Late gamble pays off for Sweet Home
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Sweet Home is 3-0, but it took some luck to stay undefeated.

Tied at 21-21 at Starpoint last Saturday, Sweet Home coach John Faller told his team to go for a first down on a fourth-and-one from their own 10-yard line, instead of punting. The play, a run to back Marcus Johnson, was stuffed by the Starpoint defense.

But three plays later, Sweet Home's Josh Blango saved the day by blocking a 27-yard field goal attempt with 4:58 remaining. The Panthers then drove down the field in 1:48, as quarterback Casey Kacz found Brandon Hudson on a 28-yard touchdown pass to lift the Panthers to the game winning score and a 27-21 victory.

Faller knows the fourth-and-one call was a huge gamble.

"That was my call," said Faller. "I talked it over with the coaches. The kids thought we could get it and we didn't."

"We punted into the wind, so I didn't think we were going to get great field position," he added. "It was one of those things that, if it backfired and they scored, we still had enough time left in the game to win or answer. But the defense came up big and blocked field goal, fired us up and put them down."

Sweet Home jumped out to a 13-0 first quarter lead on a 48-yard TD strike down the middle of the field from Kacz to Will Reese and a 67-yard punt return by Hanif Russell. Faller said Russell eluded three Starpoint tacklers, followed a couple of blocks and took it down the left sideline for the score.

The teams traded scores in the second quarter. Starpoint running back Brandon Bratek scored from one yard; Johnson caught a 31-yard pass from Kacz.

Starpoint made it interesting in the third quarter, scoring 14 points. Mike Regnet dove and caught an 11-yard tipped pass from Joe Scibilia. Bratek intercepted Kacz and returned it 91 yards.

Sweet Home had 324 yards of total offense. Kacz completed 9 of 17 passes for 167 yards and three touchdowns. He also threw a two-point conversion pass to Noah Nwachukwu.

Johnson rushed 19 times for 144 yards. Reese caught three receptions for 68 yards.

The Sweet Home defense held Starpoint to 19 yards passing and 152 yards rushing. Deshanaro Morris led the Panthers' defense with nine unassisted tackles. Nick Christman added three unassisted tackles.

Sweet Home begins a three-game home stand, starting with Kenmore East (1-2) at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

"I'm glad we're 3-0, but we still haven't put everything together," said Faller.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com