In a rock ‘em, sock ‘em windup to their 2014 campaign, the Rye Country Day football team lost a heartbreaking 28-27 tilt to Kingswood-Oxford — the offensive juggernaut of the Fairchester Athletic Association — November 8.

By Mitch Silver

In a rock ‘em, sock ‘em windup to their 2014 campaign, the Rye Country Day football team lost a heartbreaking 28-27 tilt to Kingswood-Oxford — the offensive juggernaut of the Fairchester Athletic Association — November 8.

Coach John Calandros’ charges scored a couple of first-half touchdowns, but their opponents from West Hartford came back to tie the score at 14-14 at the half.

Then the offensive fireworks really began. With their offensive line opening holes, the Wildcats ran left, right, and center on a drive that began midway through the third period. Running back Ryan Wolitzer eventually punched it in from the two, and Junior Jackson Shapiro’s point after made it 21-14.

Kingswood-Oxford came right back. With their bigger, stronger line punishing the Wildcats up front, the Wyverns (don’t ask!) ran the ball up the gut, eventually crossing the goal line with two minutes gone in the fourth quarter. But the PAT attempt sailed wide, and Rye Country Day was still up by one, 21-20.

When K-O sent the ensuing kickoff out of bounds, the Wildcats had good field position. On the second play from scrimmage, offensive player of the game Jared Jones received the handoff from junior Max Pomroy and scampered left. With the defense crashing hard toward the middle, the 5’ 7” speedster took it all the way for his second TD of the game. The point after would have made it 28-20, but Shapirio’s kick into the wind went wide: 27-20 with less than a minute taken off the clock.

That missed kick would be the Wildcats’ undoing. With a trio of juniors — Jacob Hallenbeck, Koby Quansah, and Isaiah Wright — handling the ball, Kingswood-Oxford stuffed the ball down the locals’ throats. With 5:48 left on the clock, Quansah took it in. Worse, much worse for the home team, Hallenbeck went in for the two-point conversion and the game.

As was the case in three of this year’s four losses, the Wildcats had the ball needing one more score for the win. But time ran out on the boys from Grandview Avenue.

Afterwards, Coach Calandros had praise for the three seniors on his team. “Our tackles Rick Wallace and Eli Rattner, and linebacker Brian DiSanto provided the leadership our underclassmen needed.

“To see what this team accomplished, how hard all these players worked, it’s inspiring. It’s why I got into coaching.” The coach is already looking forward to 2015 when, if they all eat their Wheaties, his players will be the ones coming out on top.