De(Port)ation
Monticello Shuts Out Port Jervis To Earn A Playoff Rematch With Cornwall; Monties Profit From Seven Takeaways And Jackson’s Run And Pass Prowess To Lock Up Class A Three Seed On Homecoming/Senior Day
Monticello 34, Port Jervis 0
By RICHARD A. ROSS
rross@sportsinsightsny.com
Scenes from the 34-0 Monticello win over Port Jervis (Clockwise) Sean Reuss hauls in a 22-yard TD pass from Shane Jackson, Port quarterback Matt Smith goes airborne to pick up yardage, Port's Bret Sauschuck breaks a tackle on a kickoff and carries it all the way to the Monties' 14. Port's Russell Williams starts another fine Port return. Monticello and Port Jervis captains gather for the coin toss. Monticello's Shane Jackson heads off on an electrifying run. He had two rushing touchdowns and passed for two more. Montie sophomore London Gandy pounces on the ball to preserve the shut out just as it seemed the Raiders would finally score. It was his second fumble recovery of the day. Monticello cheerleaders await the seniors and their parents in a pre-game ceremony.
MONTICELLO NY- “Now is life’s most precious time,” were the words that emblazoned a plaque in the mess hall of a camp I attended every summer from age eight to 17.
Those sentiments should be the bywords for each and every one of us.
And indeed, for the Monticello Panthers coming off their commanding 34-0 league win over Port Jervis, now is a precious time to revel in the joys of recent success.
Shane Jackson calls signals. The lethal weapon ran for two TD's and threw for two more before exiting the game with an ankle injury incurred on a broken PAT-conversion run.
Unlike a year ago, it looks as if the Panthers will approach their looming playoff rematch with Cornwall two weeks hence, coming in on a three game winning streak should they take care of business as expected next week at Goshen.
That outcome will surely be influenced by the health of Montie quarterback Shane Jackson who rolled his ankle trying to turn a poor snap on a PAT into a two point conversion just moments after racing 78 yards for an electrifying touchdown.
More on Jackson and the game details erelong.
Monticello’s victory came on the occasion of Homecoming and a celebration of the team’s 15 football seniors along with two cheerleader seniors who were honored prior to the game as they posed for pictures with their adoring and supportive families.
You could see the pride on the faces of the grid warriors, wearing their royal blue Monticello uniforms, about to take the field with confidence to try and beat out the Raiders for the three-seed. That Monticello nearly bested number-one seeded Wallkill and was trounced by Cornwall 52-7 in regular season encounters is now a matter of history and will count for naught once playoffs begin on October 28.
Looking ahead and not behind, Monticello Coach Matt Buddenhagen was speaking about his team’s 34-0 victory over Port Jervis and assessing what went well and still needswork.
“Playoffs are right around the corner,” he mused. “Our goal is to play a complete game on both sides of the ball and on special teams. You’ve got to be at the top of your game in playoffs to advance. In two weeks it’s do or die,” observed the Coach whose lifetime of experience in the game is fire-tested to say the least both at the high school and college level.
Incensed by early turnovers and a failure to capitalize on good field position, Raider defensive coordinator Craig Fisher implores his team to do better during a time out. The Monties scored two plays later.
Buddenhagen knows firsthand what it takes to win and the joy that comes with it. He has also been schooled on what leads to defeat and the sullen sensations that go along with that contingency. When it comes to Cornwall in both last year’s playoffs and this year’s turnover-ridden loss, the fiery Coach is hoping his team will put the past in the rearview mirror and concentrate on playing their best brand of football.
The English teacher in me can’t resist inserting an apropos quote:
“The past has no power over the present moment,” averred Eckhart Tolle,
Speaking of the present, this day was about the encounter with Port Jervis, a team rife with great football history which found itself with an identical 2-2 league record to the Panthers prior to this tilt.
Monticello won the toss and elected to receive as Port Jervis’ Matt Smith got set to boot it. Monticello began its quest at its 39 yard lines. Jackson took off on a keeper to the Raiders’ 30 on a fourth down jaunt to move the chains.
