“A”drenaline Rush
Cornwall Defeats Monticello To Return To Class A Finals Looking To Topple Defending Champ Wallkill; Monticello Survives Early Turnover Woes To Avoid First Quarter Blowout Yielding Just 16 Points In Dragons’ First Five Possessions
Section Nine Class A Semifinals
Cornwall 36, Monticello 14
By RICHARD A. ROSS
rross@sportsinsightsny.com
Scenes from the Class A semifinal wherein Cornwall downed gritty Monticello 36-14 (Clockwise). Offensive MVP, Cornwall senior Peter Catal gains great yardage on his first touch of the ball. Catal carried the ball 17 times for 150 yards and scored the first three TD's for the Dragons. Monticello's Anthony Gray makes an unbelievable catch as he intercepts a pass intended for Cornwall's Alex Cruz. Gray later scored on a 73-yard TD pass from Shane Jackson. Cornwall sophomore quarterback Mike White lays the ball down in the end zone after scoring the Dragons' final TD of the night. Monticello''s Shane Jackson takes off for a first-down scamper. Playing on an ankle still sore for an injury two weeks prior, Jackson gritted it out and gave it his all, as did his teammates in the Monties' best showing in four tries against immensely talented Cornwall.
MIDDLETOWN, NY—College players who move on to play professional football will say time and time again how the speed of the game in the NFL is so much quicker than they’ve ever experienced before..
Watching elite Cornwall, abetted by Monticello turnovers that contributed to the Dragons getting the ball in the red zone for its first five possessions, required an adjustment to a level of play this writer hasn’t seen this year. As fast as my lens is, I had to quickly get used to the pace of the action to keep up with it all.
Tough as nails: Monticello's Mike Rogers has lost his helmet but not his grit as he tries albeit unsuccessfully to keep Cornwall's Offensive MVP Peter Catal from scoring his second TD of the night, a product of a Monticello turnover.
It’s no knock on the fine teams I cover, it’s just that Cornwall plays on a whole other level.
That Monticello’s defense allowed just two TD’s during that early maelstrom is a credit to the toughness of the Panthers and an indication of just how far they’ve come this season.
As compared to their prior meeting with Cornwall when a bevy of first half turnovers turned into a 35-0 Cornwall margin, Monticello’s early struggle to hold onto the ball afforded the Dragons just 16 points, keeping this game within reach.
By all rights as the teams would enter the locker room at the half with Cornwall holding a 23-0 lead, it it might well have been 37-0 or worse.
Two solid defensive stands by the Monties had resulted in a pair of missed field goals by junior kicker Damon Neil.
Considering Cornwall’s dominance over Monticello in their three prior meetings since last fall that had resulted in the Dragons outscoring the Monties 148-13, this game would prove to be Monticello’s best showing of the four encounters and proof positive of the program’s ongoing improvement and viability.
For the three-seeded Monties to have any hope of upsetting the two-seeded Dragons, they were going to need every conceivable break, flawless efficiency in every facet of the game and a game for the ages from still-ailing quarterback Shane Jackson.
Still partially hobbled by an ankle injury suffered in the Port Jervis game, Jackson not only sat out last week’s win over Goshen, he hardly practiced during the past two weeks. “I think he was about 75%, observed Coach Matt Buddenhagen following the game.
Green lightning: Cornwall's first possession advance is accelerated by Kevin McNally's catch from quarterback Mike White as Monticello's Jacob McLaughlin defends.
Jackson was quite healthy though earlier this year when Cornwall beat Monticello 52-7. So to win this one, the Monties would probably have had to call on the hopefully beneficent football gods and as well as the sword of the legendary St. George to slay this cadre of lethal Dragons.
Cornwall won the toss and elected to receive as the night grew chillier, an ominous foreshadowing of an unseasonal blizzard that would blanket the area the following day.
Cornwall’s cheerleading captains came over to greet the Montie cheer squad in an amicable pre-game showing of class and sportsmanship. During the game, after each Cornwall touchdown, the Lady Dragons would get down and do seven pushups to commemorate each seven point acquisition.
