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SYRACUSE. N.Y. The Dobbs Ferry High School varsity football team showed complete dominance Sunday, compiling 567 yards of offense and shutting down the Southwestern offense in a 39-0 victory to claim the New York state Public High Schools Class C championship at the Carrier Dome on the campus of Syracuse University.
No team ever plays a perfect game, but we knew from the start that we the better team and we could dominate, Eagles running back/defensive lineman John Yozzi-Scaperrotta said. This is what weve been dreaming of since we were little kids, since we were born into Dobbs football. Its all worth the work for the fans, the community, everyone.
The Eagles completed their season with an 11-1 record and won the fourth state in school history, the most of any Section 1 football team. Dobbs Ferry, whose lone loss was a tough 15-14 heartbreaker to Bronxville on opening day of the regular season, won state championships in 2002, 2004, 2006. Edgemont and Rye have each won three state titles.
Yozzo-Scaperrotta, who rushed for 118 yards and three scores, began scoring with a 10-yard run early in the first quarter, fullback Tim Soave scored from 16 yards out to make the score 14-0 and Yozzo-Scaperrotta scored again from a yard out as the eagle opened a 21-0 lead midway through the second quarter. The defense added insult to Southwesterns injury by slamming the door, holding the Trojans to 97 yards of offense.
We just knew they were a good team that ran the ball well and that was our focus, stopping their best player No. 8, said senior lineman Muhammad Hashami of No. 8 player, Nick Swanson. Hashami was named the Defensive Player of the Game for the Eagles. Our defensive backs and linebackers made every play on their passing game. It was a total team effort.
The Eagles led 21-0 but showed no signs of letup, opening up their passing game in a two-minute offense at the end of the second quarter. Quarterback Spencer Avalos, the Most Valuabel Player of the Game, found split end Thomas Fleming with a 16-yard strike for a 27-0 halftime lead. Avalos rushed for 42 yards and threw for 146.
We have been in a lot of blowouts this season, so we didnt show the passing game much, Fleming said. We wanted to keep the momentum going and the pass was there. The blocking was great all day.
Eagles running back Eddie Ritch, who gained a game-high 127 yards and was named the game's Outstanding Back, scored early in the fourth quarter and Yozzo-Scaperrotta raced 59 yards for the final tally of the near-perfect season that added to the lore and tradition of Dobbs Ferry football.
For Eagles first-year coach Jim Moran, who came over from Rye Country Day School this summer to coach his first state title team, the champions could be defined in a simple word unselfish.
These kids just wanted to win, Moran said. They dont care who gets the ball or the glory. Thats what it takes to be a complete football team. This is a wonderful accomplishment. I have to say, Im really proud.
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