BByy DDAAVVIIDD MM.. JJOOHHNNSSOONNDispatch Sports Staff

Twitter.com/OneidaDispatch.comONEIDA — After a 6-1

loss to Whitesboro in theirfirst meeting, Oneida want-ed redemption and withfirst place in the Tri-ValleyLeague on the line therewas no better time to earnit than Thursday’s rematch.

Leading scorer Cary Reif-schneider scored 55 sec-onds into the TVL matchand Oneida’s steadydefense held off a deter-mined Whitesboro attackthe next 79 minutes for a 1-0 win.

Now the dream of theschool’s first league title incoach Dewayne Cronk’s 18years is still alive. Andmainly because of Oneida’s(7-1, 12-1-1) dream start.Botros Toro earned athrow-in deep in Whites-boro territory and EvanCooley found striker Reif-schneider in the corner ofthe penalty box with thethrow. Reifschneider’s firsttouch got him past adefender and his second

was a blast into the upperright corner of the net forthe lead.

The visitors immediatelyset out for the equalizer, but

a counterattack in the ninthminute almost made it 2-0.Oneida’s Nick Brophy beatthe defense to a throughball, but his touch towards

goal was saved by Whites-boro goalkeeper Brent Slo-ma.

Columbus Day weekendhas come and gone andalong with the gloriousweather for the holidayweekend comes the realiza-tion that autumn is upon us.Many of us look forward toautumn and the varioussporting opportunities thatwe have. But we have torealize that our days afieldcan be as fleeting as the col-orful autumn leaves that arealready starting to fall.

You had probablyplanned to get in lots ofshotgun practice but nowyou take the field with therealization that you need alot of work on your shotgunskills.

There is still time toimprove, even by practicingat home in the evening. Alot of shooting skill comesfrom mounting the gunproperly and consistently.Make sure the gun isunloaded and assume theready position with yourfeet almost shoulder lengthapart and the gun butttucked lightly under yourarm.

Keep your head still andfocus on a point on thewall. Push the muzzletowards it while raising thegun to your face.

Learn to bring the gun tothe place on your cheekthat leaves you lookingright down the rib or barrelat the target. If you are not,you will be shooting highover your target. Do 50

mounts a night.Proper shooting form is a

key to accuracy. Keep botheyes open with feet in aslightly open stance andabout 60% of your weighton the front foot. Your headand neck should be com-fortably erect as you bringthe gun up smoothly to thecheek and align the mastereye.

Your support hand shouldbe forward near the front ofthe stock. Your index fingershould be pointed towardsthe target and two-thirds ofthe weight of the gun sup-ported by your front hand.

Of course you also needto practice shooting to getyour motion and timingdown.

Just because a shotgundelivers a lot of pellets, hit-ting anything, especially amoving target is far from asure thing. The brain has torecord the speed, distance,and angle of a flying targetand instantaneously delivera command that enablesour body and gun to send aswarm of pellets to somepoint out there in spacewhere they intercept the tar-get.

SPORTS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011 BB--11

Sports Editor: Perry L. NovakCall: 363-5100 x136 with game resultsHours: Sunday-Friday until 7:15 p.m. for print publicationFax: 363-9832 E-mail: sports@oneidadispatch.com

ONEIDA DAILY DISPATCH

Local Schedule

Thursday, October 13Girls Soccer

Whitesboro 4, Oneida 0 Camden 6, HP 1Cincinnatus 8, Stockbridge Valley 1

Boys SoccerOneida 1, Whitesboro 0

Friday, October 14Football

VVS at Oneida 6:30South Jefferson at Camden 7:00Canastota at S-E 7:00M-E at Sauquoit Valley 7:00Cazenovia at Chittenango 7:00

Field HockeyHP vs. Oneida at Oneida Tournament4:00Camden at RFA tourney 4:00Clinton at M-E 5:30Hamilton at Mohawk 4:30

Boys SoccerM-E at Adirondack 4:30Brookfield at Madison 4:30Stockbridge Valley at McGraw 4:30Clinton at Hamilton 7:00

Girls SoccerHamilton at Canastota 4:30

See OOUUTTDDOOOORRSS, Pg B2

Thursday’s Dispatchincorrectly stated theCharleston brothers playedfootball for VVS in the1970s. They played forOneida.

Correction

BByy DDAAVVIIDD MM.. JJOOHHNNSSOONNDispatch Sports Staff

Twitter.com/OneidaSportsThe annual Vernon-

Verona-Sher r i l l -Oneidafootball game is usually acompetition for pride, play-off positioning and areabragging rights. This year’sedition of rivalry will be nodifferent.

Boasting identical leaguerecords of 3-2, the winnerof tonight’s 6:30 game willclinch an automatic playoffberth. The loser could be inor out of the Class B play-offs depending on the out-come of South Jefferson’sgame at Camden.

