EAST GREENBUSH, NY – In the preseason, Columbia Head Coach Bob Treacy was excited about his “horses in the backfield” and championed senior Michael Benet’s calves.
Bennet and the horses did not disappoint Friday night.
“That’s our game plan right there,” said Treacy, pointing at Bennet. “Three, three is our game plan.”
The Class-A Columbia was able to step up and beat the Class AA Blue Streaks 14-7 Friday night on the back of a two touchdown, 89 yard performance by Bennet.
“You can’t expect that,” said Bennet on scoring both touchdowns for Columbia. “You have to adapt. I couldn’t have done it without my line. My line and I became so close this offseason and we became a family.”
“I don’t remember the last time we ever played Saratoga,” said Treacy. “It was before me when we were a AA school. Our goal is to always win the first one. That’s what we work for all offseason. No matter how you have got to win it, win it.”
Though Bennet was the one who scored both touchdowns and the two-point conversion for the Blue Devils in the win, running backs David Romer and Tanner Malone stepped up to give the Columbia offense some diversity out of the backfield.
“It does affect the offense,” said Treacy on having more than one weapon out of the backfield. “We have to focus on getting those other guys involved quicker. Run with Mike, run a counter with the other guys, run a jet, we have to sure up our blocks on the jet because those kids are fast. We are just missing one or two blocks on those jets and we slipped through on one.”
All three running backs combined for 133 yards on the ground. Columbia totaled 122 yards while Saratoga mustered up just 89 in the loss.
Bennet attributed his line to making the running game possible in the win.
“They got those holes open and they had my back so I had their back all game,” said Bennet. “They work so hard I can’t disappoint them. They give it their all every down on the field and that makes me have to give my all.”
For the Blue Streaks, Jared Arpey and Rodell Evans III were the main drivers in the run game while Nate Siewert utilized the passing game while even passing for a touchdown in the loss.
Siewert pass to Arpei gives the lead to @Togafootball now…7-6 in Q2 over @ColumbiaDevils #518Football pic.twitter.com/k0774G1qKc
— Joe Boyle (@MrBoylerAlert) September 10, 2021
Siewert passed for 46 yards in the loss. Arpey was key on the jet sweep for Saratoga that allowed Evans III to keep it up the middle or hand off to Arpey who would try and beat the Columbia defenders on the outside.
There were just two scores in the first half, both of which were in the second quarter Friday night.
Columbia’s Bennet punched in a 1 yard run just three seconds into the quarter to give the Blue Devils a 6-0 lead. Saratoga responded on their very next possession but nearly five minutes later on Siewert’s passing touchdown to Arpey. The nine yard play through the air was followed up by a good extra point by ‘Toga kicker Aiden Slavett. Thanks to the extra point, Saratoga had the one point advantage.
Michael Bennet 1 yard run at 11:57 in Q2 makes it 6-0 @ColumbiaDevils 🏈🏈 over @Togafootball #518Football pic.twitter.com/FbMiQ1Qs6e
— Joe Boyle (@MrBoylerAlert) September 10, 2021
Both defenses made some big plays to keep the offenses weary in the first half. Columbia’s second possession of the game was from inside the Saratoga 20 yard line. Saratoga was able to suppress Bennet and the Devils to not allow a score on the drive.
Columbia responded to the defensive stop by intercepting a Siewert pass on the next drive. Drake Kohler picked the deep ball. The Saratoga defense was able to get an interception of their own as well as a fumble recovery.
The game wasn’t without its imperfections. Both squads showed their rust with basic mistakes and flags which dug the offenses into holes.
“An ugly win is still a win, right?” said Treacy. “Our execution on offense needs to get better. We need to have better control of what we are doing, we need to get out of the huddle quicker. We have got to get to the line quicker, we can’t have the ref waving it down and we have to call a timeout. Our offensive execution isn’t great.”
The second half continued those simple mistakes and it wasn’t until Bennet’s 29 yard run at the 9:40 mark of the fourth quarter that the third, and final, score of the game would occur.
Bennet punched in the 2 point conversion to put Columbia a touchdown and extra point up in the fourth quarter. Saratoga fumbled the ball on the following drive to give Columbia the ball back after just three plays.
Columbia was forced to punt out and on Saratoga’s next drive they threw an interception. Saratoga’s first two possessions of the fourth quarter had led to turnovers.
Saratoga’s last drive of the game was a three and out. Evans III made a six yard run that came up just three yards short of the first game.
Both teams will need to clean some things up before their week two matchups. Columbia will play the visitor in Niskayuna while Saratoga will travel to Colonie to take on the Garnet Raiders.
COLUMBIA 14, SARATOGA 7
Columbia High School
East Greenbush, New York
September 10, 2021
COLUMBIA 0-6-0-8 — 14
SARATOGA 0-7-0-0 — 7
FIRST QUARTER
SECOND QUARTER
11:57 – Columbia Touchdown – Michael Bennet 1 yard run; Extra point no good by Drake Kohler
6:31 – Saratoga Touchdown – Nate Siewert 9 yard touchdown pass to Jared Arpey; Extra point is good by Aidan Slavett
THIRD QUARTER
FOURTH QUARTER
9:40 – Columbia Touchdown – Michael Bennet 27 yard run; Bennet run is good for 2 point conversion
