Handing out awards for the Biglerville vs. Hanover game
Biglerville defeated Hanover, 28-6, but sometimes there are simply too many intriguing story lines to talk about and not enough space to fit them in a game recap. So here, we like to shine light on those moments, individual performances and plays that made the game so compelling.
Best performance in a losing effort >> Dylan Krieger. Coming into his senior night, the 6-foot-7-inch receiver needed 98 yards to become the first receiver in the league to 1,000 yards this season. He passed that midway through the second quarter on his way to a 23-catch, 223-yard performance. 23 CATCHES?! Some teams (Dover, Delone, Eastern) take weeks to even attempt that many passes. Just last night's performance would have put him in the top five for catches in the YAIAA this season.
A lot of high school receivers don't catch that many in an entire season, let alone one game. While he caught basically everything thrown his way, Krieger was kept out of the end zone. Biglerville head coach Alex Ramos said he knew Krieger was too good to not have some catches, but he wanted to limit his big plays.
Best balancing a playbook >> Typically a run-first team, the Canners put together a complete, balanced performance with 163 rushing yards and 169 yards through the air. Ramos said the team made a point to throw the ball more in order to keep Hanover off balance and it did just that. In addition to the nearly identical yardage totals, the Canner offense also scored seven points in each quarter. Very balanced.
Momentum shifter >> In their postgame meetings with the media, each coach pointed out a separate catch/near-catch along the sideline as crucial moments in the game. For Hanover, it was Krieger getting called out of bounds on a close, fourth-down play on the sideline. The Nighthawks were driving deep into Canner territory and looked as if they were close to cutting the lead to 14-7 if Krieger's catch inside the 15 stood. The referees said he didn't keep his feet in bounds and it resulted in a turnover on downs.
Hanover head coach Bill Reichart specifically mentioned that play as one that could have changed the game had it gone the other way. For the Canners, Gage McAuliffe had an almost identical play on Biglerville's first drive of the second half, but his was ruled a catch. Down 14-0, the Nighthawks needed a stop, but McAuliffe's third-down catch along the sideline extended the drive and Colton Sentz scored a few plays later. It was a big moment for McAuliffe, who had some struggles with inconsistency early in the season, Ramos said.
Best quote >> "Some people make a big deal about yards. But I'm more about points and we only gave up six, so I'm OK with that." --Ramos after his team gave up 300-plus yards through the air, including 223 to Krieger.
What could have been >> Oh, Hanover. For a team that had three wins in the previous three years, two wins this season is a clear sign of progress. And even in losses, the Nighthawks have stayed competitive.
But a win last night would have technically been their first winning streak since weeks 5-7 of the 2010 season (we say technically because calling two games a 'winning streak' can be seen as a stretch).
Best "What just happened?" moment >> Midway through the second quarter, Dayne Showers scored on a play that had a bizarre start. Before the snap, Hanover was convinced a Canner receiver had moved early and they immediately started pointing to him and asking the referees for a false-start call. No such call came and while the Nighthawk defense was pointing and screaming, Showers sprinted down the seam for the wide-open, 57-yard touchdown. No explanation was given, but Reichart was openly displeased with that call, among others after the game.
"At times, it seemed like the whole world was against us," he said.
Best concession stand in the Hanover-Adams area >> You had me at Maryland crab soup, Hanover. Then you throw in Snyder's chocolate-covered pretzels for 25 cents? Well done, Nighthawk Nation. You win.
Photo gallery courtesy of The Evening Sun's Shane Dunlap: http://photos.gametimepa.com/2014/10/25/photos-biglerville-28-hanover-6/#1