Football

Dawgs deluged by Delhi

Battle of the Bulldogs bore no resemblance to last year’s season opening win

By RICHARD A. ROSS

JEFFERSONVILLE, NY — What a difference a year makes.

On opening day a year ago, the Sullivan West Bulldogs traveled to Section 4’s Delhi and beat their namesakes 12-0. Delhi’s season went south from there (3-5), while Sullivan West went through Section Nine undefeated to take the Section Nine Class B title, before losing to Rye in a regional game in the state tournament.

Graduation decimated Sullivan West’s ranks and a decline in population dropped the champs to Class C.

Nevertheless, with returning running backs Jim Erlwein and Steve Daley providing veteran leadership, the 2005 team looked good in practice and at their recent scrimmage at Port Jervis.

Consequently, no one was prepared for the 62-6 thrashing that Sullivan West suffered at the hands of Delhi on September 3. Taking advantage of their size and speed, Delhi unleashed an unrelenting running attack that netted 400-plus yards on the ground, mostly courtesy of juniors Nate Rockefeller and Brenton Hood.

Things went south in a hurry for the local Dawgs after a high snap to Sullivan West punter Jim Moloney gave Delhi the ball early on at the Sullivan West 25. Shortly thereafter, Rockefeller rumbled 18 yards for Delhi’s first score. A two-point conversion quickly followed suit.

Delhi kept Sullivan West’s offense off the field, while their own running attack tore off huge patches of green. Hood’s 36-yard-touchdown run and his subsequent conversion made it 16-0 in the first quarter. Inexperience on the D-line led to several Sullivan West encroachment penalties, and poor tackling allowed Delhi runners to break free with startling regularity. Hood scored his second TD on a nine-yard burst with three and a half minutes left in the half. Quarterback Pat O’Connell added two more points with a keeper on the conversion.

Finally, Sullivan West got on the board just before halftime after wideout Donald Cooper hauled in 30-yard pass from Moloney to the one-yard line. Jim Erlwein plowed across the goal line and the teams headed to the locker room with Delhi leading 24-6.

Unfortunately, the second half saw things go from bad to worse as Delhi gained confidence and momentum behind their fearsome attack. Sullivan West’s poor tackling on the second half’s opening kickoff gave Delhi way too little ground needed to score again. In less than three minutes, Rockefeller had scored his second TD, this one an 11-yarder. With the conversion Delhi led 32-6.

After a brief encounter on offense, Sullivan West punted. Unfortunately, it took Delhi only three plays to go 72 yards and Hood scored his third TD by breaking off a 30-yard jaunt. Things unraveled further as Hood scored again, followed by an O’Connell two-point keeper, making the score 48-6.

And it wasn’t over yet.

In the fourth quarter, Delhi’s Pat DeSantis picked off a Moloney pass and ran it back 50 yards. Tyler Aitkens iced the cake with a four-yard TD run to complete the 62-6 rout.

“We made a lot of major mistakes,” Sullivan West’s coach Ron Bauer said, “including having our linebackers coming too far in and being driven out of the play. We’ve got some hard work ahead of us.”

High points for Sullivan West included pass receptions by Cooper, Erlwein and Steve Daley, an interception by newcomer Paul Pitz and some good tackling by freshman John Whittaker.

The loss may actually be a blessing in disguise. Last year Tri-Valley was pummeled 62-0 on opening day by Walton, but recovered their composure and went on to win the Section Nine Class C title.

Sullivan West will have to learn a lot in a hurry.

As for Delhi, the 2001 Class C state champs, after pushing around Chenango Forks, Oxford and East Corning in a scrimmage this past week coupled with their convincing win this weekend over Sullivan West, look like they’ve reloaded for a major run.

Sullivan West (0-1) will try to regroup against Class B Liberty (0-1), who was shut out by Highland this past weekend.