The Cornwall Central Dragons will square off against the Niskayuna Silver Warriors at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Cornwall Central's defense has only allowed 8.1 points per game this season, so Niskayuna's offense will have their work cut out for them.
Cornwall Central heads in on the heels of a playoff matchup on Friday. They fell just short of Minisink Valley by a score of 24-21. The Dragons' defeat signaled the end of their six-game winning streak.
Despite their loss, Cornwall Central saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Reef Morrison, who picked up 82 receiving yards and one TD, and also punched in one score on the ground, was perhaps the best of all. Danny Twomey was another key passer, throwing for 168 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Niskayuna had already won eight in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 37.8 points) and they went ahead and made it nine on Friday. Everything went their way against the Flying Horses as they made off with a 28-6 win. Given the Silver Warriors' advantage in MaxPreps' New York football rankings (they are ranked 22nd, while the Flying Horses are ranked 107th) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.
Niskayuna's win came from a few key players Cornwall Central will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Thomas Boler, who threw for 109 yards and a pair of TDs on only ten passes. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-high in rushing yards (14). Chase Meisner made the highlight reel by snagging an interception and taking it all the way to the house.
Niskayuna didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The team can thank two different players for their defensive prowess: Cameron Grasso and Meisner, who each picked up one interception apiece. Meisner got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Niskayuna's record is now 10-1. As for Cornwall Central, their defeat dropped their record down to 8-2.
Friday's contest might be decided on the ground. Cornwall Central has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 198.9 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Niskayuna struggles in that department as they've been averaging 186.2 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Cornwall Central was taken down by Niskayuna 49-14 when the teams last played back in November of 2023. Can the Dragons avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
