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Week 4 Cover IV Showdown - Maine-Endwell vs. Chenango Forks & More! · Cover IV Podcast

• 0:09
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to cover four.
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_00: If you're a selective four football fan, this is your five year.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_00: I'm close to your host.
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_00: So fuck a lot.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: If you're not being tuned, double knight at your fleet.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: Here we go.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_00: This week's sponsor Spotlight is First Time Leaders Accelerated.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_00: Being a great individual performer does not make someone a great people-centered leader.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_00: Leading people requires a different perspective, different skills, and preparation.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: First time leaders Accelerated helps organizations select and certify the right people-centered leaders.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: Because leading people is not just another responsibility.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: It is the most important responsibility in the world.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Timothy Dean Smith.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_00: If your organization needs help selecting andor developing first-time leaders, visit tdspi.com and schedule our conversation.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the Cover 4 Showdown for week four.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Coach Smith, and we have another terrific matchup coming your way Friday night as the undefeated and New York State ranked number three Maine NW Spartans travel to Shenango Forks.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_00: They're going to take on the undefeated Blue Devils, who are currently ranked number one in New York State.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: This game will be Friday night, September 5th at 7 p.m.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: at Blue Devil Stadium.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_00: Both teams enter Friday night at 3 and 0, but they have taken somewhat different paths to get here, and there's plenty of history between these two programs.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_00: So let's begin with the visiting Spartans.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_00: Maine Edwell has scored 103 points through three games while allowing 53.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_00: That's an average of about 34 points per game.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_00: But this season is about more than the 3-0 record.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_00: Head coach Matt Gallagher made it clear coming into the season that Maine Edwell was not approaching the 2026 season as a rebuilding year.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_00: Last year's team finished 5-4, and Gallagher described that team as very young.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_00: His message was simple.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: Maine NW does not use the word rebuild.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_00: The expectation is to maintain a consistent standard and for anyone who plays at Maine Endwell to rise to that standard.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_00: And there are some significant returning student athletes.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_00: Senior linebacker Marco Conrad, who was a first-team All-State selection last season, is back and committed to play at Colgate next fall.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_00: Running back Max Policer, a fourth team All-Sate selection last year, is also back and has already made an impact.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_00: The Spartans opened the season with a 47-33 win over Webster Thomas, followed by a 35-13 win over a very good Waverly team.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_00: Then came week three in a rivalry game with Vestel.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: Maine Anwell won 21-7, holding Vestel scoreless in the first quarter and forcing an important turnover in the game.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_00: Through three games, Maine Anwell has shown they can score in a variety of ways.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_00: They have a quarterback who is mobile, a productive running game, and the ability to throw the ball with some creativity in their offensive attack.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_00: And now they face what might be their most significant test of this young season.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: Now to the Shenango Forks Blue Devils.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: They're coming in also 3-0, and these numbers are going to jump out at you.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_00: Shenango Forks has scored 127 points while allowing just seven.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_00: Let that sink in for a minute.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_00: Just seven across three games.
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_00: That's approximately 42 points per game while giving up only two points per game.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_00: They have also posted two shutouts.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_00: The Blue Devils are coming off a 12-in-one season in 2025 that ended with a trip to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class C state championship game.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_00: Head coach Dave Hogan knows this year's team has some rebuilding to do in one important area, the offensive line.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_00: But many of the ball handling positions are back.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_00: And Hogan has emphasized the importance of the more mature players, meaning the older players, establishing the standard for the younger players.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_00: That standard is familiar at Shenango Forks.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: Improve every week, every game, every play.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_00: And three games into the season, the Blue Devils certainly look like they've continued that progression.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: They opened with a 40-7 win over a Weego Free Academy.
