With the clock running out tight end Jared Beattie popped up out of nowhere and caught a pass over the middle and fell on the goal line at Sam Eppolito Field for a touchdown.
The Granville Golden Horde had just pulled even in an improbable Class C North shoot out game with the Corinth Tomahawks and the game appeared to hinge on the extra point attempt.
When senior running back Kody Bardin stretched out over the goal line for a successful two-point conversion, it seemed the Horde had accomplished a task the teams from Granville are not particularly known for, coming from behind to win.
However, with scant seconds tacked on to the final minute on the clock Saturday it was the Tomahawks savoring victory following a scoring drive for the 42-36 win.
The loss drops Granville to 0-2 with 2-0 Tamarac coming up this weekend following their dismantling of Hoosic Valley 41-7.
Despite Bardin’s one catch for 16 yards, 38 carries for 215 yards, three touchdowns and two two-point conversions and junior Paul Hanna’s 76 yards on the ground, a touchdown and one completion while running the option as quarterback Granville did not win.
Failing to take care of the football and inconsistent play stopped the Golden Horde from winning Saturday, head coach Mario Torres said.
“We have yet to put together 48 minutes of football,” he said afterwards. “The moments that we play and execute, we are very good, but then in a split second, if we take a play off or miss an assignment, we are very bad.”
Citing the opening series fumble that led to the Tomahawk’s first score, long kick off returns and the final Corinth touchdown after Granville had the game won, Torres said the inconsistency has kept the team from succeeding.
“In order to win in this league you have to play for 48 minutes and today we played about 40. In the second half we played 22 out of 24 minutes, but those two minutes killed us; in the first half we gave up two touchdowns in 48 second,” Torres said.
Granville gave up the first score and then responded with two of its own but trailed at the half after giving up two second quarter touchdowns. Granville allowed two scores and put in just one in the third quarter, but allowed Corinth to answer their two scores with one of their own for the win.
Line play on both sides of the ball and mental mistakes that lead to penalties have also been an issue for the team, he said.
Torres said despite the second loss of the young season he was pleased the kids remained determined after falling behind in the game more than once.
“Our kids didn’t quit. They played hard, they battled back; we’re two scores down and we ended up being able to come back and take a lead. I thought our backs ran hard…now we just need to be able to go out and put together a complete game,” Torres said.
While the plays the team took off didn’t cost them scores directly, Torres said Saturday they did and that made a big difference towards the outcome.
That failure to play every play at maximum effort is remains a byproduct of a young team starting just three seniors. “They’re kids but they’re maturing, they’re getting better they’re understanding what is expected and what needs to happen for us to be successful. It’s just a matter of being able to put it all together and we’ll get there,” Torres said.
Unfortunately for Granville, their schedule does not get any easier. “We have to go down and face a very, very good Tamarac team,” Torres said.
Saturday, the Horde travel to Tamarac which will be a test for the team in a number of ways, Torres said.
The senior-laden Bengals squad has 19 starters who will graduate in June of 2012. Experienced, and coming off a string of less than successful seasons, Tamarac is coming off of a 41-7 shellacking of Hoosic Valley following a week one overtime ambush of Greenwich.
Not helping the Horde is the long bus ride before the game, the coach said.
In this case home or away makes a huge difference in either working the kinks out following a two hour bus ride or getting relaxed time to prepare to play the upcoming football game.
“If we go down there and execute we can play with anyone, we have the athleticism to play with anyone,” Torres said.
The Horde did not play the Bengals in 2008 or 2009.
Granville was nipped at home in 2010, falling 24-22 to the Bengals. A ‘one-that-got-away’ game for Granville, that loss likely kept them out of the playoffs when Mechanicville was deemed eligible by virtue of their win over Tamarac in head-to-head play.
After visiting Tamarac, Granville faces Mechanicville at home under the lights and hosts Greenwich before visiting Hoosic Valley Oct. 8.
Corinth 6 14 14 8 – 42
Granville 0 14 8 14 – 36