GC Passes Beat Calhoun; Playoffs Here Saturday

By Jake White

In this play that became the turning point of the game, Matt Nesi fakes a punt and passes to a wide open Jared Mitchell for a gain of 33 yards and a first down for GC. See this photo at www.Newsphoto.com All season long Garden City High's junior quarterback Matt Montgomery had done a fine job of directing the offense. Most of the time that meant keeping the ball on the ground. In fact, Montgomery had averaged just nine passes per game. All of that changed last Saturday when he was called upon to rally the Trojans against a team with a huge defensive line. He came through spectacularly, completing 17 of 30 passes for 224 yards, including the 10-yard scoring toss to Stephen Jahelka with 1:14 left in the game to give Garden City a dramatic and essential 23-19 win.

Garden City's victory plus Hewlett's upset of Carey left six teams with 6 and 2 records at the top of the 14-team Conference Two. Power points determine places and third place GC (6-2) earned a home field match-up with sixth place Levittown Division (6-2) this Saturday at Warren King Field at the slightly earlier starting time of 1 p.m.

Pierce Bradley celebrates after he scored the touchdown that brought the Trojans to within one point of Calhoun in the third quarter. See this photo at www.Newsphoto.com Montgomery wasn't surprised by his team's passing success. "They were stacking the line and we had to throw," he said. "It's pretty easy throwing to 6-2 and 6-4 kids who are athletic. Our line blocked great and our receivers made plays. I just put the ball where it had to be."

Did he ever. He completed 7 passes to Denis Rice for 101 yards and another 10 to Pierce Bradley, Will Fuller, Brian Fischer and Stephen Jahelka. With no political pun intended, he spread the wealth.

The game, played before a large, enthusiastic crowd at Calhoun was filled with twists and turns and saw four lead changes. Two early Trojan fumbles almost spelled disaster, but the defense held the Colts to just one touchdown and when Monty went to the air, GC drove 80 yards to tie at 6-6 with Jahelka going in from the one.

Quarterback Matt Montgomery, who passed for 224 yards, in action against Calhoun. See this photo at www.Newsphoto.com Trailing 13-6 in the third period, Garden City changed the momentum of the game with one play. Facing a fourth-and-inches from his own 20, Coach Tom Flatley sent out the punting team. The punter, Matt Nesi, took the snap, paused, then threw a strike down the left sideline to a wide-open Jared Mitchell for a 33-yard gain. The play enabled the Trojans to continue a 90-yard scoring drive that was completed by Jahelka's 11-yard halfback option pass to Pierce Bradley. Although a missed extra point left GC one point behind, the game had changed.

"Give Nesi and Mitchell the credit," said Flatley. " They have a pre-determined signal if our wide man is left uncovered. I heard the crowd boo went I sent out the punting team, but there was a lot of time left and if we don't make it at our 20, we could be giving them the game."

The drama was just beginning. With 5:34 left, Conor Dwyer gave GC a 15-13 lead when he kicked a 37-yard field goal, his third of the season and longest ever. Almost before the crowd stopped celebrating, the nightmare of the Elmont game seemed to reappear when Calhoun QB Ryan Hastings connected with his wide receiver Travis Dwyer for an 89-yard touchdown bomb to put the Colts on top, 19-15 with 4:29 showing on the clock.

Calhoun's Travis Dwyer can't stop Stephen Jahelka from scoring the winning touchdown for the Trojans. See this photo at www.Newsphoto.com But Montgomery and the Trojans would not be denied. Starting on their own 32, the offense marched with the quarterback connecting for six completions, two of them on third-and-ten and fourth-and-ten situations. The latter was 21-yard gem to Pierce Bradley at the Calhoun 8. Two plays later, Montgomery threw a flat pass to Jahelka who bulled into the end zone for the winning score.

Now the focus turns to the playoffs. "Division is a good football team," said Offensive Coordinator Bob Defliese. "They have run the ball very well all year and they have a talented young quarterback." Seeded tenth pre-season, the Blue Dragons have over-achieved, but none of their six wins came against the top five teams.

Connor Dwyer kicks a 37 yard field goal that put the Trojans ahead 15-13. See this photo at www.Newsphoto.com No. 1 Carey (6-2) hosts 8th seeded Long Beach (4-4), No. 7 New Hyde Park (4-4) is at No. 2 Hewlett (6-2) and No. 4 (Elmont (6-2) is at home to battle No. 5 Calhoun (6-2) in other quarterfinal games.

EXTRA POINTS: GC threw a total of 32 passes and completed a school-record tying 19 for 268 yards. The two teams, both noted for running, combined for 458 yards in the air...GC hasn't played Levittown Division since 2000 and holds 12-3-2 advantage all-time...The win against Calhoun was GC's 14th straight without a loss...Calhoun punter Travis Dwyer had five kicks for an amazing 51.4 average...GC's J.V. beat Calhoun, 28-14 to finish 7-1. "Our kids really showed some toughness as the season went on," said Coach Seth Messier....The 8th and 7th grade teams both beat Bethpage, 36-0, to finish with 6 and 0 marks.

Will Fuller sacks Calhoun QB Ryan Hastings. See this photo at www.Newsphoto.com

Denis Rice pulls in one of his seven receptions. See this photo at www.Newsphoto.com