An eight yard pass to Anthony Gray preceded a 22-yard TD pass to Sean Reuss. Angelo Niforatos provided the PAT and just like that the Panthers had converted their opening drive into a 7-0 lead at 9:06.
Niforatos kicked it off but poor coverage afforded Port’s Bret Sauschuck a return to the 14-yard line much to the chagrin of Buddenhagen and his coaching staff. Port had little success in penetrating the Monties’ stalwart interior defense. On a third and 11 Smith was sacked for the second straight play. Gray broke up a pass intended for Christian Rodriguez and the Panthers took over on downs.
The Monties went three and out despite an illegal substitution penalty against the Raiders . Reuss punted and the Raiders had it at their 39 with 5:02 to go. Reuss then sacked Smith on third down forcing a Raiders’ punt.
Monticello's Angelo Niforatos kicks a PAT as Shane Jackson holds. On a later sequence following a 78-yard TD run by Jackson, the snap went awry on the PAT try and he tried to run it in and was injured on the play.
José Cruz had a nice carry on the Monties’ first play of the series but an illegal formation and an incomplete pass led to a quick end to the series.
Port took over at their own 41. A Port fumble by Rob Knight was recovered by Mike Rogers who stripped it and recovered it as the quarter ended. A Monticello fumble on a pitch was then recovered by Port’ Chris Barnes. The Monties ‘defense held sway as the Raiders faced a fourth and sixth at the 20.
The Monties were abetted by a second illegal Port substitution penalty. Jackson knocked down a pass intended for Da’Von Adamson and the Panthers got it back on downs. Jackson broke loose to the Raiders’ 41 and then hit Gray across the middle to the 18. Cruz advanced it eight more and then got a first and goal at th six. Cruz took it in from the five at 4:33. Niforatos’ PAT sailed wide left and the Panthers now led 13-0.
Port had no return and started its series at the 30. A fumble was recovered by Port’s Chris Miller before Smith tossed a screen pass to Dan Bloom who advanced the ball as Monties missed tackles .But ocne again Port shot itself in the foot with an illegal block in the back on the play. On the next play Gray stripped the ball from the Port receiver again and the fumble was recovered by Jackson.
The talented QB then fired a 34-yard pass to Gray at 2:51 for the 19-0 lead. He then caught the two-point conversion pass to make it 21-0.
Things went further awry for the Raiders as Monticello’s Otha Smith recovered a Port Jervis fumble. Gray had another reception before Jackson ran the ball all the way to the one and two plays later toted it in from there with one minute remaining in the half to make it 27-0. Niforatos punctuated the score with a PAT and the Panthers took a 28-0 lead. Jackson would add an interception as the half ended.
Monticello's Mike Rogers sustains a helmet-to-helmet blow after taking over for Jackson at quarterback. Rogers came out of the game but soon went back in. On the same afternoon a 16-year old player just south of Syracuse died after sustaining a blow to the head. All of this prompts concern about safety, changes in rules and more as the health of the kids is of the uppermost concern.
Niforatos began the second half with a booming kickoff. Port went to a ground attack with nice runs by Smith. A Monticello encroachment penalty abetted the cause as the chains kept advancing. Dan Bloom turned the edge and gained another first down as Port was showing some fire to the 37. Jackson threw Smith for a loss as the Montie defense solidified.
An incomplete pass to Adamson led to a fourth down. The ball was punted to the 22 and on the Monties first play Jackson ran behind a gathering wall of blockers 78 yards at 6:17 for the TD to make it 34-0. Acting as holder for the Niforatos PAT attempt, he took a poor snap and ran towards the left corner of the end zone for the attempted two-points.
Port players appeared to pile on much to the chagrin of Buddenhagen and Jackson got up limping badly. To the bench he went replete with an ice bag and would not return to the game. With second string quarterback Jonathan Harned on crutches from a high ankle injury suffered in practice this week, quarterback duties now fell to Mike Rogers.
