WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F. Bailey. October 6, 2007 UPDATED October 7, 2007 11:30 AM EDT: Yorktown's Huskers dominated the second half to overcome a two-touchdown deficit, and a stingy Tiger red zone defense when Brendan Brunell got a step on a lone tiger defender and took a perfectly thrown 10-yard quick pass at the goal line on a 3rd and goal from the Tiger 10 to give the Huskers the lead with a minute to go in the game, 15-14. A two-point conversion made the final score 17-14.
Yorktown held the ball for 8 minutes in the final quarter on route to the clinching touchdown grinding out first downs at 8 yards a clip on the drive. It was the first home game played at Eastview School in years due to the unavailability of Parker or Loucks Stadium due to synthetic turf conversion.
Number 32 Maurice Thomas Looking like Jim Brown -- Rumblin, Stumblin for a 49 yard Touchdown run to put the Tigers up 6-0 in the First Quarter. The Thomas run was a stunner right up the middle.
4th down and 9 Conversion on Husker 24 Sets Up second Tiger TD in second quarter: Mike Howard (15) has just flipped a perfect screen pass to Ray Mitchell, following his Tiger mates, took the pigskin to the Yorktown 10 to keep the Tiger drive alive. Mitchell (33) can be seen falling out of bounds in center of picture. Billy Dosantos scored on a 7 yard run minutes later to put White Plains up 14-0. A blocked punt gave Yorktown a safety to make the score 14-2 at the half.
Yorktown came back on a drive in the third quarter to close to within 14-9, then after stopping the Tigers on 3 and 2 at the Tiger 41 at the outset of the 4th quarter, Yorktown drove 59 yards in an amazing 17 plays for the winning score with a minute to go. The Tigers after leading the entire game fall to 2-2. They play Horace Greeley next Saturday.
This game turned around in the Third Quarter when White Plains took the kickoff at their own 30 and drove in 9 plays to the Yorktown 44 confidently moving the ball,seemingly on route to their third touchdown, when Yorktown stripped the ball and recovered a fumble on the Husker 37.
Yorktown began the drive to get back into the game . The Huskers traded alternative runs getting only to the Tiger 41 when a motion penalty set them back to a 2nd and 14 on the Tiger 47. Then came the first turning point. A pass fell short of an intended Huskie receiver on the Tiger 33 with a Tiger defender either falling or inadvertently tackling the receiver and the pass interference flag came out. First down Yorktown on the Tiger 33. However, the ball was thrown way short, uncatchable. Tiger Coach Skip Stevens protested the call to no avail.
Invigorated, a run got Yorktown to the 15, then a first down on the 5. The Tigers held them for three downs with Yorktown’s second effort by Peter Frank yielding their first touchdown on 4th and goal at the 1. With the point, it was 14-9 with 4 minutes to go in the third quarter. The Tiger defense was tough inside the red zone today but were chewed up on the Yorktown running game between the 20s.
Mitchell runback called back.
Ray Mitchell broke the ensuing kickoff out to the 50 yard line, but a flag on the far side of the field away from Mitchell’s route, started the Tigers at their 20. The Tigers managed one first down to the 32 then were stopped at the first play of the 4th quarter on third and 2 at their 42. Yorktown stopped Mitchell up the middle and forced a punt.
A booming punt set up Yorktown at their own 31. White Plains never touched the ball again for the next 8 minutes, as Yorktown simply chewed up yardage at 8 yards a clip, gaining 7 first downs stopping the clock 7 times which as it turned out was a huge factor in their winning touchdown drive which consumed 18 plays.
Big Overland Gains Highlighted Yorktown winning TD Drive in 4th Quarter, the Huskie backpack ripped off consistent gains of 8 yards on first down.
Ray Mitchell saved a touchdown with a jarring head-on tackle at the White Plains 16, as the Tiger defense valiantly, doggedly attempted to halt the inexorable Huskie drive. After yielding a first down at the 5, White Plains held on two plays with Maurice Thomas sacking the Huskie QB at the 12. A run was stopped at the 10. On third and 6 with a minute and seconds to go in the game, and an almost certain pass, Yorktown went to a tight formation. John Froats looked left. It was a Quick pass to Brunelle on the goal line defended by one Tiger. Froats got the ball in waist high away from the defender and Brunelle stepped into paydirt. Yorktown had the lead and the ball game.
First Half Exactly the opposite.
In the first half Yorktown’s inability to hang onto the football allowed White Plains to control the ball.
After Yorktown went three and out on their first possession, three plays later, Maurice Thomas burst through the center of the Yorktown line and cruised 49 yards for a Tiger touchdown for a 7-0 lead at the 7:40 mark of the opening stanza.
Yorktown then started slicing up the White Plains line, posting three quick first downs, driving to the White Plains 23 with 3 minutes to go in the quarter when White Plains stripped the ball with Jean Joseph recovering the fumble on the Tiger 20 yard line.
The Tigers then drove 80 yards in 12 plays with Billy Dosantos scoring to give the Tigers a 14-0 lead.
This well-orchestrated drive featured two 4th down conversions by the Orange and Black. The drive started with a 25 yard pitch and outside left end run by Ray Mitchell to give White Plains a first down on the Yorktown 38. After a 6 yard carry by John Philogene gave White Plains a 4th and 3 on the Yorktown 28, Philogene burst through the line again for a first down to keep the drive alive.
Three plays later came another key 4th down conversion on 4th and 9 at the 27. Mike Howard rolled right looked to Ray Mitchell in the left flat positioned with three blockers for a screen play that sprung Ray down the sideline for a first down on the Husker 14.
Enter Billy Dosantos. The Tigers line sprung him to the 7 yard line. On third and 3 on the 7, Dosantos scampered untouched into the end zone. Mike Howard added his second PAT and it was 14-0 with 10 minutes to go in the half.
After a long run Yorktown’s runner coughed up a fumble on a great strip by Billy Dosantos and White Plains started again on their 21 but the Tigers had a punt blocked, with Yorktown taking over again, driving to the Tiger 5 where the Tigers held them in a great goal line stand.
Forced to punt from their end zone, Yorktown blocked another Tiger punt that bounded out of the endzone for a safety and the Huskies had a 14-2 deficit at the half.
Overflow Crowd Views the action in the shadow of the City Center. Bleachers did not have the capacity to handle the crowd.
Best Band in All the Land Entertained at Halftime -- Jason Kaplan Leads the Band -- in a majestic rendering of Kung Foo Fighting.
