Birds Of Prey
Burke Capitalizes On Sullivan West’s Miscues To Marshal Class C Semifinal Win; Eagles Move On To Face O’Neill For Title; Joyner’s 85-Yard Punt Return In Second Half Proves To Be The Dagger; Noble Bulldog Season Comes To An Untimely Close
Section Nine Class C Semifinals
John S. Burke Catholic 24, Sullivan West 7
By RICHARD A. ROSS
rross@sportsinsightsny.com
Scenes From Burke's 24-7 Class C Semifinal Win Over Sullivan West; (Clockwise): Burke's Jake Morganstein dives in from the three for Burke's first score, a product of a Sullivan West fumble, one of five Bulldog turnovers on the day. Offensive MVP Matt Press had 12 carries for 103 yards that included a 67-yard TD run as he broke Bulldog tackles. Sullivan West's E.J. Franskevicz scores on a one-yard run that capped off a ten play 72-yard drive to cut Burke's lead to 14-7 by the half. Burke's Tom Sullivan congratulates SW's Tom Mootz on a hard-fought effort. One of the Bulldog signs adorning the fence, a visual treat and one that hoped to spark the Dawgs' ferociousness. Defensive MVP Mike Cappadora had ten tackles and a fumble recovery that set up the first Burke TD. Tom Mootz nearly scores but was ruled to have stepped out at the two. Three plays later Franskevicz carried it in. Matt Press races across the end zone after his 67 yard TD Run.
MIDDLETOWN, NY—It’s a thrill to make it to the playoffs and that accomplishment brings with it a great sense of euphoria. The memories of the smiles, hugs and tears of joy following Sullivan West’s one-point OT playoff berth-clinching win over Liberty represent just such a case in point.
But once you’re in, it’s time to prepare for the greater test of playoff football and to vie for that rare opportunity, a chance to play for a Sectional championship.
With a look of seriousness and determination, Sullivan West's Todd Roeder and E.J. Franskevicz lead the Bulldogs out of the locker room and onto the field.
When push comes to shove, getting to the playoff is only half the fun . When teams exit that locker room to enter the big stage of playoff football, it’s all about trying to win and advance.
By day’s end on a lovely October 28, on the eve of an October blizzard bearing down on the region with unseasonal severity, it would be either Sullivan West or Burke that was going to be in a state of ecstasy by dint of having earned the right to advance to the Class C title game on November 4.
In stark contrast, the other team would be left to confront the end of its season, and for its seniors, the untimely end to their high school gridiron careers.
For kids whose lives are inextricably intertwined with playing sports in school, such an end is bound to bring on a case of the blues.
Into every life some rain must fall. And as it would turn out, a downpour would fall on the Sullivan West Bulldogs whose combination of miscues and inability to muster much sustained offense against Burke would lead to their demise, a somber exit from Faller Field and the terminus of their noble 2011 football campaign they had worked so assiduously to preserve.
Speaking of blues, though not those of melancholia, Navy blue clad John S. Burke and Caroline blue (and white)Sullivan West were about to stage a rematch of last week’s non-league game won late by Burke 14-7.
Come this winter expect Burke junior Patrick Joyner to add his skills to the hardwood, but it's fall now and this 85-yard punt return for Burke's third score of the day was a killer.
The rivalry between the two schools is keen and ripples throughout all three sports seasons.
From the Sullivan West perspective, any encounter with the school that has made a practice of one-upping them more often than not is always an occasion for banter about the school they love to loathe.
What better payback for past wounds would there be than beating them on the gridiron?
The prospect of such had revived Bulldog swagger. As the sign read on the fence, “Swag Never Sleeps.”.
Arriving in a bus that had a banner saying,” Burke, your season ends today,” and issuing forth from the locker room under gorgeous artistic signs that bespoke Bulldog adoration, Sullivan West looked to build on its highly competitive game with Burke the week before.
Feeling confident that they could stop Burke on the ground and having worked on their pass defense during the week while blending in some new offensive wrinkles, coaches and players looked upon the coming game with an optimistic eye.
But Burke wasn’t idling away this past week.
Zeroing in on stopping Tom Mootz, E.J. Franskevicz and Sawyer Erlwein represented priority one on defense. Fly to the ball, tackle hard and disrupt the Westies’ flow was their mantra. And in addition, use the stalwart leg of kicker Andrew Nutt to force the Bulldogs to reckon with a long field.
Sullivan West junior Sawyer Erlwein will be back next season with his grit and his great open field running.
Those were some of the precepts the Eagles had in mind. Offensively, they looked to maintain blocks and pound away at Sullivan West’s D-line.
And when the time was right, they looked to unleash the speed of junior Patrick Joyner as an adjuct to the hard-running prowess of Jake Morganstein, Mat Cino, Tom Sullivan and Matt Press.
That Burke junior quarterback Robert Pezzullo was now on crutches from an ankle injury suffered during the week, meant that the Eagles were going to need Sullivan to call the signals despite his having taken precious few reps during this past week to prepare for such.
Sullivan’s switch from receiver to quarterback meant one less agile and quick flying Eagle to cover on passing routes. Burke did a lot of its damage in the air in the first match up.
This figured to be a battle royale and it certainly started out that way as neither team was able to marshal a first down as defenses proved pre-eminent early on.
Burke won the toss and elected to receive and Kitt Borowski got ready to boot it away for the Bulldogs. Joyner received the kickoff and returned it to the 33. Burke began with a delay of game penalty which helped to doom their first series as Sullivan West’s defense looked up to the task forcing a three and out.
Andrew Nutt impacted the game mightily with his kicking by pinning Sullivan West deep. He hit all three PAT's and also kicked a field goal.
Nutt’s punt reached E.J. Franskevicz one second before Joyner arrived to forestall a return. The Dawgs began on the 27. Burke’s defense was aggressive and quick and the Westies soon punted it back.
Franskevicz kicked it out of bounds and the Eagles got good position at the Westies’ 46. Press had a nine yard gain but illegal procedure and an incomplete pass intended for Cino.
Burke tried a fake punt, a novelty they’d worked on all week but Sullivan nixed it giving them the Westies the ball at their own 45.
That advantage was immediately squandered as an option pass thrown by Jared Meola was picked off by Cino as the Eagles took over on their own 40.
With seven minutes gone by, the first down drought continued as Westies Andrew Parsons, E.J. Franskevicz and Mootz tackled with ferocity and Burke was forced to punt.
Nutt’s punt pinned the Westies on the eight-yard line. After a handoff to Erlwein that went just one yard, a Franksevicz pitch resulted in a fumble recovered by Mike Cappadora.
Morganstein carried it in from the three at 2:55 for the 6-0 lead and Nutt added the PAT to make it 7-0.
