Football

The razor’s edge

Chester wins a sectional stunner on Eldred’s last minute miscue

By RICHARD A. ROSS

KINGSTON, NY - In the course of our lives, we make key split-second decisions, some of which may have life-altering consequences.

While perfection is a hallmark of saints and angels, mortals are fallible and our decisions don’t always pan out.

Eldred’s outstanding quarterback Nick McCormick experienced that painful reality when his split-second decision to throw a pass with a minute left in the Class D title game delivered the victory into the hands of Chester.

Darren Mann’s dramatic interception turned what appeared to be an imminent Eldred victory into a Chester title as Eldred fell one yard shy of recording back-to-back Section Nine titles.

For the past four years McCormick’s stellar play has been a mainstay of Eldred’s success. His work ethic, relentless competitive desire and skills were part and parcel of Eldred’s remarkable comeback from a 20-0 deficit.

But on life’s razor’s edge, the narrowest margin exists between success and failure, victory and defeat and, even, life and death. The tragic recent death of a Livingston Manor teenager and the critical injury to a LMR star football player in a high-speedtraffic accident has made that reality all too clear. Decisions that go awry will always lead to the painful pondering of “what ifs.”

Reckoning with defeat in a football game is by no means akin to dealing with a tragic death. As with everything in life, it is important to keep one’s perspective.

Despite its melodramatic finish, this was a football game, an important one to be sure, but a game nonetheless.

You’ve heard it said a million times: anything can happen in a football game. Eldred and Chester proved that maxim true in the Class D title game that Chester won, 20-14, on November 3 in the most unlikely fashion imaginable.

With his team poised at the one-yard line, down by six points but with a first down and still a minute left on the clock, McCormick rolled out right and threw what he envisioned as the game-winning touchdown pass to Kojo Williams. He could have chosen to hand the ball off to either of his hard-charging backs, Kevin Prunka or Hilton Johnson. Both had become unstoppable since the exit of injured Chester cornerbacks Kevin Jones and Mike Schmidlein.

Amid the sound and the fury, McCormick either failed to see coach Frank Kean’s signal to run the ball into the two hole or else chose to do otherwise. Contrary to an article published on the day of the game in The Times Herald-Record that created the impression that McCormick runs the show, the coach still controls the team. But McCormick had authored the comeback and the closing drive and, with the clock running down and no time outs left, he called that play that would have made him a hero had it succeeded.

In an instant that will reside in the memory of the Chester players and fans who were staring down the barrel of their second consecutive title loss to Eldred, and Yellowjacket players and fans, who were poised to celebrate a comeback win, McCormick’s pass was intercepted by an alert Mann and Chester hung on for the win.

Great football games rarely proceed in a linear fashion. They are made up of shifts in momentum, key plays and defining moments that alter the course and affect the outcome. In this game, both Chester and Eldred had their moments to shine and key plays ultimately tipped the balance in Chester’s favor.

Chester’s 14-0 lead at halftime was surprising given the fact that the Hambletonians racked up eight penalties. But Chester did two things right. They stopped Eldred twice on fourth downs and parlayed a pair of Eldred turnovers into eventual scores.

Eldred received to start the game and got its ground attack underway with Kevin Prunka taking the first four carries for a total of 22 yards. Chester stopped a fourth-and-one attempt to stymie Eldred’s first drive.

Two penalties on their first drive did Chester in, but they got the ball back on downs, a second time on a failed Eldred fourth-and-11 on their own 37.

Eldred’s defense held fast and the Yellowjackets were on the move when Chester’s Joe Salthouse picked off a McCormick pass at the Chester 45 at the start of the second quarter. Eldred stopped Chester at the two-yard line in what could have been a game-turner, but Hilton Johnson dropped a screen pass that would have gotten the Yellowjackets away from their own end zone. Instead, a trio of Eldred penalties got them backed up and gave Chester good field position after the punt.

A Salthouse keeper, an Eldred encroachment penalty and an 18-yard tipped touchdown (TD) pass to Darren Mann translated into a 6-0 Chester lead with 2:49 to go in the half. Defensive back Compasso had gone for an interception in the end zone but sent it right into Mann’s eager hands. The two-point conversion failed.

