Blind Brook football fails to repeat impressive performance of Week 1

After a promising first game against Yonkers Montessori Academy, Blind Brook failed to churn out a win in their home opener against the Pleasantville Panthers on Saturday, Sept. 10 where they lost 28-0.

Blind Brook played well against the opposing pass game, only allowing 72 yards in the air and no touchdowns. Blind Brook also forced an interception by senior captain Robert Giuliano. Giuliano now has three interceptions in two games this season.

While stopping the pass game of Pleasantville, the Panthers had a more than easy time running the ball. The Panthers gained 204 yards on the ground, which was 44 more yards than they put up in Pleasantville’s prior game against Albertus Magnus. The run game was led by junior Charlie McPhee. McPhee had 81 yards on eight carries and recorded one of the three rushing touchdowns for the Panthers. The other rushing touchdowns came from senior quarterback Declan McDermott and senior Ian Esliker.

On defense, Pleasantville picked off the Blind Brook quarterbacks four times, forced three fumbles and recovered one of them. Blind Brook ended the game with a -3 turnover differential.

Needless to say, Saturday’s game is one the Trojans would rather forget. According to starting quarterback Daniel Oppizzi, the problem was the offensive performance, not the defensive: “I think our defense played very well, only holding Pleasantville to 13 points by half. Our offense was not clicking. Some of my throws could have been better and the offensive line was struggling.”

Oppizzi seems not to be worried about the woeful result of this game and is already on to the next contest at Ardsley on Saturday, Sept. 17. “As a whole, this game was a learning experience for all of us,” he said. “We will be heading into next week’s game against Ardsley with a head of fury.” It seems as if the result of the Pleasantville game will not faze Oppizzi or his teammates as they take on Ardsley in the second away game of the season on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.