Burke seemed suddenly energized after capitalizing on its second takeaway after having squandered the first chance that had resulted from the interception.. Sullivan West needed to regain its swagger and put the miscues in the rearview mirror.
Erlwein returned it to the Westies’s 23. The Westies came up one yard shy of converting a first down and punted. The Eagles got it at their 24. Cino gained seven. The quarter ended with Burke facing a third and one at their own 33.
On the first play of the second quarter Sullivan West allowed Press to break tackles that had stopped his progress . He bolted outside picking up blockers and ran 67 yards for the score to make it 13-0 at 11:42. Nutt added the PAT and the Eagles were soaring.
Sullivan West had seen enough. They summoned their will and went on a ten play 72-yard drive capped off by a fourth down one-yard Franskevicz run to make it 14-6 . Borowski’s PAT made it 14-7. The drive had awakened the Bulldog fans who cheered for great runs by Mootz, Franksevicz and the meandering Erlwein.
Sullivan West's Kitt Borowski and Chris Lang prevent Jake Morganstein from scoring with a great defensive stop.
The score came at 6:20.
Burke looked to answer back. They converted a first down with a pass to Joyner. The drive continued into Westie territory but stalled at the 48 when they punted.
Nutt pinned SW back on the 11 with another gem of a punt and Burke’s defense looked to keep them right there. The Dawgs went three and out and punted from their own 17. Morganstein returned it to the Westies’ 45. Burke hurried to score before the half but that intention was quashed by a Franskevicz interception with 13.8 seconds remaining in the half. .
The Dawgs took a knee, satisfied to go into the half down by a TD and set to receive the ball to start the second half.
Nutt’s kickoff was returned by Jared Meola out to the Sullivan West 46 to give the Dawgs good position A 15-yard penalty moved the Dawgs back to the 31. That ruined the drive and set up a punt. Burke had no success on its first series as Press was drilled by Erlwein on a failed attempt to convert on a screen pass.
Erlwein received the punt and had nor return as Joyner met him at the SW 30. A Sullivan West fumble by Mootz was recovered by Burke’s Spiro Nanakos for Eagles’ third takeaway of the day.
The Eagles now had the ball on the SW 21.But the Eagles weren’t able to capitalize on the gift. A motion penalty, good Sullivan West tackling and another Burke motion penalty led to a third and 16 on their own 27. A third penalty in the series meant another five yards. Facing a fourth and 11 at the 22, Nutt’s field goal was no good and the Dawgs got it back again having dodged a bullet.
E.J. Franskevicz has a fine run about to be stopped by Steve Tomaszewski and Mike Cappadora.
Beginning from their own 20 and looked to be on the quick march . The Dawgs converted a third down but the advance stopped short of midfield and the Dawgs punted. Joyner hauled it in on the 15 and broke at least two tackles to ferret it 85 yards to the end zone at 1:01 of the third quarter or the 21-7 lead after Nutt’s PAT.
Psychologically, was a damaging blow for the Bulldogs as they faced a third and seven on as the quarter ended. Mootz carried for a first down out to the Westies’ 46 and then another into Burke territory. A third and nine pass intended for Borowski was tipped and the Dawgs were facing a fourth down.
Then the Bulldogs fumbled it again, their fourth giveaway of the day. This one was recovered by Trevor Reynolds with just 7:50 remaining in the game on the Burke 46. “We need first downs, barked Burke Coach Ed Van Curen, Jr. “Chew it up. Chew it up,” he called.
The Westies would get another crack at it as Nutt punted. The Dawgs got it back with a little more than five minutes left as they were once again back inside their own 20. Two incomplete passes led to a punt that he barely got off behind a fumbled snap.
The short punt positioned Burke in good field position. Nutt would add a field goal from the 25- yard line at 3:19 to make it 24-7. A final interception by Steve Tomaszewski would ice the game with Burke’s fifth and final takeaway. The clock soon ran out on the game and on Sullivan West’s season.
Burke senior linebacker Mike Cappadora was named the Most Valuable Defensive Player with his ten tackles and fumble recovery that set up the Eagles’ first TD.
Matt Press was honored as the Most Valuable Offensive Player for his 12 carries for 103 yards and a TD.
Van Curen said, “We talked about winning all three sides of the football game. That’s been our mantra every year. We had a quarterback change this week and we wanted to make sure we picked up some slack on the defensive side and on special teams too.”
Burke's Mat Cino brings down Sawyer Erlwein. Burke's great defense stymied Sullivan West's attempts to sustain any consistent offense.
“They’re a great team. They’re well coached and hardnosed. Their tough kids to play and there’s no quit in them ,” he said in praise of Sullivan West.
Referencing Joyner’s speedy runback, he noted, “He’s got some speed in him. This is his first year of playing football and learning our system.”
Mootz was visibly upset by the loss but kept his head up nonetheless. “At half time I kind of thought we had it in the bag and we came to this game with a new offense that we hadn’t shown anybody else but we just got shut down with it. We went back to our old offense and they shut us down. They’re a great team,” he offered.
“We all tried our hardest…we tried our best,” he concluded.
It would be hard to put into words the praise which Mootz deserves for his tireless efforts and he is by no means alone. The team had its share of exemplary play this year from many individuals and collectively speaking.
.Congratulations to the seniors that include E.J. Franskevicz, Kitt Borowski, Ben Kline, Thomas Mootz, Chris Lange, Andrew Parsons, Todd Roeder and Zach O’Connor.
Coach Ron Bauer put it succinctly. “Turnovers and they controlled the line of scrimmage,” he noted. “We fumbled the ball. We had a couple of drives but their line was tough. I thought we played pretty good defense,” he noted.
Stat line: Sullivan West:
Rushing: Franskevicz 14/53 with one TD; Borowski 3/6; Mootz 17/61; Erlwein 4/31.
Passing: Franskevicz 2/9/36.
Receiving: Mootz 1/18; Erlwein 1/18
Defense: Erlwein 11 tackles; Mootz 8 tackles; Parsons 7 tackles; Franskevicz 2 tackles and an interception.
Burke, the state’s seventh –ranked Class C team improved to 9-0. They will face O’Neill (7-2) in the title game at Dietz Stadium on November 4 at 3:00pm. Sullivan West ended its season at 5-4.
Final Statistics for 2011:
Rushing: Franskevicz 99/504; Borowski 32/114; Mootz 126/827 (avg 6.56 yards per carry) with 12 TD’s; Erlwein 16/80 (5.o yards per carry); Jared Meola 32/162.
Passing: Franskevicz 31/89/458/ Six TD’s and seven interceptions;
Defense: Mootz 125 Tackles; Erlwein 103 Tackles; Scott Erdman 81 Tackles and three sacks; Todd Roeder 37 tackles and two sacks; Andrew Parsons 76 tackles and one sack.
