Football: Somers comes up with another big play in the closing minutes to send Rye home

MIDDLETOWN – One snap. One throw. One catch.

That’s all that separated a pair of all-too-familiar Section 1 heavyweights on Friday in an unprecedented NYSPHSAA Class A semifinal at Middletown High School.

Somers came up with the one big play and is heading for the Carrier Dome.

Matt Fitzsimons found Trey Mancuso, who cradled the ball, zigged left down the seam and zagged right. He eluded three different tacklers before landing inside the pylon with 4:08 to play, propelling the Tuskers to the state final with a 14-7 win over Rye at Faller Field.

There’s more work to be done.

“It’s the best feeling in the world,” Mancuso said. “I beat him off the release. I knew it was going for a touchdown. I knew it when the ball was in the air. I was making that catch and going in for a touchdown.”

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Right place. Right time.

“Trey made a play when we needed a play,” Somers coach Anthony DeMatteo said. “That's my guy. That's the guy I've been leaning on all year and he's Superman. … He has ice in his veins. He doesn't feel the big moment and that's why we go to him again and again for a big play. He was begging me to call that play. I told him it wasn't the right time. But we found the time to get the ball in his hands.”

Both teams know each other so well, there were no surprises and all three scores were the result of an outstanding individual effort.

It's the second meeting in three weeks for these postseason rivals.

The Tuskers also survived the drama in a wild Section 1 championship game, winning 26-23. The Garnets received the rotating NYSPHSAA at-large bid and the rematch was on after both teams won regional contests.

Positive yards were hard-earned both ways.

"We knew coming into this game it was going to be a war," Somers linebacker Ethan Krauss said. "Our defense balled out. We all knew what was going to happen. We came too far not to win this game."

Turning point

Rye was running out of playmakers late in the game with quarterback Owen Kovacs and linebacker Ryan Surhoff sidelined with injuries, but Sheppard Griffiths boomed a 66-yard punt to pin Somers down at its own 5 with 9:07 to go.

The Tuskers leaned on Derek Marcus, who followed Jake Polito into the pile time after time, picking up three timely first downs. It was all muscle and grit.

On third and 6 from the 43, Fitzsimons hit Mancuso for the game-winning touchdown.

"We basically did what we did all year," Marcus said. "We keep pushing, keep pushing. We don’t quit. We bring it to you all day long."

Player of the game

It was a defensive battle and while Somers had a number of players come up with big stops at key moments, Krauss spent more time around the ball than any player on the field.

By the numbers

Rye (10-2): Caden Whaling had 38 yards on 19 carries. He caught a 40-yard pass from Kovacs, who bought time with some brilliant scrambling before making the connection with 29.7 seconds to go in the opening half. Tommaso Grani added the PAT to knot the score 7-7. ... Kovacs completed four passes for 69 yards before exiting. 

Somers (12-0): Ravi Dass got to the left edge on a counter play and went 85 yards in the last minute of the first quarter to put the Tuskers in front. Luke Savino added the PAT. Dass finished with 104 yards on seven carries. ... Marcus added 73 yards on nine carries. ... Fitzsimons completed four passes for 87 yards. ... Mancuso had three catches for 85 yards and the one touchdown.

Quotable

"It was a physical game," Garnets coach Dino Garr said. "They made a couple of big plays, to their credit. It wasn't due to a lack of effort or preparation on our part. Both programs, I think, proved again why we’re here in this game."

"They’re a really talented team, but this is amazing, going to the Dome." Mancuso said. "It’s been our goal since the season started. It’s amazing."

Up next

Somers is playing for its second NYSPHSAA Class A title at 3 p.m. next Friday at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse against Section 3's Christian Brothers Academy.  

Mike Dougherty covers boys soccer, boys lacrosse, girls basketball and golf for The Journal News/lohud.com. He can be reached at mdougher@lohud.com, or on Twitter @hoopsmbd, @lohudlacrosse, @lohudhoopsmbd and @lohudgolf.