Football

Soldiers’ field

Bulldogs prevail in grueling air and ground league war versus iron Indians

By RICHARD A. ROSS

LIBERTY, NY — This is a salute to the football soldiers from Liberty and Sullivan West, all save one of whom came adorned in their uniforms, their helmets and pads to fight a crucial battle on September 13.

The soldier without the football gear was 2008 Liberty grad Trevor Tomkins, who kept stats while he inwardly counts the days. Tomkins is about to exchange his former football combat for the more serious calling of the United States Marine Corps.

Last year’s football MVP and Male Athlete of the Year reports to Paris Island for basic training on September 22, where the toughness and dedication he evinced on the gridiron should prepare him well for the rigorous training of the Marines.

Tompkins can’t wait.

Following Sullivan West’s sterling 26-13 win over Liberty, Tompkins was presented with the game ball by school board president Dave Burke and vice president Mike McGuire, while high school principal Jack Strassman looked on with pride.

Earlier, Tompkins’ warrior brother Brandon was earning respect from all present with his on-the-field heroics.

Sidelined for much of last season with an injury, Brandon Tompkins has stepped in to provide the same fire and leadership shown by his valiant brother. “If we had 10 Brandons on the field last year, we might have been in contention for a state championship,” said Liberty coach Jim O’Connor after the game.

Tompkins carried the ball 24 times for 159 yards as he broke tackles, dodged, juked and lurched in the attempt to give his team a win. On the opposite side of the ball, Tompkins contributed 12 tackles trying to stop a tough Sullivan West squad led by soldiers of its own.

Renewed league rivals, Liberty and Sullivan West quickly put last week’s games in the rearview mirror. Liberty not only lost to Delhi last week, it also lost its star fullback Ryan VanLieu, gone for the season with a torn ACL. Meanwhile, Sullivan West had a convincing victory over Ellenville.

Liberty has yet to contend with Ellenville, as it vies for a berth in the playoffs in late October. Scouts from Tri-Valley, who will face Liberty in two weeks, looked on with a sense of urgency, following its resounding 34-8 loss to Ellenville the night before.

Liberty won the toss and elected to defer; the Dawgs bared their teeth and nearly scored on their first drive.

Liberty schemed to stop quarterback Brad Reimer and gain the upper hand. They limited his yardage but not his scoring. He ran for three touchdowns of 23, five and 21 yards and carried the ball 17 times for 85 yards. Liberty’s pass rush gave the Bulldogs problems as Reimer completed only two of 12 passes for 11 yards.

But Liberty had issues stopping Dan Figueroa. His 17 carries for 175 yards and one TD were the difference. “We had a lot of trouble stopping that jet sweep,” said O’Connor, whose team, without VanLieu, made it a one-touchdown game most of the way, until a late Reimer gallop put the game out of reach.

Liberty had seriously threatened to tie or win the game on its possession before Reimer’s last score, but a chop block/unsportsmanlike penalty cost it valuable yardage as it was knocking at the door with a pass from Chris Lake to Steve Hewlett that would have placed it in striking distance.

Sullivan West faces daunting league foe Millbrook at home on September 19, and will have to reckon with Section Nine’s leading rusher in Nick Finger and his 100-meter state champion running back D.J. Cummings. The Westies had better get a pass rush in place, too, in case Millbrook decides to go airborne. The following week, the Westies (2-0, 1-0 OCIAA) get another league game as they travel to Pine Plains.

Liberty plays a non-league game at Chester before hosting Tri-Valley on homecoming weekend in a must-win for both teams.

Sullivan West coach Ron Bauer praised Liberty’s tireless effort. “We used double coverage but those pass plays put them back in the ball game. Tompkins played hard.” Bauer noted that Liberty did a good job of keying in on Reimer, but said that gave Figueroa a chance to break out.

O’Connor said, “Brad Reimer and company are a force to be reckoned with. Turning to his own squad, O’Connor testified to their outstanding play as he enumerated player after player.

Game highlights

Indians stop Dawgs at the 10 on their first drive.

Sullivan West’s Mark Tesseyman recovers a fumble. Reimer’s 23-yard TD run with 3:00 to go in the first quarter and Artie Norden’s PAT give the Westies a 7-0 lead.

Figueroa’s 31-yard jaunt sets up a Reimer’s five yards TD with 3:17 remaining in the second quarter. Norden’s PAT makes it 14-0.

Indian QB Chris Lake hits Ivan Rivera with a 22-yard pass and then another for 51 yards for a quick Liberty strike. Liberty now trails 14-7, following Nelson Saravia’s successful PAT with 2:22 remaining in the half.

Liberty’s defense gets the ball back, helped by an untimely block in the back penalty assessed against the Dawgs. With 34 seconds left, Liberty scrambles to get another. Rivera comes up just shy of a TD pass reception as time expires. The Dawgs lead 14-7 at the half.

Liberty starts the third quarter with a Rivera reception and big Tompkins carry. Sullivan West holds Liberty out until fourth down, when Connor Hinton scores a one-yard TD. The snap on the conversion goes awry. Dawgs lead 14-13 with 4:39 remaining in the third quarter.

The Dawgs bark back as Figueroa runs the kickoff to the Liberty 41. Reimer and Mootz advance the pigskin. Ryan Alsdorf in for one play, hands off to Figueroa for a 12-yard TD with 2:17 to go. Norden’s PAT sails wide and the score stays dangerously close at 20-13.

Forcing Liberty into a three and out, the Dawgs threaten again. Figueroa runs 27 yards and Mootz gets a first at the 15. A block in the back causes the Dawgs to be pushed back. Reimer uncorks a deep touchdown pass to Schmidt. A block below the waist calls the TD back.

On its last major series, a cut block/unsportsmanlike penalty deflates Liberty. Reimer gallops 21 yards for the game’s final score. The PAT sails awry; the Dawgs hold on for the 26-13 win after Reimer picks off a desperation pass by Lake.

The Dawgs take a knee as Liberty players vow that the war will continue in the playoffs.

Sullivan West rushing: Reimer 17/85, three TDs; Figueroa, 17/175 and a TD, Mootz, 8/44. John Whittaker was the team’s leading tackler with 12. Erlwein had 11, while Mootz and Tyler Wagner recorded nine and eight respectively.

Liberty rushing: Tompkins, 24/250. Chris Lake completed 14 passes for 181 yards. Ivan Rivera had a 51-yard TD reception and Connor Hinton had a one-yard TD run.

Visit www.riverreportersports.com for more game details and an album of pictures.