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Cavos earn first win of season
(by Erin Patricia Griffiths - October 01, 2008)
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Photos By Robert S. Pytel
On Friday, Sept. 26, Emerson defeated
Harrison 14-0. Ryan Gibbard tackles a runner, causing a fumble.
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After a disappointing 41-14 loss at the season opener against
Hasbrouck
Heights , a 12-0 state championship team, the Emerson Cavos took to the field on Friday, Sept. 26 with fierce determination to win. Despite the misting rain and foggy overlay on the field, the team shutout
Harrison , earning a 14-0 victory.
“They played four quarters of football,” said Coach Mike Menditto. “I am very proud of our kids. They played every snap hard and never gave up.”
In the first half, the Cavos moved the ball well, stacking up yardage, but not scoring points. By half time, the team had spent little time in the red zone, and it was obvious that they needed to step up their performance. “They [Harrison] started getting momentum in the second half,” said Menditto. “We then took it back and then finished.”
The team came back onto the field after the half with renewed energy and a drive that helped them push through the
Harrison defense that had held them scoreless in the first two quarters. “They just put it into an extra gear, and broke through that arm tackle. So that was kind of the difference, they sensed the urgency,” said Menditto.
The Cavos scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to win. Tim Vogel scored on a 50-yard run with an extra point by kicker Ryan Gibbard to put Emerson on the scoreboard with a 7-0 lead. With three minutes left in the game, the Cavos were not finished, as Jason Serra scored on a 12-yard run, with an extra point by Gibbard.
“We are hoping we can build on this,” said Menditto. “I think what you saw in the fourth quarter, we just have to keep building on. They have to sense the urgency a bit sooner.”
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The Cavos were kept scoreless for three quarters before scoring two touchdowns in the fourth, shutting out
Harrison , earning a 14-0 victory. Running back Above, Jason Ferra tries to gain more yards.
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Despite the win that has given the team a 1-1 record to date, they are not yet ready to forget about missed opportunities on the field when they were defeated by
Hasbrouck
Heights on Friday, Sept. 19. “To be honest with you, it got away too quick,” said Menditto. “You can’t give a team like that any opportunities. They are going to capitalize on it.”
The Cavos next game is on Saturday, Oct. 1 at
Bogota
High School.
Erin Patricia Griffiths' e-mail address is GriffithsE@northjersey.com.
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