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_00: Then came a major week two challenge against Tyoga, the defending Class D state champion.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_00: Shenango Forks did not just win.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_00: They shut out Tyoga 40-0.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_00: You don't hear that very often.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_00: Quarterback Sam Paske was four for four passing for 98 yards and connected with Connor Dunnegan for three touchdown receptions.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_00: Then in week three, the Blue Devils shut out Shenango Valley 47 to 0.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_00: So, two undefeated teams, two very different numbers, and now we get to see them go head to head.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_00: One of the things I'll be watching closely is the quarterback matchup.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_00: Both Jackson Buckley of Maine Enwell and Sam Paskey of Shenango Forks are capable of making plays with their arms and their legs.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_00: But I consider their third ability the most valuable one, and that is the ability to make the correct decision quickly and then make it happen.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_00: Buckley is a sophomore who has already shown he can make plays in both the running and passing games.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_00: Paske is a senior who helped lead Shenango Forks to the state championship game last season and has already demonstrated tremendous efficiency this year.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_00: The student athletes who can make a difference for Maine Enwell keep an eye on Max Policier and Marco Conrad.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_00: Policare gives the Spartans a proven running threat, while Conrad brings experience and leadership on both sides of the ball.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_00: For Shenango Forks, Bryson Fry has already scored multiple touchdowns this season, while Connor Dunnegan has emerged as a major receiving threat, including those three touchdown receptions against Tioga.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_00: Both teams have experienced players who can make plays when given the opportunity.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_00: And there's a little history here, too.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_00: There is also no shortage of it between these two programs.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_00: According to the available series records, Friday's game will be the 16th meeting between Maine Enwell and Shenango Forks since 2005, with Shenango Forks holding a 10-5 advantage during that span.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_00: Last year's meeting is certainly still fresh in both teams' minds.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_00: In September 2025, Shenango Forks went into Maine Enwell and defeated the Spartans 42-19 with Bryson Fry scoring five touchdowns.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_00: But Maine Enwell won the matchup in 2024, 21 to 14.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_00: So Friday night is more than just two undefeated teams meeting.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_00: It is two highly ranked programs with plenty of experience, plenty of history, and plenty of reasons to believe this one could be something special.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_00: And now this brings us to our final segment, which is a new segment.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_00: And that's the cover four What to Watch For.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_00: During this segment, we share with you one of our cover four football analysts' insights into a game they believe is worth keeping an eye on.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_00: This week, that game is Moravia at Lansing, and that is Friday night at 7 p.m.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks to Ryan Ginio, our football analyst covering the Northern teams.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_00: This is an unusual matchup because these two teams just played each other last Thursday in a non-league game after Lansing's schedule game with OnTech, who was a Division III school, canceled and Moravia had a bye.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_00: Moravia won that last one 16-14 with the game coming down to a 22-yard field goal attempt by Lansing late in the fourth quarter.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_00: Dylan Palmer blocked the attempt, and Moravia ran out the clock.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_00: Now they meet again, but this time there is much more at stake because this game counts towards the league and division standings.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_00: Moravia enters at 2-1, led by senior quarterback Redanan Carr and running back Dylan Palmer and receiver Carson Andrews.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_00: Lansing is one and one with senior quarterback Logan Mayo leading the offense, along with running back Logan Andres and a receiving group that includes Parker Bowman, Eric Kreniner, and Brennan Williams.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_00: Ryan expects another highly competitive contest, but he has one interesting question.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_00: How many cars did these teams have to show each other over last Thursday?
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_00: And what do they still have up their sleeve?
• 9:57
  SPEAKER_00: We will find out Friday night.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_00: The game will be broadcast audio only on ESPN Ithaca.com and the ESPN app.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_00: And that wraps up the Cover 4 showdown episode for week four.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_00: Enjoy.
• 10:16
  SPEAKER_00: Hey football fan, if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and tell your friends to visit cover4.com to submit your next fan up ideas or ask Coach Smith a question.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: At cover four, your ideas are never out of bounds.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_00: In football and life, it is not where you line up, it is where you wind up.