New York State Class D Football Regional Championship

Regional Regents!

Eldred earns berth in state semifinals with its regional championship victory over Tuckahoe; win is a school and Section 9 Class D first in state play

By RICHARD A. ROSS

WHITE PLAINS, NY — Dismal predictions by pundits, a history of overwhelming losses in first-round state games, news of a suicide by an Eldred student who was related to one of its players and the scheduling of a game on Friday the 13th sounded like a prescription for disaster as Eldred got set to take on 2006 NYS Champion Section 1 Tuckahoe. The Tigers had been 5-0 against Section 9 winners since 2003, beating Chester four times and Eldred once (2005) by a combined score of 196-33.

Add in the Tigers’ size advantage and their playing close to home and it seemed the odds heavily favored unranked Tuckahoe to prevail once again over Eldred, the seventh-ranked Class D team in New York State.

Go figure again. Missing from all of that was the most important information: Eldred has immense heart and grit and the senior-heavy team wants to leave behind a legacy for themselves and their retiring coach, Frank Kean, in their final season.

After playing a lackluster first half and trailing 7-0, Eldred found themselves in the locker room with a disappointed and furious Kean, who excoriated his players for not answering the bell and then left them to reckon with their consciences and resolve.

Re-entering Glenn D. Loucks Memorial Stadium like a team possessed, Eldred forced a fumble on Tuckahoe’s first play of the second half that Bryan Henry recovered. A few plays later, he hit Matt Balcom on a six-yard pass for the TD. Bobby Warden’s PAT tied the game just 33 seconds in.

Eldred’s inflamed defense stymied Tuckahoe time and again as the teams played to a deadlock for the rest of the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, Eldred unveiled its Wildcat formation, previously unseen this season but something they have practiced religiously.

Ian Halloran took four direct snaps and ran for big yardage on the first three. On the fourth play, he handed the ball to Warden who tossed a perfect 17-yard TD pass to a racing Henry. The two have practiced that play since Pop Warner Days. Warden’s PAT made it 14-7.

Watching film had schooled Eldred on Tuckahoe’s pass inclinations. Reading the eyes of the quarterback, defensive standout Dylan Kulik intercepted a pass intended for running back Luis Esquilin and ran it 14 yards into the end zone for a game-clinching TD. Warden’s PAT made it 21-7. Tuckahoe scored on its final possession on a double reverse option pass, but failed on its onside kick attempt, which didn’t go the requisite 10 yards. Eldred ran out the clock and the celebration began.

It was the first-ever win by Eldred in three postseason attempts and a first for Section 9 Class D teams, which had previously gone 0-6, including Eldred’s 19-14 loss to Haldane in 2007.

Ian Halloran was named the Outstanding Back of the Game. He was 26/104. His current total of 1,190 yards on 140 carries for the year amounts to a 9.5 yards per carry average.

Eldred will take on Section 7 Moriah, which defeated Section 2 Rensselaer 28-25. Moriah lost in last year’s title game to Maple Grove 55-6 and has nearly its entire team back. Eldred is senior-laden as well. The teams will play in the semifinal at Dietz Stadium on November 20. The winner will head to the Carrier Dome in Syracuse on November 28 to face either Section 6 Randolph or Section 4 Groton.

Visit sportsinsightsny.com and read “Regional Regency” for more details and an album of photos.