John Jay Puts up Good Fight in 35-20 Loss

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After giving up in the neighborhood of 100 points in the last two games, John Jay fought to a respectable 14-7 halftime deficit versus Pelham on Friday October 24. The offenses acclimating in the second, one was just a little better than the other.

Three touchdowns to two, Pelham won an exciting 35-20 road victory.

The John Jay defense came out swinging first, though. They stopped the Pelicans, and the visiting team was quickly punting.

The John Jay offense was feeling pretty pugilistic too. Starting on the 40, Nick Rinaldi ran a first down across midfield, and the Wolves were first and ten from the 43.

A couple of incomplete passes by his brother Mikey didn’t keep the family end up, so the freshman took a little help from his elder. Nick got outside for a 28 yard run to the fifteen, and primed up, Mikey caught Patrick Ryan across the middle for the score at 9:08.

The extra point good, so was the defense. Three plays and the Pelicans were punting.

Back the other way, the rookie QB initially kept it moving. Keepers of 20 and six set the ball at the Pelham 47, but a hold, a sack and an interception gave the Pelicans the ball at the John Jay 39.

Too far it turned out, the defense intervened on the ground and in the air. Chase Carvajal made a big stop on second and six from the 15, and Andrew Ferrer broke up two passes to end the drive.

Getting the ball on downs, the Rinaldi’s stayed up. After Mikey hit Nick on the sideline for a 25 yard gain to the 45, the running back gave his brother a breather. Nicky went for 12 and 7 and the Wolves were 35 yards away.

Onto the second, the quarterback scrambled to the 28 and faked a handoff on the next play to put the ball on the 23. Even so, after Nicky reached the 18 on the next play, Mikey was sacked, and the drive ended when Ryan could not come up with Mikey Rinaldi’s loft in the end zone.

Turnover on downs, the offense was soon back. A big tackle by Joe Ferrer and pressure on the quarterback forced a three and out, and John Jay had the ball back with 7:11 left in the half.

Unfortunately, Mikey Rinaldi ran into some pressure himself and his pick gave Pelham the ball at the Wolf 45. A pass completion by Frank Reese and two runs by Tristan Paganuzzi put the Pelican twelve yards away. Second and 12 after a no gain, Pelham ran a reverse to their powerful full back, and the score was tied.

5:30 left, an onslaught of penalties and personal fouls would fill the remainder of the game. The first was on the kickoff and moved the Wolves to the 43.

Of course, John Jay was not immune. After Nick Rinaldi got to the 25 on a pair of runs, the yellow flags came down like rain. A delay of game and two long runs by Rinaldi were negated by holding calls.

Backed up to the 41, Rinaldi got almost all of it back to set up a fourth and three. But an illegal procedure finally undid the drive.

So Pelham took over at the 13, and 2:16 proved plenty of time. Reese to Vincent Stamp over the middle put the obelisk on the 47, and a play later, a halfback option hit the receiver wide open to the 15. Then back to the ground, Paganuzzi ran a reverse into the end zone to close the scoring at 14-7.

Intermission ending, John Jay lasted three plays before punting, and Pelham ground down the field. They converted two fourth downs, and Paganuzzi ran in from the one with three minutes left in the third.

John responded by making it to midfield but no further. The quarter closed, the defense remained on point, and the offense took the cue. The Rinaldi’s got the Wolves to midfield and then to the 26 when Mikey refused to go down after running into a flock of Pelicans.

Probably far from gassed, the elder did most of the rest anyway. Four runs and it was a 21-13 game with 8:04 remaining.

The two point conversion failing, Pelham rode the momentum. Three plays put the Pelicans 36 yards away, and Reese hit a wide open Stamp for a touchdown.

6:14 left, the victory seemed sealed. Not quite,John Jay did not give in. More Mikey Rinaldi, he kept the ball down the field, and a Pelham personal foul set the boys up at the 18.

Unfortunately, his brother’s run to the one was set by a block in the back, but he kept kept coming nonetheless. Four runs, he made it a one score game with 3:49 remaining.

Not to be, Reese got easy pickins again.. He hit a wide open Stamp for a 68 yard TD strike, and John Jay was forced to accept the hard fought loss.

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