Nov 3, 2025
After receiving a handoff, Saranac Lake’s David Montroy looks for room to run during Friday’s Section VII, Class C semifinal football game against AuSable Valley. Also pictured for the Red Storm are quarterback Evan Harvey (6) and Alius Martelle (20). (Provided photo — Lou Reuter)
SARANAC LAKE — On a night when the wind never stopped blowing and the falling rain turned to driving snow, Saranac Lake rode a punishing ground attack and a stout defense to a 19-0 victory over AuSable Valley in Friday’s Class C semifinal football game at the new Wilson Raymond Field.
Saranac Lake’s victory set up what has become a familiar scenario when it comes to the Section VII postseason, as the Red Storm next takes on Saranac Central for the fifth straight season in the Class C championship game.
Saranac Central has been the top dog in that matchup recently after beating Saranac Lake the last three years in the title tilt. The Spartans were also victorious against the Red Storm this fall after posting a 40-0 regular season win on Oct. 18. They advanced to this year’s Class C championship by blanking Plattsburgh 21-0 in the other semifinal, which was contested Saturday in Beekmantown.
Despite the lopsided score in their last go-round with Saranac, Red Storm head coach Eric Bennett and his team said they are optimistic when it comes to denying the top-seeded Spartans their fourth straight sectional crown.
“We don’t even think about that last game,” Bennett said. “There’s no question Saranac is a strong, well-coached team and we have our hands full, but we couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity. We’re going to play a hell of a ball game against them, I can tell you that, and we’re looking forward to it.”
Saranac Lake senior Scottie Nicholas goes airborne with the ball while attempting to get past an AuSable Valley defender during Friday’s Section VII, Class C semifinal game at the new Wilson-Raymond Field. Also pictured is Braydon Harvey of the Red Storm (7) and the Marco Amato (1) of the Patriots. (Provided photo — Lou Reuter)
“I’m hoping we come out and flip things around to get our first sectional championship in a long time,” Red Storm senior Scottie Nicholas said. “Saranac smoked us in the regular season, but I don’t think we showed up very well then, and I think we have a shot.”
After rushing for 173 yards and three touchdowns a week ago to help Saranac Lake rally for a 28-24 win over Beekmantown to close out the regular season, senior David Montroy paved the way again against AuSable Valley, piling up 136 yards and one touchdown on 21 carries.
On a blustery night that made airing it out difficult, the Red Storm offense produced 204 yards on the ground — a major turnaround from the 89 rushing yards it managed in a close 14-9 victory over the Patriots during the third week of the season.
“I think some adjustments that coach (Chad) Harvey made to the offensive line and the scheme really paid dividends for us tonight,” Bennett said. “I give him a lot of credit for putting together a game plan to move the ball, because we didn’t move the ball the first time we played them. We did tonight. We committed to the run game, and I think the weather there helped us a little bit.”
Although Saranac Lake won by a three-touchdown margin, AuSable Valley stayed within striking distance until the middle stages of the fourth quarter. The Red Storm took a 7-0 lead with the only points in the opening half, which came 1:21 into the second period on a nine-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Evan Harvey to senior Braydon Harvey. That was followed by a successful conversion kick from Nicholas.
Saranac Lake sophomore quarterback Evan Harvey is stopped short of the end zone following a short gain during the second quarter of Friday’s game against AuSable Valley. The Red Storm scored touchdown on the next play to take a 7-0 lead. (Provided photo — Lou Reuter)
The score remained that way until the Red Storm pulled away with a pair of rushing touchdowns in the final quarter, starting with a 15-yard dash to the corner of the end zone by Alius Martelle on a sweep to the left with 10:23 remaining on the game clock. Montroy then sealed the win on Saranac Lake’s next possession, rambling for a 31-yard touchdown run through the middle of the line to make it a 19-0 final score.
In recording its second shutout of the season, the Red Storm defense limited the Patriots to just 107 total yards of offense, including a mere 47 on the ground.
Saranac Lake’s biggest defensive stand came just before halftime when the Patriots marched all the way to the Red Storm’s two-yard line before stalling. Looking to tie the contest, AuSable Valley saw a touchdown nullified on the possession by a penalty. The Patriots ultimately turned the ball over on downs back at Saranac Lake’s 30 when junior defensive lineman Sam Duprey sacked quarterback Aiden Blaise for an 11-yard loss on third down, and Blaise’s pass attempt on the following play fell incomplete.
The Patriots failed to pick up a first down on five of their eight possessions in the game.
“We played some really good defense. I thought our kids stepped up, filled gaps and put a lot of pressure on them,” Bennett said. “I think we brought that pressure from a lot of different places. We contained their perimeter game and just didn’t let their quarterback get comfortable. It was a tough night for a team that passes on 50 percent of their snaps. It was just an overall great effort from our kids.”
Saranac Lake’s High School logo shines brightly on the back of the press box at the new Wilson-Raymond Field as snow falls under the Friday night lights following the Red Storm’s 19-0 victory over AuSable Valley in a Section VII, Class C football game. (Provided photo — Lou Reuter)
“Obviously, our defense played really well,” Nicholas added. “We held them to zero points, but our line also played great. We ran the rock over and over and they just couldn’t stop it.”
AuSable Valley saw its season end with a 3-6 record. Saranac Lake improved to 6-3 overall with the win and now hopes to end Saranac Central’s hold on Class C in a championship game slated for 1 p.m. Saturday on the Spartans’ field.
Duprey, a junior captain, summed up his feelings about earning the opportunity for a rematch against the Spartans with everything on the line this time around.
“We’re hungry, we want more, we want them,” he said.
Saranac Lake 19,
AuSable Valley 0
SL — 7 0 0 12 – 19
AV — 0 0 0 0 – 0
Scoring
Second Quarter
SL — B Harvey 7 pass from E. Harvey (S. Nicholas kick), 1:31
Fourth Quarter
SL — Alius Martelle 15 run (Kick missed), 1:37
SL — Montroy 31 run (Pass failed), 5:46
Individual Statistics
RUSHING
AV — Lawyer 17-12, Blaise 9-29, Pray 3-3, Bombard 3-(-4), Lewallen 2-7. Totals: 34-47.
SL — Martelle 4-12 TD, Montroy 21-136 TD, E. Harvey 5-13, S. Nicholas 6-43. Totals: 36-204 2TDs.
PASSING
AV — Blaise 7-15-0-60.
SL — E. Harvey 8-13-0-51 TD.
RECEIVING
AV — Lawyer 2-8, Lacey 1-10, Pray 2-31, Dashnaw 1-(-1), Lewallen 1-12.
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