Blue Streaks head coach Terry Jones kept to his game plan. The home team opened the game by running through the Plainsmen defense for 84 yards and a score. The 11-play drive ate up 5:27 of clock and didn’t include any passing plays, ending with a seven-yard Harvey rushing touchdown.
In fact, the Blue Streaks first pass wouldn’t come until the opening of the second quarter, when Saratoga Springs held on to a 7-0 lead—a lead they never relinquished.
Overall, Saratoga Springs dominated the run game, with 310 yards on the ground to 40 for the Plainsmen. Shen was also only able to convert on two of 13 third downs, while committing 10 penalties for 74 yards.
Seniors Jordan Wilcox and Jake Eglintine also ran for scores for the Blue Steaks.
Up 7-6, at the nine-minute mark in the second quarter, a fake draw play to Harvey opened the left side of the gridiron for Eglintine. The quarterback ran down the left sideline, juking one defender before cutting back toward the middle to avoid another. Before completing the 52-yard run to the end zone, 6-foot-6, 290-pound junior Griffin Clancy came through with a block that ultimately took out three defenders to clear the way for the score.
Like Shen had done in their only touchdown of the game, the Blue Streaks would miss the extra point for a 13-6 lead.
Shen tried to take advantage of the deep ball, but wasn’t able to convert as much as they would have liked, despite out-throwing the Blue Streaks 139 passing yards to 21. With 1:58 remaining, facing a fourth and 15, Shen converted on a fake punt, but a holding call brought the play back and eventually impeded their chances of responding before the half.
The second half was all Blue Streaks, as the defense shut down the Plainsmen and the home crowd watched Saratoga Springs outscore their opponent 20-0.
A crucial play came when Shen was stopped on fourth and long at the Saratoga 40 yard line. It took just one play from scrimmage to put the Blue Streaks in control, 20-6—a 60-yard burst to the right side by Harvey that ended with no one around him as he glided in for his second touchdown.
Last year, when the Blue Steaks finished 3-6, the 6-foot-1, 220-pound Harvey was unable to complete the season because of an injury. Now, he has helped lead the Blue Streaks to a 4-1 (5-1 overall) record in the Empire Division, as Shen falls to 3-2 (4-2).
Last year, when the Blue Streaks finished 3-6 for the second straight year, 220-pound Harvey was unable to complete the season because of an injury. Now, he has helped lead the Blue Streaks to a 4-1 (5-1 overall) record in the Empire Division, as Shen falls to 3-2 (4-2).
Other Empire Division News from Friday, October 11
CBA (5-1, 5-1) now officially owns the head-to-head tie-breaker with Saratoga Springs and Guilderland (4-1, 5-1) for the No. 1 seed. The Brothers’ lone loss is to the current No. 4 Plainsmen, who end the season against the lurking Bethlehem Eagles.
Bethlehem (2-3, 4-6) took down Albany (0-5, 1-5), 48-20. The Eagles play at Shen for a shot at the No. 4 seed next week.
Ballston Spa (0-5, 1-5) won its first game of the season, 48-7, in Niskayuna (0-5, 0-6).
