Deerfield
Academy
Choate
Day November 13, 2004
The first snow of the season the night before blanketed the
hopes of many teams as almost all of the sub-varsity athletic
contests had to be cancelled due to poor field conditions.
Choate's maintenance staff pulled out the John Deere mini
snowplow and prepared the varsity field for battle. The sun
appeared before game time and launched the thermometer into
the low forties. The Deerfield Club of New York City's hospitality
tent welcomed alumni, parents and students alike with coffee
and donuts first, then hamburgers and hot dogs at half time.
All the pieces were in place and the stage was set for yet
another classic as Deerfield (6-1) took the field to battle
archrival Choate (6-1).
Deerfield was unable to mount any serious offensives in the
first half, and the defense had their hands full with Choate's
excellent running back. A deep pass set up the only score
of the first half, as Choate then scored on double reverse.
Deerfield held fast defensively the rest of the half and the
score at halftime was DA 0 - CRH 7.
Deerfield kicked off to start the second half and the Choate
receiver dropped the kick, fumbled as he tried to collect
the kick then picked up the ball and ran "straight up
the gut" for an eighty yard kickoff return. As the Choaties
celebrated their windfall, an official's yellow flag appeared
in flight and Choate was penalized for excessive celebration.
The extra point kick from the twenty-yard line was no good.
DA 0 - CRH 13.
Backs against the wall and momentum firmly planted on the
Choate side of the field, Deerfield began the long, slow march
toward the end zone with regular doses of their running game
in the form of their running back, Mike Rodriguez '05 (193
yards, three touchdowns). Sometimes up the middle, sometimes
outside, the offensive line gave Mike just enough room to
chew up the yards and record first down after first down.
Finally Deerfield scored, on another run, and the kick was
good. DA 7 - CRH 13.
The Deerfield Varsity crowd, adorned in their myriad shades
of green and white, rallied behind their team and gave them
the boost that they required. Whether on defense or offense
the Green Machine had found its rhythm and a few minutes later
the goal line was pierced again. DA 14 - CRH 13.
With the lead and the ball in the fourth quarter, Deerfield
was faced with a fourth and seven yards to go, from just outside
field goal range. Not content to merely chew up the clock,
Deerfield lofted a ball the corner of the end zone, which
had been recently fortified by throngs of cheering Deerfield
students. Receiver and defender arrived at the ball simultaneously
and the ball ricocheted off of both and up into the air. The
crowd leaned forward on their toes to watch the unclaimed
ball falling back to earth, and right into the hands of a
different receiver wearing the green and white, (Josh Lesko
'05)! Pandemonium. The extra point kick was faked in favor
of a successful two-point conversion. DA 22 - CRH 13.
Minutes later the besieged Choate quarterback fumbled, Deerfield
returned the fumble to the Choate three, and one play later
ran in for another score. Choate scored late but was unable
to recover the ensuing onside kick. Choate was vanquished
yet again by the total team effort and never say die attitude
of Deerfield. DA 29 - CRH 21.
Class
of '94
Czar
Retires
Visit
Deerfield's Site
Deerfield
Scroll March 2001
This is truly classic.
What are the odds you would see this headline anywhere else
in the world other than a prep school newspaper. By
the way, the same issue stated that the greatest issue facing
Deerfield student life was seniors cutting in the First Waiting
line.
Click the image to see
the full article.
|
LT
Wins Prestigious Trivia Contest |
From
the Deerfield Academy Alumni Site:
"Congratulations to last
week's winner, Lawrence Thompson '94, who knew that
Boys' Varsity Hockey Coach Jim Lindsay was the captain
of Deerfield's hockey team in 1970"
Fortunately I beat Ted to the
punch on this one. Click here
to download the Deerfield screen saver |
|