-Schuyler offense with 144 rushing yards and three touchdowns and 54 receiving yards on three catches. DeSarro was 6-for-7 passing for 113 yards and a touchdown to go with 36 yards rushing and a touchdown.
Dolgeville (2-1) will take to the road Saturday to play Waterville.
“We have got to get better out of the gate. That is our hold up right now,” Zilkowski said. “It is a tough loss, but we will take a look at it, reenergize and hopefully use it as motivation if we meet them again down the line. I don’t know who can touch them [Frankfort-Schuyler] now, they are too good in skilled positions.”
Frankfort-Schuyler 34, Dolgeville 22
Frankfort-Schuyler 13 14 0 7 — 34
Dolgeville 0 0 8 14 — 22
First quarter
FS – Jeffrey DeSarro 6 run (pass failed)
FS – Tyler Rosati, 7 run (Dmitry Skorina kick).
Second quarter
FS – Michael DeRollo 26 pass from DeSarro (Nicholas Maneen run).
FS – Rosati 2 run (pass failed).
Third quarter
D – Connor Morse 23 run (Kyle Getman run).
Fourth quarter
D – Morse 23 run (Morse run).
FS – Rosati 8 run (Skorina kick).
D – Getman 2 run (run failed)
Saturday
Class B
Hudson Falls 32, Johnstown 22
HUDSON FALLS — The Hudson Falls Tigers rallied for a pair of late fourth-quarter touchdowns to defeat Johnstown Saturday afternoon at Hudson Falls High School.
Arek Hall punched in a 1-yard run to put the Tigers ahead 26-22 late in the game before sealing the victory with a 38-yard interception return.
Johnstown quarterback Caden Mureness threw for 212 yards in a 13-for-36 passing performance and ran for 48 yards and a touchdown.
Chase Benton rushed for 64 yards with touchdown runs of 19 and 14 yards and had two catches for 22 yards. Noach Massey grabbed four catches for 110 yards for the Sir Bills, while Dawson Sanges gained 82 yards with eight catches.
On defense, Benton had 14 tackles, while Massey had nine tackles and an interception to go with nine tackles for Jack Stramezzi. Ethan Warner and Malik Holston had seven tackles apiece and Sanges added an interception.
Johnstown (1-2) returns to action Friday night for a Class B North game against conference rival Broadalbin-Perth (1-2) at 7 p.m. under the lights at Knox Field.
Hudson Falls 32, Johnstown 22
Johnstown 0 6 8 8 — 22
Hudson Falls 20 0 0 12 — 32
First quarter
HF — Riley Maddison 1 run (kick failed).
HF — Maddison, 1 run (Lewis kick).
HF — Andrew Hogan 50 punt return (Lewis kick).
Second quarter
J — Caden Mureness 4 run (pass failed).
Third quarter
J — Chase Benton 18 run (Benton run).
Fourth quarter
J — Chase Benton 14 run (Brownell run).
HF — Arek Hall 1 run (pass failed).
HF — Hall 38 interception return (kick failed).
Class A,
Capital Division
Amsterdam 35,
Columbia 28
AMSTERDAM — It was an emotional game Sunday at the Lynch Literacy Academy.
The game was postponed from Saturday as the Columbia team attended the funeral of classmate Pasquale Tirino who died earlier in the week.
It was also the annual Homecoming game for the Amsterdam Rams.
Amsterdam was led by Peyton Ausfeld, who played with his left arm in a cast to protect a broken wrist. Ausfeld finished with 127 yards rushing on 13 carries including touchdown runs of 42 and 57 yards.
Quarterback Tommy Siozkin threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for 91 yards for the Rams.
Amsterdam (2-1 overall, 1-1 Class A Capital Division) will travel to play Albany on Saturday.
