Huntington Tops ESM
on Late Curley FG
The Huntington football let a first-half lead slip away last Friday night before overcoming a seven point deficit and rallying late in the fourth quarter at Eastport-South Manor to top the Sharks, 34-31.
The Blue Devils needed a five yard touchdown run by senior Calvin Bollar (24 carries for 184 yards) and a 32-yard field goal by senior Matt Curley with 43 seconds remaining in the game to stave off the upset. Huntington committed five turnovers in the game and struggled to control ESM's passing attack.
Huntington (4-2) went ahead 7-3 in the first quarter when Bollar scored on a 25-yard run and Curley kicked the first of his four extra points. The lead changed hands several times in the game. Trailing 10-7, junior Jack Forster put the Blue Devils back on top, 14-10 when he picked up a blocked punt and scampered 25 yards for a touchdown.
Junior Trayvon Toney's five yard touchdown run extended Huntington's advantage to 21-10. While the Blue Devil offense was moving the ball well, the defense found it difficult to contain the Sharks, who kept coming back.
Trailing 21-17 at halftime, ESM (2-4) took the lead in the third quarter on a 60-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Luke Combs (13-for 25, 325 yards) to Colin Flaherty. Curley tied the game later in the frame with a 23-yard field goal, setting the stage for an exciting final 12 minutes on a cold, dark night.
Huntington junior Dan Plant completed 6-of-15 passes for 81 yards and rushed eight times for 34 yards. Junior Tyre Brown had four receptions for 74 yards.
"A win, is a win is a win," Blue Devil head coach Steve Muller said. "We came here to win the game and we did that. It was a little messy at times, but at the end of the day, we got the job done."
Huntington looked like a goner until Bollar capped an 80-yard touchdown drive with his fourth quarter five-yard touchdown run. Then Curley showed just how cool an operator he can be when he nailed the game winning field goal to the delight of Blue Devil players and fans.
"I'm proud of our players," Muller said. "We had trouble with their passing attack but did enough things right to win. That was our goal and we accomplished it."
Toney enjoyed a huge game on both sides of the ball, rushing for 48 yards on 14 carries and recording eight tackles, a forced fumble and a sack from his middle linebacker position. Senior Dante Allen recorded a pair of sacks for the Blue Devils and also forced a fumble. Forster contributed two sacks, too.
Huntington hosts East Hampton (2-4) on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Blue Devil Stadium. Admission is free.