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HASTINGS-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. The Hastings football team rode Homecoming momentum to take an early lead Saturday before Woodlands responded and rolled to a 38-19 victory at Reynolds Field.
Woodlands quarterback Justin Riccio completed 11 of 15 passes for 270 yards and a touchdown, and wide receiver Dylan Eddy grabbed three passes for 143 yards and a touchdown. Tyrone Barber rushed 10 times for 79 yards and added a touchdown for the Falcons.
The visiting Falcons remained unbeaten at 4-0 and took over as the favorite in Class C football with previously unbeaten defending Class C state champion Dobbs Ferry losing to Tuckahoe, 38-14.
Hastings took the opening kickoff and moved 86 yards down field on an eight-minute drive to take a 7-0 lead on a 12-yard touchdown pass from Rob Hevia to Alex Brizer, coupled with a Sam Osband extra point. But Woodlands scored quickly to cut the lead to 7-6 and then scored the next 25 points to take a 32-7 lead.
We have been talking about making mistakes and playing smart all season, said Woodlands head coach Mike Meade. We have talent. We just have to be more consistent and keep our heads in the game on every play.
The Falcons defense struggled a bit, with several penalties and missed assignments, but played well through most of the win, allowing Hastings to score twice late in the game to close the final margin of victory to 19 points.
I think theres a lot we can do to improve as a team before the playoffs, Eddy said. Through four games, I dont feel that weve showed up with our best defense or our best offense.
Linebackers DAndre Tilford and Eddy, and linemen DeShawn and Deion Downey, Houston Porter, Mike Barbieri and Giovanni Jenkins led the Woodlands defense through the second and third quarters, when Hastings was held in check.
To get there (playoff success) we just have to keep working on the three biggest factors of any football game, Eddy said. Coach Meade has always said that those factors are special teams, blocking and tackling. When we execute those three huge parts of the game, everything else just seems to fall into place.
Woodlands will host Blind Brook at 3 p.m. Saturday, followed by a meeting with Class D power Tuckahoe on Oct. 20.
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