Somers Loses on Last Play of Game

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On Monday march 23, Somers opened their season at home versus Put Valley and had Summer Scrocca circled as the main threat. "If you line up correctly, and you're able to read what's going on," said Coach Vinny Difilippo, "it's keeping everything in front of you and everything inside of you." But effectively containing the section one standout still didn't avert heartbreak.

With Somers driving to break a 0-0 tie, Blaze Connolly picked off Isabella Goulart and raced 70 yards to win on the final play of the game.

The defensive slugfest began with Put Valley getting deepest down the field. A muffed snap gave the visitors the ball at the Somers 27, but tackles by Natalie D’ippolito and Lexi Nyikos kept Scrocca contained.

A fourth down fumble gave Somers the ball back for only three downs, though, and Scrocca responded. Several runs and a reception set up a fourth down at the Somers 23.

Not enough, the defense got the stop at 1:52, and the Tuskers then went on the run. First, Goulart went for 16 yards, and then D’ippolito made the most of being trapped on the sideline.

She switched directions and went all the way across the field to the Put Valley 15. A personal foul moved the ball back, and another drive stalled.

After both teams went three and out next, Put Valley got deep again. Mostly through the air, some nifty footwork by Scrocca set the Blue Tigers up with a third and three at the 23.

A QB sneak by Lia Buerkle yielded a first down with 28 seconds left in the half, but the elephants refused to break. Olivia Wiegand reached up and closed the half with an interception.

Onto the third, Put Valley opened with a first down run by Scrocca, and Connolly made an exciting grab over the middle to set up a third and one at the 39.

There, experience didn’t win out when Maggie Mancini got the backfield pull on Scrocca. A freshman, said Difilippo, “She really understands the reads and is starting to play with confidence and speed.”

The punt to D’ippolito, she crossed over again. The sophomore received on the right and turned the corner on the left sideline to midfield.

Even so, Put Valley had the ball three plays later. Not much luck either, Put Valley was undone by an illegal block, and more third down pressure from Mancini forced punt formation.

Goulart the recipient, she galloped to the Put Valley 30, and the Tuskers were primed. The QB then burst up the middle for eight yards, but a high snap on second down undid the drive.

Mancini was undeterred, though. She crashed through the line for a sack on first down, and more pressure on third down forced an incompletion.

The third period ending, Put Valley punted, and Somers took over. Not for long, a quick possession still let the Tuskers almost turn defense into offense.

Goulart got an interception at 8:01, and the offense was set up 36 yards away. Unfortunately, the girls couldn’t answer, and the coach played the field position game by punting on fourth down.

Another Mancini sack doomed the Put Valley drive, but Somers didn’t get very far on the short field. Another punt, the defense continued to contain Scrocca with tackles by Mancini, Wiegand and Khloe Harris.

1:40 left, Goulart stayed on the ground to the Put Valley 23, and converted a sneak on fourth down to give the Tuskers a first down at the 15.

15 seconds remaining, two incompletions preceded Goulart’s pass into the middle of the field. Connolly got the snare and eluded the frantic pursuit.

Nonetheless, DiFilippo quickly gathered his girls. He implored that they keep their heads up and put the sentiment into words afterwards. “Unfortunately, we lost today on a pick six. But it doesn’t matter. We’re going to continue to go out there and practice and continue to get better,” he concluded.

Click here for photos versus Put Valley

Click here for jamboree photos with the Giants