After both coming off of nail-biting games last week, the Dallastown Wildcats traveled to New Oxford to take on the Colonials in a match-up of 3-1 teams in the York-Adams league. The Colonials were coming off of a 24-17 OT win at The Corral versus Southwestern, as Dallastown survived a 19-17 scare from Dover.
On the opening drive of the game, the Colonials went to the air against a very strong Dallastown secondary, and managed to move the ball down the field on three straight completions from quarterback Anthony Lippy to three different receivers. Running back Wesley Beans capped off the drive by punching the ball in from 14 yards out to give the Colonials an early 7-0 lead. The Wildcats would respond back very quickly scoring two minutes later on a 4-yard touchdown run by quarterback Andrew Henry. This would not be the only time Henry found the end zone on the night. At the beginning of the 2nd quarter, Colonial kicker Trey Parrish hit a 41 yard field goal to put the Colonials up 10-7. On the next Wildcat possession, the Colonial defense managed to get it’s second fumble recovery of the night. It seemed as if all the momentum was in favor of the OX, but after the fumble, Lippy threw an interception giving the ball right back to D-town. Henry and running back Robert Catchings would lead the Cats prowl down the field on a various set of designed runs before Henry kept the ball himself and ran for the 14-yard TD. The Colonial offense stalled and Dallastown took advantage of the Colonials multiple failed 4th down conversions. They would add another TD with 40.4 seconds remaining in the half, this time on a 5-yard run by Henry, his 3rd of the night. This gave the Wildcats a 21-10 lead going into the half.
Dallastown came out of the half just as strong as they went in. A 4-play, 80 yard drive included a 31-yard run by Henry, a 22 yarder by Dezmond Jones, and a drive-capping 23-yard TD run by Catchings, increasing the Cats lead to 27-10 after a botched extra point. It seemed as if the Colonials were determined to get back in the game mid-way through the 3rd as they responded to the Wildcat rushing attack by handing the ball to star-running back Beans. Beans broke multiple tackles and ran over two defenders on his way to breaking a 38- yard TD run. At the end of the 3rd, the score stood at 27-17.
Early in the 4th, the Colonials were driving once again, facing a 4th and 7 as Beans took the hand-off and appeared to get the 1st down, but a horrible spot by the referee turned the ball over on downs to Dallastown. The Wildcats would capitalize and score on Catchings 2nd TD of the night, this time an 8-yard run. Dallastown took a 34-17 lead after the PAT. The Colonials attempted to gain some momentum before time ran out in the game, and appeared once again to do so on a 12-yard TD pass from Lippy to wide-out Aaron Reichert, but the referee called offensive pass interference after the defender’s feet got tangled up with that of Reichert’s. These two questionable calls may have cost the Colonials a shot at the game, but in the end, the Dallastown rushing attack clawed up the Colonials defense with a final score of 34-17. The Colonials can take positives out of this game however; they managed three fumble recoveries on the night, while only having one turnover and at times the offense had very successful drives against the D-town defense that had only given up 36 points on the season.
Next week, the Colonials (3-2, 0-0) open up YAIAA Division II play on the road against the 0-5 Northeastern Bobcats before traveling to Kennard-Dale to take on the Rams. The next Colonial home game will be the homecoming game on October 18th against the Susquehannock Warriors. The Colonials should have it pretty easy from here on out, but they still have areas of need to focus on before a possible playoff appearance, their first since 2006. Dallastown (4-1, 0-0) will also open up YAIAA Division I play next week as they travel to The Corral to take on the ailing Southwestern Mustangs.
This has nothing to do with football, but I feel this is an appropriate time and way to say this: to my amazing and gorgeous girlfriend of 18 1/2 months, I told you that you would find out soon enough how I would do this: Will you go to homecoming with me? I love you so very much, and I can’t thank you enough for your continued support through everything in accomplishing my dreams of being a sports broadcaster for ESPN!! 🙂 <3
