Somers Means Business in Comeback Win Over Harrison

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On Friday November 8, Somers suited up for the semifinals against Harrison, and an 11th straight victory seemed pretty straight forward. But a few mistakes, and Harrison playing tough on both sides of the ball, a serious curve was thrown into the Tuskers' night. Down 6-0 to start the fourth quarter and facing a 4th and 17 from the Harrison 25, the Tuskers simply stayed on point.

“We always have faith. We’re family,” he said. “We got the ribbon for a reason,” and when Dean Palozzolo pulled down Miguel Iglesias touchdown pass, the 14-6 victory that followed restored business as usual.

The game didn’t start out of the ordinary either. Iglesias handed to Mason Kelly, and a few runs later, Somers was first and ten at the Harrison 25. Unfortunately, two no gains and incomplete set up a fourth and ten that Somers couldn’t convert.

Turnover on downs, the defense started out doing their thing and forced the Huskies into a third and four. Forgetting the Somers blowout from a few weeks ago, Dante Lanza spun through the middle and gained a first down.

At the Harrison 42, Marco Marisi began a rolling thunder that was hard to miss. “He was real tough,” said defensive lineman Jaron Faulkner.

Four hard runs through the line said as much and had Harrison 29 yards away. Two plays later, Lanza kept the ball and another first down was racked up. But the Somers defense wasn’t breaking, and on fourth down Jack Badner was stripped.

Logan Ruby recovered, and the Tuskers got on their horse. Of course, the main thoroughbred was Kelly. After Iglesias hit his brother Tristan for eight on the sideline, the hand off went to the standout back, and the explosion looked like he was gone for another long touchdown.

Not so fast, Jason Crupi made the open field tack at the 41, and Somers had to reset. No problem, Iglesias went to Iglesias, and Kelly easily converted a 3rd and one from the 50.

A couple short gains to follow, Iglesias lofted a perfect pass into an open John Penzo, and a score looked imminent. Hold on, the receiver dropped the ball, and the punt went up.

Down at the 20, Harrison didn’t get fancy, and a first down keeper didn’t raise much audible concern from the smaller than usual Somers crowd. The same went for another three yard keeper, but then Marisi and his imposing frame got serious.

The big back burst through the line, got into open field and wasn’t pulled down until Aiden Coolican barely swiped the high tops at the three. Two plays later, Lanza was in the end zone, and after the missed extra point, Harrison shockingly led 6-0.

5:03 left in the half, Harrison obviously wasn’t going to put the kickoff in the hands of Palazzolo, and the squib kick started the Tuskers at the 40. No panic, Somers played the short game at first, and converting a fourth and one was no bother for Kelly.

Now with a little momentum, the Somers offense doubled down. Iglesias hit Cam Violante over the middle, he made the grab and shook his defender. Open space, the sophomore hit the sideline and had his team first and goal from the eight.

Familiar ground, the Tuskers seemed ready to return the shock treatment. That is until a holding call broke the flow, and the drive fell short at the five.

The locker room awaiting, a turn at the ball was not. Harrison started after intermission, and Marisi didn’t stop. Four straight runs, he had two first downs, and had the Huskies dug in at the Somers 48.

Even so, the defense stopped Marisi on third and one, so Lanza played big. He kept the ball, and seemed to drag the entire defense to the 29.

From there, Marisi made it look much easier. He sliced through the line, and with six in his sights, Coolican saved the day. Chasing from behind, the safety chopped low, and the Husky was prevented from putting his dance shoes on in the end zone.

Still, Marisi got up like elephants were on the menu, and one more jaunt through the middle would put another state title run in serious jeopardy. Instead, Lanza pitched to Michael Olsey, and the stampede left the halfback to the dogs.

An opportunity missed, Marisi was stopped by Faulkner on the next play, then Lanza was wide right to Crupi in the corner, and five yards suddenly had to seem like a mile. It was, and the defense ate Lanza alive as he tried to run wide left. “That was a huge momentum shift,” said Iglesias.

No doubt, the next one was on the way. First, the Tuskers had to get out of the shadows, and Kelly held the flashlight. Two runs and a first down to the 23 had Palozzolo going matter of fact about his teammate. “Mason is a good hard runner, and he’s shifty,” said the multi-purpose back.

Kelly ain’t the only one. Iglesias played screen right to Palozzolo, and he juked his way to the 42. Another first down, the miscues returned for the moment. Matt Mayfield’s first down catch was negated by an illegal procedure, and Somers would soon face a third and four.

Two minutes to go in the third, Somers refused to stall. Iglesias rolled right, and Dylan Jimenez was behind the defense. The QB laid it in, and the Tuskers had a first down on the 18.

Kelly up next, the back muscled two runs for a third and four, which put Iglesias on the docket. The senior rolled left, saw a few big men, and back the other way, he was dropped at the 25.

The quarter ending, the season was definitely on the line, but the ensuing play call didn’t have miraculous undertones. “If Dean was single covered, throw him the ball, and he was. So I threw him the ball,” said Iglesias.

Even though the math was a little off, the duo didn’t miss a beat. Iglesias did have to throw over one outstretched hand, and despite being draped by the cornerback, Palozzolo had just enough room to pull in the game changer.

The receiver made it sound simple, though. “We knew it was going to be open,” Palozzolo assured.

The snap muffed, the score stood tied at six. So Harrison’s small victory could have been built on. A bruising first down run by Marisi pointed in that direction. But Timmy Monaghan, Faulkner and Lorenzo D’Ambrosia stuffed Lanza on the next two runs, and Olsey dropped Lanza’s pass at the sticks.

Another opportunity missed, Somers obviously hasn’t gone this far by providing second chances. A point that Palozzolo quickly reiterated from midfield. Taking the hand off, he cut through the line and made for the sideline.

Down at the eight, Kelly was in the end zone two plays later. Penzo even got the chance to importantly make up for his earlier drop. The snap skidded, Penzo picked it up, and alertly flipped the ball to Will Marcus for a 14-6 score.

Nice to have insurance, Somers didn’t need it. Marisi went nowhere on three carries, and after Somers was unable to get a first down to end the game, Iglesias nearly did that with his punt.

Coming with 2:54 remaining, Harrison took over at the five, and with a series of runs, Harrison seemed to be trying to position themselves for a Hail Mary. Nope, Marisi fumbled at the 34, and Ruby recovered again.

Still, the deal breaker had Iglesias reveling in the grit on both sides. “They were a great team and this was a good game,” he concluded.