V IS FOR A VALDEZ VICTORY: ELWOOD KNIGHTS OVER WILDCATS

Every team has a nemesis. For the Elwood Knights, the Shoreham Wading River Wildcats are an annual hardship. Two years ago, Brendan Kelly set a SWR career rushing record at the Elwood-John Glenn Academic and Athletic Campus. Last year, the Knights visited the Wildcats riding an undefeated winning streak and barely kept it intact, thanks to graduate John Cinnante.

This year’s match-up reeked of upset and trap game for the Knights. Kelly was back on the sidelines visiting his alma-mater and showing off his University of Central Florida football physique. Last week, the Knights survived a potential homecoming horror against Amityville and next week, the undefeated, perennial power, and defending Long Island Champion Babylon Panthers loom large. For added distraction, several of the Knights took the SATs that morning requiring some Long Island Expressway bobbing and weaving by a veteran Knights mom to enable the Knights to field their full roster.

On the game’s first drive, the Knights went three and out. The Wildcats fielded the punt and then moved the ball down field, efficiently executing a short passing game. Only a Knights fumble recovery, stopped a SWR drive deep in Elwood territory. The Knights quickly capitalized moving the ball with a mix of runs and QB Rich Czeczotka passes.  The first quarter ended with the Knights ahead 6-0.

In the second quarter, however, the Knights lost focus. Wildcats quarterback McAlary pierced the Knights vaunted secondary with a precision passing attack. With remarkable alacrity, the Wildcats had a 14-6 lead. On the Elwood sideline while fans became subdued, the Knights’ captains offered some blunt critical analysis about expectations, commitment, and obligations. The voices of the Mighty Jack Moorehead and Matt “Dirty Jersey” Forsberg rang in the ears of their defensive teammates. Next, pads popped and the Wildcats offensive foray was done for the day. For the rest of the game, the Joltin Joes--Gannon, Giaramita and Princiotta--hit, knocked down or intercepted passes, and showed what it takes to play for Head Coach Dave Shanahan.

On the other side of the ball, the Knights launched a thirty two point explosion. Just as some in the stands were muttering about “too much passing” Czeczotka found the Rocket, Ryan Valdez, deep for a forty five yard touchdown strike, the first of two TD launches to Valdez. The two point conversion was good and the half ended with a 14-14 tie score. In the second half, although the referees threw a few controversial flags calling back two touchdown jaunts, the Knights could not be stopped. Two Knight runners, Austin “Crazy Legs” Cohen and Joe Rizzuto, ran amok, and the Knights gained over three hundred fifty yards on the ground. Once again, Big John McDermott, Kyle Satchell, Joe Kohout, Tom Molloy, and Steve Jeanty established ambulation avenues for the Knights backs. On this day, with a final score of Knights 38--Wildcats 14, happiness ensued. However, Babylon is next. The challenge gets bigger from here.