Tupper Lake’s Skyler Pickering tries to break a tackle from Morrisville-Eaton’s Jacob Bogacz as Logan Hosler closes in during last week’s home loss to the Warriors. (Enterprise photo — Justin A. Levine)

SARANAC LAKE — After starting the season with two victories at home, Saranac Lake’s football team was stopped in its tracks a week ago, falling 20-15 on the road at AuSable Valley. The win was the first of the season for the Patriots.

On Saturday on homecoming weekend, the Red Storm will look to rebound when they host Ticonderoga at Wilson Raymond Field starting at 1:30 p.m. In suffering their first loss of the season, the Red Storm fell prey to their own mistakes and were also hurt by big plays made AuSable Valley receivers. All three Patriots touchdowns came on passing plays.

Despite the loss, Saranac Lake is still sitting in a tie for the top of the Champlain Valley Athletic Conference standings, as four of the league’s eight teams enter action this weekend with 2-1 records. The Red Storm’s opponent, the Sentinels, are 1-2. They took down Peru 12-7 on the season’s opening weekend but have since dropped two straight to Beekmantown and Moriah while being outscored 84-18 in the pair of matchups.

On defense, Saranac Lake will face the CVAC’s top quarterback, Terrence Benedict, who leads the league in attempts, completions and yards gained. The 6-4, 220-pound senior has connected on 42-of 77 attempts for 529 yards. Benedict has three touchdown tosses and has been intercepted four times.

Conall Tierney, Monty Benedict and Connor Yaw are Tionderoga’s top trio of receivers, combining for 33 catches and 444 yards.

Saranac Lake has given up the fewest points in the league, 35, but its offense has struggled. Penalties have been big drive killers for the Red Storm in all three games so far, and ground game woes really set in last week with just 11 yards rushing against the Patriots.

Receiver David Warner has been a bright spot offensively for Saranac Lake. Although the junior receiver only has seven catches, he’s had some been big ones, and leads the CVAC with 24.7 yards per catch. Senior running back Logan Brown is second in points scored in the CVAC with 26 on four rushing touchdowns and a two-point conversion run.

Tupper Lake at West Canada Valley

A week ago, Tupper Lake kicked off its second full season of eight-man football with a 22-0 loss to Morrisville-Eaton at home.

The Lumberjacks are on the road today for their second game, taking on West Canada Valley in Newport, New York starting at 1:30 p.m. The Indians picked up a big win in their season-opener when they rolled past Sherburne-Earlville 58-18.

Tupper Lake head coach Dennis Klossner said that despite the final score, the Lumberjacks were able to stay close for a good portion of last week’s game and trailed by only 8-0 at halftime. Klossner said mistakes, including some penalties, hampered the ‘Jacks’ cause.

“Overall, we did a lot of good things,” Klossner said. “I’m happy with the way we held them to eight points in the first half. It could have very well been an 8-8 game without mistakes on our part. The major thing was penalties. We had some bad ones.”

Klossner said a focus at practice this week was being in the right place at the right time.

“We just weren’t in position on a lot of plays,” he said. “That hurt us. They were a good team, but I don’t think 22-0 better. It was our first game. We learned a lot.”

A week ago, two freshmen, quarterback Jayden Farnsworth and center Owen Whitman, experienced their football debut as the youngest members of the Lumberjacks. Klossner liked what he saw from the youngsters and says they’ll only get better with more experience.

Today, Tupper Lake’s young team will face West Canada Valley opponent that loves to air it out.

“They go with a wide open offense,” Klossner said. “They line up four wide, they will run a little, but I think they are more pass heavy. They have some big lineman, a 6-5 guy, and they are a real good team. We just have to try to stall them; get behind schedule a little. We have to not make mistakes, be in position and be ready to go.”