Combined Energy
Athletes Team Up In Splendiferous Tri-Valley Relays; New Paltz Boys and Rondout Valley Girls Are Tops; Tri-Valley Girls 2nd Overall And Tops In Small Division; Ellenville 2nd In Boys And Tops In Small Schools; T-V Boys 3rd Overall, 2nd In Small Schools Array; Spackenkill’s Sahsche Allen And New Paltz’s Alfredo Mazzucca Outstanding Track Athletes; Ellenville’s Jeff Nuñez And New Paltz’s Cora Butler Outstanding Field Athletes
Boys Team standings and key: 1. New Paltz (NP) 180 points; 2. Ellenville 157.3; 3.Tri-Valley (TV) 143; 4. Rondout Valley (RV) 124.3; 5. Liberty (Lib) 84.5; 6.Saugerties 76; 7. Sullivan West 66.5; 8 John A. Coleman Catholic (JAC) 61.33; 9. Spackenkill 53; 10. Eldred (Eld) 49; 11 Millbrook 17; 12. Chapel Field 11
Girls Team standings and key: 1. Rondout Valley (RV) 197.5 points; 2. Tri-Valley (TV) 174; 3. New Paltz (NP) 124.5; 4. Ellenville and Liberty 90; 6. Saugerties 77; 7. Spackenkill 69; 8. Sullivan West 54; 9. Eldred 44; 10. Chapel Field 35; 11. Coleman Catholic 24; 12. Millbrook 7.
By RICHARD A. ROSS
Photos at www.sportsinsights.smugmug.com
Scenes from the Tri-Valley relays (clockwise) T-V's Autumn Bender wins the 2000 steeplechase, Spackenkill's Sahsche Allen wins the 100. She was the Outstanding track athlete of the meet. Eldred's Hunter Proscia captures the 2000 steeplechase. T-V's Jimmy Bernstein is second in the 1600. SW's John Masten shows great form in the 1200 shuttle hurdle relay as does T-V's Ali Reynolds. New Paltz's Alfredo Mazzucca was the outstanding track athlete at the meet. Here he is en route to winning the 1600. Sullivan West's Amanda Rosenberger wins this semifinal 100 heat. She finished third overall. Sullivan West's Corrine Van Wagner soaks up the water in the 2000 steeplechase. She finished 5th. Eldred's Christine Donnelly took 2nd in the 1500. Liberty's Andy Hazelnis completes the anchor leg of Liberty's winning varsity 400 relay. Lara Jane Heslop does the same for the Lady Indians' victorious team. Tri-Valley's Raphael Ramirez does his part to capture the hammer throw relay. Brendan Tierney added his throw after taking the SAT's. Eldred's Craig Burns wins the 100. Sullivan West's Matt Cardona combined with Mitch Paciga to win the high jump relay. Tri-Valley's Katlynn Greffrath leaps over the hurdles as she completes one third of the winning 1200 hurdle relay for the Lady Bears. T-V's Sabrena Smith carries the baton in the winning 3200 relay. .
GRAHAMSVILLE, NY—Given the wisdom of the old adage that two heads are better than one, imagine how much more viable are three or four, especially when they’re attached to strong young bodies in pursuit of a combined victory in any given event in track and field.
That is the modus operandi of the annual Tri-Valley relays, a departure from the normal track meet proceedings wherein the only combined events are the 400, 800,1600 and 3200 relays. In this relay meet, the individual events on the docket were the 100, the girls 1500 and boys 1600 and the 2000 steeplechase. Every other event was scored by combining the times, heights or distances of a team’s participants.
Needless to say every athlete strives for his or her best individual performance and indeed the day would evince numerous personal best marks. But even with such landmarks posted, teams could lose an event if one of the other participants failed to muster a sufficient time, distance or height. Track meets are always a blend of individual efforts that combine for team standing, but in meets such as this, the combined effort is even more consequential.
As it was two weeks prior for the Tri-Valley Invitational, the weather was magnificent, perhaps in deference to Coaches Joe and Missy Iatauro who will retire after next season and who have witnessed more than a few maelstroms and frigid outings on the days on which landmark meets have been staged over more than three decades.