Sullivan West total rushing: 319/1716 averaging 5.18 yards per carry.
For an album of photos, visit www.sportsinsights.smugmug.com
The Breaking Point
Sullivan West Earns Playoff Berth As Liberty Fails On Potential Game-Winning OT Conversion Pass; Two Teams Play Toe-To-Toe For 48 Minutes And Each Scores In Overtime As Fate Of A Season Is Defined In One Cathartic Moment
Sullivan West 21, Liberty 20 OT
By RICHARD A. ROSS
rross@sportsinsightsny.com
Compelling drama from Sullivan West vs. Liberty (Clockwise) Tom Mootz scores the second of his three TD's on the night. His final one came in OT and coupled with Kitt Borowski's PAT gave the Bulldogs the momentous win. Kenny Jaycox goes aloft to elude one tackler before cutting it back for a huge kickoff return that set Liberty up for a TD pass to Ryan Henry to tie it up at 14-all before the first half ended. The score remained deadlocked for the entire second half and on into OT.E.J. Franskevicz barrels ahead on a keeper that sets up Mootz's first quarter TD that evened the score at seven-up. Ryan Henry booms a kickoff that nails the Westies back on their own four to start the second half. Tom Mootz goes upside down on a TD run after toppling into the endzone. Marshon Williams bends over in disappointment after missing what would have been the game-winning conversion pass in OT. Tom Mootz and E.J. Franskevicz share a moment of joy and incredulous relief following the win. Marshon Williams gallops 37 yards for the game's first score. Tom Mootz after bursting through the line as he scores TD number two. Sullivan West players erupt in a jubilant celebration.
LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY—Had Irving Stone not entitled his epic novel “The Agony and the Ecstasy,” perhaps this writer would have seen fit to use those exact words to describe the final moment of one of the best high school football games he’s been privileged to bear witness to.
For in the final moment of a deadlocked battle between two teams who in all earnestness had earned every right to be playoff contenders, Liberty’s agonizing disappointment stood in stark contrast to Sullivan West’s ecstatic celebration.
Tom Mootz dives for an extra yard as he advances the ball. Mootz had 20 carries for 110 yards and three TD's.
In that cathartic moment a resonant life lesson was imparted to the players and onlookers alike that reminds us about the paper thin margin between unbridled joy and disconsolate sorrow and between gratifying success and the stultifying lack thereof.
Life is indeed a razor’s edge.
And so it was on this crisp and clear early October night that a season hung in the balance of a final play and that one harrowing moment would constitute a world of difference between the victorious Bulldogs and despondent Indians, not just in a game, but in their quest to reach the afterlife of postseason play.
Standing in the endzone after Liberty’s Kenny Jaycox had just answered Sullivan West’s Tom Mootz with an Indian touchdown in overtime, I had my camera trained on the Liberty players lined up ostensibly for the PAT which would have tied the game yet again and sent it on into yet another dramatic sequence to follow all those that had preceded it to that point.
In the interstice between Liberty’s final score and the play that would come to define the season for both of these fine teams, I pondered whether the Indians would gamble for the win by going for the two-point conversion.
Coaches have the weight of the world on their shoulders in spots like this and must take stock of their team’s assets and liabilities to come up with the play that will put their team in the best position to win.
To that end, Liberty Coach John Wilhelm decided to take the gamble, a decision Sullivan West coaches later agreed they would have made themselves in the same situation.
In lieu of having Ryan Henry kick the PAT as the formation would suggest, Wilhelm had directed holder Quinn Jackson to throw a pass to Marshon Williams who had now raced uncovered into the endzone not five feet away from my telephoto lens.
Liberty's Kenny Jaycox proved hard to bring down but by night's end the Bulldogs had done a good job of limiting the explosive back to one TD, the one that came in OT.
As the blurry picture depicts, the pass sailed over Williams’ shoulder and with it went Liberty’s hopes of sending its archrival down to defeat for the third straight year. While Williams stood bent over, his body language saying more than words could ever hope to convey, Sullivan West players erupted in a display of joyful release. Amidst hugs, smiles, tears of joy and high fives, they rushed to each other in what amounted to an endless group hug.
Wilhelm’s choice hadn’t worked out but one would have to stand in awe of his confidence in his players and his assessment of what would have given them the best chance under the circumstances.
“We hadn’t had much overall success running the ball. They were plugging it up all night so we took a chance. I made the call and it didn’t work out. It’s on me but I’m proud of my kids. They played a great game,” he averred.
“They had run the ball well at times tonight and we didn’t. We felt our chances here were better to go for the win than in going score-for-score with them because we just weren’t moving the ball,” he added.
While Wilhelm, Williams and the rest of the Indians were now experiencing what Sullivan West had undergone the past two seasons at their expense, the Bulldogs were busy drinking in the elixir of victory and the promise of great things that could still lie ahead.
For Sullivan West senior Tom Mootz who had scored all three Bulldog touchdowns on the night, trying to take it all in was clearly going to take some time. “This is the best feeling in the world right now. Everybody came out pumped up and ready to go with the desire to win. Especially after what they did to us the past two years,” he noted
Officials ruled Ben Kline's fourth down catch incomplete claiming he trapped it. But Kline's hand appears to be under the ball which would have given the Dogs a first down in the red zone in the second quarter. As it turned out the point was moot as the Bulldogs won the game.
Asked about what was going through his mind as he took the ball for the 20-yard overtime TD run, Mootz quickly replied, “I don’t even know what I was thinking. Everything left my mind. But I do know that if it wasn’t for the offensive blocking I wouldn’t have gotten in there.”
Senior quarterback E.J. Franskevicz tried to put the outcome into words. “It’s unbelievable. We worked so hard to get back to the playoffs. This was our biggest win of the year and it’s just a wonderful thing to see all the seniors getting back to the playoffs,” he said thoughtfully.
Looking back over the events of the game, this writer knew full well that it might have as easily been victorious Liberty players he could have been interviewing.
It was just that close.
Liberty won the opening toss and elected to receive. Kitt Borowski kicked it off and Kenny Jaycox returned it to the 34. Anthony Covington proceeded to break tackle after tackle as he ferreted the ball to the SW 36. Two snuffed running plays led to a third and 11 at the 37. Then Liberty spread Sullivan West out and Williams took off on a delay for the 37-yard TD at 9:56. Ryan Henry kicked the PAT and Liberty led 7-0.
Sullivan West began its first series at the 37, soon abetted by a Liberty encroachment. Sawyer Erlwein got a first down at the Liberty 46. Sullivan West went three and out as runs by Jared Meola and Franskevicz failed to move the chains. Franskevicz punted but Jaycox fumbled the ball which was recovered by Erlwein at the Liberty 19.