Cornwall’s Aidan Carroll pounced on Angelo Niforatos’ kickoff at the Dragons’ 30 and the game was underway. On the first play from scrimmage Cornwall’s Offensive MVP Peter Catal carried it for a first down. Another first down by Rashard Wroten and a completed pass to Kevin McNally had the ball advancing at light speed to the 16.
At 10:54, Catal carried it from there to cap off the one minute, six seconds seventy yard drive. The PAT was good and the Dragons led 7-0.
Anthony Gray returned the kickoff to the 29 yard line. Jackson began the game as slot receiver with Mike Rogers at quarterback. Rogers had an epic game against Goshen last week. An offsides penalty showed the Montie jitters. Jackson took the handoff looking to pass it on the option play and was thrown for a loss by the charging Dragons.
Jackson took over the reins and the ball was fumbled on the next play, recovered by Cornwall’s Joe O’Rourke at the Monticello 11. Cornwall picked up seven on the first carry. Wroten was racked up twice, the second tackle coming by Otha Smith as the Monties held Cornwall out.
Neill’s field goal was no good and the Monties had dodged their first bullet. That said, there were more rounds to come.
Gone in the night: Monticello senior Talon Watson gallops 85 yards after intercepting a pass from Cornwall's Mike White for the Monties' first score of the game with 2:27 remaining in the third quarter.
The Monties took over on the 20. Jackson hit Reuss for completion but the play was nullified by an offsides penalty. On the next play, it was fumbled again at the Monticello 11. Catal needed just one play to make the Monties pay for their second turnover to make it 13-0 at 6:46.The PAT failed and the Dragons got set to kick it off again.
Gray returned it but things went from bad to worse as O’Rourke intercepted a Jackson pass that was tipped affording the Dragons had a first and ten at the Panthers’ 26. O’Rourke was thrown for a loss and sophomore QB Mike White’s two passes to Alex Cruz fell incomplete. Neill’s field goal attempt fell short at 5:13. Make that two Dragon rounds fired which turned out to be blanks.
The Monties had their first positive yardage as José Cruz gained four on the first play of the ensuing series. Cruz took it again. Jackson was sacked leading to a short punt by Reuss that gave the Dragons the ball at the Montie’s 39
Catal took it seven yards before White uncorked a 31-yard TD pass to McNally to the four-yard line. Wroten was tossed for a loss. Catal took it to the two but the Dragons were assessed five yards on a motion penalty. McNally dropped White’s third down pass and Neill came on to make the field goal to widen the lead to 16-0 with 58 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
Give me seven: Cornwall cheerleaders accentuate a Dragons TD and PAT with seven push ups.
A nice return by Gray brought the ball out to the 27. Jackson completed a short pass to Conor Briggs as the first quarter ended with the Monties facing a third and six from their own 31.
Settling in, the Monties began to move the chains, first with a run by Cruz and then with a breakaway run by Jackson to the Cornwall 25 yard line. They then advanced it to the 16. Two plays later the Monties appeared to cough it up again but officials ruled it not to be the case. A Cornwall encroachment penalty led to a fourth and two at the eight-yard line.
An incomplete pass intended for Gray gave the Dragons the ball back and despite their heroic drive, the Monties had no points to show for their efforts.
With 9:15 remaining in the second quarter it was Cornwall in possession again. Catal ferreted it 34 yards out to the 42 as once again Cornwall looked like a green blur on the attack. White completed a second down pass to Casey Kerdesky as Cruz drilled him to stop his progress leading to a third and eight.
White went back to Kerdesky for a first down conversion at the Panthers’ 44. Cornwall fumbled but recovered it as they lost yardage. White hit Cruz as Gray brought him down leading to a third and nine. White moved the chains again with a completion to Chris Bauer as the ball was now at the Panthers’33.
Though this was not Anthony Gray's epic 73-yard TD catch, but rather a great grab that turned out to be just our of bounds, the leaping senior who I have affectionately nicknamed "Gray Skies," for airborne antics like this will be sorely missed next year. Cornwall Coach Marcus Hughes referred to Gray, Sean Reuss and Shane Jackson as "phenomenal" players. Gray will now take his aerial act to the hardwood and Cornwall hasn't seen the last of him yet.
