Saturday, September 26, 2009

By Cory K. Doviak
NJS.com Editorial Director

Dan Solomon scored the game's lone points with 4:30 to play in the third quarter as Pascack Hills improved to 3-0 with a 6-0 win at Emerson on Friday night.

EMERSON – To know how far the Pascack Hills football program, you have to know from where it started. In the three years before head coach Brooks Alexander took over as the head coach in 2001 the Cowboys were doormats in the NBIL having win just six times in their previous 30 games and as Alexander put it way back then in a preview written for this site, "the boys have suffered from low roster numbers". The Cowboys then dropped out of the NBIL in favor of an independent schedule full of schools named after people you never heard of.

Pascack Hills then dropped out of the NBIL in favor of an independent schedule full of schools named after people you never heard of. It's gotten steadily better since those early days and on Friday night, Alexander spoke to a reporter at midfield at Emerson High School talking about his team's 3-0 start.

And to get there, the Cowboys knocked off Emerson, a team that is the exact opposite in terms of its on the field approach to offense, but its mirror image in terms of which way the program is heading.

Emerson sophomore quarterback Frankie Parisi threw for 55 yards and ran for 28 more.

It was Pascack Hills Wing-T offense that was able to control the time of possession and its defense that was able to contain Emerson’s no-huddle, spread formations. In a game that took less than two hours to complete, it was Danny Solomon’s touchdown run with 4:30 left in the third quarter that stood up as the lone score in Pascack Hills’ 6-0 win.

“Last season we started 3-0 and then the breaks did not go our way. We had some key injuries and we faltered down the stretch. Injuries are part of the game and they were no excuse to limp to the finish like we did, so we are not all that jazzed about being 3-0 because we know it doesn’t mean much yet,” said Alexander, whose team ended up 4-6 last year. “We what we are jazzed about it beating a good team on the road tonight.”

The first half whizzed by as the teams exchanged punts through the first five possessions and the first first down of the game did not come until Pascack Hills’ third drive when quarterback Hugh Kirwan picked up eight yards on a third-and-seven three plays before the end of the first quarter.

But that was a part of a 16-play drive that covered 81 yards and reached the Emerson nine-yard line with a first-and-goal. A six-yard pickup by Kevin Heaney and two straight runs by Ryan Hansen pushed the ball to the 1, but on fourth-and-goal, Emerson’s Joe Maggiulli sliced through to stuff Hansen’s push toward the goal line and the Cavos’ had themselves a goal-line stand that kept the game scoreless.

Nick Hageman and the Pascack Hills defense held Emerson to just 97 total yards.

Pascack Hills then forced a three-and-out and marched right back toward the goal line, only to see two incomplete passes from the 3 result in another turnover on downs and the end of a scoreless first half. Pascack Hills had a 124-2 advantage in total yards for the first half, but went to the locker room with nothing to show for it in a still scoreless game.

“It was a real tough game and our kids played hard. We had two goal line stands in the first half and we were still in it even though we had trouble moving the ball,” said Emerson head coach Mike Menditto, whose team was coming off an impressive season-opening win over St. Mary. “Pascack Hills is tough and quick and they take good angles to the ball. That being said, we had a couple of chances in the second half.”

Pascack Hills had the first chance of the third quarter and it made good. The Cowboys opened the third quarter with 14 straight running plays and converted two fourth downs along the way to the game’s lone score. On a third-and-goal from the 5, Solomon took a pitch around the left end and took a shot as he dove for the pylon in the left corner.

Pascack Hills' Ryan Hansen ran for an even 100 yards on 22 carries.

“It was a rocket play and I had to go all the way out to try to get to the pylon,” said Solomon. “When I got there I saw two Cavos coming up on me, they both had me. I was a bout a yard away from the goal line and I knew I had to do everything I could to get in for my teammates, my school and my coaches and get us the lead.”

Solomon’s score ended the 14-play drive that ate up the first 7:30 of the first quarter. The Cowboys went for the two-point conversion and Kirwan hit Aalap Chokshi on an out route, but a holding call negated the points, the next attempt failed and PH had to settle for a 6-0, which was put in jeopardy on Emerson’s next drive.

There was only 4:28 left in the third quarter when the Cavos took their first offensive snap of the second half and they put together their first sustained march. Junior running back Josh Owimrin picked up 8 yards on a third-and-2 to move the ball to the PH 32, but on the next play, the first of the fourth quarter, sophomore quarterback Frankie Parisi scrambled out of trouble and looked to be down after a two-yard gain. But somewhere in there, Parisi was ruled to have fumbled ad Pascack Hills was awarded the ball.

Emerson would have two more possessions in the fourth quarter, the first set up by a Brandon lacey interception. Four straight incomplete passes ended that march before it started and Emerson’s last shot, which made it to the Pascack Hills 40, also ended in a turnover on downs.

Emerson junior Justin Owimrin finding some running room.

Pascack Hills’ defense allowed just 97 total yards in the game and totaled three sacks, one each by Hansen, Alex McCullough and Chris McWilliams. Parisi finished 7 of 17 passing for 55 yards while Jason Ferra was the Cavos’ top rusher with 20 yards on just two carries.

Despite their struggles offensively, Emerson (1-1) was in it until the end. After a few rough seasons, the Cavos fell one win short of the state playoffs last season and it was Pascack Hills that ended Emerson’s playoff hopes with a comeback from 11 points down with four minutes to play.

But this year, both teams look like contenders for spots in the North 1, Group 1 state sectional tournament.

“Last year we were up by 11 with a chance to go to the playoffs and they came back to beat us. This time I thought they outplayed us, but I thought we had the chance to sneak one out, but we just couldn’t do,” said Menditto. “The playoffs are still the goal here and we will see how our kids rally after this.”

Pascack Hills dominated the stat sheet as Hansen ran for an even 100 yards on 22 carries, while Heaney finished with 71 yards on 10 carries, while Solomon ran seven times for 33 yards. Kirwan completed just one pass for 9 yards, but he helped keep the offense moving with 8 carries for 23 yards. The Pascack Hills defense was the dominant unit, however as the Cowboys rolled up a 250-97 advantage in total yards.

“All week we just ran against their offense every day in practice for an hour-and-a-half and we were prepared. We knew every play they were running and we watched so much film on them it was ridiculous,” said Nick Hageman, the Cowboys’ middle linebacker and tight end. “To be 3-0 feels great and we are definitely looking for a playoff spot. The intensity is high and everybody is looking to come up big.”

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