Football juniors still struggling to find footing

Blanked by St Mary’s Thunder 27-0

By Terrance Gavan

Practices got more interesting for the junior Red Hawk Football team after another disappointing game last Friday.

   Head coach Bruce Griffith wasn’t smiling after a 27-0 loss to visiting St. Mary’s Thunder last Friday afternoon (Oct 15) at Gary Brohman field.

   “I told the boys in the huddle at the end, that next week, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday there’s no more fun time at practice,” smiled Griffith. “We have a lot of fun and we kid around a bit, but I told the guys that we’re going to be serious and we’re going to win next Thursday.”

   Both senior and junior teams are on the road at Norwood District HS today (Oct 14).

   “I told them that’s it, no more messing around,” smiled Griffith. “And we are going to win.”

   The Hawks were on the receiving end of a big roughing penalty resulting in a first and goal from the Thunder’s three yard line with just seconds left in the game,

   Griffith called a time out to rally the troops and he said that the call was a hand off to their best backfield running threat Louis Ferracuti.

   Keep in mind that the Hawks haven’t scored a point since their first game of the season, a 9-6 loss to Kenner Rams.

   For Griffith and indeed the whole Red Hawk team, this excellent opportunity in the final minute of play was a chance to regain some measure of respect after a game marred by turnovers, penalties and several defensive lapses.

   It didn’t happen.

   Ferracuti was hit at the two yard line and attempted to stretch the ball out over the goal line as he fell.

   The tip of the outstretched ball fell just 2 inches from the end zone.

   Hawks fumbled on the next play and the Thunder just ran the clock down to seal the win.

   Louis had the ball with a chance in the final minute,” said Griffith. “We were on the three and we still couldn’t score,”

   “Louis hasn’t had a touchdown all year and I thought we’d give him a chance to run it in,” said Griffith.

   Griffith said a lot of the problems have to do with mental breakdowns.

   “Well, we fumbled five times,” said Griffith. “And that hurt us.”

   Griffith said that St. Mary’s came out ready to play.

   “Nothing fancy, but they ran the ball really well against us,” he added. “We just had a series of mistakes, turnovers and penalties.”

   Griffith has his own ideas about the Hawks’ lack of concentration.

   “It’s because we’re not practicing hard enough,” said Griffith.

   And of course, that all changed this week with the Hawks taking pains to be better prepared for the second last game of the season at Norwood.

   After that they play Thomas A Scott on the road, on Tuesday, Oct 26.

   Griffith says that the Hawks are not yet mathematically removed from the last wild card playoff berth.

   But they will need to win both remaining games to have even a logistical chance at a post season berth.

   And that all starts today said Griffith.