The Catskill Chronicle

In a razzle-dazzle wildcat option, Eldred’s QB Bryan Henry reeled in a TD pass from Bobby Warden.

Story and photos by Ted Waddell

WHITE PLAINS – If you work hard enough, your dreams can come true.

On Friday the13th of November, the Yellow Jackets of Eldred shook off a somber mood caused by the tragic Veteran’s Day death of a classmate, and after a halftime talk by their coach took to the field like a totally different team to stage a come from behind victory by defeating the Tuckahoe Tigers 21-14.

Tuckahoe’s P.J. Castracucco closes in on Eldred’s Ian Halloran as Bobby Warden runs interference.

The gridiron battle was played on a dark and stormy afternoon, and as darkness descended, an intermittent rain driven by gusty winds lashed the artificial turf.

With the victory over the 2006 State Champs, Eldred took the Section 9 Class D Regional title, and goes on to play in the Eastern Semifinals at Dietz Stadium in Kingston at 4:00 p.m. November 20, one step away from a berth in the Class D State Championship at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse on November 28.

Early in the game, Henry was sacked by Tuckahoe’s Jonathan Jubilee, a loss of yards that caused no celebration on the Eldred side of the field.

Facing a 3^rd and 11 at the 31 yard line, a Henry pass to Matt Balcom was broken up, and the Tigers took over on downs.

Eldred’s senior QB Bryan Henry sets up for a pass.

A couple of snaps later, Jaret Sommer picked up some god yardage, and the Tiger’s QB completed a pass to Ryan Snaverly, setting up a first down situation at Eldred’s 21 yard line.

At 3:06 in the first quarter, the Tigers Kevin Garabitos took it into the end zone, but the TD was nullified by an illegal shift penalty, followed up by an offside’s call.

Not to be denied, Sommer got back his six, and after the PAT cleared the uprights, Tuckahoe was up 7-0 at 1:37.

Eldred’s ensuing drive stalled, Tuckahoe took over on downs, but were forced to punt, the ball taking a Tigers bounce down to the Yellow Jackets six yard line.

After Balcom got them out of trouble deep in their own territory, Eldred coughed up the ball and it was recovered for Tuckahoe by Kevin Chen.

Ian Halloran nailed a Tigers runner for a loss, and then Travis Hay recovered a fumble in the backfield, creating a first and ten situation at Tuckahoe’s 30 yard line, but the halftime clock ran out.

In the second half, the Yellow Jackets came out like a different team.

“Mr. Kean got on us, he told us we had to block and play harder,” said Eldred’s QB Henry of the halftime talk. “He told us we had to get fired up.”

Eldred’s Ian Halloran picks up some good yardage.

At 11:45 in the third quarter, Henry helped out his team’s run for the brass ring as he recovered a Tigers botched kickoff return, giving the Yellow Jackets possession at Tuckahoe’s 33 yard line, in a play that set in motion the tying TD

Halloran wriggled and wiggled his way through the D-line for a first and goal at the five, but a false start call added five yards to the task.

On a third and six, Halloran scored on a nine yard run at 7:39. Bobby Warden’s PAT was good, and the game was tied 7-7.

Eldred kicked off the final frame by sacking the Tigers QB.

A few exchanges later the Yellow Jackets razzle-dazzled the fans with a wildcat play in which Halloran handed off to Warden who completed a 23 yard pass to Henry in the end zone, a snappy play that in the wake of the PAT put Eldred up 14-7 at 8:20.

With about seven minutes left on the game clock, the Yellow Jackets swarmed all over a Tigers runner to shut the gate on a critical fourth down scenario, giving them possession at midfield.

At 3:23, Dylan Kulik bided his time as a Tigers pass attempt was set in motion, stepped up to the plate to pick it off, and then hot-footed it across the goal line on the 25 yard interception.

The PAT was successful, and Eldred led 21-7.

Tuckahoe’s QB completed a 31 yard pass to Ryan Mitchell down to Eldred’s 17 yard line, and at 1:09 he hooked up with Snavely who was wide open in the end zone.

The PAT was good, and the Yellow Jackets now held on to a one TD lead at 21-14, proving again, “It ain’t over till it’s over.”

But then it was over, and Eldred was on the way to the Eastern Semifinals next Friday.

Eldred’s rushing stats: Halloran 26 carries for 104 yards; Jordan Tice 7 for 13 yards; Henry 7 for 13 yards.

Eldred’s leading tacklers: Halloran (8), Kulik (8), Geno Jones (8), and with five each, Henry, Warden and Scott Hallock.

John D’Arco, Jr., coach of the Tiger’s, a team well known and respected for hard hitting low to the ground tackles, summed up the game.

“It was a good Class D football game. I give Eldred a lot of credit…they were committed, they were dedicated, they deserve it.”

Henry’s take on the game?

Coach Kean and the Yellow Jackets meet the NYC press.

“It was awesome, replied the senior QB. “We started out struggling, but we came out strong in the second half and played like we knew how to play.”

The Year 2009 marks Kean’s final season at the helm of Yellow Jackets football, and as a teacher with 38 years in the classroom and his 36^th coaching football, he decided to hang up his textbooks and cleats.

As they head up to Dietz next week, the Yellow Jackets have posted their best-ever record (10-1) under Kean’s watch.

“It was tremendous…we were down a little bit in the first half, but once I talked to them at halftime, they came alive…they came to play,” he said.

According to Kean, the turning point of the game was tossing a wildcat at the Tigers.

“If you believe in your dreams, one day you will reach your dreams,” added Kean.

To view more photos or to purchase prints from Eldred Reaps Regional Win visit the Chronicle on Zenfolio.