MECHANICVILLE — The Mechanicville/Hoosic Valley football team’s strategy is no secret: they’re going to run the ball. And run it they have, with a vengeance, in their first four games of the season.
With a roster boasting several talented running backs, the team has been tearing up the field, leaving their opponents in the dust. Their impressive performance has led them to a 4-0 overall start to the season, including a 3-0 record in the Class B North Division, despite facing formidable opponents.
Senior running back Marcus Robinson reflects on the team’s strong start, “Our first three games were against some of the toughest teams on our schedule. Our first game was against Stillwater, who made it to the state championship last year. Tamarac is always a strong contender and Gloversville has a solid program. Securing wins in these games really boosted our confidence.”
Over the first four games, three running backs have collectively rushed for over 1,200 yards. Junior Jordan Barnes leads the pack with 467 yards rushing and four touchdowns. With 42 attempts, he averages an impressive 11.12 yards-per-carry.
Senior DiMaggio Ferrara has clocked 429 yards on 59 carries, with five touchdowns. Robinson himself has scored four touchdowns, while rushing for 306 yards on 57 attempts.
Despite the team’s success, Robinson admits he had initial concerns about this season, especially after the departure of a strong group of seniors from last year’s team. “At the start of my high school career, we weren’t really a strong team,” said Robinson, who was called up to varsity as an eighth grader. “We won three games my first two years here. But last year, with that group of seniors, we really came together. We had good chemistry last year, and with so many players leaving, a lot of us thought we would struggle.”
However, the team’s performance has far exceeded expectations. “During the summer, I could see everyone putting in the hard work and that the younger kids were improving,” Robinson said. “It started with the lifts, showing up in the offseason when other people wouldn’t. We started to get stronger as we started showing up together and doing things as a team.”
Head coach Sean Kennedy credits the seniors for their role in the team’s success. “The seniors have been a huge part of what we as a staff have been trying to do the past two years, revamping the program,” said Kennedy. “We’re putting a new image on the program, and they’ve bought into everything we’ve brought in.”
Following a 14-7 Week 0 win over Stillwater, Mechanicville/Hoosic Valley picked up a 35-20 win over Hoosick Falls/Tamarac. It defeated Gloversville 31-12 in its Week 2 matchup, before a big 55-12 win over Scotia-Glenville last Thursday.
“It was the senior class really pushing it,” Robinson said of his team’s success. “We knew that, losing the guys who we were losing, that we’d have to step things up if we wanted to succeed.”
In addition to Mechanicville’s formidable running backs, the team also has a promising young starting quarterback in sophomore AJ Messercola. He saw a few more opportunities to throw the ball last Thursday, once his team came out to a big lead against Scotia-Glenville. Following a pair of interceptions, Messercola was able to connect with Barnes for a long touchdown reception.
“We put a lot of pressure on our AJ, who was in his third career start,” Kennedy said. “He’s got some dudes around him, and a lot of confidence in his offensive line and we have three or four backs who are really physical. We’ve bought into that being our strength, that we’re going to be a handful to tackle.”
While Mechanicville/Hoosic Valley certainly can’t overlook any opponent, it appears they’re now on a collision course with Glens Falls for the top spot in the Class B North Division. The Black Bears also boast a perfect 4-0 record, and are 2-0 in divisional play.
“We’ve got to take everyone seriously, but we’re going to be really focused on Glens Falls because they got us last year,” Robinson said. “They’re a top competitor again.”
This week, Mechanicville/Hoosic Valley is scheduled to visit Broadalbin-Perth on Friday, and then host Ichabod Crane on Oct. 11.
Mechanicville/Hoosic Valley will make the trip up to Glens Falls on Oct. 18 to visit the Black Bears, in a game that could ultimately decide the division and be critical towards playoff seeding.
The conversation about getting a top playoff seed is much different than it was just a few years ago, when it was just about winning a game, or having a winning record.
“Last year’s seniors laid down the foundation,” Kennedy said. “They got us from a 2-7 season to a 6-4 and then the second round of the playoffs. These guys now are excited to carry it on.
“They’re going to go down as one of the classes that turned around the program.”
Disagree Football is not the only sport that matters.
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