“This is what Oneidathrives on is playing VVS,”Oneida coach Bill Carincisaid. “Usually it’s for aleague title or it’s to go intothe playoffs. It always hassome definite meaning forthis game.”

Oneida began the yearwith losses to Camden andCazenovia, but ran off threeconsecutive league winssince. Quarterback TylerMallinder has had success

both running and throwingfor touchdowns to a varietyof receivers recently andsophomore tailback DylanCafalone has stepped up tolead the team in rushing.

“At first I didn’t come inthinking I was going to playa lot,” Cafalone said. “I end-ed up getting more carriesand just gotten more confi-dent as the season’s goneon.”

Senior receiver JimmyMoyer will miss the gamedue to illness, but Oneida’sKyle Peck, Brandon Worleyand Chris Morehouse havebeen favorite targets ofMallinder in the spreadoffense. Oneida’s defense isled by senior linebackerEvan Stoffle.

“It’s a lot (of) our senioryears and they’re cominghere to our home field,”Stoffle said. “If we win it’san opportunity for us to getin the playoffs and it’s alsoan opportunity that theymight get knocked out. Thatjust makes it bigger of agame for us.”

Dispatch Staff Photo by JOHN HAEGER twitter.com/oneidaphotoWhitesboro's keeper Brent Sloma makes the save as Oneida's Nick Brophy (12) backsup the shot and Whitesboro's Tim Bishop (18) defends in the first half.

Look who’s in first!

Dispatch Staff Photo by JOHN HAEGER twitter.com/oneidaphotoOneida's Chris Morehouse (10) makes a catch against Cazenovia in a league game inCazenovia on September 10. Cazenovia won the game 21-6 to put Oneida at 0-2. ButOneida has bounced back to post a 3-2 record in the league and will clinch a playoffberth with a victory at home tonight against VVS..

Playoff spot on line in VVS-Oneida game

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SU Football9-1 SU 36, Wake Forest 29 OT9-10 SU 21, Rhode Island 149-17 USC 38, SU 179-24 SU 33, Toledo 30 OT10-1 Rutgers 19, SU 16 2OT10-8 SU 37, Tulane 3410-21 West Virginia at SU 8:00

Scores for Oneida-VVSfootball games2010: OHS 28, VVS 27(OT) in semi2010: VVS 33, OHS 62009: VVS 21, OHS 162008: OHS 43, VVS 142007: OHS 29, VVS 272006: did not play2005: OHS 22, VVS 02004: OHS 28, VVS 72003: OHS 33, VVS 32 (OT)2002: OHS 12, VVS 62001: VVS 14, OHS 62000: VVS 21, OHS 71999: OHS 34, VVS 81998: OHS 10, VVS 9 (OT)1997: OHS 33, VVS 01996: OHS 28, VVS 61995: OHS 24, VVS 141994: VVS 15, OHS 71993: VVS 15, OHS 15 (tie)1992: VVS 32, OHS 141991: VVS 14, OHS 121990: VVS 26, OHS 141989: VVS 20, OHS 141988: OHS 13, VVS 121987: OHS 27, VVS 01986: VVS 23, OHS 01985: VVS 26, OHS 01985: VVS 16, OHS 7 (in Dome semi)1984: VVS 16, OHS 131983: VVS 3, OHS 0

1982: OHS 26, VVS 161981: OHS 25, VVS 01980: OHS 14, VVS 01979: OHS 19, VVS 01978: OHS 41, VVS 01977: VVS 18, OHS 131976: OHS 20, VVS 191975: VVS 14, OHS 01974: OHS 27, VVS 151973: OHS 7, VVS 61972: VVS 12, OHS 71971: VVS 20, OHS 61970: VVS 8, OHS 8 (tie)1969: VVS 26, OHS 01968: VVS 52, OHS 01967: VVS 21, OHS 01966: VVS 35, OHS 191965: VVS 20, OHS 71964: VVS 20, OHS 121963: VVS 7, OHS 01962: VVS 26, OHS 01961: VVS 20, OHS 61960: VVS 31, OHS 211959: OHS 18, VVS 01958: OHS 6, VVS 01957: VVS 12, OHS 12 (tie)1956: VVS 34, OHS 34 (tie)1955: OHS 24, VVS 71954: OHS 42, VVS 131953: VVS 13, OHS 121952: OHS 26, VVS 21951: OHS 14, VVS 0--------------30-27-4 VVS leads series

Rivalry Results

LeoMaloney

OutdoorsColumnist

See VVVVSS--OOHHSS, Page B2

See SSOOCCCCEERR, Page B2

Red-hotOHS topsW’boro 1-0

Dispatch Staff Photo by JOHN HAEGER twitter.com/oneidaphotoOneida's Botros Toro (8) and Whitesboro's Kyle Kupiec (3) play the ball in the air in the first half of their TVL matchon Thursday in Oneida. The hosts scored in the first minute and held on for the win and sole possession of firstplace with two matches to play.