Rams 4-0 after edging Rocks

In a game featuring two teams that like to pound it on the ground out of the double wing, it was ironic that the quarterback’s arm turned out to be the difference in West Hempstead’s 22-14 Conference IV victory at East Rockaway last Saturday.

Senior Bruno DeVito completed two passes, both for touchdowns, to lead the undefeated Rams to their fourth consecutive victory. Senior Justin Boatwright ran for 110 yards and a touchdown. Tayvon Hall (15 carries for 90 yards) caught the game-winning touchdown pass.

The Rams got on the board first when DeVito hooked up with senior Danny Sheeler from 34 yards out. DeVito scrambled out of the pocket toward the right sideline to elude the East Rockaway pass rush, and then fired the ball to Sheeler who was able to outleap three defenders to haul the ball in for the game’s first score. Sheeler caught a pass from Michael Petrizzo for the two-point conversion.

The Rocks (2-2) needed just five plays to answer. Senior James Geiser, on his first career carry, broke loose for a 42-yard gain to get East Rockaway deep into West Hempstead territory. Two plays later, it was Geiser barreling in from six yards out for the score. Senior Nick Ulip made a nice grab on the conversion attempt to make the score 8-8, where it remained at the half.

Both teams had just one possession apiece in the third quarter, and both were productive ones. It looked as if East Rockaway would be able to keep the Rams out of the end zone, but on fourth-and-13 from the 21-yard line, DeVito hit Hall on a quick slant, and the fleet-footed junior sprinted untouched into the end zone. Sheeler’s kick made it 15-8. 

Head coach Dom Carre thought the play would work. “We saw they were playing man-to-man and figured if we got the ball Tayvon he could score,” Carre said. “He’s nearly impossible to bring down in the open field, and nobody is catching him from behind.”