ROCHESTER — The clock on the scoreboard at Paetec Park was counting down inside a minute early Friday evening and Maple Grove assistant coach Dan Greco was still pacing.

But the Red Dragons’ defensive architect wasn’t doing it because he was on edge or because he was trying to warm up in the single-digit windchill temperatures.

Nope.

Greco was pacing because he didn’t know what else to do.

The Maple Grove Red Dragons celebrate with their mascot following their win in the 2008 NYSPHSAA Class D semifinals. P-J file photo

“Not in my wildest dreams,” he repeated to himself. “Not in my wildest dreams.”

But after Maple Grove buried top-ranked Walton, 49-14, in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class D semifinal, the second-ranked Red Dragons’ dream of playing for a state title is now a reality.

Senior Adam Hover scored four touchdowns to pace another prolific offensive performance for the boys from Dutch Hollow Road. Meanwhile, junior linebacker Matt Fox roamed sideline to sideline and collected 18 tackles to lead a dominant defensive effort and snap the defending state champions’ win streak at 24 games.

The victory advances Maple Grove (12-0) into the state championship game against Moriah, a 21-6 winner over Tuckahoe in the other semifinal. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. next Saturday at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse.

Ironically, the bid for a second state football title will come almost 10 years to the day since the Red Dragons claimed their first.

“I remember going there when I was a little kid, and I was excited,” junior quarterback Chris Secky said. “I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like to be the starting quarterback there.”

Two words of warning for Moriah: Look out.

The Red Dragons are playing at a level that most teams can only, well, dream about.

The Warriors (11-1), for all their incredible records the past two seasons, were no match.

Maple Grove, which has now amassed 606 points this season, scored touchdowns on each of its first five possessions, four of which were on the ground. By halftime, the Red Dragons led, 28-6, and, as it turned out, the second half was merely a formality.

“I’m so proud of all the kids and just the way they handled themselves,” said head coach Curt Fischer, who raised his career record to 137-33. “They were so loose. It’s scary.”

How scary?

Well, Maple Grove, making productive use of Larson and Hover, ran the ball right at Walton for most of the night. Larson finished with 97 yards and scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to push his total to 30 on the season, while Hover ran for 79 yards and touchdown runs of 3, 1, 2 and 23 yards.

‘My line was amazing, ” said Hover, the offensive player of the game. “All I had to do was run through it.”

The 5-foot-7, 167-pounder has had a fine season, but often flies under the radar when compared to his higher-profile teammates, but with the playoff lights shining brightest he delivered.

“Hover played like a man,” Secky said.

He had company.

In addition to their strong running game — Maple Grove rushed for 183 yards compared to 151 for Walton — the Red Dragons also made plays through the air. None were bigger than the bit of gadgetry they pulled off in the second quarter.

Leading 21-6 following Chad Gardepe’s 15-yard touchdown pass to Bryant Mead with 4:47 remaining in the first half, Maple Grove struck fast.

Very fast. Five seconds is all it took.

With the ball at his own 40, Secky took the snap and fired a backwards pass to Josh Micek, who was split out wide. The senior then looked down the field and lofted a perfect pass to senior Joe Caporale, who made the catch and raced into the end zone to complete a 60-yard scoring play.

“We’ve been practicing it every week for the last month,” Micek said, “so we had it down pat.”

The score — after a Secky point-after boot (he was 7-for-7 on the night) — the Red Dragons led 28-6 at the break. Hover tacked on a pair of second-half touchdowns and Brandon Fain returned a fumble 44 yards for the other score.

Walton scored a touchdown inside the final minute on a long pass, but that was one of the Warriors’ few highlights.

That’s because Maple Grove’s defense was stifling.

Sparked by strong efforts up front by tackles Corey Gens and Chris Danielson and ends Travis Leburg and Andrew Wascher, Fox was able to run to the ball and make plays.

“I knew if we could keep Matt free from those interior linemen, then he would do his thing,” Greco said. “He’s fast, he’s big and he’s tough.”

Fox and the rest of the Red Dragons can take those attributes to the Carrier Dome for an opportunity to claim the second football state championship in school history.

“This team has a chemistry and an attitude, they’re fearless, they’re talented and they do what they’re told,” Greco said.

Added Fischer: “They just believe they’re going to win every time they step on the field.”