Reuss had his second sack of the game. Port was then flagged for intentional grounding as they soon looking at a second and forever behind yet another penalty, this one a sideline infraction.
After a three and out by the Monties the Raiders coughed it up again. This fumble was recovered by London Gandy with 33 seconds left in the third quarter.
Rogers advanced the ball and sustained a helmet-to-helmet hit that caused him to exit the game. Shaken up on the play and bleeding from a cut behind his ear, he went to the bench as Connor Briggs took over the signal calling.
Anthony Gray intercepts a pass in the second half. Gray also caught four passes for 66 yards that included a 32-yard TD. The interception was emblematic of a game in which Monticello recorded seven takeaways to Port Jervis' one.
There was no penalty assessed on the helmet-to-helmet contact which was more of a glancing blow as opposed to an intentional one. That said, just such an infraction is whistled regularly in the NFL.
This gave me pause as I read about the death of Ridge Barden, a 16-year old high school gridder from John C. Birdlebough High School who sustained a hit to the head during a game played on the same afternoon against Homer High School, just south of Syracuse. Though Barden sat up and was talking, he subsequently died while being transferred from Barden hospital to a larger medical center.
Rogers maintained that he was okay and was soon back in the game drawing accolades from players and coaches alike citing him as “a tough kid.” That he is to be sure, but after a blow like the one he sustained, one would have to question his return even though Briggs had only logged a few reps in practice.
The entire subject of player safety, concussions etc is already a hot topic. From this writer’s viewpoint, it’s time to act further, not just talk about it. True, there has been much more attention paid to concussions, but officials need to lay down the law. Players should not be leading with their helmets on tackles, not just for fear of concussion, but to prevent spinal cord injuries and potential paralysis.
Gray logged an intercepton as Port surrendered turnover number six. The final one came in the game’s final minute as Gandy pounced on a ball just shy of the end zone to preserve the shut out. Monticello improved to 4-3 (3-2 OCIAA), while Port Jervis fell to 2-3 (2-3 OCIAA).
Buddenhagen said, “We had a little sluggish start but we scored on the first drive. Then on the next two drives we faltered a bit. We’ve got to get into a better rhythm. That said, look at the conditions. The field is really wet and you’ve got 30 mile an hour winds. That changes things a little bit especially in the passing game.
Buddenhagen felt there was piling on in the play in which Jackson was hurt and told officials just that. “But he’s an athlete and reacts to situations like that trying to score on the conversion. He just got rolled up on and it doesn’t appear to be anything major.”
As to Rogers, Buddenhagen noted. “He took a pop and was bleeding but then said Coach I’m ready. That’s the kind of kid he is.” Buddenhagen praised Gandy’s alert fumble recoveries. “London’s only a sophomore and we put him in the starting lineup two weeks ago. He’s an athletic kid and worked hard as a second stringer, working his way up the depth chart and now he’s starting for us.”
Buddenhagen recalled that last year the Monties lost two or three heading into the playoffs Now our goal is to win three straight going in. We need to be playing on all cylinders and playing great football by that time,” he concluded..
Port Jervis Coach Matt Polanis felt his team came in prepared to win. “The guys were pretty confident coming off a bye week. Their defense played a heck of a game. They gave us a short field at the start of the game and we didn’t capitalize…some missed assignments. We’d get a couple of first downs and then fumbles afterwards. As soon as we’d get something rolling we’d shoot ourselves in the foot.”
Polanis went on to say that great runbacks didn’t turn into points. “We’ve got to get that kill shot in and get it in the end zone. You’re facing some good teams here and they’re not going to give you the openings as much as you’d like. If they give you one they’ve got to take it..
Asked to cite the day’s most positive instance, Polanis referenced Shaun O’Brien. “He’s our starting center who was hurt all year. It was his last game and he’s going in for surgery. The heart he showed and the respect he earned from our players hopefully translates to the rest of the team.