Franskevicz took the ball twice to avail his team of a first and goal at the four. Mootz carried it in from there at 5:20 to make it 7-6. Borowski split the uprights and the game was knotted at seven apiece.
Liberty cheerleaders brave the chill and heat up the crowd with their incredible spirit.
Liberty cheerleaders were braving the chill as they extolled the Indian fans to vocalize their support.
After the kickoff Liberty went on the march with its best sequence of running plays as Covington and Jaycox ran ten yards on successive carries to the Bulldogs’ 47. Todd Roeder’s tackle of Efrain Baez made for a third and 12. Liberty went back to the spread but Williams overthrew Efrain Baez leading to a punt.
Franksevicz returned the ball to the Bulldog 41. On a third and eight, Sullivan West pulled what they hoped was a special play out of the hat with a pass intended for Borowski. Reading the play perfectly, Javier Baez leaped skyward and intercepted the ball. Baez gave Liberty a first down at the Sullivan West 27 with 3:10 to go in the quarter.
Sulllvan West stuffed Covington for a two-yard loss and the quarter ended in a 7-7 tie.
The Dawgs’ run defense continued to stymie Liberty which found itself again facing a fourth and 11 at the 29. Liberty went back to the wide spread but Williams couldn’t get the needed yardage on a keeper so the Dawgs took over on downs at their own 25.
Mootz ran it out to the 44. Mootz got carry after carry as the Bulldogs moved the chains to the Liberty 29 with 7:07. Erlwein picked up another eight. Mootz got a first down to the 17. “This is nothing we haven’t seen,” barked Liberty coaches on the sideline as they implored their defense to make a stop.
Franskevicz took it around the right to the eight. Then Mootz burst up the middle for the eight-yard TD at 4:30. Borowski’s PAT made it 14-7.
What a difference a year makes. Look back at the game photos from last year's clash with Liberty as a despondent Brandon Wagner walks off the field symbolizing the Bulldog downfall.
On the ensuing kickoff Jaycox fumbled the ball but quickly picked it up. He leaped over the first would-be tackler on the right sideline and cut it back over the middle bouncing off at least two more failed wrap-ups and turning on the jets. Andrew Parsons finally brought him down but not before he had reached the Sullivan West 35.
Scott Erdman and Mootz upended Covington on a gain of five, but Wiliams proceeded to uncork a 31-yard TD pass to Ryan Henry who beat Jared Meola in single coverage. Henry then kicked the PAT to tie it up at 3:25.
Henry’s short kickoff gave the Bulldogs the ball back on their 44. SW advanced the ball on three plays to the 20 but an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty moved it back to the 36 with 2:15. Danny Hopkins stopped Mootz at the line of scrimmage. Facing a fourth and 14 at the 33 with 31 seconds remaining, Franskevicz ran it to the 25 and the Indians got it back on downs.
Williams found Efrain Baez who ran out of bounds following a nice gain after the catch to the Bulldogs; 49. His next pass was intercepted by Meola and Sullivan West took a knee to end the half at 14-all.
Sullivan West received to start the second half asHenry’s booming kickoff pinned the Westies at their own four. Poor field position hampered the Bulldogs as Liberty ‘s defense stepped it up. Liberty soon advanced the ball to the Sullivan West 34. Facing a third and six, the snap sailed over Williams’ head for a big loss and the Indians were forced to punt.
This year's seniors will be gone but the rivalry between these division contenders will go on. For football players the preparation for a year ahead is always in the here and now.
Erlwein’s return was hindered by a block-in-the-back penalty giving the Dawgs a long field again, this time at their own seven with 8:08 to go in the third quarter. Franskevicz brought it out to the 23 on a keeper. A pass to Borowski advanced it to the 37. Running effectively the Bulldogs kept it moving to the Liberty 49 where it was third and inches. Mootz was stuffed as Liberty held fast and the Bulldogs punted.
Defense continued to hold sway as each team forced punts by the other. Sullivan West had a first and ten at the Liberty 30 as the third quarter wound down. The third quarter ended with Sullivan West facing a second and one on the Liberty 21.
In lieu of taking it up the middle for the first down, the Westies went with Borowski to the edge who was thrown for a four-yard loss. Franskevicz was snowed under for another loss as Liberty was making a big stand. The fourth and eight pass to Ben Kline was ruled incomplete as the official ruled he had trapped the ball. The photo clearly proves otherwise as one can readily see his hand under the ball.
Clearly the camera was in a better position to view the play but despite protests from the sideline the call stood and instead of a first down in the red zone, the Bulldogs now found themselves on defense.
Liberty set up at their own 28. Erlwein threw Jaycox for a loss and Williams’ pass in the flat for Henry was overthrown. An incomplete pass to Covington gave the Bulldogs the ball back after the punt.
Mootz soon made it a first at the 50. Liberty forced a three and out and punted it back again. Still no second half scoring had been tallied. Jaycox picked up a first down to the Liberty 33. Liberty got a first down but a pass to Efrain Baez was overthrown. Facing a third and seven at the 47, Liberty failed to convert on a pass to Henry and had to punt it back.
With 3:26 to go the Westies had the ball once again at their own 16. Mootz slipped and lost five. On a third and 11 the Bulldogs once again found themselves on the wrong side of an official’s view of a pass. This one was to Erlwein that would have kept the drive alive. No photo of this one could confirm Erlwein’s assertion that he had caught the ball.
One began to wonder whether these judgments would impact the outcome of the game.
Sullivan West punted it to the Liberty 45 with 1:42 to go. Erlwein and Erdman brought down Jaycox for a big loss as overtime seemed to loom as a distinct possibility. Sullivan West used its time outs after Liberty plays and got the ball back with 21.4 seconds to go at the 18. Mootz ran it up the middle and the Westies used their last time out at the 28.
Borowski was knocked out of bounds with seven seconds to go at the SW 35 but regulation ended in the 14-all deadlock.
The Westies won the toss and chose to take the first shot from the 20. Mootz burst threw for the 20-yard run and was mobbed by teammates. Borowski’s PAT made it 21-14.
Now it was Liberty’s turn from the 20. “This is our season. This is our house. This is our season!” Sullivan West players shouted at each other. Having been burned on a pass over the top against O’Neill, it was clear the Westies were looking for the ball to go airborne.
The first pass bounced off Henry with four defenders on him. But a pass to Efrain Baez gave Liberty a first and goal and Jaycox soon ran it in to make it 21-20. Quinn Jackson’s pass sailed over Williams’ shoulder on the conversion try and the rest is history.
