The Columbia Blue Devils will face off against the Niskayuna Silver Warriors at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Columbia took a loss when they played away from home last Saturday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They walked away with a 28-18 victory over Bethlehem Central.
Meanwhile, Niskayuna had already won four in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 27.8 points) and they went ahead and made it five on Friday. They claimed a resounding 69-8 win over the Rams. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Silver Warriors' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' New York football rankings (they are ranked 22nd, while the Rams are ranked 267th).
Columbia better keep an eye on Chase Meisner. He was instrumental in Niskayuna's win, rushing for 59 yards and one touchdown, while also picking up 36 receiving yards and one score. Meisner showed off some serious burst, cutting through the defense on one rush that went for 56 yards. Joey DiPiazza 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 six passes before the game was over. Meisner led the group effort, picking up two of those interceptions all by himself. Cameron Grasso got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Special teams was a major factor in the game for Niskayuna, racking up 15 points in total. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Poem Staten, who ran a kickoff back for a touchdown.
The victory was their first at home , bumping their record up to 2-5. As for Niskayuna, their win bumped their record up to 6-1.
Columbia was taken down by Niskayuna 40-0 in their previous matchup back in November of 2024. Can the Blue Devils avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
