NEW ROCHELLE — In a game that had big fumbles, big runs and big receptions for touchdowns, big field goals and big missed extra points, a fourth-down conversion and subsequent 2-yard TD run proved to be the difference Saturday, Oct. 17, as host New Rochelle came from behind to beat North Rockland 18-13.
New Rochelle led 12-10 at the half in a game that had a little bit of everything.
While it was only the first quarter, the game took a dramatic turn when in the space of 18 seconds North Rockland, leading 3-0, lost a fumble on the New Rochelle 5-yard line with Jason Salera recovering and on the very next play New Rochelle's Ryan Hamilton took a handoff, sweeping left before going 95 yards for the touchdown. Just to make things crazier, North Rockland then
blocked New Rochelle's extra point kick.
New Rochelle would later miss another PAT, when the ball hit the right upright.
That miss loomed large when Tanner McGovern connected on his second field goal of the day -- this one from 31 yards -- with 7:44 remaining in the fourth quarter to put the Red Raiders up 13-12.
That kick culminated a drive that began on North Rockland's own 12-yard line and featured two big plays by Rocco Bellofatto. One was a fake punt on fourth-and-one in which Bellofatto ran for 22 yards and the other was a 44-yard pickup by him off a short pass from quarterback Zaire Chase.
But New Rochelle still had plenty of time left when it took the ensuing kickoff, starting with decent field position at its own 38.
New Rochelle picked up a first down at midfield on a good second-effort run by Salera. But the drive stalled and after junior quarterback Malachi Mcfarlane, who had a big, 56-yard scoring strike in the first half, threw behind his receiver on a thrid-and-nine from his own 49 with 5:10 to play, New Rochelle coach Ray Rhett didn't hesitate to put the ball back in his QB's hands with the game hanging in the balance.
Mcfarlane responded by delivering a perfect pass to Luke Zaccagnino for a 13-yard gain to the North Rockland 38. A Mcfarlane to Muadh Mubarak pass for 11 yards subsequently gave the Huguenots the ball on the North Rockland 15 and runs by Salera and Zaccagnino put the ball on the 2. Salera then carried it in from there for what proved to be the game-winning score.
New Rochelle coach Ray Rhett indicated going for it on fourth down, rather than giving North Rockland a chance to potentially run out the clock, was not a hard decision.
"I have total confidence in our coaching staff and players," he said.
Player of the game
That extended to his QB, even after his errant third-down throw.
"I have total confidence in his ability. He showed he's resilient," Rhett said, noting Mcfarlane has been "steady" all season and "loves those moments" when the pressure is on.
Mcfarlane, who was 8-for-12 for 122 yards, took top game honors in part for that winning drive, as well as his 56-yard, second quarter scoring strike to Mubarak.
Of coming from behind for the win, Mcfarlane said his team tuned out the vocal North Rockland sideline and "focused up," doing what it had to do.
"I knew we could because we're a great team with great chemistry," he said.
Mcfarlane explained he immediately turned the page on his third-down incomplete pass during the winning drive before his fourth-down completion.
"If a play doesn't go your way you have to suck it up and move on to the next play," he said.
Takeaways
New Rochelle, now 5-1, is having its best season in years. Once one of the state's most revered programs, it had fallen on hard times the last few years but is clearly on the upswing after going winless in 2024 and winning just three games last year.
Its only loss this season was to Mamaroneck, which also beat North Rockland, which is now 4-3 on the season.
North Rockland knows it could be 5-2 if things had gone a bit differently.
It had some good moments, as when James Jimenez Pinto broke up a fourth-and-six New Rochelle pass with the Huguenots at the Red Raider 11 in the third quarter.
But there was that costly red zone fumble by Chase and Chase, who's having a breakout season, passing now for 17 touchdowns, probably put just a little too much air under a pass to a wide open Jace Harrison in the third quarter. That allowed New Rochelle's Aiden Febles to make a great recovery, hustling back to knock the ball away, preventing a possible catch and TD run.
Still, his 17th TD pass of the season was special, showing off his arm strength and touch, going 57 yards to Bellofatto in the first quarter. And Chase would have had bigger numbers if not for a few dropped passes.
Next
Both teams play Friday, Oct. 23 with North Rockland hosting Scarsdale at 6:30 p.m. and the Huguenots visiting John Jay-East Fishkill with a 7 p.m. kickoff.
Scoring
First quarter
NRk — Tanner McGovern 33-yard field goal
NRo — Ryan Hamilton 95-yard touchdown run (PAT blocked)
NRk — 57-yard touchdown pass Zaire Chase to Rocco Bellofatto (Tanner McGovern PAT)
Second quarter
NRo — 56-yard touchdown pass Malachi Mcfarlane to Muadh Mubarak (PAT kick hits upright)
Fourth quarter
NRk — Tanner McGovern 31-yard field goal
NRo — Jason Salera 2-yard touchdown run (2-ponit conversion fails)
Nancy Haggerty covers sports for The Journal News/lohud
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: New Rochelle comes from behind late to beat North Rockland 18-13
