Wizards outlast Bushmen, 28-16

By Kyle Adams
Posted 4/14/21

 

Pine Bush emphatically answered each of Washingtonville’s first two score last Friday night. Eventually, though, the Wizards explosive running game proved to be too much for the …

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Wizards outlast Bushmen, 28-16

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Pine Bush emphatically answered each of Washingtonville’s first two score last Friday night. Eventually, though, the Wizards explosive running game proved to be too much for the Bushmen to handle.
“You can overcome mistakes when you have big-play potential,” Pine Bush coach Jim Wright said of Washingtonville. “They fumbled a couple times and gave us short fields, but they were able to overcome those mistakes and come back because of those big plays.”
Washingtonville made a comeback late in the third quarter and after adding on another touchdown in the fourth, they picked up the 28-16 victory.
The Wizards got on the scoreboard first, metaphorically – since the Pine Bush scoreboard wasn’t working. Ryan Lombardi finished off the Wizards opening drive with a nine-yard touchdown run.

The Bushman answered immediately on a near 60-yard kickoff return by Edward Ryan Garmendiz. Gunnar Meland ran in the two-point conversion to give Pine Bush a 8-7 lead, which they would take into halftime.
On the first drive on the second half, Elijah Mallard scored the first of his two touchdowns for Washingtonville. He ran 49 yards to give the Wizards the lead again. A missed two-point attempt made the score 13-8.
Pine Bush would punt after going three-and-out on the next drive, placing the Wizards on their own eight. Pine Bush would then force a Washingtonville fumble, recovering just outside the ten yard line. Meland would finish it off with a nine-yard touchdown run as the Bushmen regained the lead.
Meland would again run in the two-point conversion, giving Pine Bush a 16-13 lead.
“That’s the design of the offense, to be able to get around three yards, so it’s really in the framework of what we do,” Wright said on going two-for-two in two-point attempts. “We feel like three yards is something that we can get a high percentage of the time.”
The controversy came on the next drive for Washingtonville.
In short, Mallard would run in his second touchdown of the game – this time for 60 yards.
Initially the play was called back due to holding on Washingtonville, however after the referees gathered, the flag was called back and the scoring play stood.
“It takes the wind out of your sails, so to speak, when something like that happens, but you have to overcome those things,” Wright said. “It’s high school football and things like happen all the time – it’s part of the game.”

This time, Washingtonville converted the two-point conversion, giving them a 21-16 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Cole Pogelschek would score on a 45-yard touchdown run in the fourth, putting the Bushmen down two scores – a 28-16 deficit.
“We were having a difficult time all night, trying to protect our quarterback. We were two scores down, so it would have been difficult to come back with the scheme that we run. It definitely made it more difficult, not being able to see the remaining time, but I don’t know if it’s fair to blame it on not having the scoreboard.”
It was a significant day for football even before the game began, as it was Senior Night for Pine Bush.
“We recognize our seniors every year, but it seemed to be even more special this year in particular,” Wright said. “I tell them on a regular basis how proud I am of how they’ve overcome all the obstacles they’ve faced this year. Despite everything, the kids are still showing up every day, working hard and getting better.”