The Shenendehowa Varsity Football Team is gearing up for Week 3 against rivals Christian Brothers Academy on Friday, Sept. 27.
Shen has always been known to be a dominating force within Section II. Coming off of last year’s success, players say, spirits were high entering the 2024 season. After losing many talented seniors, a now predominantly young team is getting ready for a tough opponent.
“There is going to be a huge learning curve, but as the year goes on the younger kids will develop,” said senior Captain, Colin Thompson.
The season opener didn’t go as everyone was expecting. Shenendehowa fell 28-7 to the Shaker Bison. After losing to the Bison for the first time in two years, many students began to question the team’s capabilities, some even calling this a “rebuilding year.”
The team turned things around quickly, winning 44-0 against Guilderland High School during Week 1. Proving that they are still capable of being a powerhouse within the section.
Varsity faced South Colonie last Friday, where Shen pulled out a 55-0 win. Coming off the big win gave the team confidence going into this week’s game.
“Our defense held Colonie to zero, and our offense put up fifty five. Coming off that, we know we can score points and we know we can hold teams to zero, so we’re going to have to do that against CBA,” said Captain Dylan Maye.
The Captains expressed the importance of the team showing up with high energy and staying focused on the game ahead, no matter the score of the previous game.
“Having a big win like Colonie definitely helps us going into a big week like this, but we all know we have to focus on the next game and get back to work. No matter what the outcome of the last game was, we have to produce at a higher level,” senior Captain Ihsaan Alozie said.