The Eleventh Hour
Sullivan West Picks Up Its 11th Win Of The Season In Non-League Dominance Of Eldred; Yellow Jackets’ Sectional Hopes Now Hinge On Winning Out Over Remaining Five Games
Sullivan West 56, Eldred 36
By RICHARD A. ROSS
rross@sportsinsightsny.com Photos at www.sportsinsights.smugmug.com
Scenes from the Sullivan West vs. Eldred non-league clash (clockwise) E.J. Franskevicz looks to pay Eldred back for a 52-49 defeat to the Yellow Jackets back in 2010 as he rises up for a shot. Franskevicz had an off night with only eight points but created havoc for the Jackets defensively. Battle of the bigs: Eldred's P.J. Collins arcs a shot over a leaping Patrick Pierce. Collins had 17 points in the game. Sullivan West junior Sawyer Erlwein capitalizes on a steal with this lay up. He scored 15 points on the night. P.J. Collins rejects a shot by Sullivan West's Drew Parsons. Sullivan West Coach Bruce Nober has orchestrated an amazing turnaround for the Bulldogs in his first year at the helm. They currently have 11 wins, ten more than in each of the past two seasons. Here he draws up a scheme during a time out. Eldred freshman Bray Curreri shows his accuracy from beyond the arc.
LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY—As midnight approaches on the regular season, that bewitching hour looms as a markedly different moment for Sullivan West and Eldred.
For the 11-4 Class B Westies who have already clinched a sectional berth, the anticipation of going to the Section Nine ball will seem enchanting to say the least following two one-win seasons. Though they already know the pressure is off on making it to the big dance, the euphoric anticipation of being on the brink of playing in sectionals will be intoxicating to say the least.
A warrior at both ends of the floor: Sullivan West's Matt Cardona led his team with 22 points, while defensively proving monstrous. Here he blocks a shot with authority put up by Eldred's Mike Donnelly.
But for Class C Eldred following this deflating 56-36 non-league loss to its infrequently encountered neighbor, the clock striking twelve could signal the death knell to sectional hopes unless they can run the table on their remaining five games against Chapel Field, Roscoe, a home senior night clash with Seward, a victory at Family and an upset of Tri-Valley on its senior night.
For the team’s five seniors that include tall tree P.J. Collins, Brian Hazen, Matt Bisland, Chris Fredericks and R.J. Stymacks, the sense of urgency is inescapable. In the final seconds of their post-game huddle in the locker room, Hazen, a three-sport warrior who is anxiously awaiting word from West Point on his application for admission, summoned his team with an impassionate plea.
“We don’t want to go out like this,” he implored. And you can be sure that the Killer Bees will return to their hive against Chapel Field with all of their venom to try and stave off a loss that would make the rest of the season moot.
It’s a tall order but as Coach J.J. Gass sees, it, “We have to take it one game at a time. If we play well, we can hang with anybody,” he affirms. And with Collins who along with Sullivan West junior Matt Cardona, turned this game into a block party, Eldred has an interior weapon of mass destruction. Collins scored 17 points in this game while he altered and blocked shots within his purview. But it wasn’t nearly enough.
The problem for the Yellow Jackets is not Collins’ ability to go up and score or to alertly kick it back out to others who are often more open on the perimeter, it’s the fact that Eldred’s guards don’t do an adequate job of getting the ball into him.
That flaw has cost Eldred a couple of close games including a recent three-point league loss to Chester in a game the ‘Jackets led from the opening tip until the 2 ½ minute mark of the fourth quarter. They missed a shot at the buzzer. The defeat was reminiscent of a close encounter of the losing kind to Tri-Valley. Now it’s do or die. Coming into this fray, Eldred was hoping to stage a replay of its epic 52-49 victory over the Westies back in January of 2010.
Get a ladder! There's not much you can do to alter this as P.J. Collins scores two of his team-high 17 points.
That night it was Sullivan West that couldn’t close the deal as they allowed the Yellow Jackets to come back from an eight-point fourth quarter deficit to tie the game twice before winning it by dint of a trio of free throws. Current Sullivan West seniors including John Masten and E.J. Franskevicz remember that game all too well.
