By Marley Seaman
"In the early 1930s and late '20s, I think they may have had one or two undefeated teams," said head coach Steve Carroll. "Certainly since the '40s, there hasn't been one."
Baldwin needed deep reserves of endurance to get the win. The Bruins took a 7-0 lead with 4:47 remaining in the first quarter, when Joe Vanella hit Arron Weaver with a three-yard fade pass to complete a 55-yard drive. They would hold that lead for most of the game, but it took everything they had.
The Hawks mounted an eight-minute drive to end the first half. Running the ball play after play, they methodically pounded the turf and the Baldwin defense. Backed up inside their own five-yard line, though, the Bruins found new strength, stopping Plainview on fourth down to hold on. Baldwin got the ball back, ran two quick plays, and collectively sighed with relief as the first half ended.
"The defensive goal line stand was huge," said Carroll. "That was a huge turn for us, and that's probably what won the game, in hindsight."
The second half featured more of the same. The Bruins bent, but almost inexplicably, they did not break. Another clock-eating third-quarter drive fell short. Baldwin's offense could only stay on the field for a few plays at a time, and the tide began to turn.
"They had three [long] drives," Carroll said, "and between the three of them, they were probably close to 28 minutes."
The Hawks finally reached paydirt in the middle of the fourth quarter, cutting the lead to 7-6. But rather than kick the extra point and take a tie, Plainview coach Matt Gentile elected to go for a two-point conversion and the lead. Quarterback Zac Mantell rolled out to his right and seemed to prepare to throw his first pass of the game, but he was hit behind the line and could not squirm away from the Baldwin defense.
Almost nine minutes remained, however, and the Bruins were not content with a one-point lead. They drove down the field again, with Vanella and tight end Jemel Saunders connecting on a long pass down to the Plainview four. After running back Ricky Manigat was stopped at the one, a penalty pushed Baldwin back ten more yards. A third-down pass that would have been a score hit Saunders's fingertips, but fell harmlessly into the mud.
Carroll told his team to go for broke on fourth down, and Vanella found Manigat for the touchdown. The crowd erupted - this was the clincher. The extra point provided the final margin. Vanella finished the game with seven completions for 110 yards and two scores. Manigat, who ran 11 times for 68 yards, managed the big play despite an injury.
"He twisted his ankle," Carroll said. "I don't think he has a problem right now ... I asked him how he was feeling, and he said it's just a sprained ankle."
With only 3:05 remaining in the game, Plainview was forced to abandon the running game and throw the ball. The Hawks were unable to mount a serious drive, and on fourth down, Chris O'Donnell sacked Mantell, who fumbled the ball away to Baldwin. Another kneel-down ended the game.
Baldwin's next game is on Friday at 2:30 p.m., against Hempstead. A victory would put them into the Nassau County Conference I playoffs, and they would compete for the title at Hofstra.
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