BINGHAMTON – Bainbridge-Guilford committed to stopping Groton’s powerful running game to the point where it dared the Indians to throw the ball.
The Indians took that dare, and made B-G pay.
Groton quarterback Josh Senter threw three TD passes and finished with 154 yards passing to lead his team to a 28-14 Class D playoff win over the Bobcats Saturday afternoon at Binghamton Alumni Stadium.
“They are a run-oriented team that has two great running backs,” said B-G fourth-year head coach Tim Mattingly. “We knew that, so we felt that we needed to stop the run. We loaded the front with eight men and only had a cover three (man-to-man) defending the pass.”
Through three quarters, Groton had just 97 yards rushing, far behind its typical pace of 300-plus rushing yards per game. To make up for that shortfall, Indians signal-caller, Josh Senter, made some big throws, and his receivers pulled in even bigger catches.
Senter threw for the tying score with 5:48 left in the first half. He underthrew receiver Isiah Young, who needed to come back to the ball to make the catch. The B-G defensive back fell down after the catch, and Young scored from 42 yards out.
Late in the first half, Senter hit running back Sammy Wright, and again the B-G pass defender fell down as Wright scored from 20 yards out. Two successful two-point conversions gave Groton a 16-8 halftime lead.
“We knew their quarterback likes to put the ball in a spot, and he lets the receivers make the adjustment,” Mattingly said. “They made the plays, and we didn’t. If we make those plays, it’s a different story.”
B-G created what seemed like a big momentum shifter when sophomore Ryan Porter blocked Kyle Reed’s punt to give the Bobcats possession at the Groton 30.
After converting a first down, B-G reached the Groton 14 on a fourth-and-four situation. Dakota Vandermark took a pitchout to the left, but was stopped two yards short of the first down marker.
“I think failing to convert after the blocked punt was the turning point of the game,” Mattingly said. “We couldn’t take advantage of that. If we had gone in for the score and tied the game up, it’s a different ballgame.”
Two possessions later, Groton drove 72 yards for its third score of the game. Nick Conway outjumped B-G defensive back Danny Gormley to haul in a 26-yard first down late in the third quarter. Early in the fourth, Senter threw for 25 yards to Reed, and Ethan Tilebein would eventually score on a 28-yard screen pass to up the lead to 14 points.
Injuries took their toll on B-G in the fourth quarter as key starters Vandermark and Justin Pepper were lost for the game. At that point, Groton’s rushing attack took hold. Reed scored on a 20-yard run, and 50 of his game-high 81 rushing yards came in the final stanza.
“We played the number three team in the state last week and the number 11 team this week,” said B-G senior lineman, Ethan Mazzarella. “(Groton) is a good team and we were a good team. I think Groton is going to shock some people, I think, against Delhi next weekend.”
The Bobcats made a strong defensive stand on Groton’s opening possession. Delhi reached the B-G five-yard line before Daren Terpstra tackled Wright for a six-yard loss, and Pepper tipped a fourth-pass that fell harmlessly to the ground on fourth down.
From there, B-G executed its best drive of the game. Alternating Vandermark and Terpstra rushes in the backfield – while also sprinkling in a 16-yard pass from Pepper to Porter – B-G marched 86 yards for the early lead. Terpstra scored from two yards out and Pepper added the conversion run.
B-G made the score more respectable on its final drive of the game. Billy Holden had six carries for 72 yards – all on the last drive – and scored his team’s final points of the season on a 12-yard run.
“I think we probably exceeded some expectations, and I don’t know if people thought we would be as strong as we were,” Mattingly said, whose team finishes at 6-3. “We came out and played some good football this year, and I’m proud of these kids.”
Score by quarters
B-G 0 8 0 6—14
