Clarke suffers last-minute loss

Sometimes you can play one hell of a game and still lose — with 25 seconds remaining.

Case in point: Clarke's excruciating 16-14 home loss to Glen Cove in a Nassau County Conference III football game last Saturday.

"It was really the best game that they played all year," Rams head coach Kevin O'Hagan said.

Sophomore Michael Iadevaia, the backup quarterback, directed the Rams into a 14-8 lead with 7:45 left. He culminated the drive with a 35-yard touchdown run and ran in the two-point conversion.

"The way we were playing at that point in the game, we had a lot of momentum," O'Hagan said. "Our defense was playing really well. It was tough sledding because the weather wasn't great. We had a couple of injuries on the offensive side. We weren't moving the ball very well in the first half. We found another gear and were able to score twice in the rain. I thought maybe with seven minutes to go, the way our defense was playing that we'd be able to make a stop and hang on."

Glen Cove, however, had other ideas. Jadyn Johnson (223 yards on 26 carries) scored his second touchdown, a 3-yard run and then rushed in the two-point conversion in the final minute.

Both teams are 3-3.

Iadevaia, a running back, replaced senior signal-caller Giancarlo Rengifo, whose throwing hand was banged up.

"He commanded the offense,” O’Hagan said. “He did a really good job as a sophomore. The moment wasn't too big for him. You could just see his effort was there. He was one of the most upset players on the team after the game. You could tell how bad he wanted it and how hard he played. "

O'Hagan also praised three seniors who have been outstanding this season — tight end/linebacker Dominic Canonico and left guard/defensive end Anthony Velez, a four-year starter and a captain, and tackle-linebacker Aidan Piotrowski.

"Dominic's a player that we've been hoping would step up more,” O’Hagain said. “Earlier in the year he had his best game for us offensively and defensively, which is a big thing because we really needed him to be a two-way guy for us.

"Anthony has been our most consistent player all year. He just does the right thing. He doesn’t come off the field. He helps the younger kids.

"Aidan is the tackle next to him he played a really good game with a lot of emotion. He took a risky play, on a punt that was a bad snap. He decided to keep it and ran nine yards for a first down, on fourth and nine. He really took it upon himself to try and make things happen.”

The Rams need a win when they host Kennedy on Saturday at 2 p.m. before closing out the regular season at Roosevelt on Oct. 28 at 2 p.m.

"That really becomes our Super Bowl," O'Hagan said. "It really comes down to a one-week season because if we want to have a shot at making the playoffs, we really have to win next week. That's going to be the big one for us."