PLATTSBURGH — What might have been?
A different story could’ve been told Friday in a Class B Regional Semifinal between Beekmantown and Ogdensburg Free Academy if the ball rolled a different way.
“We’ve grown up over the course of the season, and we had to do that last week to get here,” OFA head coach Matt Tessmer said. “And, yeah, it was just a big play. I mean, Beekmantown is a very good team.
“And, you know, just one play could have gone either way. We were lucky enough to have it go our way.”
Unfortunately for the Eagles, the ball bounced incomplete on fourth down inside the redzone and the Blue Devils were able to kneel on it to ice the game, and advance to the next round of the NYSPHSAA playoffs.
“We needed to make one more play, and it didn’t happen offensively,” Beekmantown head coach Joe Fish said. “I put it on the offense. I put it on me, on the head coach. And when you hold a, hold a really good Ogdensburg team to 14 points defensively, that’s impressive.
“At the end of the day, I’m super proud of the kids. I told the kids that they’re a bunch of winners. I said, no matter what happens tonight, you guys are winners, and when you’re a winner off the field, you have a chance to win on the field.
“I’m just super proud of them, everything they’ve accomplished. So I couldn’t be happier for the kids, obviously, not the outcome we wanted tonight, but super proud of the kids and very happy to see us see the program heading in the direction we want.”
The Eagles were simply unlucky. In five trips into the redzone, they walked away with 10 points. Three drives – including the final one – ended in a turnover.
But the defense was put to task by OFA’s Lucca LaBella who finished with 25 carries for 165 yards and both of his team’s touchdowns.
It could have been worse, but Fish was proud of how his defense played.
“He was someone that we were definitely concerned about, and someone we scouted all week against, and we knew he was a playmaker,” he said. “He was, he was hard to stop. He is a physical runner. And we both take pride, I’m sure, Ogdensburg does too, take pride in our physicalness.
“And just just wasn’t our night. Tonight, they made one more play than we did and I wish them luck moving on in the tournament.”
While Labella did most of the dirty work, he was quick to give praise to the Eagles saying it was a great game to play.
“They’re big, strong and hit hard,” he said. “We do as well. It was a good physical game.
“I mean, it came down to the last minute or two and we just managed to come out on top.”
When the final whistle blew, signifying the end of the game, many Beekmantown players knelt down, fighting back emotions as the season came to an end.
Fish said they had nothing to hang their head about, the team accomplished a lot in one season and made strides for the future.
“The season as a whole is, I’m extremely proud of the kid,” he said..”We had a lot of firsts, for example going undefeated and being the CVAC champ, sectional champs and being ranked in 16th in the state..
“16th in the state has had something that hasn’t been done in a long time either. All the credit goes to the kids. They’ve done everything they’ve asked. They’ve really stepped in and bought into everything that I’ve asked them to do. And I’m extremely proud of them. So credit to all the kids for putting the time and in the effort. I’m really proud of them.”
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Ogdensburg Free Academy 14, Beekmantown 10
OFA;0;7;0;7;–;14
BCS;0;7;3;0;–;10
SCORING SUMMARY
Second quarter
O- Labella 6 run (Garvey kick), 11:16.
B- Porter 8 run (Hagadorn kick), 2:20.
Third quarter
B- Hagadorn 31 field goal, 3:18.
Fourth quarter
O- Labella 1 run (Garvey kick), 8:57.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing
O- Labella 25-165, 2TD; Amo 5-23; Grenier 1-2; West 4-29; Austin 1-3; Team 2-(-1). Totals: 38-221, 2TD.
B- Bibeau 10-63; Broughton 20-119; Porter 5-18, TD; M. Herrera 2-9. Totals: 37-209, TD.
Passing
O- West 4-8-1-35; Labella 0-1-0-0. Totals: 4-9-1-35.
B- Porter 3-7-1-67.
Receiving
O- Ramsdell 2-17; Pharoah 1-6; Labella 1-12.
B- Bibeau 1-7; Hagadorn 1-30; Brown 1-30.
Interceptions
O- Cree.
B- M. Herrera.