For the purpose of this meet, schools were divided by T-V Coach Joe Iatauro into Division I and II though those classifications have little to do with the state size categories. For this meet Division I was comprised of New Paltz, Rondout Valley, Saugerties and Spackenkill. Division II participants included Chapel Field, John A. Coleman Catholic, Eldred, Ellenville, Liberty, Sullivan West and Tri-Valley. Invitees Livingston Manor/Roscoe and Clarkstown South were not present. Events were scored through the eighth place finishers.
Continuing their spring barnstorm of success, Tri-Valley’s boys and girls teams excelled with the girls taking second place overall and first among the small schools on hand. This followed team victories at the Tri-Valley Invitational wherein the Lady Bears not only won out over Division II schools (by state size standard) but also held sway over every one of the other 26 schools competing. They followed that up a week later with a team win at the Monticello Games.
In the Tri-Valley Relays The Lady Bears were gold medalists in the following:
F/S Sprint Medley Relay 4:36.7; 6400 relay 24:34.6 (Brooke Gillette, Olivia Rehm, Danielle Graham and Sabrena Smith); F/S Discus relay 162-3; hammer relay 237-8 Dominque Darby and Heidi Furman; varsity shot put relay 68-5 ½ Darby and Mareena DiMilia; 2000 steeplechase 7:58.9 Autumn Bender; 300 shuttle hurdles 51.8 DiMilia, Vicky Tingley and Ali Reynolds; distance medley relay 14:14.6 Bender, Alex Brooks, Sabrena Smith and Rehm; javelin relay 185-9 and the 1200 intermediate hurdle relay 3:42.5 behind the combined effort of Katlynn Greffath, Sabrina Smith and Ali Reynolds.
As for the boys squad, a third place finish overall and second among small schools marked yet another stellar outing. The boys finished first among Division II schools at the Tri-Valley Invitational and fourth overall at the Monticello Games.
The Bears were gold medalists in the following:
F/S sprint medley relay 3:54.4 Aidan Woolsey, Tyler Greffrath, Josh Winters and Justin Weintraub; and the hammer relay 269.4 Brendan Tierney and Raphael Ramirez.
Jimmy Bernstein took 2nd in the 1600 (4:32). This was Bernstein’s last competition on the Tri-Valley track completing a storied home career.
But Tri-Valley was far from alone among Sullivan County schools in capturing its moments of glory on the day. Eldred’s Hunter Proscia won the 2000 steeplechase in 6:25.3, just three second shy of the mark he had posted to win the event at the Tri-Valley Invitational. Craig Burns won the 100 in 11.3.
Christine Donnelly took 2nd in the 1500 (5l08.3).
Sullivan West took gold in the high jump relay as Mitch Paciga and Matt Cardona combined for a height of 11-6. Amanda Rosenberger recorded a blistering 12.6 in the 100 and 27.1 in her legs of the 400 and 800 relays for personal best times. She took 3rd in the 100. The 1500 racewalk (non-scoring) was easily won by Rachel Deppa (8:09.4).
Liberty claimed the gold medal in the 1200 intermediate hurdle relay 3:00.5 as Erick Cuellar, Andy Hazelnis and Kane Sauchuk combined for the speedy win. The Indians also garnered gold in the varsity 400 relay (46.) as Cuellar, Nick Campos, Kenny Jaycox and Hazelnis marshaled the victory. Liberty’s girls varsity 400 relay (52.7) was also victorious as Amanda Bertholf, Nikole Snyder, Rebeccah Harman and Lara Jane Heslop took turns speeding forward with the baton.
Staged on the day when SAT’s and ACT’s were being given, the meet always has a 12:00pm start. As those students who were undergoing the rigors of the long tests arrive, they find their way to the events they are slated for and compete, usually after the other members of their teams have finished at that particular venue.
For this photographer the prime agenda was two-fold: First and foremost was to amass a collection of hundreds of stunning photos of athletes at their craft, with a particular concentration on the Sullivan County schools. Second and nearly as important was to stay abreast of milestones both on an individual and team basis.
Track is a complex matter, not for the feint of heart of the occasional unfamiliar correspondent for whom the entire mélange of events taking place all around is undoubtedly confusing and impossible to fathom.
