Coaches, players and spectators shared a somber moment under the lights at Brewster's gridiron Friday before the Indians' season-opener commenced.
Hundreds of folks packed Brewster Central School's new athletic stadium for the game, which ended with Nyack toppling the Bears 21-6. Announcer Kyle Wood addressed the crowd in his speech, remembering the thousands who were lost on 9/11.
Attendees were reminded that the attacks had ramifications in both Nyack and Brewster. Wood recalled the memory of Nyack's , who was working in the South Tower during the attacks and helped many injured individuals to safety—but lost his life as a result.
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The family of former Brewster resident Chris Blackwell took the field for the coin toss. Blackwell, a 20-year veteran of the Fire Department of New York, answered the call to duty and like Crowther, gave the ultimate sacrifice in 9/11.
Serving as honorary captains for Brewster were Blackwell’s wife Jane, son Alex and daughter Sam.
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After the ceremony, Brewster lit up the scoreboard first, taking advantage of two costly Nyack penalties. The first, a late hit on a punt return, started the Brewster possession just 35 yards from the end zone.
A pass interference flag later, the Bears were knocking on the door. After completing a pass to senior wideout Kamal Johnson, junior quarterback Brian McNeill punched it in himself, scoring from six yards out on a designed quarterback run.
The Brewster defense forced the Indians to punt after just three offensive plays, and the Bears again had no trouble moving the ball down the field, this time through big plays from junior running back Fernando Solis. As the seconds of the opening quarter ticked away, the Bears seemed to be in control and threatening to score again.
On 4th-and-goal from the one-yard line, Brewster head coach Don Polverari decided to roll the dice, hoping to go up by two touchdowns. Instead, Johnson was stopped in the backfield and the Indians took over. This seemed to turn the tides in Nyack’s favor, as they would dominate the remainder of the game.
“The real momentum changer was when we didn’t punch it in down here,” Polverari said after the game. “We were up 6-0, looking pretty good, but then we got stuffed and they got the ball. I don’t second guess the call, because it was there. We just gotta make the play. That came back to really hurt us.”
Nyack started the drive in the shadow of their own goalpost, but a Brewster encroachment penalty gave them some breathing room. On this drive, the Indians had more success moving the ball, picking up a couple of first downs on carries by senior running back Ronald Lewis.
Then, Indians running back Paul Mitchell got his team on the board with a 55-yard run, his first of two long touchdowns on the evening. After the PAT, Nyack led 7-6.
On their next offensive possession, the Bears again found no trouble moving the ball. The home team was able to pick up three first-downs, including a key rush by Johnson on third-and-five.
The Bears threatened to score again when McNeill spotted Johnson streaking open down the sideline with a defender in his wake. McNeill delivered a strike, but the ball fell to the turf after sliding through the hands of a diving Johnson. After another incomplete pass, the Bears were forced to punt.
The Indians took over on their own 30-yard-line with less than four minutes to go, but were able to manufacture a 70-yard scoring drive before the end of the half. Brewster had a chance to turn the tides when Nyack receiver Quincy Vasser fumbled the ball. Bears’ defensive lineman Ray Dann scooped it up and scampered towards the Nyack end zone before fumbling himself. Nyack recovered, dodging the bullet.
Nyack quarterback Raydell Williams found an open receiver in tight end Dashawn Rodriguez for a 41-yard pass that moved the Indians into Brewster territory. Williams found Rodriguez again, this time for a 15-yard touchdown pass that put the Indians on top 14-6 with mere seconds remaining in the half.
The second half saw a strong Indian running attack that emphasized ball control. Thanks to strong, powerful running and consistent first down yardage from junior running back Derwohn Bartley, the Bears offense saw very little of the field.
In the fourth quarter, the Bears suffered a turnover when McNeill, looking for senior Ryan Hanson down the field, was intercepted by Mitchell. Nyack fumbled on their very first play though, and Brewster was able to take over in Indian territory.
“Brian’s a pretty good quarterback,” Polverari said of the interception. “Without looking at the film, I have to trust what he thought. The ball was slightly under-thrown and the kid made a nice play.”
After moving the ball to Nyack’s 16-yard-line, consecutive incompletions from McNeill into the end zone on third and fourth down gave the ball back to the Indians with less than six minutes to play.
Then, Nyack’s Mitchell cemented himself as the playmaker of the game, breaking off another long touchdown run, this time from 73 yards out to put the Indians up 21-6 and effectively end the game.
