Salamanca Evan Spruce Jr. (78) celebrates and teammate Warrick Kyler (60) alerts Warriors possession after Spruce recovers a fumble throughout Saturday's NYSPHSAA Class C West semifinal in opposition to Chenango Forks at Dick Hoover Stadium in Vestal. PJ photograph by Tim Frank
VESTAL — Chad Bartoszek graduated from Salamanca in 1999.
His final highschool soccer sport was a Far West Regional loss to LeRoy in 1998.
The next yr, the Warriors reached the state championship sport.
Bartoszek by no means acquired an opportunity to play in a title sport on the then-Service Dome in Syracuse.
Twenty-five years later, now the top coach at his alma mater, Bartoszek could have an opportunity to exorcise these demons.
Salamanca's Maddox Isaac reaches for a landing within the backside of the pile in the course of the NYSPHSAA Class C Western semifinal Saturday at Dick Hoover Stadium in Vestal. PJ photograph by Tim Frank
Maddox Isaac threw for 3 touchdowns and ran for one more and Salamanca scored the sport's remaining 19 factors to beat Chenango Forks 34-13 within the semifinals Saturday at Vestal Excessive Faculty in New York State Public Excessive Faculty Athletic Affiliation Class C West.
“It's surreal. You dream about it as a child, going to the state championship,” Isaac mentioned after the sport. “You by no means imagine it's actual, particularly in case you're from a small city like Salamanca.”
Subsequent up for the Warriors is a midday date with Part II's Schuylerville on the JMA Wi-fi Dome subsequent Saturday. The Black Horses defeated Part I Valhalla 24-7 within the East Semifinal at Middletown Excessive Faculty.
“I don't wish to begin occupied with subsequent week but. That was an enormous hump for our program,” Bartoszek mentioned. “I’ve some private demons that I used to be making an attempt to eliminate final yr. I’m tremendous completely happy and proud. I will likely be glad. … It's a fairly cool feeling.”
The West sport at Dick Hoover Stadium was not determined till the ultimate 12 minutes.
Trailing 15-13, Part IV's Chenango Forks confronted a second-and-5 from its personal 30-yard line on the primary play of the fourth quarter, however was stopped for no achieve on consecutive downs and was lastly thrown away.
“Defensively, what are you able to say? I used to be all around the subject, flying,” mentioned Bartoszek. “It's a tricky factor on the market. This can be a program with historical past. … It was a superb soccer sport.”
On a first-and-10 from the Salamanca 49-yard line, Isaac dropped again and faked earlier than discovering Cory Holleran for a 51-yard landing to offer the Warriors a 22-13 lead after the punt. on level after Easton Chudy kick.
“Maddox made some performs as we speak that weren't scripted and known as them. He wished them,” Bartoszek mentioned. “That excessive shot to Cory was one thing he's been asking for for the reason that second quarter.”
“Their security actually bit Payton Bradley. … We made them pay,” Isaac mentioned. “They needed to decide their poison.”
Issues went from unhealthy to worse for the Blue Devils on the following second play of the sport when Bradley and Evan Spruce Jr. they mixed to sack quarterback Sam Paske and strip the ball. Spruce recovered the fumble on the Chenango Forks 23-yard line.
“These performs are sport changers,” Bartoszek mentioned. “These turnovers are big, particularly with the way in which our offense can rating.”
On third-and-9, Isaac related with Bradley for a 22-yard landing to make it 28-13 with eight:44 left within the sport.
“He's a killer. We didn't count on that,” Isaac mentioned of the short turnaround. “As soon as they’d their backs in opposition to the wall, we knew we needed to hold our foot on the pedal.”
The Blue Devils acquired a primary down on their subsequent drive, however finally turned the ball over on downs. On second and 11 from the Chenango Forks 35-yard line, Xavier Peters discovered a gap within the offensive line, broke a pair of tackles and ran 32 yards to the Three-yard line. On the subsequent play, Isaac scored to offer Salamanca a 21-point lead.
“We’ve numerous explosive guys on the surface. We are able to simply combine it up right here and there … we will throw it excessive or we will throw it down,” Isaac mentioned. “That's what makes our staff so particular.”
Kyle Lecceardone intercepted a desperation fourth-down go on the Blue Devils' remaining drive, and the Warriors started celebrating a visit to Syracuse for the primary time in 1 / 4 century.
“Final yr we have been glad. Our eyes have been simply on our sectional as a result of we hadn't had a sectional shortly,” Isaac mentioned of the Warriors' loss to Waverly. This yr we got here with a mission and we got here decided.”
NOTES: Chenango Forks' first drive lined 72 yards in 15 performs and lasted 9 minutes, 22 seconds. It led to a 2-yard landing run by Finn Stark, who additionally scored on a 1-yard run within the second quarter. … For Salamanca, Peters scored on a 40-yard run and Zach Trietley caught a 29-yard landing go from Isaac within the second quarter. … Isaac completed 5 of 9 for 111 yards. Holleran caught two passes for 52 yards and Trietley caught two passes for 32 yards. … Peters ran 17 occasions for 138 yards, whereas Isaac ran 14 occasions for 54 yards. … Defensively, Trietley had 14 tackles, Holleran had 12 and Warrick Kyler had 11.
Chenango Forks 6 zero 7 zero — 13
Salamanca zero 15 zero 19 — 34
CF-Stark 2 run (kick failed)
Sal–Peters 40 run (Chudy kick)
Sal–Trietley 29 go from Isaac (Holleran go from Isaac)
CF–Stark 1 run (Kasmarcik hit)
Sal–Holleran 51 go from Isaac (Chudy Kick)
Sal–Bradley 22 go from Isaac (go failed)
Sal–Isaac Three run (kick failed)