Hills East Suffers Opening Game Loss

There's a reason why you play four quarters in a football game. And the Half Hollow Hills East Thunderbirds found out the hard way opening day.

Opening their 2010 season at home against Centereach, the Thunderbirds took a 13-0 lead into halftime, only to see the Cougars roar back in the second half and ultimately win 21-13.

"It was definitely a game of halves," Hills East Coach Kevin Hill said. "We won the first half, and they won the second half."

Centereach won the game in large part, due to the play of running back/linebacker Kyle Connor, who rumbled through the Thunderbirds defense, scoring one touchdown and setting up another.

"He's a huge part of our offense," said Cougar Coach Charles McMillen. "It's our game plan to give him the ball 30 to 40 times and for him to make plays."

Things started well for the Thunderbirds. Early in the first quarter, Rasheed Williams picked up a fumble and dashed 58 yards for the score, giving the home team a 6-0 lead. Then, after Connor's ensuing kickoff return gave the Cougars excellent field position at the Hills East 46-yard line, Ryan Coyle recovered another Centereach fumble at midfield. With Williams and Shawn Charles cutting through the Cougar defense, it looked as if the Thunderbirds would capitalize on another Cougar mistake. However, Ramone Henderson picked off a Rob Merckling pass deep in Centereach territory, turning away the Thunderbirds.

 Midway through the second quarter, Merckling left the game—for what would be the first of two times—and backup RJ Nitti entered. Just before the half, Nitti hooked up on a 20-yard catch and run with Jake Gnieser and after an extra point, the Thunderbirds took a 13-0 lead into halftime.

In the second half, the Cougars abandoned the passing game, relying heavily on Connor, who capped a 65-yard-drive with a two-yard run up the middle, pulling the Cougars to within six at 13-7, with just over two minutes remaining in the third quarter. In the fourth, Centereach took the lead with 5:13 remaining, as the Cougars converted on a fourth and six from the Hills East 13-yard line. Again, it was Connor doing the damage, catching a Dan Brown pass and rumbling to the Hills East 6-yard line, where Carl Taurisano took it in from there. Felipe Vincombe's second extra point gave Centereach its first lead, 14-13. Late in the game, Taurisano broke through the Hills East line and ran 39 yards for the game's final score, handing the Thunderbirds a 21-13 loss.

"Going into the game we thought it could have gone either way," said Hill, whose team suffered through some close, tough losses last season. "[Centereach] didn't quit in the second half. They didn't die. And we didn't die. They did out-tough us. Our kids played tough, but they wore down."

Indeed. In the second half, Centereach controlled the line of scrimmage, frequently pushing the Thunderbird defenders several yards off the line, opening up holes for their running backs, and keeping Hills East defenders on the field for long stretches.

"We simplified the offense and went to a power game," McMillen said.

"We'll look at the films this week and see exactly where we broke down," Hill said.  Before looking at the films, Hill is already aware of a major problem: the health of his starting quarterback. Merckling took a beating all afternoon, and was finally knocked out of action with just under three minutes remaining in the game, courtesy of a knee injury that Hill described as day-to-day.

"He's such a competitive kid, and he tells you he wants to play," Hill said, "and he's got so much heart--you can't take that away from him, so you let him go back in and give it everything he's got."

And that's on both sides of the ball, as Merckling, when healthy, was active on the defense as well.

"He's as tough as [nails]," McMillen said following the game. "He's not only our starting quarterback, but he's a two-year captain, a senior, and our leader,"Hill added. "You can't replace that."

All in all, a hard afternoon for the Thunderbirds, who next play on September 16. That will give Hill's squad a much-needed chance to rest, heel up and prepare for their next opponent--Comsewogue.