By THOMAS LUCKIE III

SYRACUSE — The historic run by the Ogdensburg Free Academy Blue Devils football team ended at the hands of the Newark Valley Cardinals of Section IV at the Carrier Dome Friday night.

While the Devils became the first football team from Section X to appear in a state title game, the Cardinals stayed unbeaten to take home the Class C state championship with a 39-34 victory in a noble and hard-fought battle that went down to the wire.

 Hints of a wild and intense battle were immediately apparent in a first quarter that featured five combined turnovers, beginning with a Newark Valley fumble on the opening kickoff. Joey Dalton was intercepted by AJ Coleman on the ensuing Blue Devils’ drive and the Cardinals opened the scoring with a touchdown run by Brett Stewart.

The Devils then fumbled a kick return of their own before the ball was gifted back after a botched handoff by the Cardinals. Jared Barr led the drive to the goal line and Dalton smoothly executed a quarterback sneak from less than yard away to tie the game at seven. OFA’s Wyatt Kirby recovered a fumble at the Newark Valley 26-yard line, but the Devils failed to reach the end zone and kicker Brandon Stewart narrowly missed a 29-yard field goal attempt.

Jake Payne brought the lead back to the Cardinals with two-yard touchdown run. A successful two-point conversation put the Cardinals ahead 15-7 at the end of the first quarter.

Dalton and Barr connected for a 29-yard touchdown reception to open the second quarter scoring. Coach Matt Tessmer made the gutsy decision to go for two in an attempt to keep pace with the Cardinals, but Dalton’s rush to the left corner of the end zone was denied and Newark Valley led 15-13.

Newark Valley’s Justin Shutts then answered with a blistering 90-yard kickoff return touchdown. The extra point by Coleman brought the Cardinals ahead 22-13. Quarterback Chad Wright then connected with Brett Stewart for a touchdown reception that brought the Cardinals up 29-13.

Dalton then capped off a solid drive by the Devils with a five-yard touchdown run. Brandon Stewart’s point after made the score 29-20.

Brett Stewart then ran in for a big fourth down touchdown that boosted the Cardinals to a 36-20 halftime lead.

The Devils opened the second half scoring with a long drive resulting in Jackson Troiano brilliantly hauling in a pass from Dalton in the end zone.

A successful two-point conversation found the Devils within one score of the Cardinals at 36-28 and ignited the roaring royal blue sea of Ogdensburg fans.

Coleman then connected on a 33-yard field goal to cap a lengthy Newark Valley drive early in the fourth quarter to bring the Cardinals ahead by two scores at 39-28.

Dalton then rushed for a key first down that brought him crashing into the Carrier Dome sidelines, but the senior leader refused to be phased, as his determination and legs reached the end zone on another rush. A failed two-point conversion attempt left the score at 39-34.

Excellent kickoff coverage helped out the Devils’ defense by placing the Cardinals at their own 18-yard line.

The Cardinals lined up to run a play on fourth and one situation late in the fourth quarter, but successfully baited the Devils into jumping offside and gifting them an automatic first down.

Aiming to simply run out the clock and seal the victory, the Cardinals were able to extend the drive by running conservative rushing plays to varying degrees of success while the Devils simply just ran out of time to complete a full comeback.