Warriors hold on, 30-22

By Dane Truxell, The Berkshire Eagle, Pittsfield, Mass.

Nov. 7--DALTON -- No Wahconah football fan thought the Warriors would be in the position they were in Friday night.

Wahconah led Taconic by just eight points, 30-22 late in the fourth quarter. But for 61Å½2 seconds, every person in the stands held his or her breath when Braves backup quarterback Walker Phillips heaved a pass deep down the sideline on first down at his own 12.

Phillips was looking for a wide-open Robinson Figuereo, who had gotten beyond the cornerback. The safety hadn't gotten over to the sideline in time.

The pass was on the money. Figuereo's hands weren't, as the Taconic halfback let what likely would have been a 88-yard touchdown pass slip through his fingers.

Wahconah would hold on to its lead, as on the very next down Taconic pulled out a puzzling call.

The Braves reached deep into the playbook for a swinging gate formation to the right side. Phillips still threw over the middle -- only this time he hit the wrong man, getting picked off and allowing the Warriors to run down the clock.

"We already got Robinson deep," Taconic coach Dave Hagmaier said. "I really didn't think we'd be able to get someone deep again. That [last play] was a trick play; you're just hoping for something to happen."

The plays capped off what was a very strange night of football. The Warriors (8-1) struggled defensively to handle a Taconic (2-7) offense that had only scored more

than 20 points against two teams -- Pittsfield and Monument Mountain. But, Taconic's 22 points were still the most Wahconah has given up to an opponent all season.

"Taconic does some things that are really different from other teams," Wahconah coach Matt Morrison said. "Really, we were missing assignments today ... [The Figuereo play] was a blown assignment."

After falling behind 14-0 early, Taconic took advantage of a Wahconah pass defense that couldn't cover split end Myles Phillips, who picked up 80 of Taconic's 137 receiving yards on five catches.

The Warriors kept answering back, though. Every time they needed a big drive, the offense found a way to get it done, answering the Braves' first two scores with drives of their own that found paydirt.

"We knew we could do things on offense," Morrison said. "We made a lot of mental mistakes, though. We had five false starts. That's the most we've had all year."

The Warriors opened the scoring in the first quarter. They capped off a 6-minute, 31-second drive with a 3-yard run by Craig Smith for the touchdown with 30 seconds left in the quarter -- one of two trips to the end zone for the runner.

After a three-and-out by Taconic, Wahconah took just two plays to punch it in. Steven Shea found the edge and outran the Taconic defense down the right sideline from 57 yards out to put the Warriors up 14-0 with 8:33 remaining in the half.

It appeared that it could get ugly very early on for Taconic, as the Braves coughed up a fumble at their own 31 on the ensuing kickoff. Taconic's defense held strong, though, forcing a turnover on downs.

The sides traded possessions from there until Taconic took the ball at its own 16 with 2:13 remaining in the half. They drove 84 yards on 12 plays for the score, including a 33-yard pass from Andrew Ringie to Bill Heaphy on third-and-13 to keep the drive alive. The drive was capped off by a 2-yard run by Luke Godfrey.

Despite taking the opening kickoff of the game, Wahconah still got the first possession in the second half. Taconic fumbled its second kick of the game, giving the Warriors the ball at the Braves' 20.

It took just four plays for the Warriors to punch it in, as Craig Smith recorded his second touchdown of the game, bringing the ball in from 11 yards out to put the Warriors' lead at 22-8.

Taconic answered right back, though, as they carried out a 16-play, 70-yard drive that ate up 8:28. The Braves converted two fourth downs on the drive, and capped it off with a 4-yard run by Ringie to bring the Braves within six.

Wahconah scored on its second consecutive offensive drive, though, as the Warriors pulled out the big play again. A 27-yard pass from Wahconah quarterback Zach Washburn to Greg Horth, followed by a 13-yard run by Shea, set up the Warriors' final score of the night. Washburn took the ball in himself with a 15-yard run up the middle.

The Braves answered late in the game to set up the dramatic ending, as Phillips threw a 15-yard pass to Heaphy for the score with 1:42 left in the game.

-----

To see more of The Berkshire Eagle or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.berkshireeagle.com.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

A service of YellowBrix, Inc.