It was the best game they’ve played all year. It was also the Sawyers’ last game of the year. It took the Saugerties Sawyers football team eight games to come together to play a complete game on offense, defense and special teams. But they did it
At the end the score was Sawyers 38, Washingtonville 31. The fine win brought the Sawyers’ season record to a respectable 4-5.
Coach Dominic Zarrella said he had tried to get the league a game against Kingston as the last game of the season. Instead the team and its fans had to schlep down to Washingtonville for the October 25 game. It was worth it
Washingtonville took the kickoff, and the Saugerties defense forced them to punt.
The Sawyers then took over and moved the ball. Facing a fourth and inches, the Washingtonville defense stiffened and prevented the first down.
On their next possession, the Wizards burned the Sawyer defense on a long pass. From there, the Sawyers held. Washingtonville got on the board first with a field goal and a three-point lead.
The Sawyer offense came alive with quarterback Matt Bucci scampering for a long run, followed by a touchdown run by the team’s leading running back, Jack Hindes. The extra point by Sam Bagshaw made it 7-3 in favor of the Sawyers.
The defense once again held. The Sawyer offense took over. Bucci hooked up with his receivers on two passes. When the drive stalled, Bagshaw nailed a 25-yard field goal, making the score 10-3.
Saugerties defense got a bit leaky, giving up a long touchdown run. The score was even after the extra point at 10-10.
The Sawyers came away with nothing on their next possession. Washingtonville scored six on a pass, and made it seven with the extra point. They were in the lead, 17-10.
Saugerties took possession of the ball with little time left and marched down the field. But they came away empty-handed when time ran out. The score at the end of the half was 17-10 in favor of the Wizards.
The Sawyers came out smoking to start the second half. Linebacker Craig Laurey, seeing time at fullback, ran the ball in for a touchdown. The Bagshaw extra point tied the score at 17.
Washingtonville quickly came back with a 65-yard touchdown run, and with the extra point took the 24-17 lead. Sean Costello responded for the Sawyers with a touchdown run, and the crucial extra point was good for a 24-24 tie.
It looked like Washingtonville was getting ready to score in this back-and-forth contest, but Tavin Rell nabbed an interception.
The Saugerties offense was back on the field. A nice run by Costello got him his second touchdown of the game. The reliable Bagshaw kicked another extra point, putting the Sawyers ahead, 31-24 Sawyers.
The Wizards weren’t done yet, though, With a 70-yard TD run and the extra point, the game was tied again with 5:55 left in the game. The last six minutes would decide the game.
Looking to put the game away, the Wizards engineered a successful on-side kick. But the Sawyers’ defense held. The ball went over to the offense with 1:22 left.
With the clock running down, Bucci and Rell hooked up for a 56-yard pass. The Bagshaw extra point sealed the deal for the Sawyers at 38-31.
What a contest! What a win!
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