WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F. Bailey. October 14, 2006-- Supplemental Coverage, October 15, 2006 10:30 P.M. With Pix.: Saunders defense batted away three Mike Howard passes from the Saunders 28 as time ran out this afternoon to halt a last ditch Tiger drive for the winning touchdown after a 38 yard touchdown run across the field broken field run by Ronnell Rock with 1:45 to go in the game took the lead, putting Saunders ahead 23-20.
OVER THE MIDDLE IN TRAFFIC-IT'S A FOOTRACE: With a minute and change, Mike Howard, starting his first game as quarterback nearly brought the Tigers back to win it. He hit Matt Robles (Number 26) in traffic (above) over the middle with a 40 yard pass and run on 3rd and 10 from the Tiger 20, and Matt bursting tackles got it down to the Saunders 41 before he was caught from behind. A Robles run got it to the Saunders 33, and Howard hit Savaughn Green on the far side line on 3rd down for a first down on the Saunders 28 with 43 seconds to go. A Pass to Jim Briggs on the far right sideline was batted away. A pass to Savaughn on the left side line was batted away. A pass back over the middle to Briggs was short, but Briggsie was pushed no call. On 4th from the 28, a pitch to Matt on the half back option did not connect and the Tiger comeback was stopped. Photo WPCNR Sports.
The Tigers had taken the lead midway in the 4th quarter, 20-17 on a 5 yard run by Mr. Robles, after Matt had taken the Jet Sweep to the left side for 27 yards, setting up the Tigers with a first and 10 on the Saunders 10. Matt lugged to the 5 then the Tigers parted the Saunders line for the go-ahead touchdown with Robles lugging it in for a 20-17 lead with the point at 9:20 to go in the game.
Mr. Robles being hauled down on the sideline after a 27 Yard Rumblin, Stumblin, Thumpin run to the Saunders 10 in the 4th Quarter to set up the Tiger lead TD. Photo, WPCNR Sports
Mr. Robles Stampedes In for the Go-Ahead TD after setting the Tigers up with his run to the 10. He is inbetween Number 77 and Paris Young (66) Photo, WPCNR Sports.
The Tigers Bobby Thompson and Savaungh Green stopped Saunders on the next series on third down at the Tiger 15 on a great defensive stop on the right side on Ronnell Rock as he tried to turn the corner. A field goal attempt from 35 yards just missed tying the game.
Just One More First Down...
On the ensuing Tiger possession, starting with 5:26 to go, the Tigers were called for two false starts (their first false starts since the first quarter), contributing to their having to punt it away. The punt by Howard from his own 15 gave Saunders the ball at the White Plains 40 with 2:40 or so to go. On their second play, Rock ran the option to the left slipped around left end and diagonaled it through the secondary with exeptional speed for the go-ahead touchdown. A desperation shoestring tackle on Rock at the 2, just missed.
White Plains lead 13-3 at halftime on a 1 yard touchdown run by Mike Howard and a Howard to Bobby Thompson pass in the left corner of the endzone. Saunders scored two touchdowns in the 3rd quarter to take the lead, 17-13 going to the 4th quarter on the passing of Arthur Muller.
Running Brilliance Early
Arthur Muller, the Blue Devil QB and Ron Rock the tailback gave notice on the Tigers they'd be trouble all day. With the Tigers electing to kick and defend the South goal, Saunders tool the ball first, and Muller blasted up the middle for 10 yards and a first down. James Bryant intercepted Muller on the Tiger 22 to end that drive, and the Tigers went 3 and out. Mike Howard punted 45 yards to the Saunders 29 and the Blue Devils drove from there 50 yards in 11 plays, aided by a pass interference call setting up a first down on the Tiger 28.
The Tigers held, culminating in an unusual (for high school) field goal attempt by Dan Pitturro, who kicked a 37 yard field goal, which just cleared the crossbar inside left upright for a 3-0 Saunders lead at 3:18 of the first quarter. (Someone should call the Jets and the Giants). Saunders recorded 4 first downs in the first half.
The Tigers take command the first half.
Taking over on their own 35 the Tigers went for 4th and inches on their own 45 and Mike Howard got the first down. From there, On 2nd and 5 from the 50 Ray Mitchell raced for 15 yards on the Jet Sweep around right end. Three plays found the Tigers facing another 4th down on the Saunders 35 and Howard stepped back into the button hook pocket got plenty time and lofted one on the money to Joe Petit for a first down on the Saunders 15.
Mile Howard Driving across for the Tigers first Touchdown for a 7-3 lead. Photo, WPCNR Sports.
