CLINTONVILLE – The Saranac Lake juggernant continues on.
The Red Storm were running on all cylinders Friday evening as they rolled to an impressive 56-20 victory over AuSable Valley in Champlain Valley Athletic Conference football action.
“I’m feeling good about our overall execution,” said Saranac Lake head coach Eric Bennett. “The kids knew their assignments and executed our game plan to perfection in the first half.”
The Red Storm (4-0) took little time to take command in the contest, moving the ball 92 yards on the team’s first possession, with the drive culminating in a seven-yard touchdown run by junior running back Lance Ackerson.
Saranac Lake followed that effort with another rushing TD on its second possession, this time striking quickly when senior quarterback Matt Phelan scampered 48 yards to the end zone.
Phelan also scored 28 seconds into the second quarter on a one-yard run.
Fleet-footed Seth Pickreign continued the onslaught two minutes later with a 23-yard TD run, and Phelan followed up with scoring strikes to Mike Burpoe and Kevin Morgan to close out an impressive first half.
Pickreign, who was seven for seven on point-after attempts, continued the scoring with a 83-yard kickoff return to start the second half.
The tempo slowed from that point on as both teams were flagged for several penalties.
“I was disappointed with our penalties in the second half,” Bennett said. “We need to show much more discipline. That’s something we will work on moving forward.”
The Patriots controlled the ball for much of the second half, finally breaking onto the scoreboard with a six-yard run from junior running back Dillon Savage midway through the third quarter.
“I thought the kids played well,” said AuSable Valley coach Heith Ford. “We were playing a very talented team, but we didn’t give up. We played with a lot of heart.”
Michael Thompson and Jeremy Owen also scored rushing touchdowns for the Patriots, and back up signal caller Trent Fitzgerald scored on a 65-yard run to cap the Red Storm’s offensive effort.
Saranac Lake rushed for 212 total yards while Phelan passed for 164 yards.
Savage rushed for 76 yards for the Patriots.
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Saranac Lake 56, AuSable Valley 20
Saranac Lake 14 28 7 7 — 56
AuSable Valley 0 0 6 14 — 20
First Quarter
SL- Ackerson 7 run (Pickreign kick), 6:17.
SL- Phelan 48 run (Pickreign kick), 10:19.
Second Quarter
SL- Phelan 1 run (Pickreign kick), :28.
SL- Pickreign 23 run (Pickreign kick), 2:20.
SL- Burpoe 3 pass from Phelan (Pickreign kick), 5:57.
SL- Morgan 58 pass from Phalen (Pickreign kick), 11:27.
Third Quarter
SL-Pickreign 83 kickoff return (Pickreign kick), :15.
AV- Savage 6 run (kick failed), 6:55.
Fourth Quarter
AV- Thompson 4 run (Owen kick), 3:27.
SL- Fitzgerald 65 run (Pickreign kick), 4:28.
AV- Owen 2 run (Owen kick), 10:46.
Individual Statistics
Rushing
SL- Pickreign, 3-34, TD; Phelan, 2-49 2TDs; Grebe, 3-27; Ackerson, 4-28 TD; Fitzgerald, 1-65, TD; Thurber, 1-9. Totals: 14-212, 5 TDs.
AV- Savage, 21-76, TD; Simpson, 8-51; Owen, 7-35, TD; Thompson, 4-36, TD. Totals: 40-198.
Passing
SL- Phelan, 5-5-0-164, 2TDs; Fitzgerald, 0-2-0-0.
AV- Simpson, 6-12-1-83.
Receiving
SL- Burpoe, 3-82, TD; Morgan, 2-82, TD.
AV- Sikanader, 1-14; Cobb, 1-11; Savage, 1-4; Luxon, 3-54.
Interceptions
SL- Leahy.