Those were grim times for the then 1-11 Sullivan West Bulldogs and halcyon days for Eldred which had just won Section Nine Class D and Regional Semifinal football honors by downing Chester and Tuckahoe. Its girls basketball team was in the throes of greatness too and cross-country runners Hunter Proscia and Christine Donnelly were state contenders. Those were Green days indeed.
But on this Groundhog Day, the skies continue to sport the hue of Carolina Blue and for the Dawg veterans in particular, the agenda was clear: Don’t let that Giant PJeach propel his team to a win on our court, avowed the Bulldogs who claimed this as their time to shine.
Coming out of the shadows of recent years’ struggles, the Bulldogs are predicting more weeks of winter basketball success as they looked to upstage Punxsutawney Phil in the local nightly news.
Collins controlled the opening tip against Patrick Pierce who was playing his first game back from a bout of strep throat. Pierce had a tall order on his plate in trying to front Collins all night. Given his somewhat diminished verve from his recent illness and Collins’ ability to send shots in the paint hurtling back towards the floor with authority, it seemed clear that the Bulldogs were going to have to get their scoring from others.
Enter junior Matt Cardona who could arguably be named as the team’s MVP this season. Cardona recently led the team to its sectional-clinching win over Tuxedo. His heroics against Monticello were the stuff of legend and on this night, he’d pen another chapter in his ascendant legacy with a game-high 22 points and a spate of blocks authored by his leaping ability and quick reflexes.
Cardona would be ably abetted by junior Sawyer Erlwein who poured in 15 points. Both had to be pleased with the result. Franskevicz struggled in this one in terms of his scoring and his frustrations were written all over his face and in his body language. But the stalwart senior’s defensive verve was right on cue as was that of his teammates who have molded themselves into a unit that applies intense ball pressure and great rotating help.
Sullivan West cheerleader Ali Vertress takes to the floor during a time out as the Lady Bulldogs now down to just seven loyal and stalwart cheerleaders do their part to keep spirits running high.
Sullivan West Coach Bruce Nober understood coming in that to diminish Collins’ effectiveness, his team would need to do just that. That became eminently clearer as Collins blocked four or five shots in the opening minutes of the game.
“We came out a little slow but we made some adjustments by trying to put more pressure on their guards and by picking up the intensity of our defense. We wanted to make it difficult for them to get the pass into him and we were somewhat successful in the first half and far more successful in the second half,” he noted.
Sullivan West led 11-8 at the end of the first quarter though it was Eldred that drew first blood with a bucket from Bisland. Both teams had turnovers in the early going. Collins rejected a shot by Pierce as the din from the Bulldog Dawg Pound began to gather force. Franskevicz gave the Bulldogs their first lead with a trey as they pulled ahead 4-2. Anthony Margarum tied it back as Eldred was playing with intensity from the get-go.
Collins helped Eldred regain the lead but Sullivan West would go on to outscore Eldred 7-2 to marshal the 11-8 lead by the end of the stanza. Another trey by Franskevicz and two points apiece from Erlwein and Drew Parsons accounted for the canine count. Erlwein’s bucket came via a great dish from Franskevicz across the lane. Margarum added another bucket for the Bees in the opening period of play.
The game remained close in the second quarter as the Bulldogs took a 29-22 lead into halftime. Parsons drew the Pound’s accolades as he blocked a shot by Collins from behind at the start of the second quarter. Pierce dished to Erlwein for two in the paint but Eldred freshman guard Bray Curreri answered with a trey to keep it close at 13-11.
Cardona replied with a missile from beyond the arc. He’d soon follow up a miss of his own with a put back. Collins responded as Eldred hung close at 18-15. Collins rejected another Pierce attempt. For a non-league game, this one was proving to be rather riveting and quite entertaining.
Collins picked up foul number two as did Sullivan West’s Masten. Cardona blocked a shot and then rejected an inbounds pass as the Dawg Pound practiced their chants and rants for the coming rematch with Liberty.
