In a gritty matchup in the pouring rain, the host Red Storm defeated the Raiders 18-14, snapping its seven game losing streak.

The Saranac Lake football team showed its resiliency late in the contest with essentially a game-winning drive. With four minutes left in the fourth quarter, senior quarterback Zack Goetz found senior wideout Sam Clark for a 20-yard score.

The victory was a long time coming for the Red Storm, who last won on Sept. 8, 2023 against Plattsburgh.

“I think it all started with our summer work, and our leadership from our captains,” Saranac Lake head coach Eric Bennett said. “It started with our desire for each kid to be the best that they can — (to) push themselves in practice,” he said. “I love the chemistry of the team and the fact that everything was positive and moving forward, good things happen when you’re like that, so I couldn’t be more proud of our kids.”

Saranac Lake’s Owen Lawrence, right, takes a hand off from Zack Goetz during Saturday’s game against Massena. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

Red Storm junior running back David Montroy, who is also one of the team’s captains, ran for a team-high 78 yards, while scoring his first varsity touchdown. Montroy credited his team’s offensive line for his solid production on the ground.

“It was all them,” he said. “It was not me. They just made me look good.”

Fellow junior Scottie Nicholas also scored his first career touchdown on a 3-yard run up the middle. First-year varsity player Owen Lawrence logged seven rushes for 54 yards and Alius Martelle had two carries for 24 yards.

The rain seemingly halted any sort of passing offense for both squads, but when it came down to the wire, Goetz stepped up for his team and completed two passes in the final drive, guiding the Red Storm to victory.

“Coming from last year, I think it’s a statement today,” said Clark, a senior wideout for Saranac Lake. “Coming here, showing up and winning the game.”

On the other side, Dominic Murtagh proved to be a bright spot for the Raiders, scoring one touchdown and leading Massena on the ground with 126 yards on 13 attempts. Quarterback Tapeni LaBrake Jr. ran for 40 yards and scored once.

Neither team got off to the hot start it wanted, as it was a scoreless opening quarter, but Saranac Lake looked like it was in position to score first when the team marched 27 yards to the Massena 39. On the next play, the Red Storm fumbled the ball, giving Massena possession.

With the ball on their own 39 yard line, Murtagh cut through the Red Storm defense for a 63-yard score. LaBrake Jr. ran in for the two-point conversion to give his team and 8-0 lead.

Saranac Lake responded with a few minutes left in the first half. Montroy cut up the middle for a 15-yard touchdown run with 3:03 left in the second quarter.

The Red Storm claimed the lead on the opening drive of the second half when Nicholas reached the endzone on a short run. Saranac Lake’s score was set up by a 37-yard rush from Lawrence, which put the ball inside the red zone.

Trailing by four, the Raiders defense recovered a fumble on Saranac Lake’s 27 yard line. Massena took advantage of field position and used five plays to find pay dirt when LaBrake Jr. scrambled up the middle. A missed extra point attempt gave the Raiders a 14-12 lead.

On the Red Storm’s ensuing drive, costly penalties pushed them to a third and 24 on their own 21 yard line. Backed up deep, Goetz launched a pass to Connor Coventry for 34-yard gain, which shifted field position with few minutes to play.

Just a few plays later, Goetz found Clark on a 20-yard scoring pass for the senior first-ever touchdown catch.

“I was doing a little move inside and got the (defensive back) to shade inside,” Clark said. “I was wide open in the endzone.”

Saranac Lake’s two-point attempt failed, leaving the team with a six point advantage with 3:30 left in the fourth quarter.

The Red Storm defense held the Raiders to four plays before forcing turning over on downs to wrap up the game. The team improved to 1-0 overall, while also earning its first victory against a Section X opponent since the Spring of 2021 when it beat Tupper Lake.

Saranac Lake is slated to take on the Moriah Vikings on the road Saturday at 1:30 p.m. It will be the Vikings first game of the season. Meanwhile, the Raiders will travel to face the Gouverneur next Saturday.

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Saranac Lake 18, Massena 14

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Raiders 0 8 0 6 — 14

Red Storm 0 6 6 6 — 18

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SCORING

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Second Quarter

M — Murtagh 63 run (LaBrake Jr. run), 4:09

SL — Montroy 15 run (Run failed), 8:56

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Third Quarter

SL — Nicholas 3 run (Pass failed), 5:18

Fourth Quarter

M — LaBrake Jr. 5 run (Kick failed), 3:46

SL — Clark 20 pass from Goetz (Run failed), 8:30

INDIVIDUAL STATS

RUSHING

M — LaBrake Jr. 17-40, TD; Murtagh 13-126, TD; Charleson 5-15; Fregoe 1-5. Totals: 36-186, 2TDs.

SL — Montroy 17-78, TD; Nicholas 10-28, TD; Lawrence 7-54; Martelle 2-24; Coventry 2-(-1); Goetz 4-(-8). Totals: 42-175, 2TDs.

PASSING

M — LaBrake Jr. 0-5-0-0.

SL — Goetz 2-7-0-54, TD.

RECEIVING

SL — Clark 1-20, TD; Coventry 1-34. Totals: 2-54, TD.