Sentinels down Pats with two late touchdowns

Matt Metcalf
Posted 9/15/15

By MATT METCALF

Sports Editor

Non-league games don’t mean much in the standings, but when a team is one minute from victory and let’s the game slip away, it inevitably hurts.

Holding a …

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Sentinels down Pats with two late touchdowns

Posted

By MATT METCALF

Sports Editor

Non-league games don’t mean much in the standings, but when a team is one minute from victory and let’s the game slip away, it inevitably hurts.

Holding a 24-14 lead late in the fourth quarter, the Pilgrim football team surrendered a pair of touchdowns from Smithfield quarterback Nate Preziuso to receiver Kyle Robert, as the Sentinels stunned the Pats 28-24.

Pilgrim had a chance to add to its lead with four minutes left, but Smithfield stonewalled Pilgrim at the Sentinels’ 4-yard line to force a turnover on downs.

At the time, it didn’t seem like the play would make a significant impact in the game, but that turned quickly.

Smithfield marched right down the field, putting the ball in the end zone and capping off a 96-yard drive on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Preziuso to Robert with 2:37 remaining to make it a 3-point game.

Pilgrim then received the kickoff and its offense went to work, hoping to seal the game.

The Pats got the first down that they needed to keep the clock moving, winding the time all the way down under a minute before running another play.

But that next play turned the tide of the game abruptly, as Smithfield forced a fumble and recovered near Pilgrim’s 25-yard line with 55 seconds left.

Things went from bad to worse for Pilgrim on the next play from scrimmage, with Preziuso again hitting Robert with a perfect pass in the left corner of the end zone for a 24-yard touchdown.

The extra point from Domenic Polseno gave the Sentinels a 28-24 lead.

Pilgrim received the ensuing kickoff, but couldn’t move the ball down the field quick enough to take a shot in the end zone with time expiring.

It was an unfortunate start to the year for a Pilgrim team that played well enough to win.

It had a sluggish first half, but the second half, with the exception of those last five minutes, was much better.

Smithfield, which finished with a 6-2 record in Division IV last season, put the Pats on their heels right away, though, with Corey Mabray returning the opening kickoff for a 90-yard touchdown to make it 6-0.

But Pilgrim would respond with 2:20 remaining in the first quarter, as quarterback David McMullen rolled out to his right deep in Smithfield territory and found Ty Weldon-Martin for a touchdown. McMullen converted Pilgrim’s 2-point conversion try on a quarterback keeper to give the Pats an 8-6 advantage.

However, that lead didn’t last long. It took Smithfield less than two minutes to respond and regain the lead.

Preziuso recorded his first of three touchdown passes on the night when he found Mabray in the right side of the end zone for a 21-yard score.

Preziuso and Mabray connected again for the 2-point conversion to give Smithfield a 14-8 lead.

The second quarter belonged to the defenses, as neither team recorded a point, allowing the Sentinels to take that 6-point edge into halftime.

For the first quarter and a half after the break, Pilgrim dominated.

With 7:15 left in the third quarter, junior fullback Sean Cooney worked his way into the end zone on a 14-yard carry.

Standout running back Owen Kelly then scored his first touchdown of the season on a 15-yard run midway through the fourth quarter.

Pilgrim would convert 2-point conversions on both touchdowns with a pair of completed passes from McMullen to Darren Grant, marking a 16-0 run for the Pats to take a 24-14 lead.

Then, the wheels began to fall off for Pilgrim.

It let what should have been a sure win slip away, turning the ball over on downs deep in Smithfield territory before giving up a pair of touchdowns, the latter of which was sparked by a costly fumble.

Again, the good news is that Pilgrim’s divisional record remains unblemished, but a win against Smithfield could’ve served as a substantial confidence boost heading into league play.

Pilgrim will now have two weeks off, as it’s idle this Friday before diving into the thick of its league slate.

The Pats will look to carry the many positives that they did encounter for the majority of that second half over into their game against Lincoln next Friday.

That game will be played at Pilgrim at 7 p.m.

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