After shaking off the cobwebs in a discouraging first game loss last week, the Riverdale Falcons traveled to Cold Spring, N.Y. and defeated the host Haldane Blue Devils 19-14 on Saturday.
“We executed our game plan better,” said coach Lance Ramer. “They were a good team and we played a tough football game.”
Much of the Falcons’ attack was through the air, as quarterback Jamie Weisfelner had a strong day, going 20 for 34 in passing for 272 yards and a touchdown.
Jordan Dubin had 5 receptions for 85 yards; Nicky Raven had 65 yards on 3 grabs; Karl Ehlert had seven catches for 61 yards and a touchdown and Jake Margolis had one long dash for 40 yards.
Riverdale ran for a total of only 31 yards, including 23 by quarterback Weisfelner.
Ramer gave the Falcons’ defense most of the credit for the team’s win.
Charles Knudsen had 6 tackles, including 3 unassisted and one for a loss; Weisfelner had 5 tackles, 3 of them unassisted; Dubin had a pair of unassisted tackles. He also had 2 interceptions for the Falcons, while Ehlert added a third.
Eric Baker and Knudsen both recovered fumbles for the Falcons.
“We tackled better, we gang-tackled,” said Ramer. “They turned over the ball five times.”
Riverdale will open its home season on the school’s Homecoming Day, Saturday, Sept. 29, at 2:30 p.m. against Kingswood-Oxford. The Connecticut team recently defeated Fieldston, 54-47 in a thrilling double-overtime game.
Clinton records first win
The DeWitt Clinton Governors won their first game of the season, soundly defeating Fort Hamilton 28-7 at home.
The win comes after a pair of major losses to Brooklyn teams, 36-18 to Abraham Lincoln on Sept. 7 and 34-6 to Erasmus Hall on Sept. 15.
The Governors and Tigers played a scoreless tie in the first quarter. Clinton scored a pair of touchdowns to Fort Hamilton’s one, as the Governors went into the locker room with a 14-7 lead.
Clinton ran up its lead in the second half by scoring two more majors, while holding the Tigers scoreless.
