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Red Storm make amends

Saranac Lake’s Jarrett Ashton weaves his way with the ball while AuSable Valley’s Mason Douglas (44) attempts to close in on defense. Ashton ran for 204 yards and three touchdowns while passing the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the season in the game. (Enterprise photo — Lou Reuter)

CLINTONVILLE — A really frustrating season just got a whole lot better for Saranac Lake’s football team.

After posting a 1-6 record in Champlain Valley Athletic Conference play, the Red Storm shook off a bad regular season all in one night, defeating AuSable Valley 35-6 Friday in the semifinal round of the Section VII, Class C playoffs. Saranac Lake lost to the Patriots on the opening weekend of the season, and came back to avenge that setback in a big way with a dominating performance.

Senior running back Jarrett Ashton had another spectacular showing to lead the Red Storm. He piled up 204 rushing yards and scored three touchdowns on a whopping 32 carries.

Ashton scored on runs of 12 and 1 yards and added two more points on a conversion run to give Saranac Lake a 14-0 edge in the first quarter.

The Patriots closed the gap to 14-6 when Matt Pray powered his way into the end zone on a 4-yard run 3:37 into the second quarter, but those were the only points they were able to put on the board the rest of the way as their season ended with a 1-7 mark.

Saranac Lake receiver Emery Swanson leaps above a Patriots defender to haul in a 31-yard pass from quarterback DJ Morgan in the opening quarter of Friday’s game in Clintonville. (Enterprise photo — Lou Reuter)

Pray ran for 286 yards when the teams met to start the season. A week later, he suffered a broken collarbone and it looked like his high school football career was over, but the senior was back on the field for the playoff battle although his return lasted less than a quarter. On his touchdown run, Pray was hit hard crossing the goal line, a collision that ended his night, which hampered the Patriots offensive attack.

Following AuSable Valley’s touchdown, Saranac Lake’s offense got right back to work, mounting a 69-yard march capped off by a 19-yard touchdown pass from DJ Morgan to Ward Walton. Matt Kratts tacked on another point on the conversion kick and the Red Storm was on top 21-6 with 4:28 left in the opening half.

Saranac Lake carried that lead into intermission and then scored again on its second possession of the third quarter. The Red Storm defense set up its offense with great field position for the points when it forced AuSable Valley to go three-and-out. Facing a 15-point deficit, the Patriots were looking at a fourth-and-two situation at their own 33-yard line. Instead of punting, they tried to pick up a single yard for a first down, but running back Tyler Atkins was stuffed at the line and dropped for a 1-yard loss. After getting the ball on downs at the Patriots 32, the Red Storm offense pounded the ball up the middle, with Ashton carrying the ball on three straight runs, with his final attempt going 19 yards for his third touchdown of the game. Kratts was good again on the conversion kick and Saranac Lake was in command with a 28-6 lead.

The deflated Patriots went three-and-out again on the ensuing possession, punted the ball away, and the Red Storm then sealed the deal, as well as left their frustrations in the dust by driving 88 yards in 13 plays with Morgan scoring on a 6-yard run up the middle. Behind some solid blocking, Ashton and Morgan kept the ball in their hands and on the ground on every play in the march.

“The line did a great job blocking,” Ashton said. “At one point in the third quarter I got the ball and it was just a wall in front of me for about 10 yards. I just kept running right behind them. It was great. We finally put one together — a full four quarters.”

Red Storm defenders including Hunter Lahard (1) and Brandon White gang tackle AuSable Valley running back Tyler Atkins. (Enterprise photo — Lou Reuter)

In addition to cranking up their running game, the Red Storm played turnover free football while earning a trip to the Class C final, where they will face top-seeded Saranac Central. That game is slated for Saturday on the same field where they toppled the host Patriots Friday night.

“It feels great. Our kids came ready to play,” Saranac Lake head coach Eric Bennett said. “We had a great week of practice, they were focused and they were sound in their assignments today. We controlled the ball, we protected the ball, we played some good defense. I’m proud of everything they’ve done. I’m just so happy for them.”

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