by Steve Bradley
The Hoosick Falls Panthers entered Friday night’s game against the undefeated Greenwich Witches with a chance to make it to Sectional play. Other factors were involved, but the team had to win to have any possibility of continuing on. It didn’t work out well.
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Greenwich has a good team, but Hoosick Falls is pretty good too. That’s exactly what the game turned out to be. A good game between two evenly matched teams that wasn’t decided until the end. As is typical in games between two good teams, turnovers played a big part in the outcome.
At the end of the first quarter, which was played mostly in the Greenwich end of the field, neither team had a score and both had a turnover.
Early in the second quarter, after taking possession at their own 36 yard line, the Panthers started down the field. Eleven plays later Noah LaBarge dove in from the one yard line, giving the Panthers a 6 – 0 lead. It was the first time this season the Witches were behind on the scoreboard. On the point after touchdown, the Panthers were unsuccessful on a two-point run attempt. The Panthers struggled with PAT’s all evening, trying three times for two points and ending up going 0 – 3 on the attempts.
Greenwich’s next possession ended with a Rem Hickey interception that he picked off at the HF 10 and returned to the Panther 38. From there, the Panthers marched down to the Greenwich 12 yard line. Quarterback Wyatt Cushman tossed a pass to receiver Connor McCart to give the Panthers their second score. This gave the Panthers a 12 point lead with just 2:24 left until the half.
Things were looking good for Hoosick Falls at this point. They were moving the ball. Greenwich looked intimidated and was struggling to put something, anything, together. To keep a 12 point lead into halftime was huge, and keeping Greenwich out of the end zone was demoralizing to the Witches. The Panthers had them on the ropes.
It didn’t stay that way for long. Taking possession after the kickoff, the Witches moved down the field and scored with 36 second left until the half. This was a big boost for the Witches and brought them back into the game. With the successful PAT kick, the teams went into halftime at 12 – 7.
On the first play of the game after the second half, the entire complexion of the game changed. Greenwich kicked off and when the ball landed and rolled along the ground, returner Alex Mendez struggled to get a handle on it. By the time he began to pick it up, a Greenwich player was there to knock it out of his hands. Greenwich recovered the ball at the Panther 19 yard line and scored two plays later. The PAT kick was good.
Greenwich scored two touchdowns and took a two point lead in less than a minute of play. Suddenly the Panthers were on their heels and Greenwich was pumped.
After the next kickoff, Hoosick Falls took over at the Greenwich 33 and ten plays later was knocking on the endzone door at the four yard line. After a handoff from Cushman, Alex LaBarge was giving it everything he had to get into the endzone. In the mass of bodies, each trying to move in a different direction, LaBarge had the ball stripped from his grasp and it fell into the endzone. Greenwich pounced on the ball for a touchback and the Panthers chance to retake the lead was snuffed.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Greenwich tacked on another score with a good PAT to take a 21 – 12 lead.
The Panthers moved to within three with 3:14 left when Cushman found Hickey for a 23 yard strike. After suffering an injury over the summer, this was Rem Hickey’s first game action of the season. He was a big factor, with an interception, a TD catch, 63 receiving yards and he created a fumble by a Greenwich receiver after a catch.
Hickey’s return and all the other factors that caused players to miss games are one of those things that make you wonder what could have been. When these Panthers were healthy, they were a formidable bunch. The rest of the league can count their lucky stars the Panthers were never at full strength. Greenwich head coach Brandon Linnett said after the game, “They may be the best team we faced all year, it’s a shame they’re not able to be there (sectionals).” It’s probably questionable how sincere he is about the last part of that statement. It’s a polite statement, but you would have to think he is happy he doesn’t have to face the Panthers again.
The Panthers attempted an onside kick but Greenwich was able to gather the ball in. After a 44 yard run put the Witches at the Panther two yard line, Greenwich drove into the endzone for a 10 point, 28 – 18 lead.
The Panthers moved down the field on their possession but ran out of time before they could bring the score any closer.
Cushman threw for 200 passing yards in the game. Hoosick Falls had 97 yards rushing, while Greenwich countered with 248.
This week the team will travel to Ticonderoga to play a crossover game. They will face the Ticonderoga Sentinels. Ticonderoga can be reached by going north on Route 22. It’s about 85 miles and takes about 2 hours to get there.[/private]