As we move into week nine of the regular season, only one football team – Greene – has the opportunity to play beyond this weekend.
The Trojans completed a perfect 8-0 regular season this past Saturday at Whitney Point. It is the first unbeaten regular season for the Trojans in 42 years, and the most wins for a Greene team since an 8-1 mark in 1994 while playing an independent schedule.
This is also the Trojans’ third straight year in the playoffs, the first two ending in Class C semifinals losses to Lansing in 2006 and Unatego a year ago.
This reporter asked Greene head coach Tim Paske when he began his preparation for this season. We pretty much knew the answer, but the question was in need of asking. “Come on Pat, you know the answer to that one,” Paske said.
Paske was back to work the day after his two-touchdown loss to the Spartans a year ago. While Paske kept himself busy coaching junior varsity basketball in the winter, his thoughts rarely strayed far from his love of coaching football. “Our coaching staff and the players have put a lot of time and hard work into the program,” Paske said. “We hope that the hard work pays off.”
The initial pay-off would be the program’s first postseason win since the advent of state playoff system in 1993. The first four trips to the Section IV playoffs all ended in first-round defeats. The difference this year is that Greene is not only unbeaten, but carries the role of top seed and favorite. “We don’t talk about (our number one seed),” Paske said. “Now that we’re number one, we have to prove why we are there.”
Facing across the gridiron at Alumni Field in Binghamton Saturday night is first-round opponent Trumansburg (6-2). The Blue Raiders are perennial postseason contenders, and like Greene, suffered a first-round playoff loss a year ago. During that 2007 season, the two clubs squared off in a non-division matchup. Trumansburg prevailed in overtime, 24-18. “Trumansburg is a team that has had a lot of success in recent years, and they had some good (playoff) battles with Sidney,” Paske said.
The Blue Raiders favor a spread formation, and utilize a variety of backs. Among those in the backfield are quarterback Kyle Fellows, and backs Justin Stranger, Hank Newman, and leading rusher Greg Addicott. Fellows’ favorite target is 6-foot-3 receiver Steven Moore. Lineman Brandon Manheim spearheads the defense and offensive lines.
“We have quite a few films on Trumansburg, and when they lost to Elmira Notre Dame, Notre Dame ran threw them pretty well,” Paske said. “But that was early in the season, and Trumansburg is much better right now.”
On the Trojans’ side, starting quarterback Nate Whittaker and starting center Tyler Kehl are veterans of the last two postseason losses. “Those two are talking to the rest of the team from their experiences,” Paske said. “The kids need to realize that either you win, or you’re out.
“This is a group of kids that really enjoys football, and they need to stop and think about this season. The success they have had is something special.”
Game time is 7 p.m.
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Elsewhere this weekend

Susquehanna Valley (2-6) at Norwich (5-3), Friday, 7 p.m.
Susquehanna Valley is coming off a one-touchdown loss to Dryden last week, a game in which the Purple Lions clinched a Class B playoff spot. In that game, the Sabers won the total yardage battle and had 50-yard rushing games from Sean Haughton, Michael Banko, and Alex Martir. Quarterback Torin O’Brien also threw for 96 yards.
“They have won two of their last three games,” said Norwich coach John Pluta. “They had some injuries in the middle of the season, but they’ve been healthy the past three weeks. As the last game of the season, it will come down to whatever team decides to come out and play. If we play as hard as we have been, we should be okay.”
Pluta is quick to note that his team has not lacked for effort at any point in the season. What has worked against the Tornado is inconsistency. Last weekend it turned the ball over four times – two returned for touchdowns – and in its other two losses, penalties or ill-timed breakdowns conspired against it. “We have fought right to the bell in every game,” Pluta said. “It’s a matter of execution, and those games could be totally different with better execution. This team has ability and potential, but that doesn’t win you games. It’s all about performance.”

Seton Catholic Central (3-5) at Bainbridge-Guilford (4-4)
Bainbridge-Guilford can stop a three-game slide and secure a third straight winning season Friday night when it faces the number one rated passer and number one receiver in Section IV.
James Hranek has thrown for 1,264 yards and 11 TDS so far for the Saints, with Joseph Martin hauling in 32 tosses for 653 yards. Andrew Trippico and Chris Furner are also prime targets for Hranek.
“They have a real good passing attack, and we need to clamp down on Martin,” said B-G coach Tim Mattingly. “We have to take care of their running game because we anticipate they will try to throw it all over the field.”
In losing three straight, the Bobcats have found little to no running room, especially for senior Dustin Ross, who has an aggregate negative-five yards rushing the past two weeks against Walton and Unatego.
“We’ve played some really good teams. Obviously they went in with a game plan of stopping Ross, which they did,” Mattingly said. “This week we have gotten back to basics, and I think it’s important for the seniors to send the seniors off with a win.”