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G ranville has three weeks left to salvage its football season.
After Saturday’s 66-8 nonconference loss at Class B Cohoes, the Horde have two regular-season games remaining, both at home. While their playoff chances are slim, and will end with a loss in either game, they still have some slight hopes of advancing to the first round of the Section II playoffs.
The Horde plays a nonleague game against Class C South’s Vorheesville at 1 p.m., Saturday, then finishes the season with two more home games. Granville hosts Tamarac at 1 p.m. Saturday and plays Stillwater in the culmination of Lights Week at 7 p.m., Oct. 12.
Vorheesville is 1-2 overall and in league play.
Head coach Mario Torres said the Vorheesville game will count toward the playoff tie-breakers. He said according to his calculations, if the Horde win out, they will not only make the playoffs, but be seeded third and avoid state-ranked Chatham in the first round.
In Saturday’s loss, Granville fell behind 32-0 before Paul Hanna’s one-yard run produced Granville only touchdown. Hanna also scored on the conversion run. Hanna gained 148 yards on 12 carries. Daishawne Sturdivant scored four touchdowns for Cohoes.
“I told the kids afterwards, sometimes in life, you’re going to get punched in the face,” he said. “This Saturday afternoon, right now, will help prepare you for that.”
Torres said his players are better than they think.
“We are playing not to lose, rather than playing to win,” he said. “These guys don’t realize how good they are. How strong and talented they are. We are trying to change the culture.”
Granville is 0-3 in the league with losses to Corinth, Hoosick Falls and Mechanicville.
Hoosick Falls, 4-0 overall and 3-0 in the league, has already clinched a spot. Mechanicville, at 2-1 in the league, has not clinched the playoffs, but would finish ahead of Granville in a tie based on head-to-head. Tamarac and Stillwater are at 1-1. Corinth is 1-2, but again has a win in hand against the Horde if it comes down to that for the fourth playoff spot.
If Granville does not make the playoffs, it will get a crossover game against a nonleague opponent the week after the regular season ends.
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