2002 Chenango Forks Varsity Football

No game article from the Elmira paper, they used the Press article.

Forks' big plays stop EFA

BY KEVIN STEVENS
Press & Sun-Bulletin

ELMIRA -- To begin this season of Section 4 football title defense, Chenango Forks' defenders dominated.  

With aid of a critical first-quarter stand when Elmira Free Academy drove deep into the visitors' territory, Forks dismantled EFA for a 20-0 victory over the reigning champions of Class A.

EFA workhorse Reggie Wallace finds some running room against CF

The brothers Batty -- dependable senior Drew and sophomore up-and-comer Tim -- accounted for all of the points on a day Forks proved itself a capable defender of its Class B championship.

"I foresee nobody -- nobody -- touching them all year," a thoroughly convinced EFA coach Dick Senko said of those opponents found on Forks' regular-season schedule.

Senko's Blue Devils were without junior tailback Derrick Beckworth, a 1,492-yard rusher last season. Of his absence, Senko said, "I can't say. It's just an in-house situation," and declined to elaborate.

Whether Beckworth's inclusion in EFA's backfield would have been enough to swing the outcome will be left to debate. What is known is that:

* EFA didn't pick up its third first down until the final two minutes of the third quarter.

* EFA rushers netted 74 yards -- a paltry 2.2 per carry.

* Forks forced EFA's punt team into action on seven occasions.

"We thought we were ahead defensively, with a lot of kids back," Forks coach Kelsey Green said. "We shut the run down very well. I know they were missing their top running back, but that No. 44 (Reggie Wallace), he's a good one, he was a good one last year. We had to play against good people."

Especially staunch was Forks' defense when facing its tightest spot of the ballgame.

With aid of a 49-yard pass play from Kenny Hartnett to Josh Furnas, EFA reached Forks' 2-yard line in the final minute of the first quarter.

Immediately, EFA backed itself up with a procedure penalty -- one of its 10 penalties on the day -- and Forks followed with some big-play defense. On second down, linebacker Matt Blackman stopped Wallace for a 4-yard loss. Next, end Zach Tarnowski felled Hartnett for a sack good for 8 more negative yards.

The ensuing field goal try, a 34-yarder by Furnas, was left of the mark and the game remained scoreless.

From that point, there was no beating this Forks defense.

"When we get down near the goal line, there's nothing they can do," said Jake Frisch, a defensive end for Forks. "We feel like we're pretty much just like a wall."

Green said, "The kids just remember, (the opponent) isn't in until they're in."

Forks' point production came exclusively via the big play.

First to strike was Drew Batty, calling upon some heads-up improvisation to set in motion a 68-yard touchdown rush with 7:49 to play in the first half.

"I wasn't even supposed to be the pitch man," Batty said of the option play toward EFA's sideline. "I was a blocker and I saw (quarterback Matt) Juriga run by me and I yelled to him to pitch the ball, and he pitched it."

Drew Batty's second score came one play after he and Juriga hooked up on a 25-yard pass play to EFA's 37-yard line. Batty accepted the handoff on a misdirection play and, with running room to spare, scooted in with nary a defender afforded a realistic shot at the tackle.

"I give all the credit for that one to the line," Batty said. "They opened the biggest hole. I didn't even get touched by the defense."

Oh, as Green remarked after all was said and done, "And how 'bout little brother there, too?"

Young Timothy Batty, sure to be heard from in assorted roles this season, completed the scoring by intercepting a pass from Hartnett at Forks' 26-yard line and sprinting the distance. It was Tim Batty who converted the PAT kicks following his brother's scores.

