Where's Waldo?

The following is my story on Saturday night's game that was SUPPOSED to be posted on the Dispatch Website (www.psdispatch.com)

When I posted it, it did appear on the site, but by Sunday morning it had been moved off of the site by some unknown mythical force.

So, here it is...

Hodick rallies Blue Devils to victory

BY RICK NOTARI
DISPATCH STAFF

Corey Hodick has only been the quarterback of the Old Forge football team for eight quarters. But if the final drive of last night's 21-14 come-from-behind victory over Holy Redeemer at Wilkes-Barre Memorial Stadium is any indication, Head Coach Mike Schuback will not have to worry about production from the leader of his offense.

Hodick rallied the Blue Devils as he accounted for 75 of the Blue Devils 80 yards on a nine-play scoring drive that started with 4:25 left in the game.

“I'm glad we worked the two-minute drill in practice this week,” Schuback said after the game. “Hodick has a heck of an arm, and when he is confident, you can can see what he can do. He is a heck of an athlete. I am proud of the way he stepped up tonight.”

Trailing 14-13 and pinned at their 20 yard line, the Blue Devils calmly went to the two-minute offense and mixed in four runs and five passes as Hodick had the ball in his hands for seven of the nine plays.

The senior signal caller scrambled for nine yards on first down after his four receivers in Old Forge's spread package were covered downfield. On seco nd-and-1, Hodick handed to tailback Brian Morris for a two-yard gain and a first down.

Hodick then went to the air on three consecutive plays, hitting three different receivers for 39 yards. First Hodick hit Morris for an 18-yard gain, before finding Jon Kaville for six yards over the middle and Bob Vieira for 15 yards to set up a first down at the Holy Redeemer 30.

The first-year quarterback then used his feet to gain 15 yards as he was forced out of the pocket, scrambling to the Royals 15.

Hodick then hit Vieira again for a 10-yard gain, and after keeping it himself for a two yards on first-and-goal, Morris took the handoff and bulled up the middle for the three-yard touchdown.

“Before coach sent me out there he said, 'its gut check time,' said Hodick of the last drive. “The team stepped up. We dug down and showed a lot of heart.”

Old Forge holder Dustin Slack kept the ball himself on a designed two-point play, and the Blue Devils led 21-14 with 1:46 left in the game.

The game began in a steady rain with neither team able to do much with the football. But on Old Forge's second possession, Hodick hooked up with Gave Wilson for 18 yards and a first down in Royals territory.

Two runs for 23 yards by Morris set up the Blue Devils first-and-goal at the 3, but the Redeemer defense stopped Morris on the next play before two Hodick incompletions.

Schuback called for Matt Rava to attempt the 20-yard field goal, but the attempt was blocked, turning the ball back over the the Royals.

After holding Redeemer to just six yards on six plays – including a sack by Niko Manetti and Mark Zambetti for a nine-yard loss, Old Forge (1-1) went on a 13-play, 61-yard scoring drive.

Morris started the drive with an eight-yard run, and rushing for 25 yards on four carries and caught one pass for 23 yards as Old Forge had first-and-goal from the Royals 5.

Kaville carried for two yards on first down, and on second down, Jim Tagliaferri picked up a fumbled snap and ran around his right side for his first touchdown of the season with 8:00 left in the first half. Rava booted the the PAT and Old Forge led 7-0.

Holy Redeemer answered thanks to two Old Forge turnovers on their next two possessions. The Royals intercepted Hodick on the Blue Devils next series, and when Old Forge forced Redeemer to punt, the hosts recovered a fumbled punt on the 3-yard line.

Three plays later, Redeemer cashed in and tied the game at 7-7.

Old Forge took the lead late in the first half after Slack intercepted a pass at the Royals 48 and returned it to the six yard line to set the Blue Devils up with 56 seconds left in the third.

Hodick scored two plays later after scrambling away from a rush for a 13-7 lead.

The teams played scoreless in the third quarter, but the Royals took its only lead of the game after intercepting Hodick for the second time in the game at the Blue Devils 26 yard line.

Six plays later, Redeemer tied the game on a one-yard run with 10:27 remaining in the game. The PAT put the Royals ahead 14-13.

“This day couldn't come fast enough,” said Schuback in reference to getting back on the field following last week's loss to arch-rival Riverside. “I don't know if the conditions and the wait had us a little squirrelly, but once we adjusted we were find.
“I give Holy Redeemer a lot of credit. They were tough tonight.”