GUILDERLAND — The Guilderland football team came out flat for Friday night’s game against a fired-up Columbia squad and it paid the price.

Columbia overcame a 7-3 deficit by scoring 21 unanswered points to blast the Dutchmen, 24-7, in East Greenbush.
"We had a lack of focus, a lack of intensity," said Guilderland Coach Dan Penna. "We had silly penalties and we were undisciplined. We were out of synch and I give a lot of credit to Columbia for that."

The game was a defensive battle for most of the first half. The first quarter ended in a 0-0 draw.

Columbia got a field goal from Jon Kebea to take a 3-0 lead earlier in the second quarter.

The score capped a long drive by the Blue Devils that took 17 plays; the drive began at the end of the first quarter and ended in the first minute of the second.

Guilderland came back with its only offensive highlight of the game.

On second down, after getting the ball back on the kick-off, Paul Booker took a hand off from quarterback Greg Barcomb and busted through the line.

Once Booker got through the line, he out-sprinted the Columbia defenders for a 68-yard run into the end zone.

Nick Zanotta kicked the extra point to make the score 7-3.

Shift to the Devils

But then Columbia started to make big plays.

Guilderland was forced to punt on its next possession but Zanotta’s attempt was blocked and the ball was downed at the Guilderland 27-yard line.

It took three plays for the Blue Devils to cash in on their opportunity.

Elusive Blue Devil quarterback Chris Shaver ran an option play and kept the ball for a 15-yard touchdown run. The extra point was good, and Columbia led, 10-7, with 4:12 left in the first half.

Columbia got another big play on a punt. This time, Guilderland was able to get the punt off, but Columbia’s Jose George returned the ball to the Guilderland three-yard line.

Shaver scored two plays later and the extra point gave the Blue Devils a 17-7 lead with 1:35 left until the intermission.

The Guilderland defense was solid in the second half, but Columbia scored late in the third quarter. The score had nothing to do with the defense.

Jeff McCormick intercepted a pass at the Guilderland 40-yard line and returned it for a touchdown. The extra point gave the Blue Devils a 24-7 lead with 2:45 left in the third frame.
"We knew it would be a defensive struggle," Penna said. "They got us off balance and we gave up some big plays. They got the interception and the punt return. They made plays, they came out fired up. And, as the coach, it is my responsibility to have the team better prepared before we get on the field. Next week, we’ll certainly be ready."

The Guilderland defense was stout, but Guilderland’s offense struggled for the entire game. Besides Booker’s touchdown run, the Dutch couldn’t get anything going on the offensive side of the ball.

Guilderland struggled against a quick Columbia defensive front.
"My hats off to Columbia," Penna said. "We knew they were a good football team. They executed and played better."

Both teams came into the game with 2-0 records and at the top of Class AA. It’s a big accomplishment for teams that have been mediocre at best.
"It was a great atmosphere," Penna said. "We were very excited to be playing in this game."

Preparing for Nisky

The Dutch will re-group as they have a short week to get ready for Class AA Division I foe Niskayuna on Thursday. The game in Niskayuna is a day earlier because the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah begins on Friday night. Niskayuna is winless in its first three games.
"We’ll come in first thing tomorrow and watch the film then put this behind us," Penna said after Friday’s game. "Then we’ll start preparing for Niskayuna. Coach [John] Furey always has good football teams. But we’ll be ready for them."