After meeting with his disappointed squad in the end zone, Wilhelm responded to the question about whether he could get his team motivated to play the remaining games of the season knowing they wouldn’t be in the playoffs. “Yes. They’re a great group. I can’t say enough about them. It’s unbelievable because we really wanted to be in the playoffs. Imagine this: we lose two games by one point and we’re out,” he said.
His point is well-taken and summarizes the absurdity of the system wherein teams have only a few meaningful games on their schedules.
Oddly too, both Sullivan West and Liberty lost to O’Neill in games they rightfully should have won. Liberty’s failure to convert on a late O’Neill fumble with a first and goal at the Raiders’ three that ended in a missed field goal and Sullivan West’s failure to secure a first down that would have allowed them to run out the clock before surrendering a last second over-the-top TD pass .
Those misfortunes put both of these teams in a do-or-die game on October 6. Had they won they would have been playing this game for the Division title and the top seed but both of them would have been in the playoffs.
Liberty fell to 4-2 ( 1-2 Division I), while Sullivan West improved to 4-2 (2-1 Division I).
Sullivan West Coach Ron Bauer had this to say: “Overall it was a great game. Both teams played well and both had good plays at times. A whole season turned on a single play.” Asked if he thought Liberty would go for the two-point try, Bauer said, “We weren’t sure. We were going for the block to secure the win. Luckily the pass was incomplete.”
Asked about his team’s ongoing motivation now that they’ve punched their ticket to the postseason Bauer said, “We’ve got to get better for the playoffs. I thought we could have tackled a little better. Jaycox is a tough runner. I also thought we caught those two passes that were ruled incomplete,” he added. Clearly that was moot point given the win.
Sulllvan West faces Burke for the last regular season game, a team they’ll meet the following week in the first round of the playoffs. Neither team is likely to show much in that regular season encounter.
Sullivan West stat line:
Rushing: Tom Mootz 20/110 with three TD’s; E.J. Franskevicz 14/65; Kitt Borowski 6/42; Jared Meola 4/19; Sawyer Erlwein 3/15;
Passing: Franskevicz 2/4/15;
Defense: Mootz ten tackles; Erlwein ten tackles; Scotty Erdman ten tackles; Todd Roeder five tackes and a sack for a 16-yard loss. Borowski eight tackles; Andrew Parsons eight tackles.
Liberty stat line:
Rushing: Anthony Covington 10/45; Marshon Williams 8/68 with one TD; Kenny Jaycox 7/15 and a fumbled punt; Efrain Baez 1/-1;
Passing: Williams 5/13/73 with one TD and one interception.
Receiving: Ryan Henry 2/31 with one TD; Efrain Baez 2/15; Javier Baez 1/27;
Defense: Javier Baez nine tackles and an interception; Williams seven tackles; Danny Ramirez nine tackles; Anthony Saravia nine tackles and Tyrell Ivory six tackles.
Sullivan West will host Rondout Valley on October 14 for its Homecoming Game, while Liberty travels to Millbrook.
For an album of photos visit 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
Running Wild
Chester Prevails Over Sullivan West In Non-League Ground War As Senior Saxon Smith Runs For Six TD’s; Westies’ Running Attack Shows Moxie But Hambletonians Get Defensive Stops In Key Red Zone Stands
Chester 42, Sullivan West 28
By RICHARD A. ROSS
rross@sportsinsightsny.com
Ground War: Chester and Sullivan West look to evince supremacy over each other in their non-league clash.. (Clockwise) Sullivan West's Tom Mootz opens the game's scoring with a 62-yard TD jaunt. Chester's elusive senior Saxon Smith takes off on one of his six TD's on the night and 331 yards of rushing prowess. Nina Verderber holds the flag as Allie Ellmauer sings the National Anthem, a prelude to an emotional tenth anniversary of 9/11. Chester's cheerleaders brought their smiles and spirit. Chester defenders come down hard on Sullivan West quarterback E.J. Franskevicz who had a big night of rushing with 120 yards on 18 carries. Franskivicz carries the ball with blockers at the ready. Smith: gone again into the night.. The impressive senior often broke tackles to keep his surge going. Once in the secondary, he was gone like a cool breeze.
LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY—“Ground and pound”, a mantra used by New York Jets Coach Rex Ryan as the prescription for success over the course of his two –year tenure as Gang Green made it to consecutive AFC championship games, has long been the strategy of Chester as year in and year out it has marshaled a running game that opponents have been hard-pressed to stop.
It’s a new season now and gone are two cogs in Chester’s most recent Section Nine Class D title success in James Ognibene and Travis Mann. In small school football, losses of iconic athletes can present problems in subsequent years due to a limited talent pool.
But Chester’s system ably overseen by veteran Coach Ron Stover never loses a beat as personnel changes. Three Section Nine titles in the past five years attest to that fact. After alternating bragging rights with Eldred which won in 2005, 2007 and 2009, Chester continued its even-year dominance by besting Livingston Manor/Roscoe last year. It seems the Hambletonians are bent on claiming their first odd-year title this fall. Time will tell.
By and large, this year’s group is rife with experienced players including senior running back Saxon Smith whose able offensive efforts were overshadowed by Mann and Ognibene in 2010.
Now it’s Smith’s time to shine and with Anthony Ognibene calling the signals and handing it off to the speedster or at times passing it to him, Chester’s offense has looked monstrous in its first two games. Last week Smith was key in Chester’s 34-13 win over Class C O’Neill. Smith caught TD’s passes of 85, 32 and 20 yards and scored on an 85-yard kickoff return.
Sullivan West's Sawyer Erlwein goes airborne following a big run as Chester defenders finally bring him to a stop.
Sullivan West worked on its pass defense in anticipation of an air assault but it was on the ground that Smith did nearly all of his damage. By night’s end he would tally 331 rushing yards and score six TD’s including a 65-yard kickoff return that quickly gave his team a lead back after Sullivan West had tied it for the second time behind a 41-yard pass reception from Kitt Borowski.
Smith showed uncanny speed and the ability to break tackles. At times, it seemed as if he had been stopped only to see him spring free. Once into the secondary, he’d turn on the jets and easily outrun the Westie defensive backs who by night’s end had seen more than enough of the back of his number 20 jersey heading off into the night.
Running up big yardage used to be the calling card of Sullivan West as it was of the component schools prior to the merger. When Sullivan West coach Ron Bauer was at Delaware Valley, the Eagles’ running game was notorious sparked by the likes of Fred Ruilliano and Matt Buddenhagen in their day.
When Sullivan West changed to its spread offense a few years back under Buddenhagen’s tutelage as the offensive coordinator, the Westies went more to the air and as they spread defenses out using multiple wideouts, their running game excelled as well. But other teams quickly caught on and the spread is more the rule than the exception.