The second quarter was Eldred’s best as they poured in 14 points that included a trey from Nick Dilles to go along with the aforementioned one from Curreri. Collins scored six in the stanza and Margarum added a deuce.
Scrambled legs: Eldred's Nick Dilles and Sullivan West's Drew Parsons get tangled up diving for loose ball as E.J. Franskevicz looks to claim it too before it goes out of bounds.
But the Bulldogs trumped that with 18 points in the frame, 13 of which came from Cardona. Erlwein and Franskevicz contributed a bucket apiece and Parsons added one from the stripe.
With a renewed defensive vigor in the second half, the Bulldogs held Eldred to just nine points in the third quarter. Collins has six of those and Margarum ended his nightly tally with a shot that would give him eight on the night. Hazen hit one of two from the stripe for a disconcerting total of one point in the fray.
The Bulldogs scored 15 in the third quarter as Cardona led the way with six. The Westies got four points apiece from Erlwein and Pierce as they led 44-31 after three quarters.
The Bulldogs closed the deal with a 12-5 advantage in the final frame. Erlwein lit it up with a pair of treys, while Cardona and Pierce went four-for-four from the stripe. That said, the biggest cheers of the night were reserved for Adam Talbi who got some rare moments to play as he came off the bench and scored a bucket to the delight of his fanbase in the now totally rabid Dawg Pound.
Collin had three of Eldred’s final five points. Curreri had the other two for the Yellow Jackets.
Sullivan West 11-4 shot 11-for-19 from the stripe (57.8%), while Eldred 4-9 made two-of-ten for an unimpressive 20%.
Sullivan West will have a week to prepare for its rematch with Liberty, a team that is attempting to make its case for a plea to a Section Nine basketball committee that could rule on the Indians’ admission to the Class B Sectionals.
The Indians’ 60-38 win over the Bulldogs on January 10 was reversed when the district discovered that Yovanni Fields was in his fifth year of school and therefore ineligible. Liberty’s four wins including its league win over the Westies were wiped out.
In the story entitled “Revelry and Rivalry, the incredible atmosphere of the game and the competitive vibe between the two schools that has grown to epic proportions was delineated in this writer’s best prose. Read it or re-read it to understand the coming tsunami of the rematch set for the Dawg House on February 10. http://74.220.215.54/~sportsi2/revelry-and-rivalry/
Liberty Coach Mike Salvia was in the stands to scout out the Bulldogs for that coming do-or-die encounter for the Indians. Nober admits to having watched the game film from the first encounter at least 25 times to assess what needs to be tweaked to reverse the outcome.
“They nipped us up there and we’ll try to make some adjustments to beat them on our court,” he noted. The Bulldogs have one game a week for the next three weeks. Following Liberty, it will be a senior night home clash with Burke followed by a trip to O’Neill.
Sullivan West vs. Liberty redux? A "Thriller" in the making.
Yes my friends, Midnight approaches and in the words of the late, great Michael Jackson it’s gonna be a “Thriller.”
For an album of photos, visit www.sportsinsights.smugmug.com
Home Sweet Home
Sullivan West Celebrates Homecoming With A Non-League Shutout Win Over Rondout Valley; E.J. Franskevicz And Emma Seidl Crowned As King and Queen; Football Alums From SW, J-Y and Delaware Valley Are Regaled Under Rainy Skies
Sullivan West 18, Rondout Valley 0
By RICHARD A. ROSS
rross@sportsinsightsny.com
Homecoming Hurrah (Clockwise) Sullivan West's Sawyer Erlwein is just shy of the goal line. Tom Mootz would carry it in from the two for the first score of the game. Homecoming King and Queen E.J. Franskevicz and Emma Seidl. Tom Mootz on an electrifying run that sets up a TD by Jared Meola. The sign speaks for itself. E.J. Franskevicz on a t0-yard TD run.. Football alums are welcomed back and honored. This sign also needs no explanation. Rondout Valley's Keith Malak makes an airborne grab. An adorable Red Dog cheerleader graces half time with her smile.
LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY—Dorothy had to travel over the rainbow and beyond to learn what most of us already hold sacrosanct: There’s no place like home.
Home is where the heart is. Home is where we relish the love of our family and are ensconced in the warmth of our community. Home is where we’re from; it’s the familiar milieu where friendships are forged and where we put down our roots.
Captains courageous take the field at their home stadium for the last time this year: Sawyer Erlwein, Andrew Parson, Todd Roeder and E.J. Franskevicz.
For many of us, it’s where we went to school and began our journey to become who we are later in life. The cycle begins again when we settle down as adults in a home of our own.
All the while we never forget where we started out, and where in all likelihood, our remaining family still may reside.
As young men and women we are often anxious to leave home to go out into the world at large. But home never leaves us and once we’re away, we invariably experience the yearning to come home again.
Thanksgiving and Christmas are often times for family members , though they may be scattered far and wide, to come home and relish the abiding connection.
For indeed no matter how many miles away we are, we stay connected to the people and places we hold dear.
That’s why high school Homecoming Week is such an important milestone. It marks the return of alumni who hold fast to the memories created in their halcyon high school days. For former athletes, memories of yesteryear are closely tied to their sports careers and milestones, both individual and team related.
They say youth is wasted on the young but nothing could be further from the truth. For all of us, no matter how old we are, carry with us the memories of our formative years and there is a part of us that remains forever young in the reliving of those times. Nowadays with stunning digital photos and video that freeze moments forever in time, that task of recalling what went before is that much easier.
Rondout Valley junior Jordan Gwynn finds a big hole to run through. The Ganders moved the ball well at times but couldn't close the deal.
Even without such to remind me, I’ll never forget the glory of my Midwood High School football team in Brooklyn, a squad of kids I grew up with who lost just one game during my entire high school career.
Though I was a fan, not a player, I would have to say my love of the game of football was born back then and so here I am decades later, on the sidelines affirming and documenting the achievements of this generation’s players.
Despite the threat of yet more rain, a large crowd began to gather at this year’s Sullivan West Homecoming game featuring a non-league clash with Class B Rondout Valley.
With the Bulldogs’ dramatic 21-20 overtime win over Liberty just a week prior, the excitement of the looming Class C semifinal clash with Burke on October 28 is very much on the mind of the fans, players and the proud community.
That community which was once three distinct school districts has rallied its support for the Sullivan Wst Bulldogs, while not forgetting its own history recorded at Jeff-Youngsville, Delaware Valley and Narrowsburg. The former two were great football powers in their day and stars hailing as back as 1951 would be honored by Master of Ceremonie and Homecoming Organizer Bill Moloney at halftime.
More on this erelong…
All Hail The Royal Court ,The Newly –Crowned Monarchs, And The Bulldog Elder Statesmen
The pregame festivities began with the introduction of all of the nominees for Homecoming King and Queen who marched forward with their parents and posed for the photos you’ll find in the accompanying album. Once arrayed across the field, the long-awaiting announcement came at last hailing E.J. Franskevicz and Emma Seidl as this year’s Monarchs. They posed for pictures before Franskevicz headed off to rejoin his team for the coming clash against the Ganders.
Youthful Red Dog football players and cheerleaders were on hand to lend their verve to the night’s celebration. They lined up with a banner that read, “Don’t Gander In Our Dog House.” Moments later the Bulldogs burst through the banner and headed to the sideline clearly anxious to begin their ravenous meal of Gander stew.
Representing the Jeff-Youngsville Class of '82, John Schlott takes to the field as part of the halftime honoring of football alums. John's sons Will and Vaughn went on to play for Sullivan West.
Next up was the introduction of the Sullivan West senior gridders with their parents. This year’s seniors include Kitt Borowski, Charliie Ciccione, E.J. Franskevicz, Ben Kline, Chris Lang, Tom Mootz, Andrew Parsons and Todd Roeder.
The friendly clear skies that had adorned all of this pre-game adoration morphed first into a light drizzle and then a steady downpour as the game got underway.
