SECTION IV FOOTBALL: NEWARK VALLEY KEEPS IT CLOSE INTO FOURTH QUARTER; TIOGA SEALS 32-14 WIN WITH LATE TDs (24 PHOTOS) (2024-10-12)
By TIM BIRNEYTioga County Sports ReportNEWARK VALLEY — Newark Valley kept it close for three quarters, but a pair of late fourth-quarter scores helped Tioga to a 32-14 win here Saturday afternoon in Section IV, Division V football action.
The Cardinals had three first downs en route to a TD in their initial possession of the game, but only had one more for the remainder of the game.
“We just couldn’t anything going on offense, but our defense gave us a chance,” said Newark Valley coach Ted Hardenstine.
“We were a little bit limited by the guys we have left. Our playbook was shrunken down pretty considerably,” he noted. “We tried to make work what we could make work, but we couldn’t do too much.
“Tioga did a good job,” added Hardenstine. “They knew what we’re dealing with, loaded the box, and forced the issue.”
The Cardinals have dealt with a great deal of adversity this season, beginning with the loss of a teammate in a fatal car accident prior to the season, and including several injuries over the first few weeks of the season.
“As a head coach, I hate to talk about injuries,” said Hardenstine. “My answer has always been: injuries are a part of the game.
“In 18 years, we’ve never had anything like this, though, and it’s kind of exacerbated by our numbers being so low this year.
“I’m proud of the guys, facing adversity against a good football team, and they battled all the way until the end,” he noted.
“It was a five-point game heading into he fourth quarter, and we gave ourselves a chance to win.
“I just feel bad that I can’t help them make a couple more plays, build some confidence, and finish out a game to experience a win,” added Hardenstine.
Tioga opened the game with a nine-play, 84-yard drive that included a 23-yard run by Shane Platukis, a 21-yard pass from Jayden Duncanson to Lukas Nichols, and a 14-yard run by Connor Streeter.
Duncanson capped the drive with a 6-yard TD pass to Dominic Palmer with 7:12 remaining in the first quarter. James Miller’s PAT kick made it 7-0.
The Cardinals answered with a six play, 72-yard drive, which including runs of 14 and 8 yards by Logan Rhodes, who capped the drive with a scintillating 36-yard TD run with 3:57 remaining in the first quarter. Josh Benjamin’s PAT kick tied the game at 7-7.
After Newark Valley forced a quick Tioga punt, the Tigers returned the favor, and forced the Cardinals to punt into a stiff breeze early in the second quarter.
The resulting punt went 7 yards, and Tioga took over at the NV 32.
Shea Bailey ripped off a 21-yard run on the Tigers’ first play, and two plays later, Jake Browne scored on an 8-yard run to make it 13-7 with 10:29 remaining in the half.
After another NV 3-and-out, the Tigers took over at the Cardinal 44.
Tioga needed 11 plays, including an 11-yard pass to Kadin Cole, and a 9-yard run by Duncanson on fourth-and-5.
Browne capped the drive with a 15-yard TD run to make it 19-7 with 2:04 remaining in the half.
The Cardinals made it interesting on the first play of the second half when Jackson Hoover busted loose on a QB sneak for a 68-yard TD run. Benjamin’s kick closed the gap to 19-14 with 11:43 remaining in the third quarter.
On the ensuing possession, Tioga ripped off eight running play that moved the ball from the Tiger 32 to the NV 2, but a pair of penalties — the first nullifying a TD run by Browne — put Tioga in a first-and-goal at the 17 hole.
The Tigers turned the ball over on downs at the NV 12.
After an exchange of punts, Newark Valley turned the ball over on down at its 45 with 13 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Two plays later, Tioga fumbled the ball away at the NV 18.
Tioga got the ball back quickly after an NV 3-and-out, but fumbled it away again at the Cardinal 16.
Another 3-and-out saw the Cardinals punting from their own end zone, and Tioga took over at the NV 33.
Six plays later, Bailey scored on a 3-yard run with 4:30 remaining in the game. Miller’s PAT kick made it 26-14.
The Tigers put the game away on the first play of NV’s next possession when Browne, at middle linebacker, stepped in front of a Hoover pass at the Cardinal 40 and raced untouched into the end zone to make it 32-14.
Rhodes led Newark Valley with 80 yards and one TD on 13 carries, and Hoover added 58 yards and one TD on seven carries.
Hoover completed 2 of 5 passes for 5 yards, with Gabe Merrill hauling in both receptions.
Tioga’s ground game, which accounted for 312 yards on 46 carries, was led by Browne, who had 157 yards and two TDs on 23 carries.
Duncanson completed 7 of 13 passes for 66 yards and one TD, with Cole hauling in three receptions for 21 yards, and Palmer adding two catches for 21 yards and one TD.
Newark Valley, now 1-5, returns to action Saturday at Ithaca in a noon kickoff.
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IN PHOTO 1: Newark Valley’s Josh Karp. IN TOP PHOTO: Newark Valley’s Jackson Hoover. … PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.
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