On 4th down on the 15, Saunders was called for pass interference giving White Plains drive life at the Saunders 7. Mike Howard punched the ball in on 2nd and goal from the 1 foot line. He converted the PAT and the Tigers had taken the lead 7-3 at the 8:17 mark.
Tigers take 13-3 lead on turnover and drive.
With Saunders facing a 2nd and 1 at their 40 on the next series, Matt Robles stripped the ball from Muller and recovered giving White Plains the ball on the Saunders 38.
At 3rd and 7, Howard in his very first start hit another big play completing to Bobby Thompson on another pass in the left flat (in traffic) who took the ball to the Saunders 20. A QB draw by Howard put the ball on the 13, but it White Plains was called for a hold. Starting with 2nd and 28, Howard again drilled Bobby Thompson on the left sideline at the 13. After an illegal procedure penalty moved the Tigers back to the 18. Howard hit his third big clutch completion hitting Savaughn Green on the far left sideline with a perfectly leading pass over right shoulder at the 12 on the sideline, and Shifty took it for a first down to the 7.
On third down, Matt Howard using a little button hook drop back, found Bobby Thompson in the corner of the endzone on the leftside for a 5 yard touchdown pass, floating it high and over the defense, for a 13-3 halftime lead. The Tigers had 7 first downs to Saunders' 4 in the first half, which seemed very long.
Blue Devils come back.
The Tigers started with the ball in the second half at their own 16. They could not move and on 4th down, Mike Howard punting, shanked the kick and Saunders covered it on the White Plains 25. However, Mike was flat on his back. It appeared he had been hit, kicking the football (which was not blocked). White Plains Athletic Director Nick Pinero told WPCNR after the game, the referee asked the other officials if they had seen contact with Mike after the kick (which would have resulted in a penalty and a first down), but the other officials said they had not.
Saunders then scored in two plays. Morrell ran to the Tiger 15, and Ron Rock took a pitchback on the halfback option and swooshed around left end for 15 yards and a touchdown as the Tiger defense was completely deked. The point made it 13-10 at the 9:51 mark.
Tigers try to answer. Blue Devils do.
Ray Mitchell delivered a terrific kickoff return to the Saunders 46. But The Tigers could not move it on three runs. With 4th and 2 on the Saunders 38, Mike Howard tried to sneak it but was turned aside and Saunders had held and had the ball back, and started to move.
A White Plains false start made it 1st and 5 on the Devil 43. Then the Devils began to tear the Tiger line asunder. Kish Newton ran for 13 yards to the Tiger 46, with Bobby Thompson saving a touchdown. On 3rd and 4 from the Tiger 40, Arthur Muller zipped a pass to Matt Johnson over the middle for 9 yards for another first at the Tiger 32.
The Tigers tried to make a stand for the lead. They almost did.
George Don Pierre sacked Muller in the backfield. Matt Robles knocked away a TD pass in the endzone. Another pass to the goalline was knocked away. It was 4th down. But this time it would be a 52 yard field goal for Pitutto and the Devils coach elected to pass instead.
Mike Howard (15) Tipping ball away on 3rd down at the Tiger 5 late in the third quarter to break up a first down bid. On 4th down Saunders converted to keep the drive alive for the go-ahead in the 3rd. Photo, WPCNR Sports.
On the 4th down play, Muller looked left from the shotgun formation, and slyly to his right and fired one to the near sideline in the flat to Frank Morrell in front of the Tiger defender for a first down at the 14. It was a huge play.
Ron Rock slipped around right end again on the halfback option on the next play and got to the 5 yard line. On third down at the 5, Morrell snuck for at first and goal on the 4. The Tigers stopped him on the next play but then Morrell swept around left end after swaying the Tiger Dee to the right, and Saunders took the lead with 1:19 to go in the 3rd quarter. Piturro added the point and the Tigers were behind 17-13.
Robles to the Rescue.
On the kickoff. White Plains started from their own 36. After securing a first down on the Saunders 47, Howard on 3rd and 3 at the Devil 40 passed to Savaungh Green on the sideline left for a first down on the Devils' 37, for his 4th big conversion of the day. On the next play Matt Robles broke around left end on the Jet Sweep rumbling, breaking tackles and getting down to the Saunders 10.
Matt lugged it to the 8 to the 5 then the final 5 yards to give the Tigers the lead 19-17. Howard added the point and the Tigers had 9:20 to go to protect the win, leading 20-17.
