As we move into week nine of the regular season, only one football team – Greene – has the opportunity to play beyond this weekend.
The Trojans completed a perfect 8-0 regular season this past Saturday at Whitney Point. It is the first unbeaten regular season for the Trojans in 42 years, and the most wins for a Greene team since an 8-1 mark in 1994 while playing an independent schedule.
This is also the Trojans’ third straight year in the playoffs, the first two ending in Class C semifinals losses to Lansing in 2006 and Unatego a year ago.
This reporter asked Greene head coach Tim Paske when he began his preparation for this season. We pretty much knew the answer, but the question was in need of asking. “Come on Pat, you know the answer to that one,” Paske said.
Paske was back to work the day after his two-touchdown loss to the Spartans a year ago. While Paske kept himself busy coaching junior varsity basketball in the winter, his thoughts rarely strayed far from his love of coaching football. “Our coaching staff and the players have put a lot of time and hard work into the program,” Paske said. “We hope that the hard work pays off.”
The initial pay-off would be the program’s first postseason win since the advent of state playoff system in 1993. The first four trips to the Section IV playoffs all ended in first-round defeats. The difference this year is that Greene is not only unbeaten, but carries the role of top seed and favorite. “We don’t talk about (our number one seed),” Paske said. “Now that we’re number one, we have to prove why we are there.”
Facing across the gridiron at Alumni Field in Binghamton Saturday night is first-round opponent Trumansburg (6-2). The Blue Raiders are perennial postseason contenders, and like Greene, suffered a first-round playoff loss a year ago. During that 2007 season, the two clubs squared off in a non-division matchup. Trumansburg prevailed in overtime, 24-18. “Trumansburg is a team that has had a lot of success in recent years, and they had some good (playoff) battles with Sidney,” Paske said.
The Blue Raiders favor a spread formation, and utilize a variety of backs. Among those in the backfield are quarterback Kyle Fellows, and backs Justin Stranger, Hank Newman, and leading rusher Greg Addicott. Fellows’ favorite target is 6-foot-3 receiver Steven Moore. Lineman Brandon Manheim spearheads the defense and offensive lines.
“We have quite a few films on Trumansburg, and when they lost to Elmira Notre Dame, Notre Dame ran threw them pretty well,” Paske said. “But that was early in the season, and Trumansburg is much better right now.”
On the Trojans’ side, starting quarterback Nate Whittaker and starting center Tyler Kehl are veterans of the last two postseason losses. “Those two are talking to the rest of the team from their experiences,” Paske said. “The kids need to realize that either you win, or you’re out.
“This is a group of kids that really enjoys football, and they need to stop and think about this season. The success they have had is something special.”
Game time is 7 p.m.
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