By Dante Iafrate
NEFJ Staff
HUDSON – Owen Nanartowich’s hands never trembled.
Not when a dropped pass by a teammate set the tone for a shaky Hudson start, and not when a fourth-and-five conversion hung in the balance midway through the third quarter.
It was Nanartowich’s sure-handedness, along with the composure of quarterback Jake Attaway, that helped the top-seeded Hudson Hawks survive a serious upset bid from the eighth-seeded Sandwich Blue Knights, emerging with a 28-21 victory and a spot in the MIAA Division 6 Final Four next weekend.
“That’s a helluva football team, that’s not an eight seed, that’s a Final Four caliber team,” said Hudson head coach Zac Attaway.
Sandwich came out determined, opening the game with a methodical, run-heavy drive. Quarterback Adam Ferreira and running back Owen McElroy led a ground attack that chewed up six minutes of clock, earning a pair of first downs before stalling just past midfield. A well-placed punt pinned the Hawks deep at their own 15-yard line, but Sandwich’s inability to finish with points would prove costly.
Hudson, undefeated at 9-0, had a shaky start of its own. On its first play, wide receiver Nolan Yates found himself wide open on the sideline with nothing but grass ahead, but the ball slipped through his fingers. It was a missed opportunity that seemed to deflate the Hawks, as their opening drive ended with a turnover on downs following solid defense from Lincoln Shinn and the Sandwich secondary.
Sandwich capitalized early in the second quarter, orchestrating a drive that ended with a bit of trickery. On fourth-and-five from the 15-yard line, McElroy took a pitch and, instead of running, found Damien King in the end zone for the game’s first score. A successful PAT put the Blue Knights up 7-0, giving them a confidence boost in a hostile environment.
Hudson’s response was immediate and emphatic. Attaway connected with running back Treson Meuse for a big gain out of the backfield, setting the stage for a 32-yard strike to Nanartowich. A short pass to Tobias Edie in the flat led to a five-yard touchdown, tying the game at 7-7 with five minutes remaining in the half.
With momentum swinging, Hudson’s defense forced a quick three-and-out. On the ensuing possession, Attaway found Cooper Stuhr completely uncovered downfield for a 42-yard touchdown, putting the Hawks ahead 14-7. Sandwich’s defense had simply lost track of Stuhr, allowing him to walk into the end zone with ease, a blown coverage that loomed large as Hudson took a seven-point lead into halftime.
The third quarter saw Hudson pressing their advantage. A holding penalty initially derailed their first drive of the second half, but another big play from Nanartowich salvaged it, hauling in a 15-yard pass to set up a fourth-and-five. Unfazed by the pressure, Attaway hit Nanartowich again, this time for a 10-yard touchdown, extending Hudson’s lead to 21-7.
But the Blue Knights refused to fold. On the ensuing drive, McElroy nearly broke free for a long touchdown, only to be tripped up in Hudson territory. Ferreira followed up with a 15-yard completion to Shinn before calling his own number on an 11-yard scramble, trimming the deficit to 21-14 as the third quarter came to a close.
Hudson struck the pivotal blow early in the fourth quarter, aided by a controversial pass interference call. Facing fourth-and-six, Attaway’s desperation heave fell incomplete, but a collision between Sandwich’s Shinn and Hudson’s Garrett Giorgio drew a flag, moving the ball to the one-yard line. Two plays later, Attaway plunged in for an eight-yard rushing touchdown, restoring a two-touchdown lead at 28-14 with just over eight minutes remaining.
Yet Sandwich’s spirit was unbroken. Ferreira sparked a lightning-quick response, rushing for 24 yards before finding McElroy twice through the air—the second, a 14-yard touchdown strike to bring the Blue Knights back within seven points with 5:55 left.
Hudson’s next drive stalled, forcing a punt, giving Sandwich one final opportunity to tie the game. But as Ferreira dropped back to pass on fourth-and-four, he was met by a charging Damien Chaves, whose pressure forced an incomplete pass and a turnover on downs.
With the clock winding down, Hudson leaned on its running game to seal the win. A crucial first down by Giorgio was the final nail in the coffin, allowing the Hawks to run out the clock and punch their ticket to the semifinals.
For Hudson, it was a game of survival. Attaway’s ability to make plays with his arm and legs, Nanartowich’s reliability in crucial moments, and a defense that made enough stops proved to be the difference against a Sandwich team that brought their best effort to the field. The Blue Knights left everything out there, but in the end, Hudson’s unbeaten season marches on.
“These guys stepped up to the challenge, we haven’t been challenged like that in the fourth quarter, so it was new to us and we were shook early in the game,” added coach Attaway.