Monticello stat line:
Passing: Jackson 6/9/94 with two TD’s. Rogers 6/0;
Rushing: Cruz 16/45 with one TD; Jackson 9/164 with two TD’s; Rogers 3/22;
Receiving: Briggs 1/6; Reuss 1/22 (TD); Gray 4/66 with a TD.
Defense: Garrett LaPolt eight tackles; Smith five tackles, Jacob McLaughlin five tackles; Reus s five assisted tackles and two solo tackles, two sacks; Jackson one fumble recovery and one interception. Gray one interception; Rogers one fumble recovery and one forced fumble; Gandy two fumble recoveries.
Monticello’ seniors: Earl Allen, Connor Alvarez, Jermel Branch, Connor Briggs, Ian Campbell, Jose Cruz, Steve Demestrio, Anthony Gray, Adam Kaiser, Garrett Lapolt, Brendan Madsen, Joe Mulvey, Sean Reuss, Brendan Thomas and Talon Wilson.
For an album of photos showing all of the above as well as shots from the game, visit www.sportsinsights.smugmug.com
Identity Crisis
Monticello Gets A Class A Win Over Saugerties But Coach Buddenhagen Calls His Team Out For Lackluster Showing; Squad That Got Great Win Over Minisink, Not The One Of Past Two Weeks Is The One Needed To Face Upcoming Road Battle Vs. Unbeaten Wallkill
Monticello 34, Saugerties 13
By RICHARD A. ROSS
rross@sportsinsightsny.com
Scenes from Monticello's Class A win over Saugerties (Clockwise) Sean Reuss barrells across the goal line following a first quarter TD catch from Shane Jackson. Saugerties Adam Bacon cannot deter Reuss from his appointment with the goal line. Anthony Gray hauls in a TD pass for the first score of the day. Saugerties running back Anthony Spadaro finds some rare open space. Shane Jackson gets into the open field. Jackson ran for a pair of TD's and threw for three more. Connor Briggs hauls in a fourth quarter TD pass from Jackson. It was his first TD reception this season.
MONTICELLO NY—Somewhere in between two time-honored quotes lies the upcoming fortune of the Monticello Panthers Football Team. According to the late Vince Lombardi, the legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers,
“Winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing.”
Winning at all costs or winning even when a team’s play is questionable at best? Those issues have seen Lombardi’s mantra criticized over the years by people who espouse another time-honored maxim:
“It isn’t whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.”
That precept suggests that the only thing that matters is that you give the game your best effort and that ultimately, that has far more value and lifelong shelf life than just recording a victory.
For fiery Matt Buddenhagen, the no-nonsense coach of the Monticello Panthers, there can be no doubt that winning is a paramount priority. Whether it was his steering Cornwall to a state title game, revamping the program at Sullivan West or now reviving the 75-year old moribund Monticello football program, Buddenhagen pushes his team to the edge, knowing full well what it takes to win against the toughest competition. He did it as a player in high school and college so he knows whereof he speaks.
But that said, winning in a lackluster and sloppy fashion such as his team did in its 34-13 win over Saugerties on September 24 showed Buddenhagen to be quite attuned to the second of the aforementioned quotes.
To watch and listen to the Coach both during and after the needed league victory, one would have thought his team had spit the bit and lost, which they certainly did not. They had a 20-0 lead on Saugerties in the first quarter of the game and appeared to be on the verge of being on the polar end of a lopsided score than they were a week ago as they were upended 52-7 by Cornwall.
Heads-up plays like this recovery by Monticello's London Gandy on a Monticello kickoff are what make for winning football.
But even early on as the Monties scored a trio of first quarter TD’s there were signs that all wasn’t right with the ship. Missing receivers, abundant penalties, missed blocks, spotty line play, failure to heed calls like “down and distance,” and missed assignments on both sides of the ball had Buddenhagen spitting bullets.