A Commanding Win Is the Night’s Main Course
Sullivan West received the ball from the Class B Ganders who came in at 2-4 with sectional hopes hinging on a league win over powerful Marlboro next week. Rondout Valley sophomore Seth Deruggerio kicked off and Borowski returned it to the 36.
King EJ gained 11 yards on a keeper. The Ganders defense stiffened and sacked Franskevicz. An incomplete pass led to a punt who began their first quest at their own 27 with sophomore Thomas Reardon calling the signals.
The Ganders moved the ball well with carries from junior Jordan Gwynn. Facing a third and three at the 47, Gwynn was pounced on by Parsons, Mootz and Lang. Deguggerio punted and Sawyer Erlwein evinced a tremendous return up the left sideline to the Ganders’ 25.
The Ganders stuffed the first two plays and the Dawgs were facing a third and 14 at the 24. Franskevicz completed a screen pass to Erlwein who gave the Westies a first and goal to the two. Mootz ran it in from there at 4:30 for the 6-0 lead. Borowski’s PAT went wide right.
Rondout Valley fumbled the kickoff return and the ball was recovered by Scott Erdman to give the Bulldogs a short field at the Ganders’ 27. Facing a fourth and two at the 20, Franskevicz garnered a first down to the 15.
Erlwein fought his way to the one. The Bulldogs fumbled on the snap and Mootz recovered it. The same thing happened on the next play before Franskevicz carried it in from the two with 10.4 seconds remaining in the first quarter as Sullivan West now led 12-0. The two point conversion failed on incomplete pass to Zach O’Connor.
Deruggerio returned it to the 31 and Mootz stopped Gwynn to start the second quarter. The Ganders marshaled a first down on a slant pass to sophomore Keith Malak. Senior Ian Morse got another first down. Gwynn was stopped just short of the first down at the 37 but the Deruggerio earned the Ganders another series as the Dawgs defense yielded more turf.
Scoring in the pouring rain, Sullivan West's Jared Meola completes a 12-yard jaunt for the Dawgs' final score of the night.
Rondout lost five yards on an offsides call. An incomplete pass and an illegal substitution hampered the Ganders who now went to punt the ball from their own 43. The snap was bungled and the Dawgs took over at their own 49-yard line.
Sullivan West went three and out and Franskevicz sent a booming 52-yarde punt pinning the Ganders at the three. The Dawgs’ defense was impenetrable. Tight end Seth Woodbury caught a slant pass but was nearly blown into the ethers on a hard tackle by Mootz. You could hear the sound of it crackling through the gloomy downpour.
The Ganders appeared to be on track for a score as Malak caught a pass and made serious headway out to the 43. A nice run by Morse advanced the cause to the 34. Another pass to Malak and a run up the middle by Morse gave the Ganders a first and goal at the eight with under a minute remaining.
Brad Hemmer broke up a pass intended for Morse in the end zone. The Ganders burned their last time out but failed to score as Jared Meola broke up a third down pass attempt. Facing a fourth and goal at the 13 the Ganders came up short on a pass to Malak.
The half ended with the Bulldogs leading 12-0.
Glory Days
Football alumni from classes ending in 1 and 2 dating back as far as 1951 were called to midfield for a halftime honorarium after the Red Dog cheerleaders performed in the rain. Orchestrated by Bill Moloney, the former players from Delaware Valley, Jeff-Youngsville and the Sullivan West Class of 2002 were called forth to gather for the tribute beside a banner that read, “Welcome Back Alumni.”
They were as follows: Sullivan West Class of 2002: Kevin Mullally; Jeff-Youngsville Class of ’92: Jeremy Ernst, Ed Mall, Joe Herbert, Eric Kubenik; D-V Class of ’92: Kurt Buddenhagen, Michael Larsen, Christian Renaudo; J-Y Class of ’82: Pete Erlwein, John Schlott, David Dufalt and Mike Puerschner; D-V Class of ’82: Scott Haberli; J-Y Class of ’81: Mike Geiger; D-V Class of ’72: Eugene Flynn, John Meyers; D-V Class of ’62: Garry Mitinas, Edward Sykes, Craig Stewart and Emil Lienuu; D-V Class of ’52: Bill Moran and David Buddenhagen and D-V Class of ’51: Mickey Roche.
