Three Section 2 football teams have regional playoff games this weekend, while two others await their semifinal opponents.

Class AA champion Shaker (10-0) received a bye into the state semifinals after defeating Saratoga Springs 28-14 in the championship game Friday, Nov. 2, at Casey Stadium on the University at Albany campus. This bye is rotated between Sections 2, 1 and 9 on an annual basis. Shaker meets either Section 1 champion New Rochelle or Section 9 champion Newburgh Free Academy Saturday, Nov. 17, at Middletown High School.

Class A champion Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake (9-1) also received a bye into the semifinals after Section X decided not to play in the regional round. The Spartans face the winner of the John Jay (Section 1)-Cornwall (Section 9) regional in the state semifinals Friday, Nov. 16, in Middletown.

Glens Falls (Class B), Cambridge/Salem (Class C) and Warrensburg (Class D) all play in this weekend’s regional round. Glens Falls meets Section 7 champion Beekmantown Friday, Nov. 9, at Shenendehowa High School, while Cambridge/Salem travels to Potsdam High School to play Section 10 champ Ogdensburg Free Academy. Warrensburg faces Section 7 champion Moriah Saturday, Nov. 10, at Schuylerville High School.

How they got there

Shaker rallied from a 14-7 deficit to defeat Saratoga Springs 28-14 and win its first Section 2 Class AA title since 2012. Logan Souza broke free for a 60-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to give the Blue Bison their first lead of the game, and Shane Lavender scored on an 88-yard interception return to seal the victory.

Souza rushed for 142 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead Shaker’s offense. Quarterback Connor McHugh threw for 81 yards and a touchdown. Ashton Capone had a 58-yard scoring run for Saratoga Springs (8-2).

BH-BL upended Queensbury 21-16 in the Class A final Saturday, Nov. 3, at Shen. Vincent Daviero’s 34-yard touchdown run in the third quarter proved to be the game winner for BH-BL, which avenged a 42-21 loss to Queensbury three weeks earlier.

Liam O’Mara started the game strong for Queensbury with a 66-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, but Daviero responded with a 78-yard scoring scamper to knot the score at 7-7. After an Alex Roca field goal put Queensbury ahead again, Jakai Townsend capped a BH-BL series with a 4-yard touchdown run to give BH-BL a 14-10 halftime advantage.

Daviero rushed for 166 yards to lead BH-BL’s offense, while O’Mara gained 157 yards on 25 carries for Queensbury.

Glens Falls (8-2) had no trouble defeating Cobleskill-Richmondville 40-0 in the Class B final Nov. 3 at Shen. Joseph Girard III threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for another in a 27-point second quarter that put the Indians in command.

Girard threw for 161 yards and ran for 106 yards to lead Glens Falls to its third consecutive Sectional title. Aalijah Sampson carried the ball 14 times for 112 yards and a touchdown.

Cambridge/Salem (10-0) pulled away for a 41-27 victory over Chatham (8-2) in the Class C Super Bowl Friday, Nov. 2, at Lansingburgh High School. Tyler Linendoll had three touchdown runs, and Tommy English found the end zone twice for the Indians, who moved into Class C this year after winning back-to-back state titles in Class D. Triston Schermerhorn rushed for a pair of touchdowns for Chatham.

Warrensburg (8-1) claimed the Class D title with a 28-6 victory over Hoosic Valley (6-4) in the finals Saturday, Nov. 3, at Schuylerville High School. Evan MacDuff ran for a pair of touchdowns for Warrensburg.

Scenes from Class B Super Bowl
Photos by Rob Jonas