White went for the home run as he looked to hit Cruz but Gray went airborne for the pick as he came down on his tailbone but still holding onto the ball. It was an amazing play by “Gray Skies” and not the first he would register in the last football game of his high school career.
Gray appeared to be hurt badly but soon got up and left on his own power. He’d be back on the very next play. That kid is tough.
That takeaway kept the Monties close. Consider the alternative reality: the Dragons had failed to score on three viable possessions up to this point.
The Monties took over on their own two at 5:55. Cruz barreled ahead out to the 18 but the series ended with a three and out from there. Reuss punted and Cornwall got it going again from their own 41 with 3:29 to go in the first half.
Reuss ripped Wroten down for a loss. White took it on a keeper to the Monties’ 27 with 1:58 to go. After an offsides penalty he hit Bauer for a completion. White dodged a sack by throwing it away. A completion to Wroten gave the Dragons a first at the 16 before he uncorked a TD pass from there to O’Rourke with 22.8 seconds remaining in the half for the 22-0 lead. Neill’s PAT was good and the Dragons took a 23-0 lead.
The Monties went to the hurry up offense but time ran out and the teams retired to the locker room with the Dragons nursing their 23-0 lead.
The Monties received to start the second half. A completed pass for 15 yards gave the Monties a first down and another to Briggs had the ball moving out to the 39 but the Dragons held firm and the Panthers had to punt.
Most Valuable Players: Cornwall's Peter Catal (top) had 17 carries for 150 yards and a trio of TD's. Joe O'Rourke was the Defensive MVP with five tackles, half a sack, an interception and a fumble recovery.
Cornwall began at its own 36. Jackson just missed an interception on a tipped ball. Wroten nearly broke loose but was held to seven. Monticello was called for back-to-back unsportsmanlike conduct penalties that led to a 28-yard TD pass to Cruz at 7:09 as the lapse of self-control proved to be costly for Monticello. Cornwall now led 29-0. Neill’s PAT failed.
Steve Demestrio returned the kickoff to the 24 but the Monties went three and out on the series.
O’Rourke returned it and White went back to the air with passes to Kerdesky and Cruz as the ball advanced rapidly to the Monties’ 16. Just when it was looking like Cornwall would score again, White tossed his second pick of the game, this one grabbed by Talon Watson who returned it 85 yards for the Montie’s first score as the gorgeous Faller Field jumbotron read Cornwall 30, Monticello 8 with 2:27 remaining in the third quarter after Jackson had run in the two-point conversion.
The Monties tried an onsides kick but Cornwall’s Anthony Vega recovered it. Wroten twisted and turned his way forward for first at the Cornwall 47 but on the next series the agile senior was dragged down on a third down play leading to a Cornwall punt.
The Monties got it at the 18 as the quarter wound down with the Monties facing a third and six at their own 22.
The final stanza began with Jackson running for a first down. Cruz carried it out to the 49 and then took it three straight times leading to a fourth and four at the 43 with 9:56 to go. A pass to Reuss was overthrown and the Dragons were at it again. Catal got it going again with repeated carries. O’Rourke brought it to the ten. Catal carried it twice bringing it to the two. White ran it in from there at 5:26 and Neill’s PAT made it 36-8.
The squib kick was recovered by Mike Rogers. Jackson wasted no time in rearing back and throwing a 73-yard TD pass to Gray on the far side of the field at 5:11 to make it 36-14. Jackson was pulled down on the two-point conversion attempt.
Gray appeared to recover the onsides kick with a nifty catch but officials ruled it as interference with a fair catch and what appeared to be an epic recovery turned into a penalty.
Cornwall Coach Marcus Hughes inserted subs into the mix as sophomore Matt Smith soon took over at quarterback. Little else of note transpired before the final whistle as the Dragons advanced to play Wallkill, the team they lost to by two points in last year’s Class A tltle game. Wallkill beat Cornwall 7-6 on September 23 in the teams’ only encounter this season thus far.
Interesting it is indeed that Monticello nearly toppled Wallkill this season, losing to them late by the score of 28-21 back on September 30.
A great throw by Shane Jackson translates into a 73-yard TD pass to Anthony Gray. The immensely talented Jackson will hopefully be lighting it up again next season.