As for me, being a ten-year veteran of these multi-ring circuses, it all makes perfect sense.
During the course of a track meet I always find time to schmooze with many of the kids I have come to know so well and to encourage them to press on with the tasks at hand. Invariably they seem to appreciate the attention both in words and in the photos that pour onto the www.sportsinsights.smugmug.com.
So too do the parents who are grateful for the up close, professional photographs that will grace their albums and walls as mementos of these halcyon days of their children’s youthful ardor.
Medals were awarded to first, second and third place finishers. Team trophies were awarded as well.
First through third place finishers are listed below but for more edification I have provided the score sheets that show all eight place finishers courtesy of T-V scorekeeper Kevin Giroux.
Boys Team standings and key: 1. New Paltz (NP) 180 points; 2. Ellenville 157.3; 3.Tri-Valley (TV) 143; 4. Rondout Valley (RV) 124.3; 5. Liberty (Lib) 84.5; 6.Saugerties 76; 7. Sullivan West 66.5; 8 John A. Coleman Catholic (JAC) 61.33; 9. Spackenkill 53; 10. Eldred (Eld) 49; 11 Millbrook 17; 12. Chapel Field 11
100 meters: 1. Craig Burns (Eld) 11.3; 2. Kenny Jaycox (Lib) 11.6; 3. Charlton Tsai (NP) 11.7; 1,600: 1. Al Mazzucca (NP) 4:27.2; 2. James Bernstein (TV) 4:32.0; 3. Marco DiBella (JAC) 4:37.6; 330 shuttle hurdles relay: 1. Ellenville (Bruce, Echols, Groat) 51.3; 2. Tri-Valley 53.1; 3. Sullivan West 54.7; 2,000 steeplechase: 1. Hunter Proscia (Eld) 6:25.3; 2. J. Grout (Ell) 7:11.5; 3. Eric Dunham (Sau) 7:21; 400 relay: 1. Liberty (Cuellar, Campos, Jaycox, Hazelnis) 46.0; 2. Rondout Valley 46.4; 3. Ellenville 46.5; 800 relay: 1. Spackenkill (Wilson, Mastmann, Bonden, Clear) 1:35.3; 2. Rondout Valley 1:35.7; 3. Coleman 1:37.4; 1,200 intermediate hurdles relay: 1. Liberty (Eric Cuellar, Andy Hazelnis, Kane Sauchuk) 3:00.5; 2. Tri-Valley 3:02.2; 3. New Paltz 3:04.6; 1,600 relay: 1. New Paltz (Stewart, Hasbrouck, Lamarche, Climer) 3:29; 2. Spackenkill 3:35; 3. Tri-Valley 3:35.8; 3,200 relay: 1. New Paltz (Busby, Hasbrouck, Mazzucca, Mazzucca) 8:30.7; 2. Tri-Valley 8:36.2; 3. Spackenkill 9:47.5; 6,400 relay: 1. New Paltz (Rizza, Torquato, Mazzucca, Busby) 20:32.9; 2. Tri-Valley 21:31.8; 3. Liberty 23:20.8; distance medley relay: 1. New Paltz (Mazzucca, Climer, Mazzucca, Busby) 11:11; 2. Tri-Valley 11:44.5; 3. Sullivan West 12:34.6; sprint medley relay: 1. Coleman (Vansteenburg, Catalano, Discovo, DiBella) 3:46.3; 2. Rondout Valley 3:48.8; 3. Libery 3:53.4; high jump relay: 1. Sullivan West (Mitch Paciga,Matt Cardona) 11-6; 2. (tie) Coleman and Ellenville 11-4; long jump relay: 1. Ellenville (Quicero, Echols) 39-2; 2. New Paltz 37-1; 3. Rondout Valley 35-7; triple jump relay: 1. Ellenville (Echols, Quiceno) 79-9; 2. Coleman 77-1.5; 3. Rondout Valley 76-3; shot put relay: 1.Tri-Valley (Brendan Tierney, Raphael Ramirez) 82-3; 2. Ellenville 78-2.5; 3. Saugerties 74-3; discus relay: 1. Ellenville (Jeff Nunez, Preston Bazemore) 261-4; 2. Coleman 234-3; 3. Liberty 233-2; javelin relay: 1. Ellenville (Gaetta, Boriello) 245-2; 2. Liberty 244-10; 3. Tri-Valley 226-4; hammer relay: 1. Tri-Valley (Ramirez, Tierney) 269-4.5; 2. Ellenville 269-3; 3. Liberty 181-7; pole vault relay: 1. Ellenville (Kasloski, Farrenkopf) 23-0; 2. (tie) Eldred and New Paltz 21-0; Pentathlon: 1. Shamar Corum (NP) 2,571 points; 2. J.P. Heylde Ortiz (NP) 2,127; 3. Mateo Julia-Wise (NP) 1,864.
