Leading off today: Something's got to give at Maine-Endwell. Though the Spartans ran their football winning streak to 42 games Saturday with a 36-0 victory vs. Owego, the injuries to key players continue to pile up.
The latest injuries were to two-way starters Trent Story and Drew Gallagher, both early in the first quarter. The Press & Sun-Bulletin reported Story suffered a dislocated left ankle and a leg fracture as he was tackled following a 19-yard run on M-E's opening drive. Gallagher injured his right shoulder on a run during M-E's second play from scrimmage and was to be evaluated this weekend for a possible separated shoulder or broken collarbone.
M-E was playing minus its top two quarterbacks, both injured in previous games, but Adam Gallagher (124 yards) ran for two touchdowns and Michael Palmer returned a punt for a score and also caught a Kevin Barrett pass for a TD.
Owego had its own injury problem, with QB Logan Neira KO'd in the second quarter by a dislocated right ankle following a short run. Indians coach Steve Virkler said Neira may have also suffered a leg fracture.
"We can't be any more proud of these guys," M-E coach Matt Gallagher said. "Losing those two guys, and it's not even that, the brutality of (Story's) injury fighting through that, they responded. Then an Owego player goes down, unfortunately it took the fun out of high school football today."
Island surprise: No. 8 Farmingdale was the day's most noteworthy Class AA casualty as Nick DeLuca ran 16 times for 204 yards and a TD in unbeaten Baldwin's 26-10 upset of the Dalers. Jonathan Debique capped a long scoring drive a 1-yard touchdown run with six minutes remaining to put Baldwin up 20-10.
No. 4 Rush-Henrietta narrowly avoided falling to previously unbeaten Webster Thomas. Reggie Robinson scored on a 1-yard run with 3:40 remaining and Jared Gerbino kicked the extra point as the Royal Comets edged Webster Thomas 21-20.
Webster Thomas then drove to the R-H 31 before being stopped on downs.
In another close call, No. 13 Monroe-Woodbury edged Newburgh Free Academy 27-21 by scoring three first-quarter TDs and then hanging on.
Slugfest of the day: Nick Davis' last-gasp pass of 6 yards to Sam Bulman for a touchdown with no time left saved Class A No. 24 Vestal from a second straight loss by beating Binghamton 56-53. The Golden Bears' eighth TD of the game concluded a 62-yard drive -- with two fourth-down conversions -- that began with 1:02 remaining after Binghamton scored on Matt Pringle's 23-yard run.
Vestal trailed 18-0 midway through the first quarter and then rattled off 22 consecutive points.
The end of the Sachem rivalry game was every bit as dramatic as that Section 4 battle.
Sachem East pulled out a 35-33 win as a Sachem North 2-point conversion attempt failed with no time remaining.
Ryan Leone's 56-yard TD run with 3:00 remaining and the extra point put Sachem East up 35-27. On Sachem North's ensuing possession, Mike Licata scored on an 8-yard run as time expired.
Licata's pass fell incomplete on the conversion attempt, preserving East's first win in the series since 2005.
Leone ran 22 times for 227 yards and two TDs.
Key Section 1 developments: Bronxville, ranked seventh in Class C, was impressive in its 40-19 triumph against No. 2 Rye Neck, the defending sectional champ.
"I think we have our swagger back," senior quarterback Graham Klimley told MSG Varsity after going 7-for-14 for 189 yards and two TDs. "We have the mentality that no one can stop us in the section now and we will take it into playoffs and see where we can go from there. But I'm very confident in this team."
