Uncharacteristic Errors Eliminate Valhalla in State Semis
News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
State-Ranked (No.4) Vikings Fall to No.5 Schuylerville, 24-7
By Ray Gallagher, Examiner Sports Editor @Directrays
Unforced errors, dead ball fouls and crucial penalties were just part of what plagued Section 1 champion VALHALLA (11-1), ranked No.4 in NYS, in its 24-7 NYSPHSAA Class C eastern regional semifinal setback to state-ranked (No.5) Section 2 champion Schuylerville Saturday at Faller Field on the campus of Middletown High.
After a season of bliss and blowout triumphs, Coach Dan DeMatteo’s Vikings picked a bad time for a bad game. After consistently and effectively blowing through opposing defenders, Valhalla was met with a ton of blowback, limited to just 35 second-half yards despite a most promising start. Schuylerville owned a 290-146 yardage edge overall and forged a 3-0 turnover surplus.
Valhalla struck first, quickly, when Viking QB Brayden McGinty found versatile senior Tyler Ratti for a 51-yard gain, which set up an easy 17-yard misdirection touchdown run by HB Josh Bergey with 5:29 to go in the first quarter, capping a 69-yard drive.
It came so easy at first; so much so that Viking fans were likely booking rooms in Syracuse where the Black Horses (12-1) will now face top-ranked Section 6 champ Salamanca (13-0) at the JMA Dome this weekend with a state title berth on the line instead.
Schuylerville RB Landen Cumm paced the Black Horses’ potent running attack, which enabled them to milk significant clock while posting 24 unanswered points, thus securing Schuylerville’s fourth state championship appearance, while still seeking its first state title.
Trailing 17-7, Valhalla came up with a huge defensive stop with 7:33 to play, but on the ensuing possession, the Vikings had a bad snap set them back (-3), an illegal procedure call set them back (-5), followed by a fumble/turnover during the ugliest set of Viking downs this season #GameOver.
Schuylerville senior QB Ollie Bolduc then rushed for his 18th score later in the fourth quarter to seal the deal and provide the final margin.
How atypical a day was it for the Valhalla defense? Schuylerville ran the ball 52 times for 241 yards and three touchdowns. Five of their runs went for 10 yards or more. Nothing remotely close to that had happened all year against a previously stout Viking D. Some might look at this game and decry the better team did not win, but 52 carries at a 4.6 YPC clip suggests otherwise.
Vikings Coach Dan DeMatteo, who took the Vikings farther than many expected in his first year at Valhalla, took a truthful, pragmatic viewpoint.
“It just wasn’t our day,” he said. “ I’m proud of the effort my kids put forth. Schuylerville was a very good team and they played better today.”
Ray has 33 years experience covering and photographing local sports in Westchester and Putnam counties, including everything from Little League/Travel Baseball to varsity high school prep sports and collegiate coverage. He has been a sports editor at Examiner Media since its inception in 2007.
Visit Ray’s author bio page for more details. Also read Ray’s archived work here and his Direct Rays column here.
