by Gary Danforth
Coach Ken Baker would have been very proud. Last Friday night, October 9, on a wet, foggy Ken Baker Field, the unbeaten Hoosick Falls Central School football team outlasted an unbeaten, error prone Cambridge Central School team 21-19 in a Class C Northern division showdown in the second annual Ken Baker Jug Game. With Baker’s widow, Mrs. Ann Baker and their son, Brian, handing over the coveted Jug to Ron Jones’ senior captains after the game for the second consecutive year, it truly was difficult to see a loser in this contest. Doug Luke’s Indian squad did everything but win the game, trying desperately to overcome three interceptions and two fumbles against a tenacious Panther defensive squad. This was a game which went down to the Indians’ final desperation pass into the Panther end zone on the game’s final play before anyone knew which team would win. It was a classic match up between two programs which Baker helped build the foundation for present day success.
The game, which was ringed by thousands of spectators who were forced to park on Route 22 a half mile both north and south of the overflowing Hoosick Falls Central School parking lot, was as competitive as you’d want to see.
On the game’s opening possession, Cambridge fumbled and recovered their own miscue. Then, HFCS took over and fumbled the ball back to the Indians at the Panther 14 yard line. A stout HFCS defense, aided by a five yard CCS penalty, forced Cambridge into a 23 yard field goal attempt. The costly delay of game penalty came on a first and ten play at the Panther one yard line. It would be those kinds of errors all evening which would thwart a potent Indian offense. The Indians’ field goal attempt went almost as high as it did long, coming up empty on the scoreboard.
Hoosick Falls took over and drove to the CCS 44 yard line before stalling on a fourth and two play. Then another critical Cambridge mistake would cost them. CCS quarterback Kyle Parmenter threw a lateral pass out into his right flat. An opportunistic Panther defense covered the errant throw and set the HFCS offense up at the Indian ten yard line. HFCS junior quarterback Mike Brewster plunged to pay dirt from a yard out on third down to give the Panthers a 6-0 lead with 1:12 left in the opening quarter. Junior place-kicker Quinn Rasmus booted the point after touchdown for a 7-0 HFCS advantage.
Neither team could move the ball effectively on their next two drives.
Then, the Panther offense would add their second score of the evening. HFCS put together a five play, 44 yard scoring drive. Panther senior running back Alex Hansen ran the ball twice in between two Brewster pass completions to bring the ball to the Indian three yard line. Then, Hansen bolted into the end zone, good for a 13-0 Panther lead. Rasmus tacked on the PAT boot to give HFCS a 14-0 advantage with 1:45 left in the first half.
But CCS wouldn’t quit. They took over at midfield and Parmenter completed a pass to the Panther 29 yard line. Then Parmenter hit Matt Best with a 29 yard scoring toss to cut the Indian deficit to 14-6. Best booted the PAT to get CCS to 14-7 with :41 left in period two. HFCS ran out the clock in this hard hitting first half.
It didn’t take Hoosick Falls long to lengthen their lead. Sophomore wide out Tanner Williams
took the second half kickoff back 88 yards for a 20-7 Panther lead with Rasmus’ PAT boot making the score 21-7. Williams went up the middle of the field cut to the right sideline and was gone.
Cambridge came right back, opening up their offense with their passing attack. CCS covered 68 yards in eight plays with Best scoring on a seven yard run with 8:45 remaining in period three. Cambridge went for the conversion points and failed, leaving the score 21-13 in favor of HFCS.
Hoosick Falls couldn’t move the ball on their next possession. Cambridge took over and moved the ball to the Panther 12 yard line. Then the Indians fumbled the ball back to HFCS. It was yet another Indian scoring chance gone awry.
After the Panthers couldn’t move the ball against the Indian defense, Cambridge narrowed the gap to 21-19 when Parmenter scored from a yard out. CCS had traveled 50 yards in seven plays. Again Cambridge came up empty in their run attempt to knot the score with 1:14 left in period three. The score remained 21-19. A tipped pass caught at the Panther one yard line was a big break for CCS in the drive with the play covering 23 yards.
Neither team could move the ball on their next possession before HFCS fumbled the ball back to CCS. But Hoosick Falls promptly intercepted another Indian pass.
In a rugged defensive battle, CCS stopped HFCS on their next two possessions. Then, on Cambridge’s second possession, Hoosick Falls picked off a third Indian pass. Hoosick Falls again could not move the ball. Finally, CCS took over on their own 30 yard line. They moved toward the Panther end zone. A long Indian pass was caught out of bounds. Cambridge tried one last pass on the game’s final play, but a Panther defender knocked the ball away, preserving the Panthers’ hard fought 21-19 win.
Under the Goalposts: HFCS may see CCS again in sectional play, maybe for the Class title. On Friday night the Panthers will travel to Corinth to take on the Tomahawks, who have a powerful ground attack. Corinth beat Stillwater 46-0 last week. Don’t be fooled. Stillwater is not a powerhouse, but if HFCS takes Corinth lightly they will be in big trouble. Corinth has a very good rushing attack, and they beat HFCS with a lot of the same players in last season’s second crossover game. Corinth will be ready to play to get a sectional berth. The question is, will the Panthers be ready?