Make no mistake, the Coach and his players were glad for the win. The problem has more to do with what the title of this piece alludes to, namely the team’s identity crisis. “Ever since the Minisink Valley win, that Monticelllo team hasn’t been present in my eyes,” said the Coach.
That iconic victory in Week Two, the Monties first win over a Class AA team in this new era seemed to augur great success for the Panthers who looked forward to the challenge of facing nemesis Cornwall.
Credit the Green Dragons for their dominating play and Coach Marcus Hughes for his strategy, but Monticello did not bring the fire it had against the Warriors with them. Nor was the razor sharp execution present. Both critical elements were also AWOL in this victory.
“We’ve got to play at our level. The kids know it,” he said. Following the early scoring burst Monticello failed to accrue any points for the rest of the first half. Statistically speaking, the Monties had the numbers which included Shane Jackson’s 219 yards of passing that included TD throws to Anthony Gray, Sean Reuss and Connor Briggs.
But Jackson wasn’t at his best with his 11/19 completion rate and was often scrambling and not taking the best reads on the defensive inclinations of Saugerties’ D-backs which were not changing. Sports is always about learning and striving to improve. Jackson is bright and a superior athlete and there is no doubt in this writer’s mind that the experiences from both the wins and losses this season are being turned over in his mind with an eye toward evincing the best he has to offer.
In that regard, he is not alone on this team populated by some kids who eat, drink, sleep and live the game of football.
On the ground, Jackson was trying to evade Sawyer tacklers, juking and reversing as he wove in and out of tacklers. He accrued what for him was a modest 67 yards on the ground on nine carries and rushed for a pair of TD’s .
Given the nature of this game, a detailed blow-by-blow description of the action seems unwarranted so here are the highlights:
Saugerties junior running back Jon-Taylor Elmendorf gets it going but Saugerties never got into an offensive flow thanks in great part to Monticello's stingy defense.
Before Monticello kicked off to start the game, Buddenhagen challenged his troops to, “get down there and set the defensive tone of the game. “ Angelo Niforatos kicked the ball off and Saugerties began at its own 26. The Monties’ defense forced a quick three and out and Jackson had an electrifying return of the punt to the Saugerites 29.
Jackson then tossed a 28-yard TD pass to Anthony Gray at 10:23 for the 6-0 lead. Niforatos added the PAT and the Monties were rolling. Saugerties was having issues with the Montie defense as its pitch plays were snuffed before QB Russell Neglia sustained a big loss on a snap that went over his head.
The Monties got good field position on the punt on its own 49. Jackson uncorked a pair of inaccurate passes first to Sean Reuss and then to Anthony Gray leading to a punt. Reuss pinned the Sawyers on their own seven with a booming punt. Reuss was ominipresent as he was in on tackles.
Saugerties punted again as Jon Taylor-Elmendorf’s kick gave the Monties a short field again at the Sawyers’ 30.
With 4:20 left in the first quarter, Jackson hit Reuss over the middle for a 36-yards. Saugerties’ corner back Adam Bacon tried to head Reuss off at the goal line but the aggressive and powerful Reuss simply bowled him over as he vaulted over the goal plane for the 13-0 lead. Niforatos added the PAT and the Monties now led 14-0.
Monticello’s London Gandy recovered the kickoff to give his team an impressive take-away. The Monties now had the ball at the Sawyers’ 29. A reception by Gray gave the Monties a first down at the 16. Mike Rogers made it first and goal with a nice reception at the seven.
Jackson then ran it in from the six with 1:14 to go in the first quarter to swell the lead to 20-0.
Surprisingly then, Monticello went blank and failed to score again for the next 13:14 of the half.
Penalties for encroachment, holding, illegal motion and blocks in the back neutered the Monties’ agenda of putting Saugerties away for good in the first half.
Jackson seemed to be running for his life and turned a busted play into a completion to Connor Birggs. The play was called back as Jackson was ruled to be beyond the line of scrimmage when the threw the ball.
Montie miasma was in no short supply . On one scramble Jackson was knocked out of bounds into a sideline puddle as his royal blue uniform turned navy due to the soaking.
