Junior Jarret Ashton spins away from a tackle during Saranac Lake’s victory a week ago over Saranac Central in the Section VII, Class C championship game. The Red Storm will be in action on the same field tonight in state playoff matchup against Ogdensburg. (Enterprise photo — Lou Reuter)

SARANAC LAKE — Two football teams who have been state ranked in Class C for most of the season will clash tonight as Saranac Lake and Ogdensburg renew acquaintances in a Section VII/Section X playoff game at AuSable Valley starting at 7 p.m.

So far, the Red Storm and Blue Devils are  mirror images record wise. They both started off the season with three straight wins, then dropped two close games, and each team has rebounded by rattling off four victories in a row to carry 7-2 marks into tonight’s contest.

At the same time Saranac Lake and Ogdensburg are busy battling it out in Clintonville, Tupper Lake and Ticonderoga will tangle in Potsdam in a Class D playoff game, which also starts at 7 p.m. The Sentinels returned a wealth of players from last year’s squad that marched all the way to the state title game at the Carrier Dome and head into the matchup against the Lumberjacks with an 8-1 record and as the overwhelming favorites.

The winners of both games will advance to the state quarterfinal round and take on the Section II championship in action next weekend.

Saranac Lake and Ogdensburg are no strangers when it comes to facing each other in the postseason during November. Both teams fell short of claiming titles a season ago, but prior to that, they met up for three straight years after winning their respective sectional championships. Saranac Lake won two of those meeting, including the last one in 2014 by a 34-26 score.

“When I texted (Ogdensburg coach) Matt Tessmer to exchange game films, I remarked that if feels like the old days,” Saranac Lake head coach Eric Bennett said. “It’s going to be a great day of football.”

Ogdensburg has been on a roll ever since suffering its only two losses, which were by a combined six points. During their current streak, the Blue Devils have outscored four opponents 182-36, including a 36-6 win over previously unbeaten Gouverneur a week ago in the Section X, Class C championship game. They are currently eighth in the New York State Sports Writers Association rankings.

Meanwhile, Saranac Lake struggled when it played Saranac Central last week, but the Red Storm were still good enough to eke out a 19-16 win to claim their sixth Section VII crown in the past seven years. Saranac Lake enters the game ranked 18th in the state poll.

Bennett said a key to a fifth-straight victory for his team will be shutting down Ogdensburg’s high-powered running attack, which has averaged 240 yards per game while netting 2,158 yards.  Jared Barr leads Ogdensburg’s backs, averaging 7 yards per rush with 872 yards on 124 carries. Avery Love is second on the team with 474 yards rushing, and quarterback Joe Dalton is third, picking up 363 yards on the ground on 49 attempts. Dalton also has completed 54-of-78 pass attempts for 726 yards and eight touchdowns. The senior has been intercepted just once this season.

“Our major concern is Ogdensburg’s ability to run the ball,” Bennett said. “They have a great running back, their quarterback can take off and run, and they have a number of other weapons. There’s no question that we have to respect the pass, but we definitely have to stop the run.”

Saranac Lake has been riding a diversified offense this season led by senior quarterback Will Coats, who is a dual threat as a runner and passer. The Red Storm scored all three of their touchdowns on runs a week ago against the Chiefs, with Coats picking up one touchdown and junior back Jarret Ashton adding two more. Ashton had four-straight 100-plus yard rushing efforts heading into the Section VII final.

Joe Viscardo leads Saranac Lake’s receivers. Two weeks ago during the Red Storm’s 32-12 triumph over Potsdam, the senior set a new record for all-time career receiving yards for Champlain Valley Athletic Conference players with 1,818. Viscardo added 61 yards to that total last week on four catches, and could surpass 2,000 yards tonight.

Another key for Saranac Lake will be cleaning up the mistakes that were prevalent in the game against Saranac.

“We’re at a point in the season where you have to play mistake-free football to the best of your ability,” Bennett said. “We’re taking on one of the top-coached teams in the North Country. They get this far in playoffs almost every year, they are very clearly a fundamentally sound team, and they’ve really rolled the points during the second half of the season.

“I think the game is going to come down to simple execution and a couple breaks here or there,” Bennett said. “This can be a great game. Our kids are pumped. They are excited. There are 16 Class C teams still alive in New York state at this point, and we are one of them.”

—

Tonight

Ticonderoga vs.

Tupper Lake, 7 p.m.

Heading into tonight’s game with a 1-8 record, and facing an old nemesis in Ticonderoga, Tupper Lake coach Dennis Klossner admits that his team is a heavy underdog. But Klossner said that fact hasn’t dampened the Lumberjacks enthusiasm to take up the challenge. The ‘Jacks, who are the only Class D team in Section X, enter the battle in Potsdam following a 48-6 loss. The Sentinels advanced with a 22-7 victory over rival Moriah a week ago in the Section VII title tilt.

“We have our work cut out for us,” Klossner said. “But at this time of year, you always have a fresh start, and our team has improved considerable since the season got going. We’re excited about the way we hit last week, we’re excited about the progress we’ve made. Our biggest problem has been giving up big plays. That’s the one thing that’s really hurt us this year.”

The Sentinels are ranked fifth in the Class D state poll, and are loaded with weapons. Their ground game is led by Justin Granger, and they have a talented quarterback in junior Evan Graney directing the offense.

Tupper Lake will rely on its ground game in order to move the chains with the hopes of keeping the ball away from Ticonderoga’s offense. Klossner said he’s really pleased with the rushing performance of junior Mike Hyde, and added that senior Ryan Becker will hopefully provide Tupper Lake with a nice backfield combination tonight.

A wrinkle in the Lumberjacks offensive game plan will be a shift to the shotgun formation, that Klossner says should provide sophomore quarterback Brennen McComber with a greater ability to survey the Sentinels defensive formations.

Klossner said low numbers has again made the going difficult for his team this year, but added that he’s proud of the effort that has been turned in by the players who have basically been on the field from the opening kickoff to the final whistle.

“We hold our own, but a lack of depth tends to wear on us,” Klossner said. “I know the kids we have are going to give everything they have. It’s playoff time again, and we’re excited to be playing. We’re facing a good ball club, and we’ll give them our best shot.”