Football
Falcons soar over Wildcats, 37-7
By Stan Ross
The York Wildcats varsity football team, including Alex Blomquist, Dan Sheehan and Tom Ross pictured here, battle against Mt. Valley during Friday night's tough home game.
Photo by Sherry DaBiere
Last year, York lost to Mt. Valley during the regular season but defeated them in a playoff game to win the Western Maine Championship.
Veteran Falcons coach Jim Aylward was quoted as saying, "We love playing York. They always play like we do. All out."
Mt. Valley forced York to punt after the Wildcats went three and out on the first series. Ryan MacGlashing got off a good punt from the York 35, but Falcons halfback Justin Staires broke several tackles on a 64-yard return before York defensive back Zach Pruger finally dragged him down on the four yard line. Then fullback John Perry scored on a dive over center, and when D.J. Gerrish split the uprights, Mt. Valley led 7-0 with 10:25 left in the first period. Gerrish squibbed the kickoff but it was returned to the York 45 by Dan Petruzzella. Again York went three and out, but this time MacGlashing punted away from Staires and the ball went out of bounds on the Falcons 28 yard line. Now the York defense stiffened as Zach Wheeler made a good stick and Alex Blomquist and Jon Jiminez broke up two pass attempts. The Wildcats partially blocked the Falcons punt, and took over in great field position on the Mt. Valley 30 yard line.
The Falcons had only been scored upon once this year and that was in a blowout game, but the Wildcat offense was ready to pounce. Sophomore QB Evan Wallace completed a middle screen pass to fullback Alex Quinn for five yards. After a pass to Blomquist fell incomplete, Pruger gained four yards on a sweep but it was short of a first down. Then Wallace drew Mt. Valley offside with a "hard count" and York had a first down at the Falcon 16 yard line.
Short running gains by Pruger and Quinn were followed by a QB dive by Wallace to give York first and goal on the Falcons five yard line. Then Jiminez swept the right side for a TD, and when MacGlashing split the uprights on the point after, the score was all even at 7-7 with 2:20 left in the first quarter. Then an awakened Falcon team mounted a drive from their 35 to the York 31 before the Wildcat defense stiffened. Scott Langenheim made a solid stick and Pruger broke up one pass. Then Blomquist saved a sure TD when he broke up a pass at the goal line. Jiminez recovered a Falcon fumble on the York 26 near the end of the quarter, but the Wildcats were only able to pick up three yards on a short pass to Ian Bond, and MacGlashing's punt went out of bounds on the York 46. Just two plays later, Staires sped around the right side for another Mt. Valley touch down to take a 14-7 lead with 11:05 left in the first half. After Moran returned the kickoff to the York 35, Mt. Valley forced the Wildcats to go three and out.
Falcons QB Shorey completed a 30-yard pass to Staires and another short pass to give them a first and goal at the York seven yard line. Langenheim and Tom Ross made solid tackles for York, but on fourth down Shorey scrambled and finally completed a pass to Devin Roberts in the end zone for a TD to give Mt. Valley a 21-7 lead with 5:33 left in the half.
The Wildcats were still scrapping and Moran returned the kickoff to the York 35 yard line. Then Pruger gained 18 yards on his longest run of the night and Quinn added six more before QB Wallace completed a pass to Bond for a first down on the Mt. Valley 23. But the Falcons stopped Pruger for no gain and then sacked Wallace on consecutive plays. Jiminez took over at QB, but his fourth-down pass intended for Dan Sheehan fell incomplete and Mt. Valley was content to "take a knee" as the half ended with the score Mt. Valley 21, York 7.
York caught a break early in the third period when Ryan Vokey recovered a Mt. Valley fumble near midfield. But the Wildcats went three and out and were forced to punt again. This time the Falcons scored in only five plays paced by the strong running of Staires that included a 27-yard scoring scramble. Trailing 28-7, York pulled out all the stops, including a lateral on the kickoff from Blomquist to Jiminez and pass completions from Wallace to Blomquist for consecutive first downs that gave York a first down on the Falcons 37, but Mt. Valley intercepted a York pass and returned it to the York 36 yard line. This time, senior halfback Roberts found a hole on the left side and outraced the York defenders for a TD to give the Falcons a commanding 35-7 lead.
Late in the final period, York stopped a Mt. Valley drive when Pruger recovered a fumble on the York five yard line. But after an aborted pitch play, Greg Lipton was tackled in the end zone for a safety, which made the final score Falcons 37, York 7.
There are just three games left on the regular schedule, and York must win them all for a chance to meet Mt. Valley again in the playoffs.
This Friday, Oct. 13, York will host Greely at 7 p.m.
