Football

Reimer leads Sullivan West to huge league win over Ellenville in season opener

By RICHARD A. ROSS

LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — When it comes to first games of the season and especially league frays with playoff implications down the line, the team that makes the fewest mistakes is most likely to win. Great players who make plays in key moments also define big games.

On September 5, Sullivan West overcame some first-game issues to ride an unbelievable performance by senior quarterback Brad Reimer to down new league rival Ellenville 41-19.

The match up was a key one and no doubt there were jitters aplenty on both sides.

Each team made its fair share of blunders, but Reimer righted his team’s ship making a statement about the looming Class C wars to come.

Sullivan West won the toss and elected to receive. With a host of talent onboard, the Dawgs hoped to rock things early. Instead, they dropped the rock on a pitch to Dan Figueroa in their first series and Ellenville recovered inside the Bulldogs’ 10.

But the Dawgs’ staunch defense held fast and the Westies got the ball back after the Blue Devils whiffed on a fourth-down pass play.

Ellenville had to contend with the Bulldogs’ defense that hit hard and often. Meanwhile, Reimer began his acquisition of three rushing touchdowns, two TD passes, 19 carries for 180 yards and an eight for 19 throwing line that netted another 186 yards. Reimer accounted for 366 yards of the Dawgs’ offense. He showed ironman grit, playing nearly every minute of the game.

Late in the first quarter a big run by Reimer and a pass to Figueroa threatened to break the scoreless tie as the first quarter ended. A pass to Mike Schmidt led to a two-yard touchdown by Nick Mootz. Artie Norden’s PAT made it 7-0.

Ellenville’s bad snap to quarterback Sebastian Constable was recovered by Sullivan West’s Vaughn Schlott at the Westies’ 35. A 61-yard pass play from Reimer to Figueroa set up Reimer’s four-yard TD run. Norden missed the PAT and Sullivan West led 13-0. But the tide began to shift as Sullivan West took its turn on botching things up.

Ellenville QB Sebastian Constable scrambled away from a tackle behind the line of scrimmage and sent a pass downfield to Jonathan Logan. Reimer and Figueroa both went for the ball, which sailed over their heads. Logan caught it for a 62-yard completion and senior Donald Exner carried it in with 4:34 to go to cut the lead to 13-7 with the Devils’ perfect PAT. Then the Dawgs yielded a 60-yard punt return touchdown by Logan, as tacklers failed to wrap him up. The PAT was blocked but the Blue Devils had tied the score.

at 2:19. A couple of Reimer keepers got the ball to the Devils’ 32. With 8.5 seconds left in the half, Reimer hit Norden on a 21-yard pass to make it 19-13. The Blue Devils looked stunned when he hit Mike Schmidt between the numbers for the two-point conversion.

Heading into halftime, the Dawgs led 21-13.

Ellenville used its running game at the outset of the third quarter. Eric Thayer and Exner got it to the five. Logan carried it in from there at 7:50 to make it 21-19, but a Constable pass for the two-point conversion was partially deflected by Tyler Wagner and the Dawgs maintained the lead.

Mootz and Reimer carried the ball in the next series that ended with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Schmidt with 2:56 remaining in the third quarter to make it 27-19. Norden’s PAT made the lead nine at 28-19. The Blue Devils needed two scores but got none for the rest of the night.

Reimer galloped 43 yards to the 18 as the third quarter ended. At 10:22 of the fourth quarter, he ran it in from the 10 to make it 34-19. Norden’s PAT sailed wide.

Sullivan West’s Chris Wagner recovered another Constable fumble on an exchange, but the Westies didn’t capitalize. Ellenville took over on downs but an interception by Tyler Wagner ended any threat. Wagner returned the ball 47 yards to the Ellenville 37. Reimer advanced it 16 yards to the 21.

On a fourth and nine, junior Chris Murphy ran 20 yards for a first down to the four. A holding penalty only forestalled Reimer’s 10-yard touchdown run. Norden’s PAT made it 41-19.

Sullivan West coach Ron Bauer was pleased with the effort but both he and assistant Norm Bauer pointed to the need for better blocking. “We took a gigantic step tonight,” said the younger Bauer, now a line coach serving under his uncle, “but we gave up 19 points and that’s way too much.”

Ellenville coach Tony Borriello winced when talking about the first opportunity that Ellenville failed to capitalize on. By comparison, he felt that Sullivan West took advantage of Ellenville’s weaknesses. He praised the play of Reimer and Figueroa.

Ellenville’s drought against Sullivan West continued with this loss. Borriello’s team has never beaten Tri-Valley either, their next league opponent. They face the Bears in Ellenville on September 12. “We have to be able to execute much better next week and throw a better ball,” he said.

Figueroa helped the cause with 108 yards worth of receptions. He carried the ball seven times for 52 yards. Exner had a pair of touchdowns for Ellenville (0-1, 0-1 OCIAA). Sullivan West is 1-0, 1-0 OCIAA.

Visit riverreportersports.com for an album of game photos.