HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: HORSEHEADS GETS BIG ROAD WIN AT U-E (11 PHOTOS) (2023-10-13)
BY ANTHONY GOSSSouthern Tier Sports ReportENDICOTT --- A key divisional contest within Section IV Class A came down to the final minutes Friday night. A significant defensive stand fueled by Horseheads' secondary sealed a major road victory against Union-Endicott.
The Blue Raiders held on for a 20-13 victory over the Tigers, notching their first divisional win on the season.
Both teams struggled to find points in the first half. UE forced two three-and-outs while the Blue Raiders held their ground with a significant disadvantage in field position. The Tigers' defense established its presence early, limiting the Blue Raiders' ball carriers.
"They’re tough," Horseheads head coach Kevin Hillman said. "Sometimes you want to use their aggressiveness against them but that’s tough to do. That’s a really good defensive line."
The unit tallied two sacks and three tackles for loss in the game.
The Tigers possessed the ball midway through the second quarter but could not navigate their drive into the red zone. They settled for a field goal attempt which Horseheads blocked with 6:06 to play in the period.
The Blue Raiders then pieced together their longest drive of the opening half and moved the ball deep into UE territory. An intentional grounding penalty on first and goal moved the Blue Raiders outside the red zone.
Horseheads quarterback Dom Cardinale dropped back on third and goal, but overshot his intended receiver and instead found Tigers' defensive back, Jonah Conklin. The missed opportunity left the score at a 0-0 stalemate after 24 minutes.
"We couldn’t get anything going offensively being on our end," Horseheads head coach Kevin Hillman said. "They did a good job of pinning us back."
The Tigers pounced immediately out of the halftime break. A handful of carries from running Zakari Wells positioned UE for a shot downfield. Quarterback Logan Barnes launched a 34-yard strike into the end zone and Shane Wallace came down with the touchdown reception. Horseheads blocked another kick on the point after try, leaving the score 6-0 with 8:55 left in the third quarter.
The Blue Raiders responded quickly, shifting to an up-tempo attack on the ensuing drive. Cardinale powered his way into the end zone from four yards out to even the score and the following extra point put Horseheads in front 7-6.
"Second half we wanted to move quicker, have more of an urgency," Hillman said.
UE and Horseheads exchanged punts after short drives, leaving the Tigers with the ball near the end of the third quarter. The Blue Raiders pressured Barnes into a crucial mistake and linebacker Braeden Butts intercepted a throw intended for receiver Cooper Hughes.
The Blue Raiders then totaled eight plays to get to the UE one-yard line. Cardinale punched in his second rushing touchdown of the night on the ninth play, giving Horseheads a 13-6 fourth-quarter lead after a missed point after try.
"That was all my line," the Horseheads quarterback said. "They really stepped up and did what they do."
The defense built off that momentum, forcing a three-and-out from the Tigers' offense.
Two plays later, Cardinale zipped a pass to Miles Woodhouse on a slant route. A Tigers' defensive back broke on the ball, but missed his target, leaving nothing but turf in front of Woodhouse while he raced 67 yards to push the Horseheads lead to a 20-6 margin with 7:36 to play.
"He cleared the safety and I just rifled it in there," Cardinale said. "He makes plays and I had to get him the ball."
Hillman praised his quarterback's efforts.
"He had a couple times early in the game where he was leaving the pocket too early or not stepping up," Hillman said. "He showed a lot of poise. That was a big-time play."
The Tigers shined on kick returns throughout the game and Hughes took the proceeding kickoff to his opponent's 38-yard line. Hughes made a pair of big gains on the drive, helping UE move the ball inside the five-yard line. But Horseheads solidified its front and denied three straight rushing attempts from the home team.
UE called on Hughes one more time on fourth and goal, dialing up a trick play that ended with him floating a two-yard score to receiver Qadir Shabazz. A successful extra point put the Tigers behind 20-13.
Horseheads gained only one yard on its next drive and UE got the ball back with 2:56 remaining and a chance to tie the game. But the Blue Raiders' secondary made its final stand, deterring four passing attempts from Barnes to end the game.
The Blue Raiders' victory sets up a pivotal Division II matchup next week with Vestal traveling to Horseheads on Friday.
"This is huge. It keeps us in play to get that bye and a home playoff game," Hillman said. "We’ve got Vestal coming. It’s going to be another tough one next week."
Union-Endicott travels to Binghamton on the same day, hoping to end its three-game losing streak.
HORSEHEADS 20 UNION-ENDICOTT 13FIRST QUARTERNo Scoring plays
SECOND QUARTERNo Scoring Plays
THIRD QUARTERUE: Shane Wallace 34-yard pass from Logan Barnes (unsuccessful try), 8:55
HH: Dom Cardinale 4-yard run (Reidy kick), 5:31
FOURTH QUARTERHH: Cardinale one-yard run (Reidy kick), 10:01
HH: Miles Woodhouse 67-yard pass from Dom Cardinale (unsuccessful try), 7:36
UE: Qadir Shabazz two-yard pass from Cooper Hughes (Smith kick), 3:37
INDIVIDUAL STATS
RUSHINGHH: McCawley 14-51; Scanlon Shaw 7-33; Mosher 6-25; Cardinale 4-5
UE: Wells 17-47; Hughes 3-29; Viera-Powell 2-14; Barnes 7-12; Gennarelli 4-12' Elliot 1-2
PASSING HH: Cardinale 9-16-128; Mosher 1-1-32; McCawley 1-1-17
UE: Barnes 9-20-93; Hughes 1-1-2
RECEIVINGHH: Woodhouse 7-147; Scanlon Shaw 3-23
UE: Wallace 2-39; Hughes 2-25; Gennarelli 2-14; Shabazz 3-14; Wells 1-3
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