They stopped the Devils on the next series when a 33 yard field goal attempt to tie by Pitturro went just wide left. It had the distance. Christian Arrango and Joe Freitas stopped Muller on 2nd and 5 at the 15. Bobby Thompson and Savaughn Green turned aside Ron Rock on 3rd and 5, forcing the 3-point attempt.
One First Down Away.
The Tigers took over with 5:46 to go and needed one first down. They could not get it thanks to an illegal procedure (motion) flag. The first one occurred on first down at the WP31, making it 1st and 15. Howard ran for 2. Another run did not gain anything. Then another illegal motion put the drive back further and a pass on 3rd and 13 on the WP 28 did not click. White Plains had to punt away. Howard's kick off the side of his foot blooped out to the 40, another short punt. Giving Saunders the ball at the White Plains 40 with 2:38 to go.
Two plays was all it took. A run for 2 took it to the 38, then Ron Rock, running the option got the end to commit too soon and he scampered around left end into the secondary that was nowhere to be found. There seemed to be nothing but blue shirts and no tacklers. Rock blew past the Tigers and was to the 10 before you knew it. You sensed something very bad was about to happen. At the 10 eluded at least two tacklers and was flying down the sideline the final 10 yards. A desperate try at a shoestring tackle missed and Rock was over the goalline for the improbable. It was suddenly 23-20, Saunders with 1:44 to go.
But don't turn your sets off there.
Mike Howard and Matt Robles game the Tigers a chance to win.
On 3rd and 10 from the White Plains 20, Mike hit Matt Robles in traffic over the middle and Matt took the ball up the seam between a posse of Devils all had the angle on him and in a horse race caught up to Matt at the Saunders 41 with a minute to go.
CAUGHT! With a Minute to go. Howard has just connected with "Shifty" Green at the Saunders 28 for a 3rd and 10 conversion to keep Tiger hopes alive. Savaungh is in a heap on the sideline after taking the ball over his shoulder. The Tigers could not move any farther. Photo, WPCNR Sports.
The Tigers ran two incomplete passes, and Howard connected with Savaughn Green on the left sideline on 3rd and 10 for a first down on the Saunders 28. There were 40 seconds to go. Three passes failed due to excellent pass coverage by the Blue Devils, including one push that was not called apparently the backjudge feeling the ball to Jimmie Briggs was uncatchable. The final play for the Tigers did not unfold as planned a pitch going array Saunders took over on downs and ran out the clock with 23 seconds to go.
Make no mistake, Saunders showed terrific heart in coming back in this game and making big plays. It was the first time Saunders had beaten White Plains since probably the 1920s.
White Plains had 6 first downs in the first half, Saunders, 4. In the second half White Plains rolled up another 7 first downs to 8 for Saunders, rolling up 14 first downs to 12.
This was a very long game. In the first half, unofficially I counted 50 plays over 24 minutes, an average of 2 per minute (including clock running between plays). The second half got in even more plays…64 (including Kickoffs) in 24 minutes, an average of 2 and a half plays a minute (including running clock time). There were passing plays that cut short the time expired, but the math does not compute. Over the whole game I count on my scoresheet 114 plays, that is 2.3 Plays a minute of playing time (48 minutes).
While I am at it. The football officiating this season has been the worst I have seen in six years of reporting Tiger football. They do not know the rules. They do not know where to position themselves to call the plays, and they throw too many flags for both sides. At this point of the season there are simply too many false starts being called. Pass interference calls are extremely judgmental. If high school football wants to emulate the NFL, where virtually every game turns on key penalities, they are certainly headed in that direction.
MikeHoward Debuts at the Helm. Photo, WPCNR Sports
Welcome Mr. Howard.
Mike Howard guided the Tigers to three sustained drive touchdowns and unofficially I have him for 6 huge 3rd down or 4th down conversions on passes. He ran the offense with poise, did not make any turnovers or interceptions. His handoffs were crisp, and he showed a lot stepping in for his first starting assignment. According to Nick Panero, White Plains Athletic Director, Paul LaBarbera the regular quarterback injured his shoulder last Sunday at home and could not play.
Howard stepped up big time, getting used to his receivers in a hurry and showing a nice touch on his passes. In fact on the last series a strong 15 knot wind that had not been there the entire game was blowing in his face, floating his passes and blowing them back short. Otherwise, he might very well have pulled off the comeback with the Tiger receiver crew. But the hit with Robles was a terrific bullet pass under pressure to give his team a chance. The Tigers (1-4), play Lincoln next week.
The Tigers never quit.
