Wolverines top Rensselaer, 72-0

WARRENSBURG | Coach Mike Perrone recalled how he was watching his Wolverine football players run drills and execute plays with determination and focus at their Sept. 14 practice. "The veteran athletes and junior varsity players were all doing a phenomenal job, flying around the field," he said Sept. 17. "The tempo of practice was at an advanced level; it was the best I've seen as a high school football coach." Two days after the practice session, the Warrensburg/North Warren-Lake George football athletes' determination paid off — they defeated Rennsellaer 72-0 on the Rams' field in a Section II Class C North matchup. Within the first seven minutes of the game, the Wolverines had scored 40 points on seven plays and their tough defense prevented Rensselaer from achieving even one first down. The tone of the game was set on the initial kickoff when senior Brody McCabe grabbed the ball out of the air and ran it 80 yards for a touchdown. Perrone credited not only McCabe's speed, but the concerted effort by the Wolverines' blockers, mentored by special-teams coach Frank Miller, Perrone said. "He set it up perfectly, and the guys practiced it over and over," Perrone said. After forcing Rensselaer to punt four plays later, senior Landon Olden ran the ball to the Rams' two-yard line, and on the following play, McCabe barged over the goal line. The third touchdown was scored on the Wolverines' next play when junior quarterback Caden Allen threw the ball backwards to McCabe, a veteran quarterback, and he pitched the ball downfield to experienced senior receiver Luke Sheldon for a 29-yard touchdown. After limiting the Rams to three plays, McCabe returned a punt, but it was called back due to an illegal block. On a subsequent play, senior Tristen Hitchcock ran the ball for 30 yards to the Rams' three-yard line, and then Olden carried the ball into the end zone. After another three-and-out for the Rams, Allen threw the ball to junior Gavin McCabe for a 58-yard touchdown to close out the first quarter with the Wolverines earning a 40-0 score. Perrone then substituted freely, and his "scout" or jayvee players continued the team's momentum. "With the younger players now on the field, there wasn't much of a drop-off in ability: this is a product of them practicing so hard," he said. "On both defense and offense, Nick Jeckel, Avery Osborne, Trey Stathis and Bobby Starratt all executed like varsity players — They were blocking and tackling players that were three or four years older than they are." Nick Jeckel and Starratt are sophomores, and Avery and Trey are freshmen. In the second quarter, Brody McCabe scored on a 10-yard run, then scored a conversion on his own touchdown. Not long after, freshman Avery Osborne scored on a 24-yard run, and the conversion was scored on a pass from Allen to senior Aidan Osborne. In the third quarter, Avery Osborne scored again on a three-yard run, and sophomore Nick Jeckel converted the touchdown on a run. Another key to the Wolverines' success was the return of North Warren senior Cooper Morehouse who had been absent from the season's first two games, Perrone said. "Cooper is one of the best linemen in Section II, and with him back, we were lifted to a higher level on both sides of the ball," he said. " He had two or three sacks and seven tackles&sbquo; five for a loss... and in his blocking, he was mowing kids down, one after another." Perrone also said that senior Andrew Jeckel played "his best game of the year" executing seven tackles, four for a loss. Over the game, Rensselaer was minus 23 yards total offense for the game. Next up for the Wolverines is a showdown at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23 on the Warrensburg field versus Mechanicville, Perrone said. "Our schedule gets dramatically tougher now," he said. "It's going to be one dogfight after another, but our team is looking forward to that competition."

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Wolverines top Rensselaer, 72-0

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