Hackley Footballers Win on Alumni Day 2012

By Bill Sweeney: Under a solid canopy of gray and black clouds, colors fitting for the Hackley hilltop at Pickert Field, our own black and grey Hackley Hornet gridiron heroes capitalized on a depleted crimson and white Fieldston football rival. All the Alumni Day fans enjoyed a comfortable 56-14 Hackley win! The first Alumni Day football victory in six years!

In the first quarter, Joey McDermott cut and ran the quarterback keeper twice for touchdowns of 5 and 6 yards. Ian Parnell darted and dashed for a 39-yard touchdown run. Mustafaa Dais skittered and scored on a 16-yard touchdown strike from McDermott. Samuel Alabaster added four PAT’s for four points. Dylan Garvey ripped the ball out of a receiver’s hands for an incompletion. Henry Molner recovered a fumble to continue a drive. The Hornets’ were up by 28 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Hack scored twice and Fieldston answered twice. Freshman Elijah Ngbokoli hustled 4-yards for one Hackley score. Dais whisked 85 yards on a kickoff return for a second touchdown. Alabaster added two PAT’s. We were up 42-14 at half-time.

In the third quarter, Luke Sweeney fought his way up the middle for a 20-yard running touchdown. Luke appeared to be stopped twice, but he would not go down. Alabaster once again added the extra point.

In the fourth quarter, Ngbokoli scored again with a 62-yard rushing touchdown. Alabaster kicked for the extra point. Then, it was over. The Hackley team remains undefeated with a record of 3-0. It was a hoo-te-nan-ny!

Congratulations to Mustafaa Dais for being named Overall Player of the Game, to Joey McDermott for being named Offensive Player of the Game, and to Class President Will Walker for being named Defensive Player of the Game. Will recorded a sack, caused two forced fumbles, recovered a fumble, and made six solo tackles.

Omar Momani brought the spirit and recorded 10 tackles. Ian Parnell made 7 tackles. Jack Ellis recorded a second quarter sack and came within a breath of several more; Jack was harassing the quarterback all cloudy day causing forced incomplete passes. Ilan Gressel sacked the quarterback. Zack Reeber recovered a fumble. Elijah Ngbokoli intercepted the football in the fourth.

The Offensive line must be heralded at this point since we have scored 45 points per game. The Battle of the Linemen is difficult to see even from the sidelines. Jake Israel was perfect again hiking the ball. Benjamin Jurcic, our road grader dammed-up and deterred the defense. Xavier Carmona stonewalled and shut-out the defensive line. Sophomore left tackle James O’Keefe stymied and stalled the ‘d’ and is gaining valuable experience at the varsity level. Junior Zach Reeber impeded and then occluded Fieldston.

On Special Teams, Samuel Alabaster went 8 for 8 on PAT’s. He averaged 47 yards on six kickoffs, not including two on-side kicks. Samuel and the entire kickoff team continue to give the offense excellent field position. Elijah Ngbokoli recovered the first on-side kick in the first quarter.

Congratulations to Assistant Coach Adam Waterbury for a great job today. (Did you see at the end of the game, the players surprised Coach W by pouring a full Gatorade jug on the coach? Hee-hee)

Thanks to the Captain’s Moms who organized, and to all the moms and dads who helped prepare, the hearty meal for the team, coaches and parents in the ZAC after the game.

Please join us Saturday, October 6th at 3:00 PM when the Hackley Hornets swarm the Riverdale Country Day Falcons on their turf field!