Sunday, Sept. 2, 2012: Your official "G'day, mates" football recap

   Leading off today: Noah Sims, an exchange student from Tatura, Australia, made an impressive American football debut Saturday in pacing Cooperstown past New York Mills 43-20.

   The 6-foot-1 quarterback/linebacker ran for one touchdown, threw for three and kicked a 25-yard field goal. He also posted two of the Redskins' four sacks as Cooperstown and first-year coach Mark Segina snapped a 10-game losing streak.

   “The Rotary youth exchange program encourages you to get involved with the community and school,” Sims, whose previous experience consisted of the rugby-like Australian Rules Football, told The Observer-Dispatch. “So I thought, ‘Why not join the football team?’ I knew it was fun to watch, but to play -- that’s even better.

   “It’s that sense of team, of being there for each other. We’re just one beautiful family.”

   Sims was 7-for-12 for 109 yards through the air, though he was intercepted twice. Junior Lucas Lyons, who transferred from Unadilla Valley but missed most of the 2011 season with a broken collarbone, scored TDs on a 13-yard run, a 27-yard reception and an 82-yard kickoff return that opened the second half.

   Another streak snapped: Hoosic Valley, playing its first game under new head coach Chris Lutgens, snapped a 22-game losing streak by opening with a 38-13 victory against Bishop Gibbons in Schagticoke.

   Alex Bevis rushed for 114 yards and scored one TD and three two-point conversions.

   New class, same results: Aquinas, playing its first season in Class AA after five state Class A championships since 1998, rolled to its 24th straight win over Monsignor Martin Association competition by blowing out St. Francis 44-7.

   The Little Irish scored 30 first-quarter points with Billy Lombardi, state co-player of the year in Class A a year ago, hitting paydirt from 14 and 53 yards. Freshman QB Jake Zembiec went 8-for-10 for 68 yards and two TD throws to Alex Bianchi.

   Many Section 5 observers are expecting a Class AA final between Aquinas and 2010 state champion Rush-Henrietta. The Royal Comets opened with a 14-7 win over a solid Hilton squad. Bay Barley threw a TD pass on a halfback option and QB Chauncey Scissum ran 57 yards to another score.

   Section 3 shootout: Romero Collier hit Brandon Wilbur for a 9-yard TD on an improvised play in the fourth quarter as Syracuse Henninger edged Liverpool 40-35.

   The second Collier-to-Wilbur score of the game was improvised by offensive coordinator Mike Meloa. "I think Mike drew that play up on the sidelines, because we had never run it before," coach Dave Kline told The Post-Standard. "But I trust him and it paid off."

   Chris Hicks scored for Henninger on an 81-yard kickoff return.

   Difficult day for Queensbury: Playing four days after the death of junior lineman Johnathan Vasiliou, Queensbury

RoadToSyracuse.com football site

Many reporters use Twitter to deliver remote updates. We track those tweets from a variety of venues 24/7. Visit the page to see what's going on.

came up short in a 48-20 home loss to Shaker.

   There was a moment of silence before the game, players wore patches with the junior's initials and the flag flew at half staff in honor of Vasiliou.

   "There was a whole lot of emotion. We were just trying to play for John, make him proud up there and I think he was — even though it wasn't the outcome we wanted," Queensbury player Alston Moses told The Times Union. "I think we put our hearts out there. I think it was a good game, despite the loss."

   Said Shaker senior quarterback Chris Landers: "First, I want to say that our hearts go out to Queensbury. That is a tragedy. We've been working hard since February. We still had a job to do today and we're proud of what we were able to do."

   Extra points: Time Warner Cable Sports is launching "New York State High School Football Weekly," a review of news and action from around the state that will be shown on the company's cable systems across the state on Tuesdays at 6 p.m.

   The hour-long show will be hosted by David Miller and will include game highlights, previews and interviews.

   "New York State High School Football Weekly will give high school football fans across the state one place to catch all the highlights, get all the updates and a complete inside look of high school football from all over our state," said Steve Arvan, TWC's senior director of local sports programming. "We are excited to bring such a comprehensive program to TWC customers in New York."

   Week 1 scoreboard: The full list of New York scores is now available on the site..