WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F. Bailey. October 29, 2006 UPDATED WITH MORE PIX 10:05 AM -- & BACKGROUND: It was first down White Plains on the Scarsdale 12 with 6 minutes to go in the game, after Paris Young had recovered a fumble at the Scarsdale 12. Matt ran into the line for 2. Ray Mitchell ran for 3 both into-the-line. Then Paul LaBarbera the quarterback pitched back to Mitchell for a sweep, but the Scarsdale line pushed aside the right side blockers to halt Ray for no gain.
Paris Young (66) stripping and covering the pigskin to recover a fumble on the Scarsdale 12 to give the Tigers a last chance to win. Photo, WPCNR Sports
On 4th and 6 from the 8, Paul dropped back to pass. The protection broke down and he was sacked before he could get off a throw to the goal line. Scarsdale had held and there was 3:30 to go in the game.
Matt Robles finishing off his 38 yard rumble to the Scarsdale 8 at the end of the First Quarter to set up the Tigers' first touchdown. Two plays earlier Matt had picked off a Scarsdale pass to start the drive. Photo, WPCNR Sports.
Colin Reno, who scored all three Raider touchdowns, ripped off a run to the 29 for a first down. After three more plays, running down the clock, Henry Ross the Scarsdale quarterback pushed ahead for a first down at the 40 and the Raiders ran out the clock to hang on to a 19-14 win at blustery Parker Stadium Sunday afternoon.
The Blustery Day: The diehard Football Faithful braved Sunday's winds at the classic Parker Stadium Bowl Sunday. Photo, WPCNR Sports.
Going into the 4th quarter the Tigers looked beaten, having been unable to stop the Raider’s Reno all day, who ripped off touchdown runs of 62 yards to tie the score 7-7 in the second quarter, and then after White Plains went 4 and out with a very short punt, on the second play, Reno ran around right end for 50 yards to put Scarsdale ahead 13-7 at the half.
The Tiger touchdown was set up in the first quarter when Matt Robles burst off left tackle for 38 yards to the Scarsdale 8. Ray Mitchell carried for 3, then 2 and Robles finished it off with a 1 yard plunge and a 1 yard TD run to give the Tigers a 7-0 advantage. Then Mr. Reno took over the game with his two long TD runs from midfield for the 13-7 halftime lead.
Third Quarter Stall.
The Tigers drove to the Scarsdale 30 to start the second half, but were stopped on 4th and 3 when a pass from Paul LaBarbera to Alex Trataros was broken up on a great tip away from Alex by the defender at the Scarsdale 15. Scarsdale then took over and got moving at 5:18 of the third quarter.
The Tigers gave a running play of 9 yards to the Scarsdale 39 when a Tiger pushed the Raider runner Sam Freihofner after the play. 15 yards penalty! A most unfortunate loss of composure which put Scarsdale into Tiger country at the 44 yard line.
Then bingo! A run by Freihofner moved the ball to the Tiger 25. Mr. Reno burst to the 12. The Tigers almost stopped the Raiders, but on 3rd and 12 from the 15 Henry Ross hit Freihofner for a first down on the White Plains 5. On 3rd and 6 from the 5, Reno took it in on a sweep for the touchdown just inside the right pilon to make it 19-7 going to the 4th period.
Strong First and Fourth Quarters
This game was played with a 20 knot wind blowing North North West across the classic Parker Stadium Bowl. The blustery day played havoc with the passing game with Scarsdale dominating the second and third quarters and White Plains taking over in the first and fourth quarters.
White Plains took the kickoff at their 35 and marched to the Scarsdale 25 before a fumble on a snap, a false start, a five yard loss and a holding penalty nullifed a first down on the 15 on a pass to Matt Robles. a sack pushed the ball back to the White Plains 46 and a fumbled snap to the punter resulted in a 2 yard punt. White Plains stopped the Raiders when Shawn Edwards recovered a Sam Freihofner fumble at the Tiger 38. After three and out. Scarsdale took over on their own 32 follwed by a Matt Robles pickoff on a first down play which Matt returned to the Scarsdale 48. Matt's 38 yard run to the Raider eight set up the Tigers first touchdown by Robles on a 4th down and 1 at the goal line on the first play of the second quarter.
