Timmy Halaby outruns the entire Uniondale team. The Garden City Thunder White 10 year old team traveled to Uniondale on Sunday to take on the Uniondale Knights. The contest was an example of "old school" football with both teams battling for every inch of ground. The game also featured game breaker plays by both teams. Some might even say that Garden City was lucky to pull out a 13 - 12 victory. But, more on that topic later.

The pre-game coin toss called by co-captains Kieran Byrnes, Michael Holland, Louie Pagonis and Brian Tully was won by Uniondale.

The "No Surrender" defense of Thomas Reina, Anthony Velez, Luke LeCoche, Liam Fitzgerald, Louie Pagonis, James Dutton, Michael Holland, Brian Hughes, Joey Burdi, Danny Miller, Danny Dolan, Jack Connors, Timmy Halaby, Connor Riedel, Anthony Kritis, Conor Byrnes, Kieran Byrnes and Michael Cassano started the game off with a bang when they stuffed Uniondale on the first series. .

When the Thunder Road - Born to Run offense took over at their own 32 it looked like a return to the glory days when, on the first play from scrimmage, Timmy Halaby burst out of the scrum for a twenty yard gain and on successive plays Danny Miller blasted off tackle for a nine yard gain and a five yard gain for another first down. The offense with Jack Reina at center, Kieran Byrnes, Zach Stamoulis, Louie Pagonis, Danny Dolan, Ryan Giacini, Brian Tully, Joey Burdi, Danny Miller, Kevin Mullen,Timmy Halaby and Jack Connors soon found out that Uniondale was not about to roll over and the drive stalled.

Danny Miller follows Zach Stamoulis & student body right. Uniondale put a dagger into the hearts of the Thunder and their fans when the Knights ran a reverse for a long touchdown to take a 6 - 0 lead. They twisted that dagger when on the next series they ran almost the same play for another long touchdown and a 12 - 0 lead with time running out in the first half. The Thunder continued to play with enthusiasm, spirit and guts and refused to back down.

Was it luck when Timmy Halaby electrified the Thunder when he took the ensuing kickoff all the way to the one yard line? Was it luck when Danny Dolan punched it in for the score and Timmy Halaby converted the extra point to make the score 12 - 7 just before the end of the half. Was it luck when Luke LeCoche fielded two squibbed kicks to give the Thunder good field possession. Was it luck when Brian Hughes and Danny Miller combined to stop Uniondale's first extra point attempt and was it luck when Kieran Byrnes and Danny Dolan shut down Uniondale's second extra point attempt? Was it luck that the "No Surrender" defense completely shut down Uniondale in the second half? Was it luck that The Thunder Road - Born to Run offense completely dominated play by controlling the football throughout the entire third quarter into the fourth quarter before the drive ended deep in Uniondale territory? Was it luck when, with under a minute to play, Timmy Halaby stripped the Uniondale ball carrier and Anthony Kritis picked up the bouncing ball and outraced eleven Knights to the end zone to give Garden City a 13 - 12 lead? Was it luck when a now desperate Uniondale team ran a sweep and just as the ball carrier was running to daylight Joey Burdi came up fast and hard to nail the runner? Was it luck when on the very next play Joey Burdi knocked down a long pass? And was it luck when on the final play of the game the entire defense swarmed to the quarterback who let go a final, hopeless, incomplete pass to seal a thrilling victory for the Thunder?

Joey Burdi, Brian Hughes & friends knock the runner's shoes off. A great American poet once sang, "When it comes to luck you make your own."

Danny Dolan follows Jack Reina and "The Wall" into the end zone. Amen.

Anthony Kritis will soon pick up the loose ball and return it to the house for the winning touchdown!