Outstanding field athlete: Jeff Nunez (Ellenville).
Outstanding track athlete: Alfredo Mazzucca (New Paltz).
Girls Team standings and key: 1. Rondout Valley (RV) 197.5 points; 2. Tri-Valley (TV) 174; 3. New Paltz (NP) 124.5; 4. Ellenville and Liberty 90; 6. Saugerties 77; 7. Spackenkill 69; 8. Sullivan West 54; 9. Eldred 44; 10. Chapel Field 35; 11. Coleman Catholic 24; 12. Millbrook 7.
100 meters: 1. Sasche Allen (Spac) 12.8; 2. Christine Kelly (RV) 12.9; 3. Amanda Rosenberger (SW) 13.1; 1,500 race walk (non-scoring): 1. Rachel Deppa (SW) 8:09.4; 2. Mary Alongi (TV) 9:54.5; 3. Lindsay Green (E)) 11:11.1; 1,500: 1. Shannon Averill (Saug) 4:55.7; 2. Christine Donnelly (Eld) 5:08.3; 3. Cami Ferguson (NP) 5:11.2; 300 shuttle hurdles relay: 1. Tri-Valley (Mareena DiMilia, Vicky Tingley, Ali Reynolds) 51.8; 2. Liberty 54.5; 3. Rondout Valley and New Paltz 57.7; 2,000 steeplechase: 1. Autumn Bender (TV) 7:58.9; 2. Megan McGowan (CF) 8:02.0; 3. Olivia Rehm (TV) 8:31.6; 400 relay: 1. Liberty (Amanda Bertholf, Snyder, Rebeccah Harman, Lara Jane Heslop) 52.7; 2. Rondout Valley 53.0; 3. Chapel Field 54.1; 800 relay: 1. Rondout Valley (Mondini, Ospina, Winnie, Kelly) 1:51.9; 2. Liberty 1:51.5; 3. Ellenville 1:57.6; 1,200 intermediate hurdles relay: 1. Tri-Valley (Katlynn Greffrath, Sabrena Smith, Ali Reynolds) 3:42.5; 2. New Paltz 3:46.1; 3. Rondout Valley 3:49.8; 1,600 relay: 1. Saugerties (Averill, Kilmer, Averill, Averill) 4:19.5; 2. Rondout Valley 4:23.3; 3. Chapel Field 4:25.6; 3,200 relay: 1. Saugerties (Averill, Doyle, Averill, Averill) 10:29.3; 2. Tri-Valley 10:35.7; 3. Rondout Valley 11:09.8; 6,400 relay: 1. Tri-Valley (Brooke Gillette, Olivia Rehm, Danielle Graham, Sabrena Smith) 24:34.6; 2. Rondout Valley 30:24.9; 3. Ellenville 31:47.7; distance medley relay: 1. Tri-Valley ( Autumn Bender, Alex Brooks, Sabrena Smith, Olivia Rehm) 14:14.6; 2. Sullivan West 14:52.4; 3. Rondout Valley 14:53.9; sprint medley relay: 1. Chapel Field (St. Germain, Vellenga, McDermott, McGowan) 4:36.8; 2. Eldred 4:42.5; 3. New Paltz 4:47.1; high jump relay: 1. Rondout Valley (Strang, Mathedy) 9-4; 2. (tie) Tri-Valley and Rondout Valley 9-0; long jump relay: 1. New Paltz (Butler, Bouchard) 32-0; 2. Tri-Valley 29-9.5; 3. Rondout Valley 28-6.25; triple jump relay: 1. New Paltz (Butler, Butler) 68-1; 2. Rondout Valley 64-7.75; 3. Liberty 60-0.5; shot put relay: 1. Tri-Valley ( Dominique Darby, Mareena DiMilia) 68-5.5; 2. Tri-Valley 56-9.5; 3. Rondout Valley 55-9; discus relay: 1. New Paltz (Takacs, Carroll) 177-5; 2. Rondout Valley 170-3; 3. Saugerties 139-2; javelin relay: 1. Tri-Valley (Mareena DiMilia, Heidi Furman) 185-9; 2. Tri-Valley 135-9; 3. Ellenville 131-7; hammer relay: 1. Tri-Valley (Dominque Darby,Heidi Furman) 237-8; 2. Ellenville 196-9; 3. Tri-Valley 155-2; pole vault relay: 1. Rondout Valley (Gribbon, Agustaro) 16-0; 2. Eldred 10-6; 3. Liberty 8-6; Pentathlon: 1. Grassi (RV) 1,576 points; 2. Hart (NP) 1,370; 3. Bader (RV) 1,059.
