Latest / Cover IV Podcast / Week 5 Cover IV Showdown - Horseheads vs. Vestal & Much More!

Transcript

Week 5 Cover IV Showdown - Horseheads vs. Vestal & Much More! · Cover IV Podcast

• 0:09
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to Cover Four.
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_00: If you're a second four football fan, this is your fight.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_00: Buckle up.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: If you want to be tiny, double knock include.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: Here we go.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to Cover Four Showdown for week five.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: We have another exciting fact-filled episode for you.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_00: In addition to the Cover Four Showdown game, we have a new sponsor to share with you and two Cover Four What to Watch for games, one which is tonight.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_00: Let's get started.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_00: This Friday night, our Cover 4 Showdown is a collision in the division.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: As the New York State ranked number 13th Horseheads Blue Raiders invade Dick Hoover Stadium to take on the New York State honorable mention, Vestal Golden Bears.
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_00: Kickoff is Friday night, October 2nd at 7 p.m.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: You can watch the game on the Vestal Athletics Network streamed on fan.huddle.com.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: Horseheads comes into the game 3-1 overall, 2-0 in the Division II.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_00: This will be their third Division II game.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_00: Vestal is 2-2 overall, and this will be their first Division II game.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_00: This game has significance for both teams.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_00: Horsehead wins and they secure home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: A Vestal win keeps their hopes alive of winning the division and possibly securing home field advantage for themselves.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_00: Horseheads is also coming off its first loss of the season, a heartbreaking 27-26 loss at the hands of the Waverly Wolverines.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: Vestal is coming off a tough 28-21 home victory over Aweego.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_00: The Golden Bears are undefeated at DeCouver Stadium this season and are looking to keep it that way.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_00: Right away, there are two questions surrounding this game.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: How does the Horseheads Blue Raiders respond after suffering their first loss?
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_00: And can Vestal carry the momentum from its big win over Aweego in this first Division II game?
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_00: Now let's start with the Horseheads Blue Raiders.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_00: They opened the season with three straight victories, two within Division II.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_00: They defeated Aquinas 31-12, Binghamton 49-16, and Union Endicott 21-15.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_00: Then came Waverly.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_00: Horseheads put up 26 points, but Waverly scored 27, handing the Blue Raiders their first loss of the season by just one point.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: There are several student athletes who can make a major impact on how Horseheads performs.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_00: Junior quarterback Lincoln Bennett is coming off an impressive performance against Waverly.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_00: He threw for 216 yards and three touchdowns in that game.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_00: His primary target was senior wide receiver Jack Pachek, who caught 11 passes for 108 yards and a touchdown.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: This gives us one of the first things to watch Friday night.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_00: Bennett to Patchett, can this passing combination continue to produce against Vestal?
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: We'll see.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_00: But Horseheads is not simply a passing team.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_00: Junior Aiden Colshaw, who plays running back and linebacker, had a huge game against Binghamton, rushing for 135 yards and scoring three touchdowns.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_00: Senior Bryce Thomas, another running back and linebacker, contributed 62 yards in that game and also had a 65-yard fumble return for a touchdown.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: Horseheads has plenty of firepower on both sides of the line of scrimmage.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_00: The challenge for Vestal will be finding a way to slow down the combination of Bennett and Patchett through the air while also dealing with Culshaw and Thomas on the ground.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_00: For horseheads, the question is pretty simple.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_00: How do we respond after losing a game where we are one point away from winning?
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_00: Now let's look at Vestel.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_00: The Golden Bears are 2-2, and their four games have taken them through some very different challenges.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_00: They opened the season with a 21-10 loss at Rome Pre-Academy.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_00: This game handed Vestel a significant loss of a different type.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_00: The Golden Bears lost Josh Queller, the most prolific quarterback in program history.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_00: They lost him for the remainder of the season.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: Then Vestel returned home and defeated Baldwinville 35-6, followed by a 7-21 loss at Maine Enwell.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_00: Then came Owigo.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: Vestel defeated that solid Aweego team 28-21 at Dick Hoover Stadium last Thursday night.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_00: This brings us to junior quarterback Grayson Burns.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: Burns will be making his first Division II start Friday night, and he's coming into the game after playing extremely well against Owego.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_00: There are still areas where he has to continue to develop, particularly his touch on some of the shorter and intermediate throws and his accuracy when throwing the deep ball.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_00: And now Grayson gets his first Division II opportunity at home against a horseheads team who has already won two Division II games.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_00: This is a significant step for the junior quarterback.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_00: There are also several other Vessel student athletes who could have a major impact on this game.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_00: Senior Caden Kitchen is certainly one of them.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_00: Kitchen has some history against Horseheads.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_00: Last season in Vessel's 14-12 victory at horseheads, Kitchen rushed for 108 yards and two touchdowns.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_00: Kitchen is coming off another big performance against Oigo, including the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_00: Kitchen has already demonstrated he can be a factor against horseheads, and he enters this game coming up a strong finish against Ouigo.