For the Bulldogs, a lack of variety in its offense has led to far less production evinced most prominently last year as they failed to make the playoffs. Last week against Tri-Valley, the chains got moving in the second half against a tiring Bears squad leading to a 21-14 come-from-behind win. Prior to that the offense looked predictable and punchless.
Things looked good at the outset of this tilt as the Westies scored on their first drive behind a 62-yard breakaway jaunt by senior Thomas Mootz . Sawyer Erlwein’s PAT made it 7-0 with 8:54 remaining in the first quarter. Sullivan West’s defense held Chester on its first series.
The Dawgs were on the march again but with a fourth and one foot to go on the Chester 15 they incurred a penalty on a false start. An incomplete screen pass nixed the potential scoring threat and Chester took over on its 21. Ognibene carried it to the 16 on the first play and Smith ran 67 yards on the next snap to even the score at 7-7 with 2:35 as Chester added a PAT. Neither Erlwein or Chester kicker Andrew Lakis missed all night long.
Chester senior kicker Andrew Lakis was six-for-six on PAT's. He launched some booming punts and kickoffs as well.
Erlwein had a nice return out to the Westies’ 37 but this series faltered quickly as Chester returned the ensuing punt to its 42-yard line. Chester faced a third and six on the Dawgs’ 48 as the quarter ended in a seven-all tie.
The Dawgs forced a fourth and two by stopping Smith but he got the first down on his next carry. A 58-yard TD run by the speedy senior was called back on a block-in-the-back penalty. By night’s end Chester would have a pair of TD’s called back. Stover, who later maintained that his team has often been victimized by questionable calls north of the Orange County borderline fumed to no avail.
But just a few plays later Smith tore off a 62-yard jaunt to the end zone with 9:05 remaining to give Chester a 14-7 lead.
Lakis pinned the Dawgs on a touchback with a booming kickoff and the Dawgs went three and out.
Sullivan West’s defense profited from a pair of incomplete pass attempts and got the ball back on their own 35. Franskevicz completed a couple of passes to Erlwein but once again an offsides penalty led to a fourth and six, this time at the ten-yard line. An incomplete pass to Erlwein stymied the threat. Chester took a 14-7 lead into the half.
In the third quarter he teams took turns with the pigskin to no avail before Franskevicz hit Borowski with a 41-yard strike at 7:36 to even the score at 14.
The vociferous celebration was short-lived as Smith returned the ensuing kickoff 65 yards to the house to give Chester a 21-14 lead.
Sullivan West fumbled the ball back to Chester on the kickoff but its defense held sway denying Chester a chance to capitalize.
On its next series, the Westies’ ground game gained traction again and they overcame an illegal formation penalty as they capped off the drive with a 30-yard TD run by Mootz at 2:58 of the third quarter. The game was now tied for the third time as the scoreboard read 21-all.
Mootz was well on his way to a team-leading 158 yards on 14 carries.
Sullivan West senior QB E.J. Franksevicz takes the snap as Chester d-back Justin Delgado exerts a rush to quash the play.
Trying to avoid kicking the ball to Smith led to a short kickoff which gave the Rambletonians a short field at their own 40. The Westies forced a fourth and one but Chester senior Mike Pia toted it for the first down. Once again, Smith broke through, this time from the 22-yard line at 1:03 to give Chester the lead it would never again relinquish.
That said, Sullivan West nearly tied it up again as they drove to the four yard line as the quarter expired. Facing a fourth and goal at the four, the Bulldogs failed to score as the ball was fumbled and recovered by the Dawgs in the end zone. The officials ruling: down by contact. As it turns out, you can’t advance the ball on a fumble according to Sullivan West offensive coordinator Kurt Buddenhagen.
Chester took over at the one-yard line and proceeded to drive it 99 yards on ten plays capped off by a 22-yard TD by Smith with 6:17 to go in the game. Chester now led 35-21. His final TD gallop, a 79-yard breakaway with 2:53 remaining was the final dagger. Chester’s 42-21 lead was narrowed as Erlwein recovered a Chester fumble and ran it back 44 yards for the final score of the game with 1:31 to go.
Chester (2-0) claimed its second straight victory over a larger (Class C) school with the 42-28 triumph. Last year they beat SW 19-0 down in the Enchanted Forest. Next week the Hambos look to make it three straight as they host another C school, Tri-Valley.
Sullivan West will have its hands full with Ellenville in Lake Huntington under the lights.
In response to accolades about his heroics, Smith was subdued and modest. “I would never been able to do this without my lineman. I read their blocks but they did it for me,” he noted. Smith has never been timed in the 100 but by this writer’s observant eye who has watched innumerable track meets over the years, he could easily be a sectional contender were that his desire in the spring.
Stover called Smith “a special player.” But Stover’s postgame talk which affirmed his team’s able running game, was marked more strongly by his disappointment with the officiating. “I’m tired of the refs taking touchdowns away from us. It’s getting really old every time we come to Sullivan County.”
Stover noted that holding Sullivan West on the one-yard line and driving the ball 99 yards was a key milestone in the game. “We have very few players and not a lot of depth but all of our kids have come through the system.” Adding to his description of his team’ s lack of depth, Stover referenced offensive lineman Nick Seabrook, out for the next three weeks with a separated shoulder. Seabrook should be back in time for Chester’s annual tilt with Eldred.
Bauer felt it was a hard-fought football game. He credited Smith’s running. “He’s a great back,” he noted. “Penalties hurt us in the red zone and we didn’t tackle that well,” he added. Sullivan West fell to 1-1.
Stat line for Sullivan West:
Rushing: E.J. Franskevicz 18/120; Mootz 14/158 with two TD’s; Borowski 4/5 and Meola 3/8.
Passing: Franskevicz 4/19/114 with one TD and one Interception by Chester’s Justin Delgado.
Receiving: Erlwein 2/35; Borowski 2/66 with one TD; Meola 1/3.
Erlwein returned a fumble for a TD (44-yards). Erlwein’s running stats not provided yet.
Chester (Awaiting official stats)
Smith 331 yards rushing with six TD’s.
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Heated Rivalry
Sullivan West Comes On Strong In Second Half To Defeat Tri-Valley In Season Opener; Non-League Tilt Is The Latest Chapter In A Competitive Rivalry; T-V’s Exner Electrifies; SW’s Borowski Scores A Trio Of TD’s
Sullivan West 21, Tri-Valley 14
By RICHARD A. ROSS
rross@sportsinsightsny.com (album of photos at sportsinsights.smugmug.com)
Compelling moments in a storied history: Sullivan West and Tri-Valley write the next chapter in their ongoing saga as the Bulldogs come back from a 14-7 halftime deficit with two more TD's from Kitt Borowski (He returned a kick off 70 yards in the first half for his first) to defeat the Bears. Pictured clockwise are game icons including Tri-Valley junior Cody Exner who ran for a TD and racked up 103 yards of rushing on 11 carries. Greg Swarthout hauls in a 39-yard strike from QB Joe Mickelson to give the Bears a 14-7 lead at the half. Sullivan West players exult in their victory and lower left, senior Kitt Borowski scores the second of his three TD's on the day on a seven-yard run which tied the score at 14-all. He scored again with just over six minutes remaining on a five-yard jaunt.
