The Albany Academy football team (6-2, 3-1) came close to losing more than a few times on Saturday. But in the end they made the biggest plays when it mattered most. Senior linebacker Dimitrius Thomas intercepted a Schuylerville pass in Academy territory with less than a minute left to seal a win that took many twists and turns in all four quarters.
Schuylerville (5-3, 3-2) had early leads, but the Cadets continued to counter with scores of their own. It looked like Schuylerville might hang on to the lead after kicking a 27 yard field goal to go up 17-15.
The Schuylerville players and coaches reacted to this field goal as if the game was won and not as if it had given them a two-point lead with eight minutes still left to play.
The game turned around late in the fourth quarter when a broken play resulted in junior quarterback Jelani Currie scampering 30 yards to the Schuylerville eight yard line. Zay Richardson scored a touchdown from two yards out a few plays later, as the Cadets regained the lead, 21-17. With just under five minutes left, Schuylerville got the ball back and worked their way into Academy territory very slowly, burning precious time off the clock.
With a minute left, Schuylerville quarterback Ryan Mulligan lofted a pass down the middle of the field right into the hands of a leaping Thomas, sealing the win for the Cadets. Thomas said of the pick, “The other team had the ball and was about to score. I saw that they were throwing it and I dropped back into coverage and the other team’s quarterback threw it and I saw the ball, jumped up and intercepted it. It was a great feeling for me, but it was a team win.”
This week, however, the Cadets face by far their most challenging opponent this season. The Schalmont Sabres (8-0, 5-0) are owners of a defense that has allowed a jaw-dropping 38 points all season. Nevertheless Academy will take the field on Friday, the same field where their season ended last year on a cold rainy Friday night. The odds are against the Cadets, but the players don’t look at the odds. Senior lineman Chris Stasior said, “We’re going to give Schalmont everything we’ve got. But no matter the outcome of the game, there is no question that we’ll play with the most pride and heart.”
A win will not be easy for the Cadets. Zay Richardson will need to be at his best and the Academy defense will need to play better. Quarterback Jelani Currie will need to play great in the clutch as he did on Saturday and not be afraid to make that big play. He should definitely turn on his “Berko vision” before the game.
Prediction- Academy 14, Schalmont 13- Academy has the talent to win this game. If they play mistake-free, then they’ll win. Zay needs a monster day. He can’t become invisible for a chunk of time like he did on Saturday. He’s the X Factor.