BROTHERS AND STREAKS KICK OFF FALL II
CBA defense suppresses Hanson, Blue Streaks in 40-0 win
SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY » You need the ball to score in football and Saturday afternoon the Christian Brothers Academy capitalized on the Saratoga Blue Streaks mistakes to keep the ball out of the Streaks’ hands early in their matchup.
“I certainly didn’t expect that. Our kids have been working hard,” said CBA Head Coach Joe Burke. “I usually have from November to August to get ready and we got the go ahead whenever hoops got started. We tried to keep it simple and be aggressive as we can in a short amount of time.”
After a year and a half of being off the football field CBA was able to claim the 40-0 win over Saratoga Saturday afternoon thanks to four fumble recoveries in the first half to help rocket the Brothers to a 33-0 lead at halftime.
“The kids responded very well for being dormant for so long,” said Burke.
“It pumps the whole team up,” said Brendan Simek on the teams ability to get the ball back in the offense’s hands.
For Saratoga, their biggest offensive threat is senior quar
terback Sean Hudson. CBA was able to limit Hudson to just 97 passing yards and 22 rushing in the win.
“He’s a talented kid, very talented kid. We were worried about him. He ran around on us last year and he gained another 10 pounds and looked like he gained a couple inches,” said Burke. “He was a big concern for us but our guys were patient. A couple times he got outside but we rallied to him and kept an eye on him.”
Simek scored the first two touchdowns for the Brothers in the win Saturday. After a 45 yard passing play made by CBA quarterback Jack Gregory, Simek was able to punch in the first touchdown of the season with a 1 yard run. Gregory and Simek linked up for a passing touchdown of their own, this one for 25 yards, at the ten minute mark in the second quarter. Simek punched in another 1 yard touchdown run five and a half minutes later.
“It feels great,” said Simek on breaking out in his first game of the season. “More is always better. I can’t explain how happy I am to be out here playing with everyone.”
Simek finished with 43 rushing yards and 25 receiving and three touchdowns.
Along with Simek, Dylan Jones was a massive weapon for the Brothers offense. Jones made both catches to set up Simek’s 1-yard touchdown runs. He also contributed a defensive touchdown after recovering a Saratoga fumble in the endzone in the second quarter. Jones later caught a 33 yard touchdown pass of his own.
“I set my teammates up,” said Jones on his 27 yard reception that led to Simek scoring. “That’s what it’s about. If I get a touchdown, I get a touchdown, but I feel better when they do it. I’m still making plays and they are making plays.”
Jones finished with five catches for 120 yards and two touchdowns.
“The beauty of having all these players is that there is competition,” said Burke on the endless amounts of contributors on the offense. “It ensures for us that when kids come to practice they are working really hard. Sometimes kids lose their edge and focus but with the competition, it causes everybody to bring their Agame to practice.”
Gregory, a junior at CBA, looked poised under center throwing for 143 yards and rushing for eight. Gregory also threw two touchdowns and an interception in the win.
“There’s a lot of eleventh graders on the team and we wanted to keep it simple for them and focus on the fundamentals,” said Burke. “Jack did a pretty good job with today.”
In the second half, the Brothers kept the ball on the ground and rushed for one more touchdown scored by Jacob Iacobaccio in the third quarter. The Brothers continued to subdue the Blue Streaks efforts in the win.
In a shortened “Fall II” season Saratoga and CBA will only play three more games before a “playoff” will be played for. CBA has games with Schenectady, Shenendehowa, and Guilderland left on the schedule. Saratoga will see Bethlehem, Shaker, and Colonie before all is said and done.
“It feels amazing. It’s an honor to play,” said Simek. “It’s been a year and a half.”
CBA 40, SARATOGA 0
Saratoga Springs High School
Saratoga Springs, New
York CBA 7-26-7-0 — 40 Saratoga 0-0-0-0 FIRST QUARTER 8:31 - CBA Touchdown - Brendan Simek 1 yard run; Extra point is good by Semari Stewart SECOND QUARTER 10:03 - CBA Touchdown - 25 yard pass from Jack Gregory to Brendan Simek; Extra point is good by Semari Stewart
6:38 - CBA Touchdown Dylan Jones fumble recovery for 0 yards; Extra point is no good by Semari Stewart
4:26 - CBA Touchdown Brendan Simek 1 yard run; Extra point is no good by Semari Stewart
3:25 - CBA Touchdown - 33 yard pass from Jack Gregory to Dylan Jones; Extra point is good by Semari Stewart
THIRD QUARTER 6:46 - CBA Touchdown - Jack Iacobaccio 3 yard run; Extra point is good by Semari Stewart
FOURTH QUARTER