Reuss lofted a 30-yard punt and Taylor-Elmendorf made headway on a counter play. He then had a nice carry to the Montie 22 with 5:12 remaining in the first half but the Sawyers couldn’t convert on a fourth and 11 when a pass by Neglia was picked off by Mike Rogers who failed to heed Buddenhagen’s cry of “down and distance.” The interception gave the Monties a worse field position than an incomplete pass would have and the Coach was not a happy camper.
Opponents' worst nightmare: Shane Jackson on the run--a threat to break it on the ground or as in this case, fire it down the field for an aerial strike.
The Monties took their 20-0 lead into halftime just in time for the Coach to tell them that they had played a miserable half. Enough said.
The Monties received to start the second half. José Cruz took the ball on the first two carries and a reception by Connor Briggs advanced it to the Sawyers’ 17. Gray received the ball and fought his way through defenders to the five.
Cruz alertly recovered a fumble to sustain the drive. Jackson was run backwards on a sweep attempt and the Monties appeared to be set up for a field goal. Jackson who was the holder took the ball and ran around left end for an 10-yard TD with 7:38 remaining in the third quarter. Jackson hit Gray with the conversion pass for the 28-0 lead.
Saugerties moved the chains on a reception by Anthony Spadaro but the drive stalled as Gray anticipated a pass and made a great tackle for a Sawyers loss. A missed block left Jackson exposed on the ensuing punt. Fortunately he got right up after being subsumed by a Sawyer tackler.
Juking and jiving made for a nice Jackson run but a penalty called it right back. Jackson went east-west-east to the Saugerties 31. The advance continued despite having a touchdown by Cruz called back for a holding penalty.
All ended well though as Jackson connected with Connor Briggs on a third and 15 from the 20 yard line. It was Briggs’ first TD of the season. Niforatos had his kick blocked and the Monties now led 34-0.
Defensive coaches urged the team to bring home the goose egg but Saugerties would score twice in the fourth quarter, first on a dive play by Spadaro and then on a breakaway by Scott Melville registered against the Monties’ second and third string. The fact that everyone got to play was one saving grace as Buddenhagen saw it. “You’ve got kids that practice every day, never get their names in the paper but are an important part of the team,” he noted.
Up and over and a shut out ends in a TD dive by Saugerties runner Anthony Spadaro.
Sawyer’s Coach LeeMeisinger talked about his team’s efforts to keep Jackson contained which didn’t always pan out. Saugerties (1-3, 0-2 Class A) now faces an uphill battle to garner a playoff spot as they still must face Cornwall and Wallkill.
“We kind of put ourselves in a hole in the first quarter and then stiffened up a bit defensively for a while there. We never really got in a flow offensively,” said Meisinger. ” Saugerties beat Goshen but lost to Port Jervis in prior league encounters. They lost a non-league game to FDR.
Buddenhagen’s final take: “We have to step it up.” Asked if he thought his team could beat Wallkill, Buddenhagen fired back, “Absolutely. On any given night any team can win. It’s high school football.” But he was quick to add that his team that beat Minisink is the one that will be up to the task, not the one that played the past two weeks.
“It was very sloppy today and that’s a fact. I’m not going to sugar coat it or lie to the kids. We should have taken care of business a lot earlier.
A time to reflect; Monticello Coach Matt Buddenhagen calls out his players and challenges them to relocate their assertive identity last seen in the epic win over Minisink Valley.
Monticello stat line:
Passing: Shane Jackson 11/19/219 with three TD’s and no interceptions
Rushing: José Cruz 11/42; Jackson 9/67 with two TD’s; Mistah Ali 1/13.
Receiving: Anthony Gray 5/76 with one TD; Sean Reuss 3/81 with one TD; Mike Rogers 1/6/ Connor Briggs 2/56 with one TD.
Monticello improved to 2-2 (1-1 Class A).
For an album of photos visit www.sportsinsights.smugmug.com
