Lions shut down Stamford to open season

The Albany Lions opened their 2025 football season with a 21-7 home victory over longtime rival Stamford on Friday, August 29, in front of a large crowd at Robert Nail Memorial Stadium.

The game was tight through three quarters, with the Lions and Bulldogs tied at 7 entering the fourth. But Albany’s defense set the tone early and never let up. The Lions held Stamford to under 20 yards of total offense in the first half and only 155 yards for the entire game.

“We felt good about our defense coming in,” said head coach Denney Faith. “We have a lot of returning starters on that side of the ball, and it showed. Our kids flew around and played with a lot of energy.”

With the game tied and Albany near midfield late in the second half, junior Breylon Billington broke the stalemate. Taking a handoff, he burst through the line and raced 50 yards for the go-ahead touchdown.

On their next possession, the Lions faced a critical 4th-and-15 from the Stamford 23. Freshman quarterback Lyle Wheeler rolled out and delivered a strike to senior Calhan Fairchild, who hauled in a contested catch in the end zone to seal the win.

“That was a huge play,” said Faith. “Calhan made an unbelievable catch, and Lyle put it where it needed to be. Lyle doesn’t have to do it all—he’s got a great group of guys around him. He just needs to lean on them, and that’s what he did.”

Wheeler, making his varsity debut after starting last year on the junior high squad, finished 7-of-15 passing for 101 yards and one touchdown. Fairchild and Huffman Heatly each caught three passes for 47 yards to lead the receiving corps.

Billington led the ground attack with 102 yards rushing. Overall, Albany racked up 265 yards of total offense.

“Up front, our offensive line really controlled the game,” Faith said. “We had a couple of turnovers we need to clean up, but we ran the ball well and played great defense. That’s a recipe to win early in the season.”

The Lions also excelled on special teams. Heatly averaged 44 yards per punt, and Zane Green went a perfect 3-for-3 on extra point attempts.

While pleased with the complete team performance, Faith noted that tackling remains an area for improvement. “We can always tackle better, especially this early in the year,” he said. “It’ll get better as we get more game reps.”

The Lions host Hawley this Friday for another early-season showdown. Faith said the game will be a physical one.

“You better have your helmet strapped on tight,” he said. “Both teams hit hard and come out of this game pretty beat up. It’s always a battle.”

With temperatures expected to climb, Faith emphasized the need for preparation. “We’re telling the kids to hydrate all week,” he said. “You can’t wait until Friday. Take care of your body and be ready to go.”