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_00: Senior wide receiver Jake Stica also made a big play against Ouigo, hauling in a 37-yard reception for a touchdown.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_00: And senior wide receiver and defensive back Gavin Brady had a 45-yard reception in that game.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_00: So the pieces are there.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_00: The question is whether Vestel can put them all together against a Horseheads team who has already experienced Division II football this season.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_00: There's plenty of history between these two programs.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_00: These teams have seen quite a bit of each other over the past few years, including some of the some very important games.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_00: In 2023, Vestel defeated Horseheads 40-14.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_00: In 2024, Horseheads won both meetings 35-20 and 31-0.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: Then came 2025.
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_00: Vestel defeated Horseheads 14-12 during the regular season at Horseheads.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_00: And then the Blue Raiders got their revenge in the playoffs, defeating Vestel 21-7 in the semifinal.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_00: So over the last three seasons, we have seen some very different results between these teams.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_00: Friday night, we'll add another chapter.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_00: One student athlete who deserves another mention here is Kitchen.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_00: His performance in 2025 regular season victory was a big part of Vestel's success.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_00: Again, 108 yards rushing and two touchdowns and a 14-12 victory.
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, did I mention he's just a dot is dominant on the defensive side of the line of scrimmage?
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_00: He is one student athlete coaches need to account for on every play.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_00: This history is certainly something to keep in mind when the when these teams line up on Friday night.
• 8:05
  SPEAKER_00: So here we are.
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_00: Horseheads comes into Vestel 3-1 and 2-0 in Division II, looking to put its first loss of the season behind it.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_00: Vestel comes in at 2-2 and I'm sorry, yes, at 2-2 and 2-0 at home, riding the momentum of a win over a Wigo and preparing to play its first Division II game.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_00: Horseheads has already established itself in the division.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_00: Vestal is just getting started.
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_00: We have two teams that know each other well.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_00: Some recent playoff history, student athletes on both sides who have already made an impact in this matchup, and two very different questions to answer.
• 8:45
  SPEAKER_00: These questions and more will be determined Friday night.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_00: It's time for Sponsor Spotlight.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_00: The Cover 4 podcast is made possible by these fine sponsors.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_00: We kick off with first time leaders accelerated.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_00: Being a great individual performer does not make someone a great people-centered leader.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_00: Leading people requires a different perspective, different skills, and preparation.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_00: First time leaders accelerated helps organizations select and certify the right people-centered leaders.
• 9:24
  SPEAKER_00: Because leading people is not just another responsibility, it is the most important responsibility in the world.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Timothy Dean Smith.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_00: If your organization needs help selecting andor developing first-time leaders, visit TDSPI.com and schedule our conversation.
• 9:49
  SPEAKER_00: The Cover Four Podcast is also made possible by 607 Photos.
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_00: Every play, every moment, every memory.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_00: 607 Photos LLC.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_00: Your game, your memories.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_00: Visit 607 Photos.com or call Andy at 607-304-0050.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you to our sponsors for supporting the Cover 4 podcast.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: Now, back to the episode.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_00: Now, our final segment, Cover 4, What to Watch For.
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_00: During this segment, we share additional game previews submitted by one or more of our Cover 4 football analysts.
