Football

Home rule

Homecoming, football alums and a rout of Chester make for fun as Dawgs now are 5-0

By RICHARD A. ROSS

LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — Football past and present reigned supreme on October 4 as Sullivan West rolled to a heady 47-0 win over Chester. Now 5-0, the Dawgs rode the enthusiastic Homecoming Weekend crowd energy amped up for the game, the honoring of the team’s seniors, and a unique halftime celebration honoring former gridiron stars from the ‘nine’ years from 1949 to 1999.

Organized by Gridiron Club president Bonnie Schlott and booster Bill Moloney, the word went out to players from Delaware Valley, Jeff-Youngsville and Narrowsburg who were members of the teams from the aforementioned years.

At halftime, the former players came out to midfield to greet this year’s homecoming queen Sara Alsdorf. King John Whittaker soon retired to the locker room in preparation for the rest of the game.

Prior to the game, this year’s seniors presented flowers to their parents. They included Vaughn Schlott, Nick Mootz, Tyler Wagner, Chris Wagner, John Whittaker and cheerleader Victoria Tyles.

Sullivan West kicked off to Chester and the Hambletonians quickly learned they were in rabid Dawg territory as Tyler Wagner recorded a resounding hit on Chester’s Tyler Dieudonne on the kickoff.

Chester went three and out and punted. Four plays later, Brad Reimer took off on a 37-yard romp to make it 6-0 at 8:02 of the first quarter. The PAT was short.

A Chester fumble was recovered by Gabe LaGrutta and the Dawgs responded with 61-yard TD run by Dan Figueroa.

A two-point conversion pass was overthrown. The Dawgs led 12-0 with 5:52 left in the first quarter.

Penalties marred an otherwise dominant night, helping Chester in the first half to free yardage. But the defense stiffened and Chester never really posed a serious threat.

Mootz, Reimer and Figueroa advanced the pigskin before Reimer took off for an 18-yarder with 24 seconds left in the first quarter to make it 18-0. He carried in the conversion and the Dawgs were coasting at 20-0.

Later, Reimer rolled out and threw up a 55-yard Hail Mary pass that Figueroa reigned in at the 15.

Mootz carried the football in from the five and the Dawgs led 27-0 as Artie Norden added a PAT at 7:48.

Meanwhile, Chester QB was getting personal greeting calls from Chris Wagner, Tyler Wagner and Mike Schmidt.

The first half ended with a 66-yard touchdown pass to Figueroa. The PAT failed and the Dawgs retired to the locker room leading 33-0.

A sack by Schmidt moved the Hambletonians south, not north. Schmidt then batted down a screen pass as he kept improving his resume.

A pass to Austin Erlwein previewed the next strike as Reimer ran 35 yards to make it 39-9 with 2:45 to go in the third quarter. Norden made it an even 40.

Tesseyman added a sack to the Dawgs’ defensive acclaim. In the fourth quarter, Mootz galloped 66 yards with 10:03 remaining. Norden’s PAT made it 47-0. From there, the team’s younger players got into the mix.

Next week, the Bulldogs travel to Eldred for a non-league local bragging rights fray.

Chester coach Ron Stover was impressed with Sullivan West. “They’re really play well. We’re very young and we need to get focused again,” he said. Chester now faces two league games at LMR and then at home against Eldred.

Stover’s final take on the Sullivan West game: “We’re not on their level; that’s the bottom line.”

Bauer said, “Our line play was much better and we made some really big plays. I think Homecoming helped us all around. We had some great tackling tonight.”

Bauer joined Cindy Humleker to kiss a pig brought by JP Lang as part of a SADD fundraiser. Those pictures will be worth plenty.

Chester is now 3-2; Sullivan West is 5-0.

Visit riverreportersports.com for stats, more details and an album of pictures.

Homecoming honorees:

1989: DV defensive end/quarterback Ed Leroy.

1979: JYCS defensive end Ray Healy, fullback/linebacker Randy Gorr, and slotback/linebacker Floyd Wagner; DV tight end/ safety Tim Hornicek, defensive tackle Leo Kratz, running back/defensive back Jeff Peters, quarterback/defensive end Fred Stabbert and running back/linebacker Lee Reimer.

1969: JYCS upback Ron Brant and offensive/defensive tackle Jonathan Statt; DV running back Bob Flynn, tackle Thomas “Mike” Knack and offensive/defensive back Jerry Murphy.

1959: JYCS center/defensive tackle Frank Fulton, fullback Earl Myers and quarterback Bill Schaeffer;

1949: JYCS halfback Charles Smith.