Outstanding field athlete: Cora Butler (New Paltz).
Outstanding track athlete: Sasche Allen (Spackenkill).
Results of the Tri-Valley Relays showing places from 1st through 8th. Scoresheets compiled and generously contributed by Kevin Giroux.
Once again, photos are located at www.sportsinsights.smugmug.com
There Comes A Time
Sullivan West Roars Back From Early Deficit With 26 Unanswered Points To Down Nemesis Ellenville For First League Win; Victory Places Bulldogs Just One Win Away From Playoff Berth
Sullivan West 26, Ellenville 14
By RICHARD A. ROSS
rross@sportsinsightsny.com
Iconic moments from a key Sullivan West league win over Ellenville (clockwise) Tom Mootz breaks loose on a big run. Mootz had 90 yards on 17 carries and caught a 35-yard TD pass. E.J. Franskevicz scampers for a big gain. Franskevicz did most of his damage in the air as he threw for a trio of TD's and completed 9/20/162 yards. Jared Meola runs behind the blocking of Tom Mootz for a big gain. Meola rushed for 67 yards. Ellenville's Tyler O'Bryant scores his second TD of the night on a 12-yard run. Ellenville QB Robert Borriello calls the signals. O'Bryant crosses the goal line on a two-point conversion run. He scored all 14 points for the Blue Devils. Sullivan West's defense comes up big as Erlwein and Mootz bring down O'Bryant on a key stop.
LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY—In bygone years Ellenville has certainly had its way with Sullivan West. But as the old saying goes, “Every dog (Dawg) must have his day.” And this September 16 reunion with their old nemesis proved to be just that for the Westies.
After a tough loss last week to Chester and early tribulations against Ellenville, the Bulldogs gnashed their teeth and showed grit and gumption as they got off the deck and came back from a 14-point early deficit to thrash a team that has a history of making their lives miserable.
This writer sensed some displeasure from Dawgs’ coaches related to last week’s blog about the Chester game, a story that certainly did accentuate the Hambletonians’ success and Sullivan West’s troubles. Good sports writing is by definition both factual and neutral and I pride myself on heeding to both of those precepts. This week’s tale is based on a significant improvement by the Dawgs as will soon be noted.
A hard week of practice and a strong resolve proved efficacious as Sullivan West simply played its best football to date on both sides of the ball to emerge with a treasured win.
In the abbreviated world of a three-game league season, winning two of those games is a prerequisite to making the playoffs. In 2010, the Bulldogs were 1-2 in league play and found themselves on the outside looking in, though Ellenville was not a part of the story as the Blue Devils were thrust into Class B by virtue of a mere ten extra students in grades 9-11.
This year, to the relief of Ellenville Coach Tony Borriello, they’re back down in Class C. But an 0-2 start with losses to Walton and Burke had Ellenville more than anxious to right the ship.
That said, Borriello was quick to point to his young team’s inexperience and lack of depth in a chat before kickoff. With the only returnees in quarterback Robert Borriello, linemen Jeff Nunez and Preston Bazemore, Borriello noted that most of the other guys were prior backups.
We had guys that were with us for three years but now it’s a different story,” he added.