Photo Credit: Miles B. Norman - Elmira Star Gazette

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

EFA rushing:  

• Wallace 13-73
• Furnas 8-23
• Johnson 4-7
• Stank 1-(-4)
• Hartnett 8-(-26)

Chenango Forks rushing:  

• D. Batty 5-117, 2 TDs
• Juriga 8-37
• Tronovitch 8-22
• Jenks 5-15
• Pendleton 1-6
• T. Batty 4-5
• Babcock 2-3
• Mirabito 6-1

EFA passing

• Hartnett 3-for-15, 62 yards, 1 int

Chenango Forks passing: 

• Juriga 4-for-11, 85 yards, 2 int
• T. Batty 0-for-2, 0 int

EFA receiving: 

• Furnas 2-55
• Stank 1-7

Chenango Forks receiving:  

• D. Batty 2-62
• Tarnowski 1-13
• Mirabito 1-10

JV Score: EFA 28-6

Forks, EFA to face off in match-up of defending champs

All-state running back poses challenge for CF

There'll be no easing into the 2002 football schedule for Chenango Forks, which on Saturday begins its curtain call to a school-record, 12-victory season of a year ago.  

At 1:30 Saturday in Elmira, it'll be a rare opening-day meeting between defending Section 4 champions when the Blue Devils visit Elmira Free Academy.

Together, the teams put together a 22-2 record a season ago, with Forks capturing Section 4's Class B title and EFA topping Class A.

"We're looking at it as a challenge," said Zach Tarnowski, a two-way end and one of Chenango Forks' captains. "We're supposed to be two of the best teams in the area, we'll go at it and may the best team win."

Chenango Forks features a defense expected to be among the most powerful in the section, one with many familiar faces back from a unit that surrendered more than 14 points in just one game a season ago.

That defense will be put to the test by an Elmira Free Academy offense that includes running back Derrick Beckworth, who rushed for 1,492 yards, scored 16 touchdowns and was named third-team all-state in Class A last season.

In Josh Furnas and Bryan Stark, veteran EFA coach Dick Senko has what he believes may be two of the best receivers around.

One matchup of note will be found in the middle of the line, where Kelsey Jenks, Forks' all-everything nose guard, opposes center Jeremy Hughes, considered by his coach one of the best to play the position for EFA.

"They're very fast, their offensive line is very big, they're very sound defensively and they're quick off the ball," Tarnowski said. "It'll be hard-hitting and intense. We look forward to the challenge.

"We've been working very hard for this (season), not only in the preseason, but in the offseason as well."

In one coach's opinion, Forks is best team around

Play of defense is impressive

"There's nobody as good as Forks right now, in our area," Senko said, in the wake of EFA's 20-0 home-field loss to Forks on Saturday. "There's nobody like the Forks right now."

The primary reason behind Senko's endorsement? Forks' defense, which pitched the shutout against the two-time defending Class A champions.

When EFA was last seen against Section 4 competition, the team was hitting up Maine-Endwell for 444 yards of offense in a 42-0 rout for Section 4's 'A' title last November.

On Saturday, EFA was limited to 136 yards of offense. Aside from one first-quarter possession, EFA didn't penetrate the Forks' 25-yard line.

"I think it's because so many kids have been together so long," Senko said, giving his take on the root of Forks' defensive genius. "(Kelsey) Jenks is tough, No. 70 (end Jake Frisch) is tough, No. 49 (end Zach Tarnowski) is a really good player, their secondary is so tough they way they rotate, they're quick.

"They play that 5-2 very, very well and they're well-schooled at that. They gave us fits with their ends."

Frisch, a senior playing through a lingering groin injury, ties the defense's success to the confidence each individual has in the next.

"I look at the guys next to me, Kelsey Jenks, Juan Mendoza, the linebackers-- it's a safe feeling," Frisch said. "These guys are so good, I see them standing next to me and it's like, 'Oh, we've got this.' "

Senior cornerback Drew Batty said it is the team's preparation gives it the edge.

"I think it's what we do off the field, studying films, working out, running every day, just being more in shape than them and knowing what they're going to do before they do it," he said.

On the other side of the line, Forks was forced to break with its plan of platooning quarterbacks Matt Juriga and Chris Spencer. A pulled hamstring has set Spencer back, and he was held out of the offense against EFA. Forks hopes to have him back for Saturday's home game against Oneonta.