• 10:46
  SPEAKER_00: This week we have two games.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_00: First, Watkins Glen Odesimonteur at Groton, submitted and researched by Ryan Ginio.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_00: And then the other game is Waverly at Norwich, submitted and researched by Skylar Wenzel.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_00: So first up is Saturday night, October 3rd at 7 p.m.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_00: Watkins Glen Odesimont Tour, Skylar Storm at the Groton Redhawks.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_00: It's a state-ranked divisional showdown in Class D.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_00: Groton comes in ranked number three in the state in Class D and have started out on the season on fire.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_00: The Redhawks have won all four of their games in blowout fashion, beating Sydney and Green Oxford by 60 points each, Whitney Point by 46 points, and most recently took down Newark Valley by 31 points, 46 to 15.
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_00: The Red Hawks point differential is plus 197 and is the largest in Section 4.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_00: Their 240 points scored and 60 points per game is also the most in Section 4, while their 10.8 points allowed per game is third best in the section.
• 12:05
  SPEAKER_00: Groton is led by junior Cam McClain under center, has a 600.675 completing percentage and 1,326 yards passing for 17 touchdowns and one interception.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_00: Senior Lane Darling in the backfield has 20 carries for 249 yards, five touchdowns, and 14 receptions totaling 323 yards and five TDs.
• 12:32
  SPEAKER_00: Senior wideout Jerome Turner contributed 18 receptions for 483 yards and six touchdowns.
• 12:41
  SPEAKER_00: Junior Colin Brockway and senior Nick Sill are also notable weapons, each with over 200 yards receiving.
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_00: Now the Skylar Storm enters this contest ranked number 14 in the state in Class D.
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_00: After losing their opening game to Susquehanna Valley 42-33, they rattled off three straight wins, a 56-7 route of Bainbridge, Guilford, Aftons, Harperville, and an impressive 21-8 victory over state-ranked deposit Hancock and a 39-0 shutout of Spencer Vennett and Cander.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_00: Like Groton, the Storm returned a lot of key players from their last season's teams.
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_00: While they are a run-heavy team, senior QB Hunter Mowrie has been efficient under the center, completing 64% of his passes for 405 yards, five TDs and one interception.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_00: They have a plethora of options in the backfield, led by senior Jared Watson, who has 29 carries for 234 yards and three TDs.
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_00: Other running backs who have ellipsed the 100-yard rushing include senior Mason DuPay, junior Noah Wright, and senior Le Gramma Da, who was also their top receiver with 15 receptions, 280 yards, and 5 TDs.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_00: Groton and Wakazgoro Dasamantur met last season in the regular season finale with Groton coming out on top 40-20.
• 14:14
  SPEAKER_00: The Redhawks will be the slight favorites by being the higher ranked team, but does the storm have enough depth?
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_00: 31 players to Groton's 23.
• 14:24
  SPEAKER_00: This game will be broadcast audio only on ESPN Ithaca.com and on the ESPN Ithaca app.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_00: Now to the Waverly at Norwich matchup.
• 14:37
  SPEAKER_00: The stage is set for a pivotal clash as Waverly Wolverines led by sophomore stars Cooper and Carter Christie will return to familiar territory to face the Norwich Purple Tonado.
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_00: Waverly enters with a record of 2-2, though they've navigated a demanding schedule, including wins against state powerhouse Port Jervis and Horseheads, and close losses against Owego and Maine Enwell.
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_00: Norwich is 1-3 with their lone win against Sydney 43-8.
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_00: Waverly looks to utilize their dynamic offense against the Norwich squad eager to bounce back after first year head coach Evan Silstra, a Lockhaven alumni and former Purple Tornado.
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_00: Originally scheduled for Friday, the kickoff has been moved up to Thursday, October 1st, where the Purple Tonado will bring their 30.5 point per game average.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_00: This will be a homecoming of sorts for the Christie Twins, sons of longtime Norwich coach Mike Christie, as they return to face their former teammates and friends.
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_00: And this wraps up the Cover 4 What to Watch For segment and brings us to the end of this week's Cover 4 Showdown episode.
• 15:55
  SPEAKER_00: A special thank you to our sponsors and Cover 4 football analysts for helping us keep an eye on the games, student athletes, and stories unfolding across Section 4.
• 16:06
  SPEAKER_00: Enjoy.com to submit your next fan up ideas or ask Coach Smith a question.
• 16:23
  SPEAKER_00: At Cover 4, your ideas are never out of bounds.
• 16:27
  SPEAKER_00: In football and life, it is not where you line up, it is where you wind up.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for listening to the Cover Four podcast.