Forks/CV preview
article
from Friday, 9/28 2001 by Kevin Stevens
Chenango Forks brings a 3-0
record and the New York State Sports Writers Association's No.
11 ranking to its home field for a 1:30 Saturday kickoff against
Chenango Valley. It'll be renewal of a rivalry that has seldom
followed what might appear the logical script.
The Blue Devils have averaged
35.3 points per game, while allowing 13.7 ppg-- that defensive
yield distorted a bit when Johnson City put on a late-game surge
with the outcome long decided.
CV (1-2) absorbed a 61-21
beating from Delhi last Saturday, and surrendered 503 yards and
24 first downs.
Nonetheless, Forks coach Kelsey
Green said, "I expect a good, hard-hitting football game.
We all expect it to be a close game."
See, Green, in his sixth season
as Forks' coach after a lengthy tenure as a Blue Devils
assistant, has been around the block a time or two. He has seen
any number of chapters in this rivalry head down unpredictable
paths.
"The best team on paper
doesn't always win this one," he said. "I don't know
of too many that have been played on paper."
Of particular concern to Forks
is CV's offensive front, 220-pound fullback Brandon Pickering,
fleet tailback Matt Marcello and 260-pound defensive force John
Decker.
"And they've always been
able to throw the football," Green said. "They have
what you want, power up the middle, speed outside and the
ability to throw the ball."
CV coach Bob Zanot said of the
rivalry: "I think the kids have just a little more emotion
for this one, maybe put forth a little extra effort. We see
these guys all the time, at the Red & White, at Guiseppe's,
at The Red Barrel ... "
As for that loss to Delhi,
Zanot stretched a bit to reach for something positive achieved
by his squad.
"Well, we didn't have to
practice kickoffs much at all this week," he said with a
chuckle. "We had 10 in that one. We were running out of
ways to kick off."
The Warriors will make a switch
at quarterback, starting sophomore Nate Andrus, who relieved
Scott Cooley against Delhi. Cooley will be the starter at tight
end.
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