MAMARONECK - There were mistakes and miscues at inopportune times, the kind of gaffes that can be especially costly against an opponent who has earned a reputation for cashing in when presented those chances.
Oh, there’ll be plenty for the Somers football coaches to agonize over during film sessions next week. But, coach Anthony DeMatteo said, there’s beauty in an ugly win, viewed from the perspective of the sideline.
“We have lots of conversations about having our backs to the wall and showing grit,” DeMatteo said on Sept. 3. “We’ve talked about how you can’t beat someone that refuses to quit.”
Mamaroneck had a similar mantra last fall, and had the comeback victories to support it, during a run that captured its first Section 1 championship.
The
Tigers threatened to overcome a 14-point deficit, and came awfully close, but Somers forced two fourth-quarter turnovers on downs in the red zone, including a stop with 39 seconds left that enabled them to pull out a tough 20-13 win in the teams’ season opener.
Luke Balancia, Jayden Abruzese and quarterback Tristan Iglesias each rushed for a touchdown, and the Tuskers defense excelled in the clutch. Cameron Violante snagged two interceptions and had two pass breakups in the end zone, including one with 1:02 remaining to protect the one-score lead.
Stephen Haynes covers sports for The Journal News/lohud.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Somers pulls out tough 20-13 football opener win over Mamaroneck
