Attica marches down field in fourth quarter vs Trojans in order to capture huge league win
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Saturday, September 19, 2015 | BataviasBest.org
A game for the ages.
That’s what we will all remember from the absolute slobberknocker between Attica Football and Alexander last night at Alexander High School.
With two sound football teams displaying the utmost grit and determination for the entirety of forty eight minutes, while also putting forth some of the most-physical play I have seen on the field this season – this is surely a game those in attendance will never forget.
Despite Attica walking away with a key 20-13 win on Friday night (I predicted 21-14), The Battle for Route 98 began with Alexander in complete control for much of the first three quarters.
Both sides endured slow starts offensively to begin this unforgettable affair, as after the first 16:00 of the game – neither team had been able to muster points of any kind. However, at the 8:46 mark of the second quarter, Alexander was able to crack the seal as QB Jared Browne connected with tight end Dustin Schmeider who galloped 15 yards in order to score the game’s first touchdown. Following a successful PAT – the Trojans took the game’s first lead 7-0.
Following the score Attica would take over on offense, but their offensive struggles had not yet appeared to dissipate – and they were forced to quickly punt the football back to Alexander just minutes after they regained possession. Despite the tough time they were having offensively, however, the Blue Devils would finally catch a break shortly after taking the field on defense.
The first of many fumbles on the night, Alexander immediately coughed the ball up to begin their possession following the punt – and with the Blue Devils recovering – the road team was now set up with a sound chance of tying the ballgame with 6:34 left in the first half.
What looked like a promising opportunity, though, quickly turned into disaster for Attica’s offense. On the very first play of their drive, they too would fumble the football and Alexander would be the team to fall on it this time around.
Now, with the ball in the Trojans’ possession on their own 20, the Alexander offense would look to go 80 yards in order to extend their lead to two scores. Yet, despite the gift they received on the fumble, the Trojans shot themselves in the foot with several penalties on the ensuing drive – including one that rescinded an 80-yard Wozniak touchdown run – and failed to increase their advantage as a missed field goal quelled the once-promising drive.
As Attica regained possession at about their 30-yard line, it seemed to be a ‘now or never’ situation for the Blue Devils as time was beginning to tick under 4:00 remaining in the half. Without regard to the situation, though, Attica again turned the ball over as the Trojans’ Dane Heberlein picked off a Damian Marchetti pass to give Alexander back possession with one last chance to increase their lead going into halftime.
Finding it difficult to keep up with the incredible amount of possession changes? Yeah, I was too…but I digress.
Now, with the Trojans possessing the ball on the Attica 36-yard line after the turnover, they would look to (who else) but Jake Wozniak to lead them to the end zone. In spite of his best efforts in doing so, however, Alexander would again screw the pooch, having another of their running back’s touchdown runs called back by a penalty with time winding down in the half.
Following a few more plays for minimal gain, Alexander was now faced with a 4th and 6 – and elected to attempt a field goal which would have given them a two-score advantage. However, the Trojans went on to miss the field goal, their second miss of the half, and the two teams entered the halftime break with the score 7-0 in Alexander’s favor.
One quick side note from the first half, I believe an Attica player was ejected very early on during last night’s game for a hit to the head on a Trojans player. The ref was overhead telling the Blue Devils’ head coach Rob Cusmano, who vehemently opposed the decision to toss his player, that the ejected athlete had “tried to injure” the Alexander player. Now, the play in question happened to occur directly in front of me along the Alexander sideline, and although it was a nasty hit which should have warranted, at least, a warning – especially with the increased focus on safety in football – I am not as certain that the Attica player should have actually been ejected from the game if that was indeed the case (which I am almost certain that it was the case).
Anyway, as the third quarter began after the break, and Attica took the field offensively, miscues on part of the Blue Devils’ offense – which had plagued them for much of the first half – had seemed to linger into the second half.
On the very first play from scrimmage in the second half, Alexander’s Browne (playing defensive back) made a great read on a Marchetti pass down the Attica sideline. From his safety position, Browne read the eyes of the quarterback, reacted, and came up with the big interception in order to gain possession for his team. It was a good ball from Marchetti, but by telegraphing the throw right from the moment the ball was snapped, it allowed Browne to sneak over and come up with the turnover.
Now, as the ball went back to the Trojans at midfield, they would finally take advantage of the mistakes made by their opponent.
Following a hard-fought drive which moved the ball all the way down to the Attica two yard line, the Trojans’ Wozniak crossed the goal line for the first time in the game with 7:15 remaining in the third. The score was now 13-0 Alexander following the missed two-point conversion, and Attica would try it again on offense.
To begin the next possession following the ensuing kickoff, Attica elected to employ a formula that has worked well for them thus far in 2015: ‘Get the ball to RB Alex Piechocki’.
