Somers Wins Section Title with 35-21 Victory Over Rye

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On Friday November 15, Somers and Rye matched up pretty well as undefeated, defending State Champions, and at Mahopac High School for three quarters, the slugfest held up. A 14-14 tie for the Section One Title, the ball was suddenly on the ground, and Hudson Ruby’s eyes opened. “I saw the ball, reacted, and I was like, I got to get that,” said the defensive tackle.

He did, Somers went down the field for the lead and never looked back in the 35-21 victory.

It was the defenses that came out punching, though. Two runs and a screen pass sent Rye backwards in their first possession, and Somers went nowhere on two runs and two passes.

The ball turned over on downs, Rye broke out and began with Rye QB Carson Miller. On third and six, he eluded the rush and went 14 yards to the Somers 48.

Then Miller left it to his runners. Two runs by Chris Iuliano and one by Archer Fenton had the Garnets second and one at the 21.

Even so, a fumble on the next play had the Tuskers pointing in the other direction. But the referees disagreed, and Fenton converted third down on the ground. Two plays later, Ryan Hess had a step to the end zone, and Miller connected for the TD at 2:16.

The extra point good, the Somers attack wasn’t true yet. The drive lasted three plays, and Rye picked up where they left off. Only in the air to start, Miller dropped back and hit Jake Kessner in stride for a 20 yard pass play.

Now, at the Somers 43, a five yard gain by Fenton turned into 20. Somers was hit with a face mask, and Rye stood first and ten at the 16.

On the other hand, the Somers defense was not set on break. A keeper and an Iuliano run set up a third and 12, and two incomplete passes gave the Tuskers the ball back.

At the 21, a pair of Kelly runs for no gain still had Somers in search of its offense. An ease in that was by design, according to Coach DeMatteo. “Whenever we’ve played Rye, it’s always taken us time to settle in. They’re very unique in what they do. So we kind of had to get a feel for what was going on, and once we felt we had a bead on it, that’s how we attacked,” DeMatteo revealed.

So a little razzle was first. Dean Palozzolo came around on the reverse, and no dazzle, Miguel Iglesias kept the ball for a 17 yard first down.

Staying on plan, two more keepers put Somers across midfield for a first down, and the well wasn’t dry yet. Iglesias started right, saw a hole and eluded the Rye defender on the cut. A big hole opened, Iglesias ran 49 yards into the end zone.

All tied with 5:19 left in the half, Rye didn’t miss a beat. Miller let loft to Kessner, and he hauled in an over the shoulder 42 yard gain.

38 yards away, Iuliano revoked his team’s flight plan. Four runs and the back had his team with a first down at the 16. A two yard gain on the next play by Iuliano forced Rye to call time with 59 seconds to go, and the ball was handed back to Miller. He rolled right, scrambled back the other way, and found Andrew Wilmarth on the sideline for the touchdown.

14-7 at the half, it was time to talk. “I said some things,” DeMatteo softened the content with sarcasm.

No joke, though, he praised his team’s ability to handle a little tough love. “They responded in a big way,” boasted DeMatteo.

However, the Tuskers did get a break to help matters along. On Fourth and four from the Somers 42, Rye failed to convert, and the change of possession did not have the offense apologizing for the good fortune.

Beginning with Kelly and Iglesias, the duo ran Somers to the Rye 38 and then Iglesias went off plan. The QB rolled left, and the play not materializing, Iglesias improvised back the other way. “That’s called a no-no, go-go,” said DeMatteo, and ready on the stick was Jason Whipple making the reception at the 28.

From there it was Iglesias and Kelly, and the running back did the final honors with a one yard TD run at 2:32. Of course, Iglesias was quick to credit his line. Told all week that a big, physical line awaited them, they didn’t take kindly. “To be honest, our linemen took that as a little disrespectful,” revealed Iglesias. “So they definitely showed out.”

Still work to be done, Somers didn’t have any complaints when Rye fumbled again. A muffed hand off, Ruby did his thing with 28 seconds left in the third, and the offense gave no quarter.

A lockdown that began with the offensive line. “As our coaches say, ‘break their will,’ and we definitely did that in the second half,” said Ruby at guard.

So two Kelly runs and a keeper had Somers ten yards away, and soon enough, the Tuskers proved that Rye had more than the bends. On second seven from the ten, Iglesias swung right, and Palozzolo was the primary receiver. But he was the no-no this time.

Not a problem, Cam Violante was going to a go-go on the left. “I knew Dean was getting double covered the whole game, so I knew I had to step up,” said the sophomore.

The receiver had position on the sideline and Iglesias bee-lined the ball for a 21-14 lead. 9:51 remaining, Rye didn’t do themselves any favors by getting flagged on the kickoff.

A hold the bad omen played out. On third and 4 from the 16, the ball went on the ground again, and Lorenzo D’Ambrosio had the scoop. Somers did dally a bit and faced a fourth and four.

All good, Kelly went wide and raced to a first and goal from the sixth. Then a pass interference on Violante set Somers up at the one, and two plays later, Iglesias punched it in.

5:30 to the trophy, Brett Kennedy began the after party when he found himself the beneficiary of a botched screenplay. “I looked back, saw the ball coming, and the rest is history,” said the linebacker.

A pick six, the tick away had DeMatteo heaping credit on the bleachers. “I love the people in this town. That’s why I’m so indebted to Somers. They respond to us, and they respond to us in a big way,” the coach concluded.