by Steve Bradley
After almost three quarters of sloppy play from both teams, the Hoosick Falls Panthers escaped from Lake George with a exciting, come from behind win. It wasn’t pretty but it was a win. Both teams struggled much of the game.[private] There were plenty of flags, plenty of third and thirteens and plenty of turnovers. The teams combined to go 4 of 24 on third down conversions.
Alex Mendez was the hero in the fourth quarter. After the Panthers put themselves in a 20 – 13 decifit, Mendez scored twice in the fourth quarter, then intercepted a pass at the Panther defensive goal line to put an end to any War Eagles hopes of pulling out a win.
Hoosick Falls grabbed a late first quarter lead after a five play drive that started at their own 28 yard line. Five plays later, highlighted by a 48 yard romp by Noah LaBarge to the Granville nine, Wyatt Cushman dove into the endzone on a quarterback sneak. The extra point kick was good.
The War Eagles (Lake George’s football nickname) put six points on the board when a 38 yard reverse caught the Panthers leaning the wrong way. The extra point was no good and HF led, 7 – 6.
With less than a minute to go in the first quarter, quarterback Cushman threw a pass sideways to a receiver. The ball slipped through the receiver’s hands, hit the ground and bounced into a War Eagle defenders hands, who promptly headed for paydirt and made it. Referees said the pass was a lateral, and the touchdown was good. Panther head coach Ron Jones vehemently disagreed, but lost the argument. Replay would later show that it was a forward pass, not by much, but enough. LG went for two on the extra points try, and succeeded. Lake George 14, HF 7.
Both teams moved through the second quarter and most of the third quarter, a good portion of it going backwards with numerous penalties.
With just over a minute left in the third quarter, with the ball at the LG nine yard line, Alex Mendez took a handoff and slipped between the blocks of right guard Jonathan Bossoni and right tackle Bryan Thomas, with center Kellan Skott blowing out the middle linebacker, to blast in for the score. The extra point kick was no good.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, from their own 45 yard line, the War Eagles tried an end around play. After the receiver/runner got done with the end around part, things were going so well that he just kept going upfield and didn’t stop until he was standing in the endzone. The extra point kick was missed. LG 20, Panthers 13.
At this point things were not looking up for the Panthers. Points had been hard to come by. Time was getting short.
Two possessions later the Panthers buckled down. Taking control of the ball at their own 35, the team moved quickly upfield. Four plays and 45 yards later, Mendez took a handoff and headed right, stopped, turned left and ran untouched into the endzone.
With 4:35 on the clock, the score at LG 20, HF 19, this meant a big extra points attempt. The Panthers lined up to go for two. Cushman took the snap, turned to his left and threw. The ball got there just as the receiver was being hit in the back, and the ball passed between the receiver’s hands and fell to the ground. This play had the potential to make the difference between a W and an L.
In the end, it didn’t matter. The Panthers started their next possession at the LG 35 after holding LG deep in their own territory. Two plays and twenty yards later with the Panthers at the 15, quarterback Cushman handed off to Mendez and he went off the right tackle to find his way into the endzone. The two point conversion put the Panthers up 27 – 20 with 2:15 on the clock.The Panthers would have to hold LG one more time.
The War Eagles started at their own 20 after a touchback. After grabbing 22 yards on the first play, LG moved upfield to the Panther 36. Time was running out and they had to score. LG tried to get that score on a pass to the endzone, but Alex Mendez was there to intercept the pass at the two yard line. To add a little spice to the finish, the LG receiver stripped the ball from Mendez and the ball fell to the ground. What could have been a disastrous turn of events was nullified when alert Panther C.J. Yavaniski gathered in the loose ball and gave possession to Hoosick Falls. Cushman took a knee and the game came to an end.
The Panthers moved to a 2 – 1 record, with Lake George falling to 0 – 3. Alex Mendez rushed for 119 yards on the evening, scoring three touchdowns.
In other Class C North action, Whitehall (3-0) downed Corinth (2-1), 48 – 20, Greenwich (3-0) defeated Hoosic Valley (1-2), 13 – 0.
The Panthers will face Broadalbin-Perth at HFCS. Game time is Friday evening at 7 pm.
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