Guilderland Offense Stays Hot with Senior Night Victory over CBA

The only matchup that pitted undefeated teams against each other in Week 6 was the CBA Brothers and the Guilderland Dutchmen on Friday night, and only one would walk away with a zero remaining in the loss column and the Empire Division in their hands.

And as expected, this game wouldn’t be decided until the 0:00s hit clock after 48 minutes of tough, hard-nosed action.

And, also as expected, the action would begin right as the first seconds ticked off the clock.

To begin the game, Guilderland Quarterback George Marinopoulos connected with Wide Receiver Jared Schwartz on a 27-yard completion to get the Dutchmen offense rolling from the start. Marinopoulos would lead the Dutchmen down to the CBA 14 yard line, but the Dutchmen would go 4-and-out to give the Brothers the ball for the first time.

However, the Dutchmen defense would be lock down.

After not allowing a yard on back-to-back run plays and an incompletion, Cody Custard would block a punt at the Brothers goal line and fall on the ball in the end zone to give the Dutchmen the early 7-0 lead following the Matt Clark PAT.

CBA would be quick to respond however, as a seven play 60 yard drive anchored by five Nick DeNicola rush plays, including his ten yard touchdown run, would cut the lead to one after the missed PAT.

The hosts would respond with another score of their own on the next drive, after Marinopoulos would connect with his favorite receiver, Steven Fedorchak, for a 60 yard touchdown on Fedorchak’s favorite route, the fade. Fedorchak would continue his phenomenal senior season, bringing in five catches for 141 yards, as Fedorchak has yet to have a game under 100 yards so far. The 141 yards is his second best tally on the season.

After another CBA punt, Marinopoulos would lead the Dutchmen down the field on an 11-play, 74-yard drive that finished with a 10-yard connection with junior Brendan Hoffman, now consecutive weeks the receiver has had a touchdown reception after seeing limited time earlier in the season.

Taurian Taylor would take matters into his own hands on the next play, returning the Guilderland kick 80 yards to the end zone to cut the lead to 21-12. The Brothers would then pull off a trick play, as Quarterback Dom Meola tossed it to Taylor who found Amir Taylor in the back of the end zone for the two-point conversion to make it a one score game.

But, once again, Marinopoulos and co. would respond. After a big return by Hoffman began the drive at the Dutchmen 40, Marinopoulos connected with four different receivers on the six play, sixty yard drive that was completed with a Stefan Brantley 15 yard touchdown run and Clark PAT to make it a 28-14 game.

After CBA and Guilderland would trade punts, the first punt of the game by the Dutchmen, CBA would look to make it a one score game, beginning their drive at the Guilderland 43 with 24.3 seconds left. After DeNicola broke off a pair of runs and a false start put the ball at the 29, DeNicola would be stuffed at the line and a Custard sack would end the half. Custard would finish his Senior Night with 3.5 tackles, including three for a loss and the sack.

The second half would be a completely different story than the first half, as neither team could score, trading punts and long possessions throughout the final 24 minutes. The stalwart play by both defenses would keep the score as it was at the half, and the Dutchmen took the victory, 28-14, to push their record to 6-0 and give them the ability to control their own destiny in hopes to clinch the Empire Division when they visit Shen next week.

Marinopoulos would finish 18-for-32 for 278, two touchdowns and an interception. Custard would reign in four catches for 43 yards, while Mikey Breton would catch three passes for 23 yards. On the defensive side, Brantley registered 6.5 tackles, including 1.5 for a loss and a big sack in the waning seconds. Andy Hines would have 5 tackles, including .5 for a loss, while Tyler Hess would register 4.5 and Clayton Bastiani, in his first varsity start, would have 3, including a pair of a sacks.