WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F. Bailey. November 3, 2007: With Archbishop Stepinac players scouting them, White Plains gaffes in the second quarter let Saturday’s windswept football game get away as Gorton converted three Tiger miscues into three touchdowns with 5 minutes to go in the half in Yonkers. Stepinac may be lulled into a false sense of security going into Turkey Bowl in three weeks.
The Tigers had answered on two strong third down conversions by Mike Howard to match Gorton’s first touchdown which resulted from a punt return to the White Plains 7 off a popped up punt. With the Tigers trailing only 7-6 with five minutes to go in the half the White Plains Cheerleaders, yours truly and a handful of parents chilling in the crosswind were feeling confident the boys were building on last week's 20-6 win over Clarkstown.
The euphoria was brutally ended.
In the first quarter, Gorton scored first as a result of a blooped White Plains punt from their own 27 only traveled 20 yards, bounced to the near sideline, and was picked up by a Gorton returner who tightroped down the sideline to the Tiger 7. Alex Silver then went off tackle for 7 yards and the touchdown. The kick put Gorton up 7-0 at the end of the First Quarter.
White Plains next series was stalled and after their punt, Maurice Thomas recovered a Gorton fumble on the Wolf 27 yard line. Three runs gave them a 4th and 3 on the Gorton 22. Mike Howard scampered around right end for a first down on the Gorton 15. An illegal procedure (motion) penalty – an all-too-common event this season on the Tigers moved them back to the 20. With a 3rd and 16 on the Gorton 21, Mike Howard dropped back to pass, was chased in the grasp of a defender, ducked him and rambled up the middle eluding tacklers for 19 yards to the 1 yard line. On second and goal, Mike Quarterback-snuck into the end zone. His point attempt was low, but still at 7-6, with 5 minutes to go in the half, hey, White Plains was in the game.
For one minute.
After the kickoff, Gorton went back in business at their 30. A run got them to the 47. A late hit by White Plains – another far too common error by WP this year, tacked on 10 yards on to a Gorton gain, giving the Wolves a first down on the Tiger 33. Then the game unraveled. On the first play, Gorton’s runner was stopped at the line of scrimmage coming around left end , but slipped the tackle! He swept to the Tiger 10 where a Tiger had another shot at him and that was missed. Touchdown! Gorton added the point and lead, 14-6 at 4 minutes to go in the half.
OK. It happens. Gorton kicks off.
On the first play from the Tiger 20, there’s a fumble on the snap and Gorton recovers! On their first down play their receiver slips behind the Tiger deep man on the 5 yard wrests the ball away from him and whirls into the endzone for another 6 points at 3:10. The kick is good and White Plains is in shock, 21-6 Gorton. Two touchdowns in two minutes!
Gorton kicks off again. White Plains on their first play from the 10, fumbles again. Gorton recovers and the Wolves throw another touchdown pass and kick to make it 27-6 at the half. Three minutes to forget, if you are White Plains. The team has had several horrendous sequences like this during the season.
Each team added a touchdown in the second half, but this game was gone in three minutes to forget in the second quarter.
The Tigers fall to 3 and 6 on the season, with three weeks before their Thanksgiving Day game with Stepinac, where hopefully next season begins.
As of today, the turf is not yet laid on the Parker Stadium, but Landtec, the firm building the new Parker Stadium has 18 days to get the Field Turf down so they can play a football game at Parker Stadium. Hopefully Landtek will not fumble.
