LAKE HUNTINGTON – Let’s face it, Shakespeare it wasn’t. 

That said, the Sullivan West gritty 28-20 non-league win over the Pine Plains/Rhinebeck Bombers had all the elements of a most memorable melodrama, a fitting season opener that had a captive audience from its first sterling moments to its final curtain. Featuring three acts, all with their own themes and key actors, this gridiron theater production evinced high emotion on the field and in the stands. 

Act I began as the Westie Adam Ernst recovered a fumble caused by Jakob Halloran on the Bombers’ first play. Then the team proceeded to go into Cruz control as junior barnstormer Rally Cruz using only two carries that added up to 45 yards to set up the first TD of the night with just a minute seven seconds gone by in the game. QB Jaymes Buddenhagen carried it from the one and Cruz provided the accent with the conversion run and the Dawgs were off and running with an 8-0 lead. The defense forced a three and out and at 8:07 Cruz cruised into the end zone again to make it 14-0. Then the Bombers fumbled again. This time it was Rodney Wilson that recovered the rock. With fine running by Buddenhagen and Hubert, the offense was on the march again, when guess who galloped 40 yards to make it 20-0 with 5:27 remaining in the first quarter? 

Unbeknownst to the giddy team and its rabid fans, Act II was about to begin as what had appeared to be a SW rout was poised to turn into a Bombers’ feisty revival. It all began with an unwise choice to try an onside kick which afforded the visitors a short field at the 50. Bombers’s QB Richie Lamping and senior running back Sid Stracher were intent on reversing the polarity as the Bombers went to the air. It took just six plays and two minutes to complete the air strike, a 40-yard TD pass to wideout Jimmy King. Lamping ran it in, and it was now 20-8. PP/R tightened its defense and the Dawgs’ offense stalled. A bad long snap sailed over punter Max Ebert’s head giving PP/R the ball on the one. Lamping ran it in and with 1:39 to go in the first quarter Act II was well underway as the score was now 20-14. 

The would-be tragedy darkened further as a Buddenhagen pass was picked off at the SW 44. Lamping and King hooked up on a 24-yard pass one minute into the second quarter to tie the game at 20-20. Stalwart SW defense thwarted the conversion as they had done on the previous score, but the tied game was most disconcerting to the onlookers, many of whom were decked out in the Hawaiian theme of the night. Both teams had their share of penalties, particularly offsides and holding, common foibles of a first game effort. 

After a three and out by the Dawgs, PP/R was on the move again looking for the go-ahead score. Stracher’s running was effective, but SW’s defense evinced a good goal line stand forcing a fourth and six from the six-yard line. Heroes have their moments as Andrew Hubert picked off a pass five yards in the end zone and ran it back to the Bomber’s 40. A 20-yard pass to Jakob Halloran set up a 20-yard Cruz run for the game changer. Buddenhagen barreled in for the conversion and the Dawgs now led 28-20. That score would stand up the remainder of the half and indeed for the rest of the game. 

Act III, which encompassed the entire second half, featured Sullivan West’s dominance in time of possession and superb defense that nixed the Bombers’ intention to tie the game and hopefully take the lead they had never held. Outstanding line play by Wilson and Dillan Hanslmaier helped to keep the Bombers grounded. Fatigue was clearly in evidence on the part of both squads. SW had its chances to add to the score but couldn’t finish drives that looked promising, including a first and goal at the Bombers’ ten but another PP interception ended that aspiration. In the end, that wouldn’t matter. It was just another glitch the Bulldogs will have to clean up as they prepare to travel to daunting Pawling on September 16. The Tigers bested Ellenville 20-18 in their season opener. SW begins its 2022 campaign at 1-0 with the non-league win. PP/R fell to 0-1. 

Stat line: Offense

Passing: Jaymes Buddenhagen 2/9/312 two interceptions, 1 TD

Rushing: Rally Cruz 22/163 (74 yards per carry), 3 TD’s,

Receiving: Jakob Halloran 2/31

Defense: Andrew Hubert 6 ½ tackles, 1 interception, Max Ebert 5 tackles, 1 forced fumble, Jakob Halloran 4 ½ tackles, 1 forced fumble, Dillan Hanslmaier 3 ½ tackles 2 sacks, Rodney Wilson 1 fumble recovery, 2 ½ tackles. Adam Ernst 2 passes deflected, 1 fumble recovery.