Pembroke hands Groton first loss in 8-man football regional championship game
Groton's bid for an unbeaten season and regional eight-man championship was denied Friday by Pembroke, 36-18, at Union-Endicott's Ty Cobb Stadium.
Tyson Totten scored three touchdowns for Section 5 champion Pembroke, reaching the end zone of runs of 49, 65 and 15 yards.
Totten's 65-yard touchdown late in the second quarter broke a 6-6 tie and gave the Dragons (12-1) the lead for good. A 9-yard touchdown run from Cayden Pfalzer in the closing seconds of the half made it 22-6 following the 2-point conversion.
Groton quarterback Ben DeMatteo hit Nick Karandeyev for a 5-yard touchdown and scored on a sneak. Austin Hunt scored Groton's final touchdown on a 3-yard run.
Groton finished with a record of 11-1, including a 58-30 win over Tri-Valley last week in the first round of regionals.
The regional final was the end of the season for both teams. Six NYSPHSAA sections must each have at least four teams in order for the New York to crown a state 8-man champion. The 2023 8-man tournament will also remain two rounds.
This article originally appeared on Ithaca Journal: Pembroke beats Groton for 8-man football regional title
