History in the Making: Schuylerville Brings Home First State Championship

SYRACUSE — History has been made once again in Schuylerville, the village where British General John Burgoyne surrendered to revolutionary troops hundreds of years ago.

The Black Horses varsity football team beat the previously unbeaten Salamanca Warriors 26 to 20 on Saturday afternoon at Syracuse University’s JMA Wireless Dome, capturing their first-ever New York State Class C championship.

The victory was ensured in the closing seconds of the game, when Schuylerville senior Luke Griffen sacked Warriors quarterback Maddox Isaac. The nail in the coffin followed a tense, roller coaster of a contest. At one point in the third quarter, the Horses trailed 20 to 7. But they answered back with 19 points in the second half. Landen Cumm had three touchdowns for Schuylerville, while Ollie Bolduc tossed for two TD’s and rushed for 100 yards.

“This incredible victory is a testament to the hard work, perseverance, and unwavering dedication of our players, coaches, support staff, families, and community,” said Schuylerville High School Principal James Ducharme. “From the first day of workouts, to the final play at the JMA Wireless Dome, our team has shown what it means to be true champions.”

Schuylerville previously appeared in the 2015, 2019 and 2021 state title games but lost all three times, including a 21-0 shutout three years ago. Upon arriving home late Saturday night, the Horses were treated like returning heroes as their bus was met with a crowd of jubilant spectators outside the high school.

The championship also cemented the already sterling legacy of Head Coach John Bowen, who led the Horses to all three previous state title appearances. During his tenure, Schuylerville has won more than 100 games and captured five sectional championships, including three in a row from 2019 to 2021.

“As the athletic director, it is my hope that our ability to finally turn this corner will instill a belief across our athletic landscape that this is possible and achievable for any of our teams,” Bowen said. “I am unbelievably proud of our players and our coaches and am thankful for the amazing support from the community.”

With the title victory, Schuylerville’s record for the season stands at 13-1. The squad’s only defeat was on September 20, when they fell to Warrensburg/Lake George/Bolton by only two points. The team began their playoff run with a dominant 45 to 6 win over Gouverneur on November 22 for the Class C regional title, then bested Valhalla in the state semifinals 24 to 7 on November 30. Prior to that, they won the Class C Super Bowl 35 to 21 over Cobleskill-Richmondville.

In January, the championship team will be invited to the Capitol in Albany to be honored by State Senator Jim Tedisco with a resolution.