NISKAYUNA, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The Shenendehowa football team went on the road Friday and edged Niskayuna, 28-21, in a back-and-forth battle between two of the premier squads in Section 2.
Last year, Nisky made the move to Class AA, but returned to Class A this season, where they will look to reign supreme once again after back-to-back section titles in 2022 and 2023. When the teams met last season in a AA battle, Shen earned the win. Now a non-league game, both sides were just looking to improve to 2-0 on the young season.
It was the Green and White striking first. Quarterback Jack Clawson hit Brendan Hesnor on a play-action pass for the opening score of the contest. Shen would take a 7-0 lead into the second quarter.
Both defenses settled in in the second. However, a long punt return set Shen up in plus territory midway through the frame. Shen worked its way to the goal line, where Joey Cardinale punched it in for the score on a counter to make it 14-0.
To that point, the Shen defense had contained the Nisky attack for the most part. That was until Cam Grasso took an option play out of the Wildcat formation to the house for a 69-yard touchdown run to put Nisky on the board.
Nisky got the ball back quickly, and just as quickly got it back in the hands of the future UAlbany Great Dane, Cam Grasso, who plunged into the end zone for a one-yard touchdown, sending the contest to the half tied at 14.
Shen regrouped during the break and the defense didn’t allowed a score in the third quarter. An eight-yard touchdown run from Ryan McMullen put the visitors back in front, 21-14, heading to the final stanza, where the back-and-forth theme would continue.
Nisky once again responded. Joey DiPiazza took a handoff to the outside and crossed the goal line from nine yards out to even the contest once more at 21.
Now, it was Shen’s turn to answer. The offense kept the ball on the ground, and Cardinale scored his second TD of the night – an eight-yard scamper that put the visitors back in the driver’s seat, 28-21.
This game would go down to the wire. Nisky had a chance to score late, but the Shen defense made a stand to hold on for the victory.
Shenendehowa improves to 2-0 on the season. They return to action with their home opener against Guilderland on Friday, Sep. 19 at 7:00 p.m.
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