by Steve Bradley
Twenty-three yards. Remember that number.
The first half wasn’t a Hoosick Falls Panthers highlight reel. It wasn’t the well oiled Panther machine we’ve come to expect. Passes were dropped, blocks were missed, runners escaped from normally sure tacklers. There were plenty of penalty flags and missed interception opportunities. The Panthers were, gasp, down 6 – 3 in the second quarter. With a season 318 – 0 edge in points in the first three quarters up to this game, this was a shock. It was the first time all year they played from behind.
The game started with the Blue Devils receiving the opening kickoff. Their first possession was a three play and out series, and the Blue Devils punted from the 21. Tom Peabody received the punt and with a six yard return the Panther offense took over at midfield.
A ten play, 32 yard drive took the Panthers to the Blue Devils’ 19, where Damon Dubois kicked a 36 yard field goal, giving the Panthers a 3 – 0 lead. A couple of series later, played in the Panthers’ end of field, the Panthers punted and with a nice runback the Blue Devils started at the HF 29. Moving forward mostly through the air, the Blue Devils advanced to the Panther five yard line. After an incomplete attempt, Ogdensburg connected a pass into the end zone and took a 6 – 3 lead. The PAT attempt was no good.
The Blue Devils kicked off to Panther Peter Muratorri, who ran the ball out to the Panther 38. Another three and out series and the Panthers punted, with Ogdensburg taking over at their own 32. They quickly moved down to the Panther 29, mostly on a 39 yard pass play. From there, the Panther defense stiffened, and the Blue Devils ran out of downs. On the first Panther offensive play, quarterback Garrett Wright flipped a short screen play pass to Brandon Hodges. Hodges took the ball and, with the help of a four man escort, including Mark Hackett blocking a Blue Devil player for thirty yards, advanced the ball 52 yards to the Blue Devils’ 19. Seven plays later, with seven yards to the end zone, Hodges burst off right tackle and scored. Dubois tacked on the extra point, and the Panthers, even with their struggles, led 10 – 6. The world was round once again. That score held into the halftime break.
The second half was all Panthers. Ogdensburg found it difficult to do anything on offense. Remember that 23 yards? After the halftime break, the Blue Devils had a total gain from scrimmage of 23 yards. Twenty-three yards! They had a total of sixty-nine feet. It may have been a halftime adjustment or it may have been the players deciding they needed to get it together, but the opponents ability to move the ball certainly came to an end at halftime. Twenty-three yards is less than the length of a full sized basketball court. Talk about getting shut down.
Dubois kicked a 24 yard third quarter field goal to take the Panther lead to 13 – 6. In the fourth quarter, Wright scored on a one yard keeper after a drive highlighted by 30 yard Mike Matatt and 14 yard Wright rushes. The defense sealed the deal when Dave Hardesty grabbed a Blue Devil fumble and raced 32 yards for a touchdown to cap the scoring at 27 – 6.
Wright went 8 of 21 passing for 150 yards. Hodges, with 16 carries for 67 yards, and Matatt, with 15 carries for 74 yards, carried the load for the Panthers on the ground. Hodges added 80 yards with two catches. Hodges also went over 1,000 rushing yards on the season. Peabody had two catches for 36 yards, and Levi Brewster snagged three passes for 32 yards. Matatt had eight tackles, with Austin Pitt and Hardesty each chipping in seven. Dubois had a fantastic evening kicking the ball, going three for three on extra points and two of three on field goals, just missing a 42 yard attempt that was dead on but about two yards short. One unusual stat for the Panthers, 80 penalty yards during the game.
Brandon Hodges was named Class C East Regional Offensive Player of the Game, Jake Bakaitis was named Defensive Player of the Game.
On To Kingston
For the third time in the last four seasons, (11 – 0) Hoosick Falls won the right to compete in the State semifinals. On Saturday, November 23, the Hoosick Falls Panthers will travel down the NYS Thruway to take part in another Panther Bowl. As usual, game time is 11 am. The 10 – 0 Rye Neck Panthers defeated Burke Catholic 47 – 6 last Saturday to advance to the State semifinal. Travel time to Dietz Stadium is about one hour and 45 minutes.
Rye Neck is a school district made up of students from Mamaroneck and Rye. There is no municipality name Rye Neck. The city of Rye is on the southern border of Westchester County, with Long Island Sound as the city/county border. The city became separate from the Town of Rye in 1942. Benjamin Franklin, then Postmaster General, placed the 24th, 25th and 26th milestones, which are still standing, along the NYC to Boston Post Road in 1763. Rye has about 16,000 residents. Homes in the area start in the $500,000 range and go into the millions. Rye Playland, a theme park, boasts the roller coaster Dragon Coaster, which Glen Close and Ellen Latzen ride in the movie Fatal Attraction. Barbara Bush went to elementary school there. Justin and Justine Bateman were born there.