HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: EARLY DEFICIT TOO MUCH FOR OWEGO TO OVERCOME IN LOSS AT HORSEHEADS (24 PHOTOS) (2022-10-01)
By Brian FeesTioga County Sports ReportHORSEHEADS — Owego controlled the ball for the entire third quarter, running a 20-play, 76-yard drive that led to a touchdown on the first drive of the fourth quarter.
In the second half the Indians played their style of football. However, big plays early proved costly as they fell to Horseheads 35-12 on Friday night.
“It was the opposite last week against Johnson City,” Virkler said. “We came out, we jumped out up 20-0 and then they kind of took it to us in the third quarter and this week was just the opposite. We get down and then we battle back, I think it was 28-12 before they scored that late one in the fourth quarter. We’ve just got to find a way to put four quarters together.”
On just the third play of the game Garrett Elston took the handoff and raced down the right sideline for 50 yards.
“I thought we did a nice job,” Horseheads coach Kevin Hillman said. “Especially in the first half, coming out and being aggressive offensively and defensively. Attacking, and we were pretty physical in the first half I thought. I think that’s really how we wanted to play, we pushed that all week.”
Horseheads scored three touchdowns on their first 11 offensive plays, all of them plays of at least 25 yards.
“Right off the bat, third play from scrimmage I think they popped around the edge,” Owego coach Steve Virkler said. “Their speed showed early and then we started to make a couple adjustments. We started to defend better middle of the second quarter and then I thought we played a really good second half.”
Elston put Horseheads up at 10:29 of the first half and Owen Nielson made the extra point as the Blue Raiders led 7-0.
At 3:28 of the opening quarter Badock Salisbury scored on a 25-yard run and Nielson hit the kick. Ian Watson then scored on a 41-yard touchdown run and Nielson hit the kick to make it 21-0.
In the second quarter it was the Horseheads defense that got to work as Robert Peckham had a 31-yard interception return for a score and Nielson hit the kick with 11:50 left in the half.
For Hillman it was both the offensive, and defensive, lines that had a big role in the win.
“It was a nice job,” he said. “We actually had some guys who had to go in there. We had some injuries during the game, but credit to those guys. I talked to the linemen before the game and said we are going to win this game with you guys, both sides of the ball, and they did a great job on the offensive side and the defensive side. We had a pick six by a defensive linemen, so credit to those guys. And, I’ve got to say, Marshall Winkky had a great game defensively, really good.”
While Horseheads was scoring on big plays in the first half, the early deficit made things hard for Owego.
“We threw a couple interceptions, we had the pick six on a screen pass down here that absolutely cost us,” Virkler said. “Hopefully we learn from that, we don’t put ourselves in that big of a hole again and we can bounce back and get back on track.”
Horseheads held Owego’s star running back Steven Bidwell to 22 yards on 11 carries in the opening half.
“I thought we were pretty physical, we stayed low tackling,” Hillman said. “But, you try and wrap that kid up with just arms and stuff like that, he’s not going down. Credit to him, he’s one hell of a player. I mean there isn’t a coach out there who wouldn’t want a kid like that on their team.
“We are fortunate. I can tell you right now I was having nightmares about him all week.”
In the third quarter Owego got their ball-control offense going as they the drive that took up the entire quarter, with Bidwell capping the drive four seconds into the fourth quarter on a two-yard run. Bidwell had 63 yards rushing on 14 carries on the drive for the Indians.
“In the second half I just think we came out a little flat, and credit to them, they had a great drive,” Hillman said. “A quarter and a play and really shoved it down our throat. Our kids had to respond a little bit. I took them a little bit to wake up.
“We challenged them there at the end. We called a timeout and talked to them right before they went out for that last series after they scored the second one and said listen, you guys kind of let them back into this, you have to step up and make a play now and fortunately we did.”
Owego forced a turnover on the second play of the next Horseheads drive, and then the Indians went back to work on a nine-play, 56-yard drive, with Bidwell scoring with 5:32 left in the game on a 12-yard run. Bidwell had seven carries for 42 yards on the drive.
After Horseheads was forced to punt, Owego got the ball back, but with time clicking away they were forced to the air and Kaden LaBar picked off a pass for Horseheads and after a big run by Elston was called back on a hold, Salisbury broke off a 50-yard run with 1:38 left to seal the win for Horseheads.
“We knew right at the end of the fourth quarter we were scrambling a little bit trying to score quickly with some plays that maybe aren’t the best for us,” Virkler said. “Right now, we are a between the tackles group and they believe in it and they came out in the third quarter and held them to zero offensive plays. We converted some fourth downs and we can hang our hat on that and move forward and hopefully get better from it.”
Salisbury ran for 97 yards on five carries for Horseheads, Elston ran for 72, Watson had 47 and Josh McCawley had 11 yards. Alex Johanson was 4-for-5 yards passing for 66 yards with McCawley hauling in three passes for 63 yards and Elston catching one pass. Horseheads ran for 232 yards in the game.
Bidwell ran for 127 yards on 31 carries for Owego and Cameron Card ran for 11 yards. Elijah Lewis was 6-for-14 for 38 yards with Jack Buchsbaum hauling in three passes, Conlan Taylor catching two passes and Bidwell making one catch.
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PHOTOS BY BRIAN FEES.
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HORSEHEADS 35, OWEGO 12OWEGO 0 0 0 12 — 12
HORSEHEADS 21 7 0 7 — 35
FIRST QUARTERH: Garrett Elston 50 yard run (Owen Nielson kick), 10:29
H: Bradock Salisbury 25 yard run (Nielson kick), 3:28
H: Ian Watson 41 yard run (Nielson kick), 1:06
SECOND QUARTER
H: Robert Peckham 31 yard interception return (Nielson kick), 11:50
FOURTH QUARTER
O: Steven Bidwell 2 yard run (Kick blocked), 11:56
O: Bidwell 12 yard run (two-point failed), 5:32
H: Salisbury 50 yard run (Nielson kick), 1:38
RUSHING
Horseheads: Salisbury 5-97; Elston 7-72; Watson 4-47; Josh McCawley 4-11; Alex Johanson 2-5
Owego: Bidwell 31-127; Joziah Vargo 1-4; Lewis 3-(-18), Cameron Card 3-11; Conlan Taylor 4-3; Evan English 1-2.
PASSING
Horseheads: Alex Johanson 4-5-66
Owego: Elijah Lewis 6-14-38-0-2
RECEIVING
Horseheads: Josh McCawley 3-63; Elston 1-3
Owego: Jack Buchsbaum 3-16; Bidwell 1-11; Conlan Taylor 2-11
INTERCEPTIONS: Peckham, Kaden LaBar
