With less than a minute to play, Trinity-Pawling scored the go-ahead touchdown and held on to edge Brunswick by a 40-35 margin in an exciting, back-and-forth Erickson League contest on Saturday night at Cosby Field.
Following an opening score by the Pride on a kick-off return, the Bruins (4-3, 4-2) countered with a touchdown drive, capped by a 24-yard scoring toss by Nick Henkel (16/25, 188 yards, 3 TD) to Jack Montinaro (5 rec., 56 yards, 1 TD). An extra-point kick by Chris Chavez tied the game at 7-7.
The teams exchanged touchdowns to close out the first quarter, as Henkel connected with Sean Amill (5 rec., 66 yards, 2 TD) on a 29-yard TD pass.
In a 14-14 game, Brunswick took the lead in the second quarter on a one-yard touchdown plunge by Michael Gottlieb, but Trinity-Pawling (5-2, 5-1) answered with a touchdown pass, as the teams headed into the half knotted at 21-21.
Following a blocked punt by the Bruins’ Whit Knight in the third quarter, Brunswick needed one play to regain the lead. On the scoring play, Henkel hooked up with Amill for a 15-yard fade pass in the corner of the end zone. A Chavez extra-point gave the hosts a 28-21 lead.
Trinity-Pawling tied the game in the fourth quarter on a short touchdown run, but the Bruins immediately answered, as Jack Ocken returned the Pride kick-off 60 yards up the sideline to pay dirt. Chavez added his fifth extra-point kick, giving the Bruins a 35-28 lead with just over five minutes left to play in the contest.
The Pride answered the Brunswick score on their first play from scrimmage with a 68-yard touchdown run. However, Trinity-Pawling did not convert the extra-point try, as the Bruins held a 35-34 lead with over 4:38 left to play in the game.
Trinity-Pawling forced a three-and-out by Brunswick, as the Bruins punted the ball to the Pride 25-yard line with 2:42 left in regulation.
The Pride opened their decisive scoring drive with a 44-yard run, getting the ball to the Bruins’ 31-yard line. Two running plays later, Trinity-Pawling was on the Brunswick one-yard line with a first-and-goal opportunity, as the clock ticked down to one minute to play. After a pair of stout defensive stops by the Bruins, the Pride finally crossed the goal line with 14 seconds left to play in the game. Trinity-Pawling’s pass attempt on a two-point conversion was no good, but the visitors held a 40-35 lead.
On the ensuing kick-off, the Bruins made a fair catch to start their possession on their own 35-yard line.
Henkel opened the drive with a pair of completions to Cornelius Johnson, moving the ball to the Pride’s 41-yard line with three seconds left in the game. Following the Bruins final time out, Henkel tossed a Hail Mary pass to the Pride end zone, but it was intercepted to end the game.
Brunswick will cap its season with a trip to Erickson League foe Williston Northampton on Saturday, November 11.