HOOSICK, N.Y. -- Playing for the first time at Hoosick Falls since long-time coach Ron Jones passed away nearly a year ago, the Hoosick Falls-Tamarac Wildcats football team would have made "Jonesy" very happy with its performance on Saturday.
Senior quarterback Greg Mays threw for three touchdowns and senior running back Peyton Nealone rushed for 161 yards in a 34-0 victory over Watervliet.
"The thing I'm most excited about is just how the two schools have come together," said Wildcats head coach Erick Roadcap. "This was Coach Jones' vision. At first I was hesitant, but the more I looked, I knew it was the right choice and [Ron] knew it. It was his vision and I hope he's looking down on us from somewhere."
It took a little while for the Wildcats to get on the move, but once they did, they were hard to stop. Hoosick-Tamarac got on the board in the first quarter when Bryan Mackey rushed for an eight-yard touchdown for a 6-0 lead.
Mays doubled the lead in the second quarter with a 6-yard touchdown run and with the two-pointer to Tucker Thayne, the Wildcats had a 14-0 lead.
A Dylan Baker interception gave Hoosick-Tamarac a chance to extend the lead before the half and they did as Mays found his big tight end, Thayne, for a 19-yard touchdown to take a 20-0 lead at the break.
Nealon, who didn't get into the end zone on the day, ripped off big runs in the middle of the field, averaging nearly six yards a carry. He carried the ball 27 times for 161 yards.
"This season is the first time he's been on the field in the past two years because of injuries," Roadcap said. "He's an outstanding wrestler and a standout football player, and he's battled. He's been a stud, we've missed him when we haven't been able to use him."
In the second half, Mays threw a pair of touchdown scores, the first a 38-yarder to James Blake. Blake out-jumped the Cannoneer defender and tipped the ball in the air and then came down with it in the end zone. Later in the third quarter, Mays hit a similar pass to Dylan Baker, who came down with a tipped ball and ran in for a 28-yard touchdown for the final margin.
"Dylan had a heck of a game with an interception and a touchdown catch," Roadcap said.
In the fourth, the Wildcats subbed in and out, giving some of the younger players a chance to get into some varsity-level action.
As good as the offense was, the defense was arguably better. For the second straight week to start the shortened season, the Wildcats didn't allow any points (a 33-0 win against Ichabod Crane in Week 1 and 34-0 in Week 2). Watervliet only had 69 yards of total offense and the Cannoneers quarterback, Michael Griffin, had a miserable day, completing only 1-of-10 passes for 12 yards with two interceptions.
"I tip my hat to Coach [Chris] Fleming and Coach [Eamonn] DeGraaf," Roadcap said. "I enjoy working with them and they are putting the kids in the right spots to succeed. They're giving me a different side of football I haven't had to see in years."
The Wildcats will play at Tamarac's home field on Friday night under the lights against Taconic Hills.
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