In its first two games, Ellenville got off to good starts but made mistakes which proved costly. That paradigm would resurface again in this outing. “We gave Burke the ball inside our five twice. Inexperience is what has killed us,” said Borriello, a comment he would repeat later following his team’s 26-14 loss on this night.
The Ellenville/SW history
Prior to last season, the two schools have a brief but intense history; one that Sullivan West was anxious to update.
From 2004-2006 the Bulldogs ran up a streak of three consecutive Section Nine titles including a 2004 Class B win over Marlboro and Class C wins over Tri-Valley in ’05 and ’06. The Dawgs lost to the Bears in ’07 playing in their fourth consecutive championship game.
Enter Ellenville:
In the season-opener of the 2008 season the Bulldogs unveiled their new spread offense with Brad Reimer at quarterback and easily handled the Blue Devils. The Dawgs went on to run the table against their opponents until they met up with Ellenville again in the Class C title game. Ellenville won that clash handily 34-20 and then beat Liberty in the title game in 2009 after the Indians had stunned Sullivan West in the semifinal set to.
In Ellenville’s absence in Class C last year, it was Millbrook that emerged victorious with an upset win over Burke in the title game.
Ellenville had beaten Sullivan West during the regular 2009 season and that was the last time the two teams met.
So after a one-year hiatus of not playing each other, the two squads got set to dial it up again, this time with more on the line as each team looked to propel itself halfway towards a playoff berth in Division I, a realm also occupied by Liberty and O’Neill.
Ellenville certainly lost a lot of talent to graduation, but also gained some in Section Nine track sprint champion Tyler O’Bryant. The speedster wasted no time in making his presence felt as he returned the opening kickoff to the Westie’s 15-yard line. Three plays later he carried it in from the two and then ran in the two-point conversion to give the Blue Devils an early 8-0 lead with 9:54 remaining.
How sweet it is: Sullivan West players erupt in a victorious celebration following the key league win. Next week they travel to O'Neill who edged out Liberty 14-13. The winner of that game will lock up a playoff berth.
Sullivan West took the early adversity in stride as Tom Mootz began what was soon to become a resounding performance with a nice breakaway run out to the SW 49 but the drive stalled. The Dawgs defense stiffened and Ellenville punted as Borriello sent a ball into the end zone for a touchback.
The Westies showed early success in the air on a screen pass to Kitt Borowski and effective running by Mootz and Sawyer Erlwein. A vast improvement in blocking was key to the ground success that by night’s end would yield 237 yards on 32 carries by the Bulldogs.
The drive stalled with an incomplete pass at the Ellenville 17 and the Blue Devils took over on downs.
O’Bryant quickly scooted out to the SW 49 and then to the 30. “Contain” barked the Bulldogs coaches. But O’Bryant continued to elude tacklers who failed to wrap him up. With 7:37 remaining in the first quarter, O’Bryant ran it in from the 12. The two point conversion run failed by the Blue Devils now led 14-0.
The Dawgs’ fortune began to change on the next drive as Borowski caught a tipped ball and on a third and 20 from his own 40 and hefted it to the Devils’ 35. Mootz ferreted it to the 21 for another first down. A pass from E.J. Franskevicz to his brother Cody gave the Dawgs a first on the nine-yard line The formula worked again on a five-yard brotherly love TD pass with 3:21 remaining in the second quarter. Sawyer Erlwein booted the PAT and the Dawgs were halfway back.
Credit Sullivan West’s defense big time as they were about to play a bit more than three quarters without yielding another score. Ellenville showed another weapon in senior Adrian Echols who was beating Sullivan West’s secondary. A long pass play came back on a motion penalty as Borriello’s words about his team’s miscues and inexperience proved to be accurate.
Echols dropped a pass in the endzone and Sullivan West was able to take over on downs.
Franskevicz went to the air as the quarter wound down hitting Erlwein and Jared Meola Meanwhile Borowski was consigned to the sideline for the rest of the game after suffering an injury early in the fray. He had remained in and tried to gut it out but now he was lost to the cause for the duration of the fray.
Franskevicz launched a 33-yard pass to Erlwein who caught it in the end zone as the half expired. He got himself up off the grass, dusted himself off and went right back out to kick the game-tying PAT. With the score tied at 14-all the teams headed to the locker room. With the ball coming to them at the start of the third quarter, the Bulldogs felt the momentum of the game had shifted their way.
