SECTION IV FOOTBALL: NEWARK VALLEY’S GROUND GAME, DEFENSE LOOK SOLID IN WIN OVER SCHUYLER (24 PHOTOS) (2024-09-14)
By TIM TAYLOR
Tioga County Sports Report
ODESSA — The Newark Valley running game was operating nicely and the defense was solid as the Cardinals ran over Schuyler, 21-13, in Section IV Football Conference action Saturday evening.
“We were able to clean up a little bit,” coach Ted Hardenstine said. “We still have room for improvement, but we played a much cleaner game overall, missed far fewer assignments and we had a better result.”
Four backs combined for 236 yards on the ground with three scoring touchdowns as NV evened its record at 1-1.
“It was more getting back to what we try to hang our hat on, to consistently be able to run the ball between the tackles,” Hardenstine said. “We had our edge run game working pretty well last week, but we couldn't get anything going inside.”
Jackson Hoover provided the Cardinals’ initial TD on the team’s second possession of the night, breaking through the line for a 15-yard score with 2:37 remaining in the first quarter. Josh Benjamin split the uprights with the first of his three PAT kicks to make it 7-0. The 10-play drive covered 74 yards.
The Storm knotted the score on quarterback Chris Simiele’s 21-yard pass to Dan Costen 95 seconds into the second period, followed by Mason DuPay’s PAT kick.
NV would go on top for good when Logan Rhodes scored on a 9-yard run on the Cardinals ensuing possession.
Donavin Frantelizzi teamed up with Josh Karp to sack Simiele, who coughed up the pigskin at his own 36. Connor Brundza scooped up the loose pigskin and took it to the 30. Zion King ran for 18 yards on the next play and Rhodes scored two plays later. Benjamin’s kick made it 14-7 with 5:35 left in the half.
Newark Valley would give itself a two TD cushion at 4:44 of the third quarter on Nate Hinckley’s 15-yard keeper and Benjamin’s kick. The 81-yard drive took 10-plays.
Simiele would put Schuyler back on the scoreboard with 1:22 to go in the game when he hooked up with Quacey Wilt on a 15-yard TD pass. The PAT failed, leaving the Storm trailing, 21-13.
One of the keys to the NV win was its clock management late in the game on the possession prior to Schuyler’s final TD. The Cardinals held onto the ball for 13 plays, picking up 47 yards before turning the ball over on downs at the Storm 31.
“That last drive, I would love to be able to continue and punch it in, but we still had the ball for six or seven minutes there,” Herdenstine said. “We were able to keep the ball in the beginning of Q4 to run it down, so I was proud of the guys being able to kind of grind it out and make some first downs and that helped us be able to seal the deal tonight.”
Schuyler’s onside kick attempt following the TD was unsuccessful as Frantelizzi swallowed up the ball at the Storm 47 and NV ran out the clock.
The Storm actually had an opportunity to take the lead after tying the game as the Cardinals fumbled the ensuing kickoff at their own 29, however, Hinckley picked off Simiele two plays later.
A Newark Valley three-and-out preceded Brundza’s fumble recovery, and NV came up with some other big plays on defense.
Austin Cottrill sacked Simiele on the possession following NV’s second TD, however, the cardinals fumbled the ball away at the Schuyler 31. The turnover came after Hinckley connected with Gabe Merrill on a 22 -yard pass down to the 30. Merrill caught the ball at the Storm 40 and hauled the rock another 10 yards before being brought down.
Hoover contributed a second interception and Titus Callahan added a sack, both coming in the fourth quarter.
Rhodes led all rushers with 90 yards on 15 carries. Hinckley picked up 66 on eight runs, Hoover toted the rock 13 times for 44 yards and King rushed six times for 36 more.
Hinckley completed two of his eight pass attempts for 37 yards, both going to Merrill.
The aerial attack was a little out of sync, but the effort wasn’t nearly as bad as the stats might suggest.
“We had a couple home run balls that we just missed,” Hardenstine said. “We have to keep working to get better than that. We will. And we also had a couple of drops tonight too. We're getting closer, but again, not where we want to be at.”
Simiele went 10-for-20 through the air for 108 yards and ran for 73 yards on 10 carries, however, the rest of the team rushed for 63 combined yards on 17 carries.
Despite Simiele’s performance — the athletic QB was very elusive throughout the game — the NV defense was pretty solid.
“They did a lot,” Hardenstine said. “As far as being able to make some plays, some turnovers, that was a big thing tonight for us, I think. We had some big plays when they kept trying to throw the ball and we were able to get a few sacks, so as far as big big plays, impactful plays, I'm very happy with that.
“It's always hard when you play these Wing-T teams that are toe to toe. You'd like to be a little bit more stout so you didn't have quite as many of those 3-, 4-yard ones in the tackles, so we'll work to continue to work on our technique to get a little better, more stout on the inside, but stuff to build off. No doubt, there's stuff there to build off so hopefully we can.”
Hardenstine realizes there’s plenty to improve on before next Saturday’s home opener against Whitney Point (1-1).
“The good thing is it's still early in the year,” he said. “I couldn't be more proud of the work that our kids are putting in with the mindset to come in every day with a great attitude, be relentless in the way that we prepare and have the energy. I'm excited. We haven't started to see the growth curve start to slow yet, as far as getting better, so if we can continue to improve at the rate that we are improving, I think we're going to be where we want to be by the time we get to the division opponents.
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IN TOP PHOTO: Jackson Hoover runs for NV’s first TD. ... IN SIDE PHOTO: NV’s Gabe Merrill. ... PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR.
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