28-14 Victory Over Harrison Readies Somers for Rematch Versus Rye

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After going into the locker room with a 20-0 lead, the semifinals of the sectionals versus Harrison seemed well in hand. Hold on, a 70 yard touchdown run by the QB Jack Badner got the Tuskers attention, and more so when Harrison stopped the two seed on the next sequence. So with the Huskies taking the momentum, Somers needed a reset and muscle was the game plan.

“Our defense is full of studs,” said Gavin Kelly, and Dylan Jimenez did the timely flexing. His pick six on third down put the game back on course and allowed the Tuskers to finish off a 28-14 victory.

Of course, the offense came out and did their thing. After Dean Palazzolo got the home team out to the 30 on the kick off, Tristan Iglesias hit Gavin Kelly for 17 yards and then Nate Mitchell refused to get lost in transit. Stopped on a run into the middle, the fullback carried the Harrison defense a full ten yards

First down at the 44, Somers stalled on a holding penalty so Iglesias pulled the clutch. First he hit Kelly for five yards and next the QB ran a keeper for a 30 yard run to the 13. Two plays later, Palazzolo took a hand off to the edge and squeezed into the end zone for a 6-0 lead at 7:55.

Kelly good with the extra point, Harrison did get to midfield on a completion to Cole Presto. However, Somers was too tough up front, and Joey Fink’s tackle in the backfield gave the Tuskers the ball on downs.

55 yards away, Mitchell wasn’t the only one who could push a pile. On second and eight, Iglesias was greeted by a pack of Huskies and dragged the canines to the Harrison 46.

Not done, Iglesias used his svelte to cut to the 32 and then got a breather. Luke Balancia went for 13 and ten and the final five.

14-0 lead with 11:53 left in the half, time was not the problem for the Harrison offense. They made it to midfield again but now Chris Fink refused to take half measures. Two big tackles put Harrison in punt formation and readied the Somers offense again.

Starting at their own six didn’t prove a problem either. After Jaden Abruzese got his team out of the shadows with a four yard run, Iglesias kept the ball, burst through the line and ran 90 yards for a touchdown.

Only thing, his blockers were called for a hold at midfield, and Somers had to settle for a 30 yard advance. So Abruzese paid it forward. The fullback went up the middle and the 19 yards gained really let Kelly extend. “I knew I couldn’t give up on the play,” he said after his diving catch put the ball on the six.

A play later at 4:31, Abruzese was in the end zone, and Somers would take the lead into intermission. Upon return, two short yardage plays by Harrison looked to have the game on point until Badner dropped back amongst the rush. Not for long, he bolted like lighting, and eluded the Somers defense for 74 yards.

A 20-7 game at 10:04, Somers hoped to jump start their stunned crowd. Instead, they were punting three plays later, but Kelly made the most of it. “I swung it as hard as I could,” said the kicker.

The ball stopped rolling at the Harrison six, and Jimenez was primed two plays later. “I read the quarterback’s eyes and went to the ball,” said the cornerback.

Off to the races, he made the most of the moment too. “Scoring on an interception, it’s unlike any other feeling - especially in a big game,” Jimenez added.

Two points on the conversion, Harrison could only give it another go. A face mask on third and eight gave the dogs life and so did the QB’s run to the Somers 31.

The noise from the other side definitely noticed, Jackson Whipple applied his silencer. “It’s awesome hearing their fanbase get quiet after a big play,” he said after the first of his two interceptions.

At 3:36 of the third, the game still wasn’t over. Somers went out on three plays, and in response, Badner engineered a masterful six play, 60 yard drive.

Two scores separating the teams with 10:44 remaining, the drama went into high gear when Harrison smoked a line drive into the Somers kickoff team. Harrison recovered and started at midfield.

Location didn’t matter, though. After a six yard gain got Harrison to the 46, Jaron Faulkner and Joey Fink came down hard on Jason Crupi, and an overthrow on third down gave the ball back.

The tusks sharpened, the elephants moved down the field, and when Iglesias hit Palazzolo on the sideline, the long gain seemed to set the boys up for the deciding score. Unfortunately, the receiver fumbled, and Harrison had hope at the nine.

7:12 remaining, Harrison got a first down but seemed to be done on fourth and five. No choice, the Huskies went for it, and on a roll left, Badner threw across the field for a first down at the 37.

A defensive hold then kept the drive alive but Whipple was lurking again. He got his second pick and the game sealed, achieving redemption versus Rye is far from rocket science, according to Palazzolo. “Come to practice, work hard, it’s that simple,” he concluded.

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