The formula seemed to work for the early part of the Devils’ drive, however, what was once filled with promise, the possession quickly came to a halt and they returned the ball to Alexander at about the 30-yard line of the Trojans with 5:10 left in the third quarter. The score remained 13-0 Alexander, and if the Trojan offense could muster another touchdown on the subsequent drive – the game would be all but over.
Be that as it may, the Blue Devils were not looking to give up quite yet.
Just a minute into the Trojans’ possession, Attica forced yet another fumble and fell on the football in order to earn their offense another shot at reaching pay dirt with 4:17 left until the fourth. This time around, after converting a big 4th and 14 (Marchetti-Snyder), the Blue Devils now had the ball at the 7-yard line of the Trojans with a great opportunity to cross the goal line. Seconds later they would do just that, as Piechocki pounded in a strong run of 5 yards in order to cut the score to 13-7 following the PAT.
With time winding down in the third quarter, we had ourselves a ballgame.
On the Trojans next possession, Attica would once again rise to the occasion defensively and stop the attack of their opponent following a short drive in order to force a punt. A fair catch from Marchetti on a nice kick from the Trojans punter would set up the Blue Devils drive start at their own 19-yard line with plenty of time left to go in the fourth quarter and the score 13-7 Trojans.
Looking to go 80-yards for the game-tying touchdown, the Attica offense put together a drive that they will surely remember for quite some time.
Pounding away at the weathered Alexander interior for about 10-straight plays, the Blue Devils were able to ‘matriculate’ the ball down the field for 75-yards in order to set themselves up with a first down inside the Alexander 10-yard line. Leading the way for the determined Attica offense throughout the drive was their workhorse Piechocki – who bulled his way to several strong runs in order to set up the potential game-tying score.
Now, with the ball inside the ten, it would be Piechocki again for Attica – this time crossing the goal line and tying the score 13-13, with Marchetti coming on to attempt the go-ahead point after.
On a perfect kick that split the uprights, Attica had now taken a 14-13 lead with 4:00 to go in the game (entire drive can be seen @BataviasBest on the Periscope live-stream App).
As the Trojans attempted to regain their composure after such a gut-wrenching turn of events late in the second half, they would now be faced with the task of driving down the field on a vaunted Attica defense in order to retake the lead.However, despite moving the ball considerably well to begin the drive, Alexander would eventually stall out and they would give the ball back to Attica with enough time to increase their one-point lead.
Taking advantage of the dejected Trojans defense on the ensuing drive, Attica would indeed increase their lead by scoring yet another second-half touchdown in order to push the tally to 20-13 – essentially clinching the seven-point win in what was thus far the Game of the Year for our area.
Having now suffered back-to-back losses in which they led for much of the game, it will likely be extremely tough for Alexander to overcome this defeat by game time next week. Games like these leave an incredibly poor taste in the losing team’s mouth – even more-so than a blowout loss would leave. In this case, Alexander had to have felt like they had this one, only to watch it slip away down the stretch. Heartbreaking.
On the other hand, for Attica, the complete opposite feeling must be saturating their thoughts throughout the day today. A game in which they trailed by two scores late in the second half, only to come back and win, will almost assuredly be the game they look back on as one of the high points of their season if they are to win the league yet again this year.
For Attica in victory, Levi Snyder had a great game defensively vs Alexander – recording 15 tackles, 1 sack, and 2 fumble recoveries. Also, Kyle Zawadski performed well defensively for the Blue Devils – totaling 13 tackles versus the Trojans on Friday night. Offensively for Attica, Alex Piechocki led the way with 122 yards rushing on 17 carries and 3 TDs.
For Alexander in defeat, QB Jared Browne finished 7/11 passing for 126 yards and a passing touchdown to Dustin Schmeider who finished with 3 catches for 87 yards and the aforementioned score. RB Jake Wozniak also put on a fine display through the running game for his team, amassing 142 yards and a TD run of 3 yards. Leading tackler for the Trojans was Zack Jasen with 10 total.
“It was a tough loss,” said Alexander head coach Timothy Sawyer following the game. “Penalties and missed opportunities really hurt us. Give Attica credit for hanging in there and battling until the end. They are a good team.”
As far as Attica head coach Rob Cusmano was concerned, he was proud of his team for doing just that- battling.
“The kids played great,” mentioned Cusmano following the win. “To score 20 unanswered points in the fourth quarter was great. Such a great comeback.”
All in all, the takeaways from this game are simple: these are two sound, physical football teams.
It’s understood that in the game of football one team has to lose, but it was sad to see one of these hard-working squads walk away in defeat on Friday night.
Next up for Attica (3-0) is another true test vs UPrep next week. Alexander (1-2) will take on Holley in Week 4.
Other articles you may like:
Friday’s High School Football Scoreboard (9/18/15): A total of 5 games tonight
Friday Night’s High School Football Photo Gallery
Attica Football @ Alexander – Scouting Report & Prediction – Which side will reign supreme?
