Somers Makes Easy Work of Pelicans in First Round Of Playoffs

On Friday October 27, Somers began their postseason defense of their New York State football title. Pelham on the slate, the number one standing seemed to hang over the medium sized crowd and put fans in a somewhat subdued mood. Like they had seen this movie many, many times before, the diehards had a pretty good idea how this night would end, and the outcome proved the home crowd exactly right.

On the second play of the game, the defense knocked out Pelham’s starting quarterback, and the rest of the visiting team would eventually follow in a 38-0 evisceration.

The Somers offense didn’t quite get out of the gate so fast, though. To everyone's surprise, the Tuskers were punting after three plays, but the special teams quickly made up the difference. The punt went deep and Somers rudely hemmed Pelham in at the nine yard line.

Only three plays later, Ryan Cole’s sack allowed the Somers offense to start their night. Set up at the 26 yard line off Miquel Iglesias punt return, Mac Sullivan took the lead. The Quarterback first hit Dean Palazzolo for six yards and then rolled left for receiver James Balancia. First and goal from the ten yard line, Mason Kelly sliced through like butter and Somers had a a 6-0 lead.

Luke Cukaj connecting for the first of his season high eight points, the 7-0 lead didn’t even have to wait the obligatory three plays. Andrew Violante got the interception, and after a hold on the run back into the end zone, Somers began on the Pelham 38. No bother, Kelly burst through the line for a touchdown on the next play, and it was 14-0 with 3:53 left in the first period.

The movie again on rewind, Pelham refused to heed calls that implored that they get out and go home. Gored on another three plays and Somers refused to mask their winning intentions. Passes to Luca Ploger, Jacob Hauser and runs by Mason Kelly put Somers on the Pelham 25 yard line, and Mac Sullivan readied his team for a commanding 21-0 lead. The senior QB connected a screen to the right to Dean Palazzolo, and the receiver rounded the corner for the score.

11:52 left in the first half, Matt Klee squared off the next three plays with his sack, and the ugly blood bath continued. Iglesias took the punt return to the Pelham 32, Sullivan hit Palazzolo to the nine, and Kelly scored on the very next play.

Now a 28-0 game, Somers' next possession ended in the red again. Only this time Jack Otter got the pick for the Pelicans, but the Somers defense made sure the miscue didn’t stand for very long. Nick Newman intercepted Peyton Kerr at the 28 yard line, and Sullivan completed the payback with a touchdown pass to Palazzolo on the next play.

35-0 going into the second half, the bench players got a chance to add to the Pelham misery. After gaining four yards to the Pelham 47, Nate Mitchell hit a hole at 5:25 in the fourth quarter and went 32 yards to set up Cukaj’s 35 yard field goal.

Good for the final score, the Eastchester Eagles are up next in the tournament, and while a closer game is more likely, there’s a good chance that the Tuskers will uplift their fans to another drive in movie they’ve seen before.

The Semifinal game versus Eastchester will be hosted at Somers High School by the Tuskers. The Starting time is 6PM

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