A Fitting Home Finale At Bulldog Stadium
Getting the win was important to the Bulldogs, especially its proud seniors who fired up the defense to enforce the shut out. “This is our homecoming game,” barked Mootz at one point as the Ganders threatened to get on the board. Though the coming playoff game in two weeks loomed large on the horizon, the Dawgs knew they had to stay focused in the present challenge.
The Ganders were stymied on their first possession of the second half. Sullivan West voltage soon went off the meter again as Mootz had a huge run to the Ganders’ 18. Borowksi got it to the 12 on a sweep. Jared Meola took it in from there at 9:00 minutes for the 18-0 lead.
Borowski’s PAT was blocked.
Just the kind of thing Bulldogs fan are hoping for against Burke in the playoffs: Erlwein head s around end as Andrew Parsons seals it with a block.
The next highlight moment came after another Rondout failed series when Sawyer Erlwein hauled in a 42-yard pass to Sawyer Erlwein at 1:30 of the third quarter was called back on a holding penalty. I missed the photo as I had my camera turned off to preserve a waning battery. All of those pregame and halftime photos had taken their toll but I cursed myself for missing that great grab.
Mootz recovered a fumble. A reverse to Erlwein was called back for a holding penalty. Franskevicz sent a booming punt to the Ganders 23 to end the quarter.
Again the Ganders moved the ball well on the ground and in the air as Gwynn and Malak were effective in advancing the pigskin against the Westies’ defense . The Ganders penetrated as far as the six but facing a fourth and six from the 11 as Mootz barked the aforementioned admonition. Gwynn marshaled a first down at the six but three plays later he failed to get the yardage as the Bulldogs held on and took over on downs.
The Bulldogs punted after a three and out and Morse returned it to the SW 40.
On the first play from scrimmage Blaine Reddish knocked the ball loose and Erlwein recovered it on the SW 40.
Sullivan West converted a fourth and four at the 47 as Franskevicz carried it on a keeper. The wet ball came loose and Rondout Valley had it on the SW 47 with 2:16 to go.
Erdman and Meola knocked Gwynn out of bounds at the 41. Erlwein just missed an interception. Rondout recovered a fumble. Kline knocked down a pass intended for a diving Malak.
Time soon expired and the Bulldogs improved to 5-2 with the 18-0 win.
Rondout Valley Coach George Iacobaccio summed things up thusly: “We’re improving every week from bringing the program back two years ago. We had a 96-yard drive in two and a half minutes and just didn’t finish it at the end. We were in the red zone a few times. Our special teams killed us tonight. They took a punt back 40 yards and they scored on two short fields to begin with. Right away that put us in a whole.
Add in the fumbled kickoff and they needed only seven plays from there to get in. We’re getting there but three plays every game are preventing us from getting the W.”
Rondout Valley can make the sectionals if they can beat Red Hook next week. That will the 2-5 Ganders a 3-3 league record and a berth in the Class B dance.
“We’re still a young team and we’re still learning how to play better football” he noted.
Sullivan West Coach Ron Bauer was glad that his team had made the Homecoming a happy one. Asked about next week’s non-league prelim of the following week playoff clash with Burke, Bauer said simply,’ We’re going to play football.” Clearly neither team will show much to the other in that one though once again, Burke was filming this encounter.
Sullivan West stat line:
Rushing: Franskevicz 6/28 with one TD of ten yards; Mootz 11/83 with one TD of two yards; Borowski 1/5; Meola 5/15 with one TD of 12 yards; Erlwein 2/19;
Passing/Receiving: Franskevicz 3/6/33 with Erlwein on all receptions.
Defense: Mootz 19 tackles; Erlwein 16 tackles and an interception; Erdman 12 tackles and one fumble recovery; Parsons ten tackles; Lang eight tackles and Meola nine tackles.
For an album of photos visit www.sportsinsights.smugmug.com
