By STEVE BRICKLER
WEBSTER, N.Y. — The Hilton Cadets remained undefeated (5-0) after Robert Lowry scored his third touchdown of the game with 10 seconds remaining to defeat Webster Schroeder (3-2) 22-19 in a rematch of last year’s Class A1 final. The winning score was the final of five lead changes in the second half. The Cadets travelled 76 yards on the game winning drive, taking 6 minutes 11 seconds off the clock. All 13 plays on the drive were courtesy of the ground game.
“It’s one of the best wins we’ve had in my 35 years” said longtime Hilton Coach Rich Lipani.
The Cadets ran thirteen straight times on the winning drive, almost exclusively to the right side of the line ripping off solid chunks of yards on virtually every play. Lowry was the workhorse, carrying 11 times on the drive with DiBattisto getting the other two totes. The Cadets earned five first downs on the drive converting twice on third down along the way. They moved the ball to the Warrior 2- yard line with 12 seconds left and after a Schroeder timeout, Lowry plunged in over the right side for the game winning score with 10 seconds remaining.
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“It was stressful” said Lowry of the game winning drive. ” I was fighting, I was holding my leg, hurting my leg, my feet hurt. I just had to push. I give all the credit to my line. Without them I wouldn’t be able to do this.”
“Webster is a really, really good team,” Lipani said. “They are physical, they are tough. Number 50 for Webster (Noah Wittmer) was killing us, their linebackers were doing a great job. We had a great drive, our offensive line did a great job. Robert Lowry ran unbelievably hard, just incredible the tough yards he got. He’s more than just a breakaway back.”
The game started with both teams putting together touchdown drives on their first possession of the game. The Warriors took the opening kickoff and drove 85 yards in 9 plays. The drive began with three passing plays, the third going from quarterback Andrew Hilfiker to receiver Justin Maier which covered 38 yards into Cadet territory. The Warriors then used the legs of running back Anthony DeRosa to enter the red zone where they connected on a 17-yard touchdown strike in the back right corner of the end zone from Hilfiker to wideout Gavin Horton. The PAT gave Schroeder a 7-0 lead.
Hilton responded with their own long drive, going 70 yards in 17 plays taking 9 minutes and 15 seconds off the clock traversing the first and second quarters. The Cadets ran the ball on 15 plays during the drive but converted two key first downs through the air on third down, the first being a screen pass from quarterback Colton Thorp to Tyler Reisinger for 16 yards and the second on an out-pattern to Luke Lockhart for 9 yards along the Hilton sideline. Lowry went in from the 1-yard line for the equalizer, his ninth carry on the drive.
Both defenses stiffened for the remainder of the half. After a Schroeder three and out, the Cadets regained possession and crossed midfield after two first downs. A holding penalty put them behind the sticks and on fourth and long the Warriors’ Maier stepped in front of a Cadet receiver for an interception giving Schroeder possession at its own 30 with 2:50 left in the half. The Warriors earned three first downs to get into Cadet territory but were intercepted in the endzone by Hilton’s Brady Quill with 12 seconds remaining in the half.
The Cadets received the second half kickoff and went 3 and out. The Warriors took possession at their own 15 and then a holding penalty pushed the ball back half the distance to the goal. This proved costly as on the ensuing play a low shotgun snap squirted into the endzone where Hilfiker was taken down for a safety and a Hilton 9-7 lead. Lowry had a strong 28-yard return on the free kick following the safety giving the Cadets good field position at midfield. However, the Cadets were forced to punt giving Schroeder possession at their own 17.
The Warriors proceeded to go on another long drive, this one a 15-play drive that took 6 minutes and 8 seconds off the clock. The Warriors ran a number of flanker screen plays to work their way down the field. Midway through the drive, the Warriors were faced with 4th and one in Hilton territory and drew an offside penalty to keep the drive alive. A Hilfiker to Tyler Washington catch and run and ensuing personal foul penalty for a late hit gave the Warriors first and goal at the Hilton six as the third quarter ended. After a 1-yard keeper by Hilfiker, the Warriors went backwards due back-to-back penalties, eventually facing a 4th and goal from the 22. A perfectly executed screen pass from Hilfiker to DeRosa resulted in a Warrior touchdown to reclaim the lead. A failed 2-point conversion attempt gave the Warriors a 13-9 edge with 10:16 left in the game.
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Unfazed, the Cadets went on a 66-yard scoring drive in just 2 minutes and 46 seconds. The key play in the drive was a 40-yard strike from Thorp to Braydon Pike. On the next play Lowry carried the ball to the Warrior 15 yard line. A five-yard Lowry run and a seven-yard run by John DiBattisto put the ball on the three where Lowry finished the drive with his second rushing touchdown of the day. A missed PAT left the score at 15-13 in favor of Hilton.
The Warriors wasted no time answering the Cadet score, taking just 1 minute and 9 seconds to regain the lead. Maier returned the kickoff to the Schroeder 45 where Hilfiker found Horton down the left sideline for a 50 yard play to the Hilton five. Three plays later, DeRosa found the endzone for the second time on the night. The 2-point conversion failed giving the Warriors a 19-15 lead with 6:21 to play.
This set the stage for the winning drive by the Cadets beginning at their own 24-yard line.
“Whoever got the ball last would win, we hoped,” said Lipani.
The two teams will not get a chance at a sectional rematch later this season as they are in different sectional brackets (Hilton AA, Schroeder A) due to reclassification this season. Hilton hosts McQuaid next Friday while Schroeder travels to Brighton on Saturday.
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