This was a controversial touchdown. Scarsdale, which shredded the Tiger line most of the day appeared to have stopped Matt inches before the goal. The linesman ruled the nose of the football had broken the plane of the goal for a touchdown. The Raiders threw up their hands in disgust at the call. (Remember the Tiger touchdown that was taken away in the Gorton game when the Tiger QB crossed over the goal line and the ball came out and was ruled a fumble?)
One Play Turns around the game. 4 Plays, 13 points.
Scarsdale took the following kickoff, starting at their 30. After two plays they were at 3rd and 2 on their own 38. The hand off went to the 5-10 Colin Reno. He appeared stopped at the 40 as the Tigers converged from the sides then he was through and rolling down the middle of the field. And there he went 62 yards right down the middle of the field for the equalizing touchdown just like that. The kick was converted and it was 7-7. The Tigers went from the mindset of confidence against the Raider line to a state of uneasiness in one play, and it affected their play for the next 24 minutes.
After three and out, the Raiders got the ball back again at their 48. The quarterback ran for 2. He called Colin Reno's number again and again Reno burst out of the middle of the line, around right tackle crossed the secondary and raced down the far side line for the go-ahead touchdown. It was a 50 yard overland ramble for a 13-7 lead with 7:33 to go in the half. The Tigers were in shock and awed.
Third quarter sluggishness
White Plains came back at the beginning of the second half, forcing Scarsdale into a punt and taking the ball at their 48 Ray Mitchell running on a fourth down got a first down on the Raider 37. Paul LaBarbera's 4th down pass was on target to Alex Trataros for a first down at the 18, but a great play by the Raider defensive back broke up the first down pass and Scarsdale took over. They proceeded, helped by the Tiger push after a whistle to march down 70 yards in 9 plays for their third touchdown at the close of the third quarter. The big play on this drive was a 3rd and 8 from the 18 pass to Freihofner from Henry Ross giving Scarsdale a first down on the Tiger 5. After Shawn Edwards, George Don Pierre and Maurice Thomas had stopped a run on second and goal from the 5, Reno took it outside and dove inside the pilon for the score that made it 19-7 as time expired in the third stanza.
4th Quarter Penalty, Robles 53 yard Ramble Turns momentum back to the Tigers
The Tigers did not have a monoply on unfortunate penalties. Scarsdale had the Tigers stopped on 3rd down on the Tiger 22, needing 8. However a facemask penalty gave the Tigers a second chance. They used it. Labarbera hit Savaungh Greene for a first down on the Tiger 30. On third and 1 on the Tiger 39, Matt Robles exploded up the middle deked two would be tacklers and took off to the far sideline rumbling 53 yards to the Scarsdale 7.
Shifty Greene seconds after his great touchdown catch to make the score 19-13 midway in the 4th quarter. Photo by WPCNR Sports.
Mitchell ran it for 3. Robles for two. On third and goal from the 1, Paul Lababera found Savaungh "Shifty" Greene in the back of the endzone, double-teamed. Shifty leaped high snared it and touched down in bounds for the 6 points. The Tigers were back in business with 7 minutes to go in the football game. Mike Howard added the point and the score was 19-14.
Paris Young Takeaway.
Scarsdale started from their own 15 after a terrific kickoff and coverage by the Tigers, and on second down, Paris Young gave the Tigers the break. The Tigers got into the Raider backfield and Paris stripped the ball for a fumble recovery giving the Tigers a first down on the Raider 12. But two tries into the line by Robles and a foiled pitch to Mitchell only got the Tigers to the 8 as the Raiders refused to be rattled. Labarbera went back to pass on 4th down from the 8 looking for Greene.
Robles to the 8 on First Down on the tying bid. Photo, WPCNR Sports
Turned Aside at the 8. Robles again turned aside on second down. Photo, WPCNR Sports
The Raiers were coming with everything they had. The protection collapsed and they sacked Labarbera for a loss stopping the bid. Unofficially it was the fourth sack of the day by the Raider line.
Scarsdale took over on downs at the eight, and who else, Colin Reno ran them out of trouble. With the Tigers out of timeouts they could not stop the clock.
Scarsdale moved to 3-5 on the year. White Plains showing the heart to come back, fell to 2-6. The Tigers will play Mahopack next Friday night at 7 in Mahopac.
