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Mistakes ruin Cape’s chances for Homecoming win

Polytech takes the air out of parade floats, wins 13-10
October 9, 2017

“All close football games come down to five plays. You make them, you win. You don’t make them, you lose.” - Buddy Ryan, Philadelphia Eagles football coach 1986-90

Implosion therapy is a process of facing all your fears at one time and realizing, “That wasn’t so bad.” Postgame film sessions in football were brutal back in the day, as all mistakes and botched plays were viewed over and over again.  

The Cape football team left a game on the field  Oct. 6 versus Polytech in front of floats and fans and a big old band at Homecoming.

Polytech stayed the course against Cape by making all the little plays. It equaled one big result, a 13-10 win, the Panthers’ first over Cape since 1994. Red zone defense in high school begins inside the 35 because absolutely no team punts from that close.

The Panthers won by dealing with 100-yard rushing efforts from Ben Ashby and Kolbi Wright, and grinding first downs when Cape desperately needed to get the ball back in decent field position.

Cape sputtered down close in the first quarter, but it was jazzed when Hunter Simmons kicked a 40-yard field goal that traveled into the night toward the baseball field.

And just before halftime, Cape was on the doorstep facing clock management and use of time-outs decisions. A field goal attempt from Simmons with .4 seconds left from 25 yards was low and outside.

Ashby intercepted a pass at the start of the third quarter, leading to a 6-yard Wright touchdown run and a 10-0 Vikings lead.

Cape was soon back in the red zone area code, but threw an interception - more points left on the field - and then came a momentum-changing play. The Panthers’ Montrell Jones went after Ashby, who already had an interception and tipped ball leading to an interception. Ashby jumped the route, but the ball sailed beyond his hands, past his helmet and into the arms of Tucker Reed, who turned upfield for a 73-yard touchdown. The kick was blocked, but the score compressed to 10-6.

Poly took the lead in the fourth quarter on a 16-yard touchdown run by A.J. Foster. The Vincent Tascione kick made it 13-10.

A 50-yard field goal attempt by Simmons to send the game to overtime was blocked and the improbable Poly Panthers improved to 4-1 on the season with consecutive wins over Caesar Rodney and Cape. The Vikings await a home game against Caesar Rodney Oct. 13. A loss will send a season of hope into a period of deep despondency.

“We were in control of the game, but there are five or six plays we either don’t make or make mistakes, and some of them were mental,” said Cape coach Bill Collick.

“I told them we still have half the season to play, and we aren’t backing over anyone, and the only cupcakes out there are at Weis Market,” Collick added. “Caesar Rodney is a good team and so are we. This Friday is another battle, and how our players approach practice says a lot about their character and the character of our team.”

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