CENTRAL SQUARE - In a low scoring game, it's all about the big play.
Glenn Gaston / Special to The Citizen
Members of the Weedsport football team lift their helmets in the air showing their team unity after falling to Watertown IHC.
Members of the Weedsport football team lift their helmets in the air showing their team unity after falling to Watertown IHC.
In a Section III, Class D semifinal on Saturday, No. 4-seeded Watertown IHC made the big plays and got the right bounces to come away with a 14-8 win over No. 8-seeded and defending state champion Weedsport.
“As far as the kids go, it's so hard on them because they work so hard,” said Weedsport coach Jason Trousdale. “They wanted to get back to the Dome so bad and go as far as they possible could. Honestly, coming into this season, I know we lost a lot of guys but I really thought that we did have a shot and maybe even win the state championship again. Sometimes the ball bounces the wrong way. Maybe if the ball bounces the right way for us maybe we win the football game and go on.”
The Cavaliers controlled their opportunities right until the last minute, when Nunzio Doldo ripped off a 50-yard run to stifle any chances of a late Warrior rally.
The irony is not lost on Trousdale, who was an assistant coach on the 2004 state champion.
“Last year, it seemed like we had all the breaks,” he said. “The Little Falls game - they fumbled the ball three times inside our 20 (last season in the semis). Right there, they could have beat us. I'm not saying we have a better football than IHC, but sometime the best football team doesn't win.”
Watertown IHC started its scoring courtesy of a Doldo run that set up his 2-yard score in the second quarter. Weedsport fumbled the ensuing kickoff, setting up another touchdown run by Doldo to put the Cavaliers up 14-0.
The Warriors bounced back quickly, as Nick Van Wie zipped down the sidelines for a 51-yard run on an option play, and scored the two-point conversion on a run to cut the deficit to 14-8. It was the most successful option run of the night for Weedsport, who has used the play as a staple of its offense.
“That was the game,” said quarterback Mike Coolbaugh. “There were no real long drives, if you look at each scoring drive. They had a long run to set up a short touchdown. Big plays were a key part in this, and I think that the way we got our key plays was on the outside, our blocking on the outside. Once it got slick out it took away our big-play capability because when we tried to get outside we'd slip.”
After the break, the Warriors poised to rally. After stopping IHC on the third quarter's first possession, Weedsport drove 71 yards on a clock-eating drive to set up a 2nd-and-seven at the IHC 24.
Coolbaugh dropped back to pass, but was intercepted by Corey Boulio, who was left open after Van Wie slipped on the slick turf.
Weedsport quickly regained possession on an IHC fumble recovered by John Mietz and drove into the redzone. But on 4th-and-three, Doldo stopped Van Wie well short of the first down.
With less than four minutes remaining in regulation, the Warriors needed a quick stop to regain possession. It looked like the Weedsport defense had done its job, pinning IHC at its own 17-yard line with a 3rd-and-11. But on the ensuing play, Coolbaugh was called for pass interference on Cavalier Tyler Pound.
The penalty gave IHC a first down at its 32, and set up a Doldo run to the Weedsport 5. After running one play to chew up the clock, the Cavaliers took two knees to end it.
“Our line play, Nick Van Wie, wide receivers and quarterbacks, everybody made big plays to keep us in the game but we shot ourselves in the foot a couple of times,” said Warrior inside linebacker Mike Maltese.
The loss was a difficult one for a somber group of Warrior seniors.
But Coolbaugh, a senior, who has been Weedsport's quarterback since he was a sophomore, shared his sentiments.
“I'd just like to add that I love playing with every single one of those guys on my team and I love playing for my coaches,” he said. “They're great coaches, they're great guys. Those guys on the team just gave it their all and I'm proud of them.”
Section III, Class D Semifinal
Watertown IHC 14,
Weedsport 8
Weedsport 0 8 0 0 - 8
W-town IHC 0 14 0 0 - 14
IHC - Doldo 1 run (Lazore kick)
IHC - Doldo 21 run (lazore kick)
W-port - VanWie 49 run (VanWie run)
“As far as the kids go, it's so hard on them because they work so hard,” said Weedsport coach Jason Trousdale. “They wanted to get back to the Dome so bad and go as far as they possible could. Honestly, coming into this season, I know we lost a lot of guys but I really thought that we did have a shot and maybe even win the state championship again. Sometimes the ball bounces the wrong way. Maybe if the ball bounces the right way for us maybe we win the football game and go on.”
The Cavaliers controlled their opportunities right until the last minute, when Nunzio Doldo ripped off a 50-yard run to stifle any chances of a late Warrior rally.
The irony is not lost on Trousdale, who was an assistant coach on the 2004 state champion.
“Last year, it seemed like we had all the breaks,” he said. “The Little Falls game - they fumbled the ball three times inside our 20 (last season in the semis). Right there, they could have beat us. I'm not saying we have a better football than IHC, but sometime the best football team doesn't win.”
Watertown IHC started its scoring courtesy of a Doldo run that set up his 2-yard score in the second quarter. Weedsport fumbled the ensuing kickoff, setting up another touchdown run by Doldo to put the Cavaliers up 14-0.
The Warriors bounced back quickly, as Nick Van Wie zipped down the sidelines for a 51-yard run on an option play, and scored the two-point conversion on a run to cut the deficit to 14-8. It was the most successful option run of the night for Weedsport, who has used the play as a staple of its offense.
“That was the game,” said quarterback Mike Coolbaugh. “There were no real long drives, if you look at each scoring drive. They had a long run to set up a short touchdown. Big plays were a key part in this, and I think that the way we got our key plays was on the outside, our blocking on the outside. Once it got slick out it took away our big-play capability because when we tried to get outside we'd slip.”
After the break, the Warriors poised to rally. After stopping IHC on the third quarter's first possession, Weedsport drove 71 yards on a clock-eating drive to set up a 2nd-and-seven at the IHC 24.
Coolbaugh dropped back to pass, but was intercepted by Corey Boulio, who was left open after Van Wie slipped on the slick turf.
Weedsport quickly regained possession on an IHC fumble recovered by John Mietz and drove into the redzone. But on 4th-and-three, Doldo stopped Van Wie well short of the first down.
With less than four minutes remaining in regulation, the Warriors needed a quick stop to regain possession. It looked like the Weedsport defense had done its job, pinning IHC at its own 17-yard line with a 3rd-and-11. But on the ensuing play, Coolbaugh was called for pass interference on Cavalier Tyler Pound.
The penalty gave IHC a first down at its 32, and set up a Doldo run to the Weedsport 5. After running one play to chew up the clock, the Cavaliers took two knees to end it.
“Our line play, Nick Van Wie, wide receivers and quarterbacks, everybody made big plays to keep us in the game but we shot ourselves in the foot a couple of times,” said Warrior inside linebacker Mike Maltese.
The loss was a difficult one for a somber group of Warrior seniors.
But Coolbaugh, a senior, who has been Weedsport's quarterback since he was a sophomore, shared his sentiments.
“I'd just like to add that I love playing with every single one of those guys on my team and I love playing for my coaches,” he said. “They're great coaches, they're great guys. Those guys on the team just gave it their all and I'm proud of them.”
Section III, Class D Semifinal
Watertown IHC 14,
Weedsport 8
Weedsport 0 8 0 0 - 8
W-town IHC 0 14 0 0 - 14
IHC - Doldo 1 run (Lazore kick)
IHC - Doldo 21 run (lazore kick)
W-port - VanWie 49 run (VanWie run)
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