GRAHAMSVILLE, NY—Rivalry is an integral part of sports. When teams play each other year in and year out, not just in regular season outings but also in years where titles are at stake, that rivalry intensifies. Fans feed on those rivalries be they zealots of professional, college or high school sports. Invariably, no matter what the weather, crowds come out in droves to bear witness to the games that have historical juice to them.
Whenever Sullivan West and Tri-Valley meet on the gridiron, it is bound to be just such an occasion.
Though they now inhabit different divisions in Section Nine’s Class C making last year’s game and this year’s encounter non-league frays, the fervor displayed by the teams and their supportive communities has not abated.
Last year’s game played at Sullivan West’s Homecoming may have been one whose outcome had no impact on the playoff bound Bears nor the playoff-missing Bulldogs, but make no mistake about it, Tri-Valley’s 26-20 win stung the Bulldogs nonetheless. It was the tenth gridiron encounter of the two schools and it brought Tri-Valley closer in the series which Sullivan West now led 6-4.
Ever since 2005 when the Bulldogs dropped down into Tri-Valley’s realm of Class C, the two schools have staged annual epic battles that have included meeting four times in post season play, three of them for the Section Nine Class C title and once in a semifinal tilt.
In addition the schools vied for Division titles up until last year when the realignment in the OCIAA placed them in different divisions. Check out the history section below for details on which team won what over their relatively short but heated rivalry.
Off to the races: Tri-Valley's Cody Exner gallops 40 yards for the first score of the game as the Bears capitalized on a rare fumble by Sullivan West's Thomas Mootz. to gain possession of the ball during the Westies first offensive series.
This year’s fray was unique in that it was the first time the teams opened their seasons facing each other. Normally their encounters are late-season occurrences often greatly anticipated and circled on calendars as impending show downs.
Needless to say each team wanted to win its opener, while fully understanding that the games that determine their postseason afterlife will be their league encounters.
Gone from Tri-Valley is the outstanding Peter DiMilia whose fiery play on both sides of the ball exerted a huge impact on the games over the past several years.
Similarly, Sullivan West QB Ryan Alsdorf also graduated, but as is the case with rival teams, others step forward to assume the mantle. Calling signals for the Bears is senior Joe Mickelson who moved from his effective capacity as a running back to hopefully guide the Bears back to the playoffs. Last year T-V lost to Burke 46-25 in the Class C semifinals.
For the Westies, another veteran running back E.J. Franskevicz moves to take over the reins. Both Franskevicz and Mickelson are key defensive backs as well.
By day’s end it would be clear that several other players would make their presence felt including Tri-Valley junior running back Cody Exner whose electrifying speed produced one touchdown and nearly another were it not for a game-saving tackle by Sullivan West’s Sawyer Erlwein. Exner would carry the ball 11 times for 103 yards and it took the Bulldogs most of the game to figure out a way to contain him.
For the Bulldogs, this game would be the coming out party for senior running back Kitt Borowski who made his mark last year principally as a receiver. Borowski scored all three of Sullivan West’s TD’s. His day began with an auspicious 70-yard kickoff return to the house, an emphatic answer to Exner’s 40-yard TD gallop on a pitch from Mickelson that had come earlier on the Bears’ second series of the game.
Good teams capitalize on their opponents’ mistakes and that first scoring drive by T-V was marshaled following a rare fumble by Sullivan West’s hard-nosed running back Thomas Mootz. Anthony Beale’s PAT had given the Bears a brief 7-0 lead before Borowski took the ensuing kickoff 70 yards to the house. Erlwein’s PAT knotted the game at seven all with 8:30 remaining in the first quarter.
The go-ahead score: Sullivan West's Kitt Borowski rumbles in from five yards out with just over six minutes left to play as Jared Meola helps to clear the way.
Borowski’s return aside, Sullivan West looked out of sync most of the first half. Its spread offense, now in its third year of deployment appeared to offer little mystique as Tri-Valley defenders led by the seemingly omnipresent senior Troy Rossi and other swarming Bears stifled the Bulldogs’ running game and harried QB Franskevicz. Trying to take advantage of the surging Bears vanguard, Franskevicz tossed a couple of screen passes that might have gone for big yardage but he failed to complete them.
Meanwhile Mickelson gave Tri-Valley the lead back with 8:24 remaining in the second quarter with a 39-yard strike to senior wide out Greg Swarthout. Beale was perfect again and the Bears were able to withstand a late interception by Jared Meola to take a 14-7 lead into halftime.
The intense heat was bound to take its toll on players though officials called time outs to allow for water respites accordingly over the course of the day. As the game wore on in the second half, it appeared that Tri-Valley was affected more.
Missing a couple of players including senior running back Tyler Lopez who had sustained a blow to the head and was suffering from some heat exhaustion as well, the Bears began to wear down and the Bulldogs’ ground game inspired by a strong halftime pep talk suddenly was making headway with big runs.
Sullivan West received to start the second half but went three and out. Once again Tri-Valley was on the march even making gains by recovering its own fumble as Exner rumbled 13 yards after picking up a loose ball. But an interception snagged by Erlwein halted the drive at the SW 33. By day’s end Mickelson would be picked off three times.
Enlivened by the opportunity, the Bulldogs showed their first real signs of life as Thomas Mootz, Franskevicz, Jared Meola and Borowski kept the chains moving. Borowski capped off the drive with a seven-yard TD run with 1:27 left in the third quarter and Erlwein’s PAT knotted the game at 14-all.
Drama was far from over however as T-V Coach John Rusin continued to exhort his players to give their all. Rusin in a great motivator in addition to being a fine gridiron guru. Despite the fact that his team is young and not as deep as prior years, he will get every ounce of their effort for 48 minutes each and every week.
Exner and Mickelson ran the ball well and Tri-Valley began the fourth quarter in possession of the pigskin. The drive halted with a fourth and seven at the Sullivan West 20, well within striking distance of the talented Beale, whose soccer experience has made him a potent weapon as a kicker. In practice I watched him make kick after kick, but as Rusin would later point out, he has been untested in live game action when it came to field goals.
In a league of their own: Tri-Valley's talented cheerleaders rev up the crowd at halftime.
