Pickin' Splinters

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Batavia falls in state final to Glens Falls, Joe Girard III

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Joe Girard III completed 10 of 18 passes for 314 yards and two touchdowns. The Syracuse University basketball commit also rushed for two touchdowns and had one interception in the game. (Photo: Joe Bradt)

By PAUL GOTHAM

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — In a game containing more than 70 points of combined offense, it’s hard to look at one play as the tipping point.

But a pass from Glens Falls quarterback Joe Girard III on the first drive of the second half proved to be just that.

Facing fourth down and 13 from the 33 yard line, Girard found David Barclay in the end zone. With the point after converted, Glens Falls took a 28-20 lead, and the Batavia Blue Devils never had a chance after that.

Girard, who will spend next season on the hardwood of the Carrier Dome in a Syracuse Orange basketball uniform, made his final appearance in Glens Falls Indian threads on the turf of his soon to be home.

And it was a performance to remember as Glens Falls downed Batavia in the NYSPHSAA Class B final, 55-32.

Girard completed 10-of-18 passes, none more important than his strike to David Barclay.

 

“He’s a great football player,” Batavia head coach Brennan Briggs said. “Obviously, he’s a Division I athlete. We had a our opportunities. He was a very difficult to get ahold of. We simulated all week in practice, but at the end of the day you still got to come out here and make plays.”

Girard’s offense carried the Indians, but it was his play on the defensive side that shouldn’t be overlooked.

With Batavia leading 14-0, Girard’s interception deep in the Glens Falls end changed the game’s course.

“They had thrown some little screen passes, and I knew one of these times they were going to have to take a shot,” Girard explained. “My job is the same as the corners, not let anything behind me. That’s basically what I did. When I saw I had an opportunity to make a play on the ball, I went up for is and got it. I knew that the momentum was going to be with us. It was big play. I just trusted my hands.”

Glens Falls took over inside its own 10-yard line.

Three plays later on third and 10 from the seven, Girard eluded the Batavia rush and connected on a 60 yard pass to David Barclay.

 

 

He capped the drive with a rush from four yards where he started going to the right and eventually weaved his way back across the field and scored from the left hand side.

 

“When I’m running I’m thinking we’re down in the dumps a little bit,” he explained. “I might have to make a big play. When I’m scrambling I’m always looking with my eyes downfield when I can take off, I take off and get what I can.

“When I was getting downfield, the receivers and running backs and the O-line did a good job blocking for me. Credit them for making the big plays as well.”

Glens Falls went on to outscore Batavia 21-7 in the quarter and did not trail again.

Girard rushed for two touchdowns and threw for two more in the win.

“That kid, he creates things,” Briggs said. “He goes left. He goes right. He finds guys downfield. He’s a great football player. You got to tip your cap to him.”

Batavia looked in command early. The Blue Devils took the opening kickoff from the 20-yard line and marched the length of the field in six plays.  Ethan Biscaro connected with Ray Leach for a 28-yard catch-and-run.

 

Batavia’s defense forced a three and out, and the offense again delivered with Leach hitting Taiyo Iburi-Bethel for a 46-yard touchdown.

Batavia led 14-0, but they had paid a price.

Starting quarterback Ethan Biscaro fell to the turf with a non-contact injury to his right knee. The senior left the game with a 4:03 remaining in the first quarter.

“He’s a huge part of our offense and our defense,” Briggs said. “No question, that hurt a lot. In the game of football you got to figure out how to get it done, and I didn’t do that.”

Glens Falls scored 21 straight to start the third quarter to open a 42-20 lead.

“You got to figure out how to get through it, and I guess I didn’t do the best job at that,” Briggs said. “I’m sure we’ll look back and say we had a heckuva season. I wouldn’t trade it for anything being out here with these guys, and the family we created.”

Leach finished with 414 yards on 30 rushes and four touchdowns including an 83-yard scamper in the second quarter to give Batavia a 20-14 lead. He capped his afternoon an record-setting month with an 80-yard rush along the sideline for the game’s last touchdown.

 

“He’s a tough football player,” Briggs said of his star. “He gets the job done every week. We ask him to do quite a bit. He doesn’t leave the field offense, defense, returns, he does it all.”

Leach’s numbers bring his total to 1,645 yards for the past four games and 2,993 for the season breaking the previous mark of 2,826 rushing yards set by Hornell’s Austin Dwyer in 2009.

“Our goal was to win it, but we didn’t accomplish that,” Leach said. “We came out here to play for each other, tonight I just don’t know what happened.”

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