Mootz and Meola gobbled up huge chunks of turf with electrifying runs to start the third quarter and with 10:14 remaining in the period, Mootz hauled in a 35-yard pass from Franskevicz to give the Dawgs a 20-14 lead. The two-point conversion try failed.
Leading by a precarious six points, the Dawgs needed a stop but it looked like O’Bryant was out to show off his speed again but he failed to get a first down on a third and five attempt a the 33. Ben Kline called for a fair catch at his own 35 on the punt.
The Dawgs went three and out and the Blue Devils dialed it up againg. Marshaling the talent of O’Bryant and Echols, the Devils were on the march but once again the Bulldogs’ steely defense held , this time on a fourth down try by Justin Rose came up short.
The Westies took over on their 38 and Erlwein got great blocking to help foster a run to the EV 23. The third quarter ended with the Dawgs threatening but Echols picked off a Franskevicz pass in the end zone a the start of the fourth quarter.
The Blue Devils tried a gadget play as Borriello flipped it to O’Bryant who tossed it back to the QB who sent a completion to echols. But the play was called back as Borriello had passed the line of scrimmage. Penalties against Ellenville and a great stop by Andrew Parsons had the Devils going the wrong way and the Dawgs soon had the ball back again.
With 7:09 remaining and having not been able to sustain another offensive series, the Dawgs punted it back. “We’ve got to play defense,” barked SW Coach Ron Bauer and his team answered the call as Kline recovered a fumble by O’Bryant.
The Dawgs capitalized on the miscue with a 38-yard TD run by Meola on the first play from scrimmage with 5:21 remaining. The Dawgs now led 26-14 as the two-point conversion try failed.
The game was far from over as the Blue Devils marched quickly down the field to the SW 12 on passes to Echols and O’Bryant runs. Facing a fourth and two at the three, Ellenville was victimized by another fumble, this one recovered by Sullivan West’s Todd Roeder.
Sullivan West was able to marshal first downs and run out the clock for the impressive win.
Borriello summed things up this way: “Our previous discussed liabilities reared their ugly head, I probably shouldn’t have said anything quipped the affable coach. “Inexperience and mistakes, like I told you. We have some guys out here playing for the first time. We dropped some balls. Six seconds left on the clock we don’t drop back into the needed coverage. It’s been our story this year. We keep giving teams chances and let teams back in. It’s like you throw blood in the water and sharks will smell it,” he added.
Borriello acknowledged that his team doesn’t have its former ground and pound capability but he was pleased with the way the squad moved the ball. “We ran the bal better tonight than we did all year. We had to run a different offense tonight because of the loss of some running backs and we had to move our center for awhile. We’re playing around with personnel.
Next week Ellenville travels to Liberty for what is now a must-win game for the Blue Devils. Liberty faces league rival O’Neill today (September 17) for its first league encounter.
Sullivan West Offensive Coordinator Kurt Buddenhagen praised his troops. “That’s a big win. Just think what we can continue to play that kind of football,” he said.
Coach Ron Bauer said, “We blocked! They were bigger than us. We got great play calling tonight and that was a big catch by Erlwein right there just at the half. We played good sound football. It’s a big win but next week we’ve got another one (at O’Neill) and then against Liberty. Our line play was much improved over the last two weeks.
Sullivan West Stat line:
Rushing: Mootz 17/90; E.J. Franskevicz 7/64; Borowski 1/1; Erlwein 2/19; Meola 5/67; Total rushing 32/237..
Passing: Franskevicz 9/20/162 with three TD’s and one interception.
Receiving: Borowski 2/36; Erlwein 3/70 with one TD; Cody Franskevicz 2/17 with one TD; Meola 1/17 and Mootz 1/35 with one TD
Leading tacklers: Erwein 16 tackles; Mootz 17 tackles including two sacks; Roeder ten tackles including one sack and a fumble recovery.
Sullivan West improves to 2-1 (1-0 OCIAA); Ellenville falls to 0-3 (0-1 OCIAA).
For an album of photos visit www.sportsinsights.smugmug.com