Cornwall’s Peter Catal was named the Offensive MVP. He carried the ball 17 times for 150 yards and scored Cornwall’s first three TD’s.
With his five tackles, a half a sack, an interception and a fumble recovery, Joe O’Rourke was named the Defensive MVP.
Coach Hughes acknowledged that his team had chances to put this game away early but he had plenty of praise for Monticello.
“It’s a credit to them. They also made mistakes early and they kept fighting. It’s good for the Section. Monticello is playing well and they’re only going to get better. It was a good game,” he noted.
Asked to comment about his team speed and high capacity offense, he noted, “They play well. It’s a brand new offense with a sophomore quarterback. He makes his mistakes but he does a heck of a job. The line blocked well tonight and the running backs and receivers did their job.”
Hughes had lots of praise for Jackson, Gray and Reuss. “Those guys are phenomenal,” he averred.
Asked about the coming rematch with Wallkill. “It’s going to be a good game. They’re tough and theydo a lot of good things. I’m excited for the challenge. I love playing close games. Unfortunately, the last three we lost to them by a total of six points. That’s football,” he concluded.
Cornwall beat Class AA playoff contenders Kingston and Washingtonville this season, but a win over Wallkill for the title would make those victories pale by comparison. Wallkill beat Port Jervis 30-0 to set up the title rematch with the Dragons slated for November 4 at Faller Field at 7:00pm.
Buddenhagen said this about his team. “You could see these guys have gotten a lot better and grown into young men. This started out like the first time we played them with four turnovers in a row. But this time it was only 16-0. Once our defense settled down they played their butts off. We were knocking on the goal line and it could have been 16-8 at halftime,” he reflected.
“We were lucky it wasn’t 35-0 after the first quarter. They had the ball four times inside the 30. I kept telling the kids they were lucky it was only 16-0.
This was another solid season. We lose a lot of seniors, about 15 of them. This was a senior-laden team. It’s only the second year of varsity and we’re playing with the big dogs. We’re right there. Look at Cornwall and Wallkill, these kids are playing since they were five years old. Our kids have only been playing two or three years. The experience factor is crucial. We’ve got to get our kids playing at a young age so they know the in’s and out’s of the game, the basics and stuff.
This group of seniors have been with us for four years. They’ve worked their tails It takes a special person to play football and these guys are going to be great men and they’ll move on to be productive citizens.”
Asked about Jackson’s return, Buddenhagen noted, “He was maybe 75 percent. He’s a gutty kid and a great competitor. He hasn’t practiced much in two weeks and it was a serious ankle injury. Give him credit he took some shots and kept playing.”
Buddenhagen felt his team was a bit overwhelmed on Cornwall’s first series. “We have a lot of checks. We put in a very aggressive defense and I told them we’re bringing the punch to the fight and suddenly on their first drive we’re on our heels.. But when you turn the ball over, that’s adversity,” he noted.
“What do young men do in the face of adversity? You could have folded tents there after four turnovers and our kids battled. They missed a field goal and we held them out how many times. That’s a damn good job,” he noted.
This was the swan song for seniors Earl Allen, Connor Alvarez, Jermel Branch, Connor Briggs, Ian Campbell, José Cruz, Steve Demestrio, Anthony Gray, Adam Kaiser, Garrett Lapolt, Brendan Madsen, Joe Mulvey, Sean Reuss, Brendon Thomas and Talon Watson.
Congratulations to these warriors for their great effort and their historic part in the resurrection of Monticello football.
Monticello stat line:
Passing: Jacskon 4/15/87 with one TD and one interception.
Rushing: Jackson 15/37; Cruz 15/61;
Receiving : Gray 2/66 with a TD. Briggs 1/6; Reuss 1/15.
Defense: Watson one interception for a TD; Gray one interception. Reuss nine tackles, four solo tackles; Jacob McLaughlin nine tackles, three solo; Otha Smith seven tackles, four solo. Mistah Alli had eight tackles.
Monticello ended its season at 5-4, while Cornwall improved to 8-1.
For an album of photos visit www.sportsinsights.smugmug.com
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).
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