Eldred made matters worse. After Prunka got hurt and temporarily left the game, Johnson fumbled and Chester’s Alex Pia recovered it. Eldred abetted Chester with a pass interference call that moved the ball to the Eldred 39. Mann got behind the Eldred secondary and caught Salthouse’s perfectly thrown pass that put the ball at the one-yard line. Salthouse carried it in from there, and added a two-point conversion run as Chester left the field at halftime up 14-0.

Coach Frank Kean gave a resounding speech at halftime and Eldred resolved to make the second half its time to shine. But first, Mike Schmidlein had something to say. Section Nine’s leading rusher and scorer made his statement in the form of a 65-yard touchdown run with only 1:05 gone by in the third quarter to make it 20-0 as the two point conversion failed.

Eldred had seen enough. The hive went into action and held Chester scoreless the rest of the way.

The Yellowjackets unveiled a monstrous running attack that netted huge chunks of turf and, ultimately, a pair of touchdowns. Eldred’s first drive stalled, but Chester added on penalties number nine and 10 and punted it back. A revitalized Prunka scored on a 25-yard breakaway run to make it 20-6 with 3:04 remaining in the third quarter. The drive covered 35 yards in five plays, but the two-point conversion failed.

Another penalty thwarted Chester’s progress and gave Eldred another quick chance. Runs by Chris Leader, an illegal substitution penalty against Chester (that’s 11 now), a nice run by Prunka and a 10-yard TD catch by Kojo Williams made it 20-12 with 8:39 remaining in the fourth. Leader took the two-point run in and it was 20-14.

A great punt pinned Chester at its own five. The drive stalled after only one first down and Eldred got it back on the Chester 43. Johnson got five yards and Schmidlein left the game with an injured shoulder with about five minutes to go. A McCormick 13-yard keeper and a 15-yard run by Prunka were good for first downs. But Chester’s defense stopped Eldred inches short at the 15 on a fourth-and-three to get the ball back. Without Schmidlein, the Hambletonians could do nothing on offense. They added their 12th penalty, a delay of game.

Eldred got a new life on one more chance. Compaso returned the Chester punt to the Chester 27. On first down, McCormick threw a perfect strike to Compasso in the end zone, which bounced off his shoulder pads. He had beaten his defender by 10 yards and it looked as if Eldred had used its last bullet. A pass to Williams was complete but left Eldred with a fourth and six on the 24 with only 1:24 remaining.

Charitable Chester helped out with a pass interference call. With a first down on the 12, Prunka burst toward the pylon and got stopped at the one. Then the veteran McCormick crossed up everyone except Mann, who made the game-saving interception. A mortified McCormick was too shaken to speak.

“I’ll remember this for the rest of my life,” he muttered.

Even the greatest quarterbacks have made plays they wished they could undo. Williams told an inconsolable McCormick in the locker room, “You’re the one who got us here, Nick.”

Williams was right. Eldred’s great success over the past four years was due in great part to the stellar play of the fine quarterback. That success included two league titles and last year’s Section Nine crown.

Schmidlein was chosen as the game’s offensive MVP. Teammate Mike Benison, a linebacker, was chosen as defensive MVP.

Chester coach Ron Stover was overwhelmed by the win.

“Now we can put that banner back on the wall,” he told his team.

Asked if he felt his team had gotten out to a commanding lead over Eldred, he hastily answered, “No way. These kids can come back like lions. Look what they did here tonight.”

Kean was philosophical about the loss.

“Life goes on,” he said. “Sometimes things are just not fated to be. People will remember what Nick did on that last play, but unfortunately some will forget all of the great things he did for the past four years.”

Speaking of great accomplishments, enough cannot be said about the play of Mike Schmidlein. It is a privilege to see a runner of his ilk, a competitor of his caliber or a person of his character.

Schmidlein rushed 18 times for 117 yards to lead the Hambletonians (8-2). With 1,933 yards this season and his injury, he may not get the chance next week to break the 2,000-yard mark. Meanwhile, Salthouse completed four-of-nine passes for 70 yards. Mann had two catches for 56 yards and Jones had two-for-14 before he was injured.

For Eldred, Prunka picked up 139 yards on 28 carries. McCormick, playing with a sore shoulder, completed four-of-19 passes that netted just 21 yards. Kojo Williams had two receptions for 17 yards.

Chester will now take on Tuckahoe at Dietz Stadium November 10 at 3:30 p.m. Eldred finished its season at 8-2.

Visit riverreportersports.com for an album of title game photos.