Beale’s potential go-ahead kick sailed wide left and the Dawgs took over at the 20 with 9:58 remaining in the game. Mootz ripped off a big 24-yard run out to the Westies’ 44. Franksevicz picked up another first down. Borowski’s run to the T-V 12 was called back on a block in the back penalty but the Dawgs would prove undaunted.
Franskevicz ran for another first down. By day’s end he’d have carried the rock 12 times for 61 yards and much of that was coming when it mattered the most. With 6:08 remaining in the game, Borowski broke free for an eight-yard strike and Erlwein punctuated that with a PAT to give the Dawgs their first lead of the day, 21-14.
Exner nearly returned the ensuing kickoff to the house but a diving Erlwein just managed to trip him up. It was the most impressive of Erlwein’s 12 tackles on the day. That said, here were the Bears at the Sullivan West 29 with 5:07 remaining.
Historically, late game heroics have played a big part in the storied rivalry. In 2007 in a game story entitled “The Line of Demarcation,” Tri-Valley withstood four Sullivan West attempts in the red zone to hold on to a 13-7 Division clinching win. In 2005 James Connelly gave the Bears a 20-17 OT win with his timely field goal.
So here we were again late in a game between these two contentious squads with the game on the line. If the Bears could score, they’d undoubtedly try for a two-point conversion to win the game and with Exner and company looming, that was a distinct possibility.
Sullivan West’s defense stiffened and Tri-Valley incurred a holding penalty to boot. The issue of flags flying and then being picked up had already been a side story to this encounter. Those reversals had favored Sullivan West and Rusin hoped one would go his way.
It didn’t.
Mickelson completed a pass to Jesus Lozada but still faced a fourth and 3 at the 20. Mickelson dropped back to pass but he was sacked by Sullivan West senior defensive end Andrew Parsons. The Bulldogs took over on downs but failed to keep possession. Facing a fourth and two, Coach Ron Bauer called for a punt which gave the Bears another shot with 2:07 remaining as they started from their own 48 after Sullivan West had to re-punt the ball following an illegal formation.
Rusin rallied his troops and called for an inspired two-minute drill. Naturally the ball was going to Exner and Sullivan West knew it. Erlwein snared him again leading to a third and three. Following two incomplete pass attempts, the Bulldogs got the ball back and were able to run out the clock for their uplifting victory.
Not this time: Sullivan West's E.J. Franskevicz and Sawyer Erlwein close in on Cody Exner in Tri-Valley's final series that gave the Bulldogs the ball back and the ability to run out the clock.
For their part, the Bears knew how close they had come to an inspiring home win over their arch-rivals. If both teams make it to the playoffs, they may meet again for what will then be their 12th encounter in their historic rivalry. You can bet if that happens that the memories from this game will still be fresh.
As Promised..The History Channel
2005 Section Nine Championship SW 34, T-V7 ; Division IV Title Game T-V 20, SW 17 OT
2006 Section Nine Championship SW 48, T-V 27; Division IV Title Game SW 21, T-V 7
2007 Section Nine Championship T-V 18, SW 7; Division IV Title Game TV 13, SW 7
2008 Section Nine Semi Finals (Hallow Win Game) SW 46, T-V 6
2009 Regular Season non-league SW 29, T-V 19
2010 Regular Season non-league TV 26, SW 20
2011 Regular Season non-league SW 21, TV 14
Sullivan West leads the series 7-4.
Franskevicz and his teammates took a moment to comment on the game as they exited the field . Franksevicz noted, “It was a tough game. We were playing in the heat. I think we really pulled it out in the second half. We came out to play. We played like we know how to play.” Asked about what was said at halftime, Borowski noted, “We needed to show the will to win and to have the heart.”
Rusin was exceptionally proud of his team. Asked about the heat as a factor, he noted, “not making any excuses here, Sullivan West leaned on us enough. We don’t have a lot of depth. We’ve got a lot of young guys with a lot of heart but not much experience. They will be excellent players but our core group is not very deep right now,” he added.
“We had a few guys banged up here and there and that affects two or three positions. Again, no excuses, Sullivan West did a great job. They stuck with their game plan. They were bigger than us physically. “
Rusin extolled the play of Exner.”I’m not a big fan of getting tendencies with play calling but when you’ve got one kid on the field whose a game-breaker and who has legs at a given point of time…so we went to the same play a couple of times. I’m sure SW was ready for it but you hope to catch lightning in a bottle.”
“Rossi is the energetic leader. He always has a bounce in his step. He lives for football. He was all over the field today and he’s been studying a lot of film trying to perfect what he has to do.”
Until We Meet Again....Sullivan West and Tri-Valley plays extend the hand or respect towards each other. Both squads know the rivalry is far from over.
This was a big game for us. We had a lot of kids we hoped would come out this year who didn’t. We have a hard-working core group and came out of camp with a very positive feeling. We knew numbers could be an issue for us. We were hoping to put a couple of scores on the board early and play with a little bit of lead. But you have to tip your hat to Sullivan West. They stuck with their plan and they wore us down as the game went on.”
Asked about Beale’s missed field goal attempt as a potential shift in momentum, Rusin was quick to affirm his kicker’s ability. “When you have a kid who can hit them you go with it. He had plenty of distance. We just haven’t given him that much work in live situations. I think he did everything right. Sometimes it just doesn’t go your way. I wouldn’t hesitate one iota to use him again in that same spot. He knows how to kick the ball.”
Tri-Valley has three night games on the road in the coming weeks starting with their first league match up against Pine Plains, then non-league frays against Chester and Eldred. Rusin and his valiant Bears will put this game quickly in the rearview mirror and turn their attention towards beating the Bombers.
Bauer noted, “We got more focused in the second half and I think our conditioning paid off as well. The heat was tough today. We started to block a little better and hit the holes, “ he added. “We wanted to do well in our season opener. The kids were up and they wanted to play good ball. In the first half we played good at times but we weren’t as focused.”
Sullivan West hosts Chester under the lights on September 9 in a non-league tilt.
Stat line: Sullivan West Rushing Total 42/151; Borowski 6/68 with three TD’s; Franskevicz 12/61; Mootz 10/58
Defense: Erlwein 12 tackles and an interception
Tri-Valley Rushing: Total 36/183; Exner 11/103 and a 40-yard TD; Mickelson 4/17; Aric Boyes 5/12; Brendan Tierney 4/25/ Tyler Lopez 2/26.
Passing: Mickelson 3/10 with a 39-yard TD to Greg Swarthout. Swartout 1/1/4
Receiving Swartout 1/1/39 yard TD; Exner 2/30; Jesus Lozada 1/4
Sullivan West is 1-0; Tri-Valley is 0-1
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