2005- Intro
By
the time the 2005 season began, the expectations were soaring for the Chenango
Forks Football Team. Fresh off their 2nd consecutive state
championship, with the longest win streak in school history and the longest
active win streak in New York state, anything short of a 3rd
straight title would be a disappointment. With the all time Section 4 win
streak in reach, the Blue Devils would try to make their mark.
The 2005 Chenango Forks Football Team
(All information on this blog is adapted from the fantastic website http://www.forksfootball.com/main.html. The website has information on almost every Chenango Forks game from 2001 to the present, and includes statistics, news articles, pictures and more. All credit goes to the owner of the website for usage of the statistics and pictures and their affiliated sources)
2005- Offense
With the graduation of Tim Batty, 2 year starter at and Class
B player of the year, the Blue Devils turned to 6’2 Senior Rick Mirabito to
lead the offense. Senior Tyler Spencer, a 3 year varsity player, and Joe
Nicholson shared the fullback spot, while Joe’s older brother Jim manned one of
the halfback spots. The offensive line was one of the largest in school
history, averaging over 250 pounds per man, with Seniors Matt Faughnan (6’3
301) Josh Preston (6’0 287) Justin Brewster (6’0 290) along with Junior Josh
Cary (6’5 288) and Sophmore Jud Dubois (5’11 232). Statistically, the 2005
team was quite prolific, scoring 413 points (31 points per game), while rushing
for 3933 yards. (302 yards per game) Passing was much harder for the 2005 Blue
Devils however, with the team completing just 13 passes all year for an average
of 26 yards per game.
Rick Mirabito stepped in as QB and led a solid Forks offense. His 838 rushing yards were second on the team, and he also earned a 1st team all state nod as a safety on defense.
2005- Defense
The defense, while still solid, was bound to take a step
back following a spectacular campaign. Some of the talent which returned included
defensive linemen Tyler Spencer and Matt Faughnan, along with defensive end Joe
Nicholson. Jim Nicholson manned one of the linebacker spots, and in the
secondary was Junior Bryan Lance at safety along with Mirabito. Statistically,
things were below what had been a spectacular run of 4 team allowing less than
8 points per game. The 2005 squad allowed 154 points on the year (11.8 points
per game) 2014 rushing yards (162 per game) and 713 passing yards (55 per game)
Bryan Lance (#7) intercepts a pass against Norwich in a 28-14 win
2005- Results
The 2005 squad played teams much closer than the dominant
2004 squad. 3 of its first 7 games were decided by 14 points or less, including
a 21-7 win over Maine Endwell, the defending class A state champions. The team,
however, did break through to claim (at the time) section 4’s all time win streak,
35 straight games in a 42-8 win over Norwich in the class B semifinals. The
2005 squad also won Chenango Forks 5th straight section title, a
25-13 scrape against Owego. In the state quarterfinals, the team defeated Homer
34-7, and survived a spectacular game against Hornell, a 21-20 escape in which
Hornell missed a 27 yard field goal as time expired to advance to Chenango Forks
unprecedented 5th straight state title and 38th straight
win. However, in the state championship, the Blue Devils run finally came to an
end against none other than Rye by a 28-7 score, whom the Blue Devils had
defeated by a 64-0 margin in the last 2 title games. With the loss, the Blue
Devils long win streak was finally ended. With the season over, the 2005 squad graduated 3 1st team all state players, defensive lineman Tyler Spencer, safety Mirabito and offensive lineman Faughnan, although massive 1st team all state Junior Josh Cary would return for his senior season, along with several other players who would try to reclaim state title glory for the Blue Devils
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