WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F. Bailey. October 29, 2004: John Jay High's Dan Sheeran's 35 yard punt return and 25 yard touchdown up the middle turned the game around in the Third Quarter Friday night, as he scored the touchdown that put JJ ahead to stay, 13-7.
John Jay's flashy balanced offense of sweeps, counter plays, traps and long passing built a 21-7 lead going into the final stanza. The Indians held White Plains to 4 first downs in the first half, and 5 first downs in the second half (unofficially), running 29 plays to White Plains' 20 in the first half, and 18 plays to White Plains 8 in the third quarter (and no Tiger first downs) when they won the game.
Ike Nduka was held to approximately 100 yards rushing in the game, and was contained in the second half when White Plains could not get a sustained drive going. The Tigers had trouble with footing, turning corners and making tackles on the synthetic turf and did not move with their usual certainty on the terrain. White Plains, handed their third straight loss, fell to 5-4 and were denied a bowl bid. The Tigers play Stepinac next on Thanksgiving Day to close the season.
Sheeran snags big catch for First and Goal: Will Pickel hit Dan Sheeran on the Tiger 10 on 2nd down and 10 from the Tiger 23, to set up the third clinching Indian touchdown. Sheeran is shown sitting down after the tackle by the orange fonton. Ryder Bohlander, a terrific runner, punched the ball over on the next play to put the game out of reach, 20-7 at the close of the Third Quarter. Pickel consistently hit Sheeran and Cade McCarthy for wide open catches in the Tiger secondary on third and fourth downs to keep drives going. At the outset of the fourth quarter, Pickel threw a beauty leading Sheeran perfectly at the 5 yard line on a post pattern to ice the game 27-7 with a 35 yard touchdown strike on a 4th and 9 play. So it went for the Tigers in the second half, being burned by big play after big play. Photo by WPCNR Sports.
Tiger Stand Almost Holds them off: The firsthalf was a different story. The Tigers stiffened at their 5 yard line in the second quarter, stopping John Jay three times inside the five. On fourth down, Dan Sheeran circled around right tackle to score the game's first touchdown at the outset of the second quarter. White Plains came right back marching 70 yards in 7 plays to tie the score 7-7, highlighted by a 26 yard run by Ike Nduka on first down from his 31 to the JJ 44 and a 15 yard Nduka rumble from the JJ 25 to the JJ 10. Nduka pushed the ball in for the tying touchdown with 6:30 to go in the first half. The Tigers never threatened seriously again. Photo by WPCNR Sports.
The game turned around on the second series in the second half. After John Jay fumbled at the Tiger 48, The Tigers recovered and started from their 43, score tied, 7-7. Nduka took the ball to the 50 around left end. Paul Scotman was stopped. A handoff to Gary Morello only gained two yards and the Tigers elected to punt. Pablo Siaba got off a good one to the John Jay 15 where Sheeran was waiting. Three Tigers were around Sheehan. The Tiger closest to him slipped on the synthetic turf and Sheeran lit out for the far sideline and down the alley, scampering to the John Jay 48, a 33 yard punt return negating Pablo's punt. Had the Tigers gone for it and not made it they would have been in the same position. The Tiger opportunity had been turned into great field position for the Indians.
Jay started to grind it then. Bohlander cruised right end for 9 yards to the Tiger 43. After a short first down, the Tigers stopped three runs and it was 4th and 4 on the 37. Bohlander went around end again for a first down on the 30. The Tigers could not get outside to stop the fast Indians all night. On second and 4 from the 25, Sheeran ran the counter play and ran untouched up the middle for 25 yards for the go-ahead touchdown. It was 14-7 with 4:51 left in the third quarter.
After the Tigers went three and out, a poor punt gave John Jay great field position again at their own 47. Cade McCarthy ran the ball to the White Plains 33. Then on 2nd and 10 from the White Plains 23 McCarthy passed on the option to Sheeran for 21 yards to the White Plains 3. Bohlander ran it in for the TD and it was 21-7 with the point. 53 yards in 7 plays.
In the Fourth Quarter, White Plains moved the ball to the John Jay 37, gaining their first first down of the second half only to be stopped on downs at the 37. The Indians rammed it right back moving the ball to the White Plains 29 and scoring on a 34 yard fourth down touchdown strike to Sheeran again from McCarthy.
In the first half, the Tigers did not give an indication they would be so containable in the second half. They drove nicely down the field to tie the score midway in the second half.
White Plains took over on downs at their own 31 after John Jay's first touchdown. Ike Nduka ran around right end for 26 yards to the John Jay 44. Then on second down, it was Ike again to the Jay 38. A run by Paul Scotman picked up 4. Nduka slamed to the 25, then Ike went off tackle, picking up steam breaking to the outside coming to the near sideline lugging it all the way to the 10. Ike then ran three times up the middle for the tying score with the point and it was 7-7.
John Jay moved 65 yards in 14 plays for their first score, on Sheeran's one yard run on 4th and goal after the Tigers had stonewalled the Indians three times inside the five -- the highlight of the game for the Tigers.
