Sunday, September 20, 2009

By Cory K. Doviak
NJS.com Editorial Director

Kevin Condal scored two TDs in the first 72 seconds of the game to send Hasbrouck Heights on its way to a 49-14 win at Bogota.

BOGOTA -- Only 72 seconds had drained off the game clock and already Hasbrouck Heights junior Kevin Condal had piled up a game's worth of stats. He took the opening kickoff back 92 yards to get his team off to a quick start and after Bogota's fumbled away its first kickoff return opportunity, Condal ran around the left end for a four-yard touchdown and then kicked the extra point for good measure. It was all part of a 28-point first quarter that Hasbrouck Heights used to set the tone in an impressive 49-14 win.

Condal actually bobbled the opening kickoff before returning it for the game’s first score, but the time it took for him to find then pick up the ball was about all for the tense moments that Hasbrouck Heights would experience the rest of the way.

“I was just so nervous for the first game and I think it hit off my helmet. But once I caught up to it, it was all set up for a middle return like we planned it,” said Condal. “I just had to make a move on the kicker and then I got some good deep blocks and got into the end zone. It felt good.”

Alex Keleman threw for a TD despite being hurried all game.

Fifty four seconds later Condal scored his second touchdown of the game and then the Heights defense took over. It held against a fourth down gamble by Bogota and, after the turnover on downs, John Cambridge broke free for a 44-yard score that put Heights up 22-0. A Bogota fumble that was recovered by Anthony Crecco gave the Aviators one last first quarter possession and they made it a perfect 4-or-4 when Nick Brunetti hit Steve Winka with a nine-yard score that made it 28-0 with three quarters still left to play.

Not a bad way to start a season for a team that was introducing a new quarterback in Brunetti and two new running backs in Condal and Matt Galassi, two juniors who join senior John Cambridge in a revamped, but still stacked backfield.

If anyone was expecting a drop off from the Aviators after two straight trips to the Group 1 state finals in Giants Stadium, they might want to reconsider.

“Every year you are going to lose kids and we lost a bunch of good ones,” said Hasbrouck Heights head coach Nick DeCalzo. “I just have to give credit my coaching staff and the quality of work that we do. We prepare for each year and I thought our staff and our kids did a great job today.”

Heights junior Matt Gallasi carried the ball 9 times for 121 yards and two second half scores.

Bogota was playing its second game of the season after opening with a blowout of Ridgefield that gave the Bucs some confidence heading into Saturday. But before Bogota could settle in, it was staring at a four touchdown deficit on its own home field.

To the Bucs’ credit, they did make a push to get back in the game in the second quarter when, after forcing Hasbrouck Heights to punt for the first time, senior quarterback Alex Kelemen connected with Danny Lupo on two big plays. The first went for a 40-yard gain up the right sideline and the second went for a 12-yard score that got Bogota on the board with 8:04 to play in the first half.

Bogota (1-1) then forced Heights to turn the ball over on downs and then sent Kelemen in the pass pattern where he caught a 36-yard pass from flanker Amelio Soto to set up the Bucs’ second score, a two-yard plunge by Johnathan with 5:43 to go in the first half. In a span of 2:21, Bogota cut its deficit in half and was briefly back in the game, especially when Heights had a late touchdown called back by an illegal block.

Johnathan Fiscal scored with 5:43 left in the first half to bring Bogota back within 14 points.

But in the second half, Heights physical offensive line and its three-pronged running game took over. Galassi scored on touchdown runs of 17 and 15 yards in the third quarter, and Brunetti joined in the ground-and-pound with a bruising 50-yard run midway through the fourth quarter to close the scoring.

All three members of Heights’ running back rotation gained at least 90 yard as Galassi led the way with 121 yards and two scores on just nine carries; Cambridge had 93 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries and Condal rolled up 93 yards on seven carries to go with his two TDS. Brunetti, a senior who had to wait his turn behind the graduated Bobby Kistner, was impressive in his inaugural start as he carried the ball eight times for 79 yards and a score to go along with his two scoring throws, both to Winka; one for a touchdown and the other for a two-point conversion after a botched snap on Heights’ first score.

“Kevin Condal did an amazing job. So did John Cambridge and Nick Brunetti and our wide receivers Winka and Rugg [Mike Ruggiero] helped us out, too. It was just a great game by our offense and it started with our offensive line,” said Galassi. “We have a lot of weapons on this team, so many young guys with a lot of heart. We have the talent, we are just trying to work hard and get back to Giants Stadium.”

Senior John Cambridge (12 carries, 98 yards, TD) was one of three Heights running back to gain at least 90 yards.

Since winning the state championship in Giants Stadium in 2006 Bogota had been in a bit of a rebuilding mode, an unavoidable consequence of being a Group 1 school. But the Bucs are better than the final score showed on Saturday and will look to resume their hunt for a return to the postseason next week against Cresskill.

On the other side, it took Hasbrouck Heights less than one quarter to show that it has reloaded and is not ready to relinquish the BCSL-Olympic Division crown that it has held for the last two years.

“Our offensive line was very good today, our quarterback is very good and with Galassi, Cambridge and Condal, it helps you out a little bit when you have quality runners,” said DeCalzo. Those guys have had to wait their turn and now they are going to get the chance to show what they can do and they were pretty good today.”

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