GRAHAMSVILLE – Hopes for the home team were high at the start of Saturdays football game between the Tri-Valley Bears and the visiting Taconic Hills Titans. Eagles from the nearby reservoir, flying high above the game seemed like a good omen, but it wasn’t enough for the hometown Bears, who fell to the visiting team 42 – 6.

 Taconic showed its proficiency at the big play right from their first possession, scoring on a well-executed go route from 26 yards out. Tri-Valley’s penalties and mistakes offensively and on special teams gave the Titans great field position on multiple occasions. They [Taconic] capitalized on each one of those opportunities and held a 21 –0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

  The second quarter did not start well for the Bears; a pass that went off the hands of the intended wide receiver and was intercepted by Taconic and returned for a touchdown. Taconic would score two more times, and each of their touchdowns were followed by successful extra-point kicks.

Tri-Valley fought hard for 48 minutes and never gave in. The Bears successfully got on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter with an outstanding 40-yard run by quarterback James Kachelriess. 

Getting into the in zone for the Titans were Jacob Alvarez who received two long touchdown passes, Xavier Castle, scoring on a long screen pass, Casmir Ryan who scored off an interception, and quarterback Tristan Super who not only threw those touchdown passes, but also ran for two more. Collin Higley kicked the extra points for the Titans.

Taconic’s coach Josh Piper had this to say at the end of the game, “We came in with a solid game plan, we preached execution all week, and that’s what we did, we executed on both sides of the ball and the results showed.”

Tri-Valley’s coach Kevin Crudele said, “They are a good team, we are a young team. But we have great kids who just haven’t played a lot of football. We’re trying to get a little better each week, get our football IQ up, and try to hit our groove.”